agepag

So my wife and I are looking for a 2011/12 r350 bluetec with the captain seats in the second row. All the used ones we see either have the console or bench seat. Was the captains seat an option?
Thanks

josworth

Actually, the opposite.

The individual captain's seats were the base set up. The seven seat setup is a very common option.. and to be honest, wish ours had it. Ours is limited as a 4 passenger with the third row folded. We have a family of five. With the third row up, you have very limited cargo capacity.

My Crosstour is better for basic travel, with lots of cargo space with the family in.

On long trips we put one third row up, one down, and pack around a kid.... LOL...

Here is a link that will get you the old brochure..

http://www.auto-brochures.com/mercedes_benz.html

agepag

Well that sucks. I want the captains because we have 3 kids and I wanted the oldest to be able to walk to the 3rd row. Because the other 2 are in car seats it would be a pain trying to flip up the seat all the time to get in the back. Is it possible to remove the centre console? My odyssey had the centre third seat that just pops out. Very convenient

josworth

It will take work, but the console can be removed. It is not a pop in / pop out item.

Honestly, the space between seats is really not good for even smaller kids to walk through.. mine are forbidden to try.

My youngest is still in a seat, and with it mounted, the center row seat still moves forward and up for entrance into the third row. It is not like a typical crossover set up. Go try one out would be the best thing. Also, all the North American R's are actually the long wheel base... the rear doors are HUGE...

My kids are not allowed to open their doors in the garage because they will hit something.. takes some getting used to.

marc hanna

You'll have to look for model years 2007 and older. Almost all of those are 6 seat versions. Once the 7 seat become an option almost every single one was made that way.

josworth

Here is one in Florida with the standard seats...

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-s...11016075&Log=0

Since you have your heart set on a diesel, and 2011-2012 year range, that is going to be the biggest limiting thing.

Using AutoTrader, and just the years 2011 and 2012 with diesel power, there are only 16 listed in the US... wow... and over half of them have high miles...

Pete S

The rear center console comes off quite easily actually, there is a spot near the bottom along the front edge, push that in and simply lift up and remove. This will leave an exposed bracket which if you want a cleaner look you will have to remove. The downside is that the chairs when equipped with the center console have no armrests.

There also is a way to remove the middle bench seat, I know I saw a thread somewhere in this forum or in some other forum but again you are left with the middle row with no armrests.

If you decide to go this route you will probably have no problem selling either the center console or center seat. If you end up wanting to sell a rear center console I call dibs. Would love to have the rear center console.

agepag

Thanks for all the info guys. I might just go and see one and how the rear middle tow actually works with the car seat

efzauner

Don't know why the call them *captain* seats. I had a 2008 7 passenger and no have a 2011 6 passenger.. The 2 middle row seats are identical regardless of whether you have the center console or the small center seat.

Pete S

The six seater with the captains chair have armrests that is the only difference. I imagine both the middle row seats are exactly the same on both the 7 passenger as with the rear center console equipped Rs as neither have armrests attached to the seat.

On my list of things to do is to add the rear center console, just have to find a seller that has both the console and the bracket it snaps into. There was a rear center console on eBay not too long ago but no bracket and the bracket is almost $300 from MB. Hopefully I'll come across one that has both for now I have a universal jobby in order from Amazon. Need somewhere to store the headphones, remote, game controller that came with the rear entertainment system I just installed as well as a handful of DVDs.

efzauner

armrests on captain seats? never seen them.. it is the center console that Is the armrest.

josworth

Actually, the standard seating has no console and no center cushion.

They look like this....




.............and if you look real close you will notice that all three set ups use the same seats... LOL

Pete S

Captains chairs always have armrests built into one of its sides as the ones pictured above, at least that has always been my understanding.

efzauner

Wow OK Cool.. never seen them shown in any brochure that way! I suspect few where sold.

josworth

Actually, most of the early ones were made that way. Once the 7 passenger option came out, that was checked off a lot.

When we were shopping in the 2006 - 2008 range almost all of them were 6 passenger without the added console.

vanable

I remember someone even mentioned a while back that you could add the captain's chairs armrests to your non-armrest-y 2nd row seats by poking a hole through the leather to slide the arm rest pegs in. Apparently the internal framework for all versions of the chairs are identical underneath, and they all have the mounting points for the armrests to attach to