Wiedermann

I wonder if Mercedes Benz didn't charge extra for colors they don't consider "stock" colors if people would order more different colors...

I know dealers sales reps always tell me that "Mercedes Benz silver!!" is one of their best selling colors... and though I have to agree with M Benz.. the original silver color is nice and sets the car up from the crowd... when you look at the Mercedes Benz crowd.. then they all are silver, black, white predominantly!!!... I would imagine, when a customer is already paying a premium price for a premium vehicle, sometimes they (customers) are not willing to stretch themselves an extra couple of thousands of dollars "just" to have a different color not offered in the Mercedes Benz "standard" exterior color option list...

I would imagine, everyone got the color they wanted... or is there anyone who whished the C32 had a different exterior color?

Any input on that one????...

Cheers!

Wiedermann

lap

all colours were available at no extra cost (except Disegno colours). I orig. opted for Tectite Grey but changed it on the last day back to silver. I know silver is common but it really hi-lights the lines of the car.


btw we spell it colo"u"r up here

Zeppelin

Theory might have worked: Except Brilliant Silver is a $600 option

AMG BRED

changing the exterior color of my car would mean changing the color of wheel..

if i had a chance though, i'd go with black exterior, my wheels in charcoal (that gunmetal-ish) color, black out grille, black tint, smoked tails (only the back up lights) smoked third brakelight.. wow.. the sky is the limit with the black color.

Karl G

I really wanted Tectite Grey, and I told the sales guy I was willing to pay extra, he still told me it's not possible. I posted a question to this forum about special ordering colors/options and got no response. Wiedermann, are you saying I could have gotten any color (at extra charge)? What about euro options like Parktronic?

Wiedermann

Mr lap:
As an FYI (For Your Information)... on C32's, colors outside the Mercedes Benz Silver, Black, White, ANY other color was at an additional cost (US production cars).
Still this year, colors are charged extra... same even applies for E55's... (though on E55s US production the ALREADY have added the costs of metallic paint when compared the price against European production cars.. still.. if you want a color "out" of what Mercedes Benz "wants" you to get (the range), you get charged extra) --this applies when you look at their brochure, though Mercedes Benz offers other colors... if you want them, you have to pay for them ... for Metallic paints are NOT an option in C32's... the designo editions were the "exception" to metallic paints... until 2004... metallic was not available on C32s (US production...) --except designo, which you have only 2 options -- this year C32's and hopefully to the rest of the class started to offer Metallic paints...

My Midnight Blue option was an additional almost 2 thousand bucks --just because I was bringing the car to the US-- ... the sad part is the same color (Midnight Blue) is a "no charge" option in Switzerland (which is where I bought my car... once doing the paperwork and giving the information of the dealership where the car was to be delivered to.. as soon as "USA" appeared... so did the "extra" charge for the paint...

Mr. Karl G:
Tectite Grey IS possible... problem is... you had to built the car in Europe... dealership's computer ordering system "didn't" have the option to choose that color.. that is the reason your dealer told you it was not possible.
The cost of your Tectite Grey would have been about 2 grand... (what most dealers told me in the US, people "don't want to pay extra" for the color when they are already paying premium for a premium car.... that is why I posted the question today... after over than a year of watching and reading all the postings (I didn't join until just recently... however I was a loyal reader though ) I wanted to get the extra feedback from you guys if you would have paid the "extra" to get the color YOU wanted

About Parktronic:
More interesting... Parktronic is a STANDARD feature on ALL C models... not only C32's but all throughout the C class in Europe... amazingly that is the only feature NOT available to this date on US production cars... (in Europe, Parktronic is standard and clothe seats... in the US, I don't think you can order a car without the US "standard" leather... they did a "trade".. leather and the stupid "pop out" cup holder --available at an "extra cost in Europe-- for Parktronic).

If I got my car with Parktronic, I would have not been able to bring it to the US... normally when I go to visit my family in Europe I don't spend enough time to get all the "answers"/reasons/explanations I would want... but under no circumstances I would be able to bring my C32 if I had Parktronic... (somthing similar is with my E55 which is the newer body style, can't be brought to the USA ever as it would never pass smoke/crash testing... (I have a 600+ hp engine option in that car –crank wheel--)

For those that see on your dashboard one of the buttons that has a "dummy" plastic non-operational button.. that was the button for the Parktronic (the button is like the ESP button... you press it to deactivate Parktronic)

The only “reason” I have been given about Parktronic (if you get on a Mercedes Benz Taxi in Europe, you will see how common it is… is on a taxi!!) is “agreements” so that some features are made available in some places and other simply can’t have it (that “really” makes sense huh? )

As Mr Lap said on regards the Silver color... regardless even if that one was the "only" option in color, people would not buy the car if the color simply didn't look good in the car.. so though as much as I would not like to agree with Mr Lap... I have to!!!... the color (Standard Mercedes Silver) is a good color, the car does look nice...however... there is always a however... I wanted the Blue!... (then that is when dealer stick it up your a** with the charge!!... don't they!.. haha )

Since the weather is getting better in Europe --which means is not 30 degress below freezing...lol -- I may pay a "quick" visit to my family (parents) and, every time I go.. I do pay a visit to the plant in Affalterbach, Germany to see their "toys" (you can test drive their cars there on courses they have ... )

I appreciate your comments on this subject!

Wiedermann

Karl G

Sometimes I just hate the politics that go into the decisionmaking on what to offer where.

So if I hear you right Mr. Wiedermann, I'd have to have had to contact a dealer in Europe and ask them to build me a "US Spec" car with a custom color, then have it shipped over here?

The only problem I could tell with the Parktronic is that it eliminates the US-spec amber reflectors on the front bump strips, but those are easily re-mounted on Parktronic-compatible strips. There's still a lot about importing I don't understand, but if you retrofitted the reflectors, shouldn't the car be DOT-legal once more? Or do they assume, once you order Parktronic, that your car is "Euro" spec and don't outfit it with the US-spec equipment like an MPH speedometer et cetera, which would make it impossible to import to the US?

Wiedermann

Mr. Karl G:

On regards your question:

"So if I hear you right Mr. Wiedermann, I'd have to have had to contact a dealer in Europe and ask them to build me a "US Spec" car with a custom color, then have it shipped over here?"

The answer is:
Yes!, anywhere in Europe you could pick the color, then when paying for the car, you just have to have the dealership send the car to the US... Mercedes Benz even has now advertising --which until recently wasn't that "hot", or offered-- on European purchases. Same thing happened when I built my car... no US dealership could order the car with the Mercedes Benz spoiler installed... mainly cause there was not a way to buld the car like that in the computer ordering software US dealers use... I dropped the ball to double check my order and thought my spoiler was part of the car... car arrives and no spoiler!!!... (what a problem!...lol). A trip back home solved my problem... I've posted pics of my car before that you can see what it looks like now...

On regards Parktronic:
The problem with European dealers, is that they don't "sell" US build cars that often... therefore, they simply don't know whether or not what they are ordering will be legal on the destination country... what they do???... with the US... European dealerships are extremely conservative... that is some of the reasons I was "given" as to why I could not have the car with Parktronic and then shipped to the US... (though Parktronic is possible on E classes... the "main" reason was.. "explained" MB USA wanted to give E class owners a more "distinctive" reason why pay more for an E class (E55, etc) car instead of a AMG C class... (are you buying that one???... )

I wanted to import a Smart car... not the one that is being brought to Canada and later to the US showrooms; which is more like a Mini Cooper size car... I wanted the "pill" smart car that is no bigger than a golf car (is a nice 3 cylinder gasoline car, Mercedes Benz engine, built by Chrysler there)... problem wasn't there at all.. as I almost purchase that car on my way out of the grocery store in Zurich (actually Schlieren, Zwitzerland which is a neighboring city )... they would sell me the car fine... I just could not bring it to the USA... whelp???.. .after research back in the US... I found the DMV would only let me use the car as a "golf" car!!!... never allowed on the freeways!!!... only streets up to 45 mph in the US... and the car will go 80 to 90 mph... problem is.. that the car is a true pill!!!... if it gets to that speed on our freeway system the car would literally "fly off" the freeway! (wind could/would tip the car)... --in Europe... though even Brabus editions are of the "pill Smart" car are available... people won't get on the highways to run the car... it is sold merely for street use there... (still no prohibition on you taking the car on certain roads unlike here in the US).

I could see Mr Silva32 (Jerry) "pimping" the little pill Smart car.. yeah... put a DVD system on that little sucker man!... haha .. .if you guys ever saw that car you would flat fall on the floor laughing... .

Wiedermann