No Memory Seats!! Wait a second....
 

I ordered this car knowing that it did not come with PDC but I am extremely shocked to find out that there is no right mirror tilt in reverse and no memory seats! My last two cars were BMW's and I guess I was spoiled to have these features on both of them...even if they were add on options.
How is it that MERCEDES is not offering these as options? :nix: I mean, they should come standard for what we're paying for these machines.
I know it's silly and I'm sure the car is amazing, but come on!!! Don't they know my wife has a hard time parallel parking. :rolf:

Stu

Did you not check the specifications of the models before ordering? The lack of these "features" have also been discussed many times on this forum.

I know, even our old 2001 Toyota Avalon has memory seats... Other countries have them available in the W204, but not the worlds greatest country... (j/k ROW) ;)

There are a lot of features they are leaving off us US models for it's debut...

Excuse me for being ignorant, but I thought I was ordering a Mercedes. I am new to this forum so I would not know how many times it was discussed in the past. Maybe next time I want to bring anything up in a new thread I'll make sure that it was never ever mentioned in any other post since the beginning of MBworld.org

It was just a question, with a little bit of curiousity. I figured I would get some new insight instead of relying on what was said in the past.

Kind regards,
Stu

Thanks. I find it very odd.

Stu.

"Search" button is your friend.

It is odd. The reasons for it seem even more odd, one of the common excuses it that MB wanted to limit the fatures in the car to reduce warranty issues or something like that, but it's not like any of the missing items (memory seat, keyless go, backup cam, paddle shifters, manual on the C350, + lots more) are NEW features. The memory seats were avail on the previous model so I'm just left scratching my head...

Oh, and I almost forgot, welcome to the site Stu! :y

Thanks Krytech. I'm glad someone was able to answer my question instead of telling me to use the Search button. :)

Ladies and gents, I know about the Search button, but what fun is that? There are plenty of people on, some are friendly and some are rude, but it's all good. If you feel that a topic is brought up too often, just ignore it and go on to the next thread.

Stu

At least they throw you AMG kit as a sport package. We need to pay $7000 for that kit. But we have PDC as a standard and more interior colour.

i'll trade you my amg kit for your interior leather seats.
i love yours man. i'd pay 5000 bucks extra right now to have the dealer change it for me. but they suck and they wouldnt haha.

:(

Canadian and European model has more options available than US model offers such as the tilt in reverse, Memory seats, keyless Start, etc. But they cost alot more than ours

does this mean the german thinks we the fast food nation people are cheap?

No, if we given the same option as the NA car, the new C class will not be attractive to us.

My standard response to these questions is always this.

Mercedes wanted to bring out a new model at the old models price. So they could have their salesmen point out "look your getting a new model for what the old one cost". To achieve this they had to cut some corners and leave out options that were standard on the w203. I myself don't see any harm in making a new model cost more than the out going model, you are after all getting updated technology. But for some reason, car mags, car press, ect. like to complain and moan when the price of a new model is higher than the car it replaces. I do expect most of the features mentioned on this board will either become standard next year (memory seats, heated seats on 4matics, birds eye maple trim for sports) or become part of a package.

i agree w/ stu... i was shocked when i realized the mirrors dont tilt when in reverse.. ok i can understand.. no memory seats... save costs.. but tilting reverse mirrors.. how much extra does it cost the manufacture to put in a relay that tilts the mirror down.. especially when its only on one... thats a corner i dont think they should have cut.

Here is what I think it is all about
http://www.x-rates.com/d/EUR/USD/graph120.png
Cheers

hogwash
 

I don't buy for a minute that they needed it to keep the new car at last car's price. They could have included it and met last car's price. However, I would agree that they may have thought they needed to keep a certain profit margin within the price frame of last year's model and thus cut features. Its not about the price of the two cars, but the margin for Mercedes. They want to get fat off this car, so we get a lean car.

Others have said that it is not the cost/margin so much as the JD powers survey. That is, for each feature added there is the option of it going wrong. And if it goes wrong, JD Powers docks them in reliability surveys. Thus, they keep features with potential errors off the car. Of course, this speaks volumes about german engineering and quality control (in order to have good record, just won't add it???) where the asians don't have these problems. Also, were you aware the new w204 has suffered a safety recall in its first three months of introduction into the usa? Yep, any car sold after say October is not likely covered as it only affected rear outboard seatbelts failing in he first 5,800 w204s (how many expected sold in a year in USA? 20K? 40k?). Anyway, poke around the forum. You'll be surprised Merc is kinda like GM in many ways!

Oh, and Stu, its not just memory seats, tilting reverse mirror, and keyless go that are missing. Other stuff too, forget much of it since they're sprinkled in various posts. But compare this to the infiniti awd g35x and prepare to be saddened. But, I chose this over the g35x anyway, any maybe you will too (although, at the time of choice I wasn't fully aware of all the ommissions and deletions).

YEA:confused: you would spect to have all the options available on the world biggest market "USA" but one more time we got screw:mercy:
IT"S WHAT IT IS.:word:

Let me see if I can sum up the rest: Power tilt steering column, backup camera, compass, rear seat cold/hot air adjust....

all these can be found on either bmw, is250awd or g35x.... if you compared price per features to the japanese cars, your practical mind will tell you the japanese cars make sense. "but, its not a Benz..."

Years ago when the japanese first enter the luxury segment market, the auto industry laughed, not just the germans, americans were chuckling as well. (think what happens if hyundai decides to bring its luxury models to the US for 40k, 50k or even 60k)

The germans can claim mechanical engineering marvels and styling but the japanese brings refinement and for most of the time, bang for the buck...

All I ask is that they give us the OPTION TO BUY the extra items. I don't mind that they cut out things to keep the base price low.
My list includes memory, parktronic, keyless go, intelligent lights, speedtronic, driver's knee airbag and a 350 engine in the Luxury model.

Exactly!!! Here's to our national debt.

So, the US Dollar falls 10% against the Euro, MB manufactures and sources many parts for the W204 in the Eurozone, and yet they get a fat(ter) profit out of the car because they could have left all the cost in the new model and still have sold it for the same US Dollar price? Yeah, right... Just take a look at nGage's graph for a reality check.

Then why this car and not the G35x?
 

Can someone tell me why I should buy this car and not a G35x? I was looking into the Infiniti but settled on ordering the MB. Did I make a mistake?

All of this is really amazing! I am speechless.
:nix:

Stu

I looked at the Infiniti too. What everyone is telling you about the Japanese cars is true to an extent. The Inifiniti, like the Acura, has gadgets and higher hp, but it isn't as nice of a ride as the MB.

Germans build their cars to be cars, therefore they drive well first and have fancy gadgets second. Japanese build there cars to sell, therefore they have flashing lights and hp you can brag about, but they don't drive nearly so well.

I don't race or advocate racing, but the new G37 has 330 hp and will probably beat my 350 off of the line or in the quarter mile. However, in the real world there are curves and traffic to deal with. The MB is much better equipped to handle that then the G37, which is built to go straight.