sfsig

So the E Cabriolet is now posted on MBUSA, and I went in yesterday to do a build on the model I'd like to order. Perhaps because it's so new on the site, these may just be oversights (they probably just copied what was available for the coupe), but I wanted to ask...

1) There is no price when selecting Premium Leather. It just shows $0. This must be a mistake, right?

2) They show "Rear Spoiler" as a separate, individual option. Is it really an option for the E550 Cabriolet? I would've either expected it to be part of the Appearance Package, or just standard.

3) The only wood trim showing available is the regular burl walnut. Is there a black wood trim available?

4) Does the MBrace option include the first year of service at no charge?

5) Finally, I probably already know the answer to this, but is there a trunk auto-closer option available for the cabriolets?

Txhurdle

1. Yes. $1,370
2. Optional
3. Black Ash available as 'Special Order' option.
4. 3 months Complimentary for Premium Services - 6 Months Complimentary for Standard Services
5. Strange, but not for the Cabs. I have noticed however the trunk is anchored differently than it was on the CLK's, and is much easier to close in one motion without having to touch the outside.

anothal3v3l23

In regard to the black ash being a special order option, can the natural beige/black interior also be considered a special order option.

christiaan

Are you a dealer? you know so much. lol

mcdohl

Black Ash wood is special order and requires Premium Leather which is $1390. Their is no charge for Black Ash wood itself but their is a $250 special order charge tho.

I was told Black Ash wood is only offered with following interior premium combos back in Feb when I ordered my car Black 251/851 or two tone Black/Beige 258/858 or Black/Almond 255/855. The Black/Beige requires Beige top while the Black/Almond and Black interiors require Black top. Also steering wheel and shift *** is not available with Black Ash wood trim either I was told. It is only offered with burl wood trim on the Cab.

As far as the rear spoiler, it is an option on E550 as it was option even on the CLK 550. It was not included in the appearance package or Amg Sport package. If you plan to order the car custom I highly recommend ordering the spoiler from the factory as it is $300 options vs factory and $450+ as a dealer installed option as the dealer can install that option.

Also if you plan to order a custom built car be aware of it, at least in So Cal most dealers are refusing to order custom cars at this point as MB is sold out of many options like "Appearance package" and "P2" package and Premium Leather is sold out and many dealers are unwilling to delay cars builds waiting for parts to come back in stock as they trying to milk every penny they can while the car is hot and they are able to sell them at sticker or above sticker.

Also most dealers did not order any cars with Black Ash wood either and because MB has no special on this car at all and dealers are unwilling to discount the car 1 penny, as a matter of fact many dealers at least in So. Cal are adding tons of dealer installed options to drive up the price even higher, so they are not loading them up with factory options were they make 7% and loading them up with dealer options were they make 100% profit.

I have a couple of friends who are trying to order/buy E-Class Cabs in So Cal for the last month, and other person on this board is experiencing the same run around, that all cars allotted between now and basically Sept are and pre-configured and most dealers are willing to do any changes except colors as changing options could delay the build date. Most cars in the system are P1 cars with stuff like rear air bags and Mbrace P2 cars or cars with Appearance packages as those 2 options currently show sold out in the system.

I know one of my friends went to another dealer, who told him not sure if it is true or not, when he was looking to order a P2 car with Black Ash Wood last month like my car, that according to MStar, only 1 car showed up in the whole USA with Black Ash and P2 which was my car as the dealer told him it showed up in the system going to the dealer I have my order with beside that car only 1 other car showed up with Black Ash wood and that car was a P1 going to Oregon. Beside those 2 cars for all the cars in the system going out till Sept, no other cars were scheduled to be build with Black Ash wood destined to the USA dealers. I am sure things could have changed and dealers might have changed their orders and stuff but I think finding a cab with Black Ash wood is going to be hard at first.

sfsig

Thanks everyone for the information, although I am somewhat discouraged by mcdohl's dose of reality.

My current lease ends in October, and I really do not want to do any special ordering. I do, however, want P1, P2, Appearance and Spoiler, and just black on black - anything less and I'd be stepping down from my current CLK550. I have to bring my current car in for regular service tomorrow, so I'll poke around the dealership and see what's going on. I will not pay a premium for a new car - as much as I love this particular model (I'm currently on my 3rd), paying over sticker just doesn't make sense. Perhaps inventories will be a bit fuller in October when I'm ready for a new one...maybe wishful thinking.

mcdohl

sfsig I am not trying to discourage you or anyone from ordering an E-Class Cab. I just relaying my experience with MBUSA and E-Class Cabs of late 90's and CLK of the late 90's and early 2000's.

I also am relaying what my friends were told plus I have been having PM with someone on this board experiencing the same walls my 2 local friends who want this car are running into. I posted the day the Cab order bank opened up for the US as I have a very good relationship with my dealer as my family has been dealing with the same salesman for close to 30 years and we have bought over 20 cars from him as well.

I referred 2 my locals friends to this salesman who pretty much told them no special orders on the car right now, we made an exception for mcdohl because of the amount of cars his family buys from us and at the time he placed his orders none of the options were showing sold out either. So his car was not delayed based on the options he choose.

I am sure their will be part of the country were the cabs will not be as hot as So. Ca either as remember our weather here is basically convertible weather 11 months out of the year. SF has good weather too but not as good as So. Ca so maybe demand up north will be less. Also MBUSA might allocate more cabs to Ca come fall/winter as back east no one buys cabs in fall/winter. So maybe by Oct supply will have caught up with demand.

I am certainly not paying over sticker or getting any dealer options. As a matter of fact I am getting USAA fleet discount on my purchase. If you want to pay sticker, your best bet is to same thing one friend of mine did and put down a $1k deposit, which allowed him to get a certain car at sticker with no dealer options but his car is not coming in till end of Aug or beginning of Sept he was told and he placed his deposit in the middle of April. He was able to get a black/black P2 with spoiler but no appearance package as that was showing sold out and the dealer refused to delay the build date. But the dealer also stated he had a 1 other black/black p2 with appearance package coming in at the end of the July beginning of Aug and if that person back out of the deal he would be the first person they would call for that car and would offer that car to him at sticker as well.

I am dealing with 4th largest MB dealer in USA who claims they are getting 3-6 Cabs per month between now and Sept. If you think about it, that is not a lot of cabs either so I am sure dealers are getting less than that too but their are always phantom cars that show up to each dealer too. So the real number could be a little higher.

Txhurdle

Sounds right. 16 available in the initial release around here, and another 18 production through July (350's & 550's total). 'Phantom' cars are generally awarded to dealers that sell through quickly, but are all basically built the same way.