Hey, the MBZ shipment just rolled in near where I work. The E350s don't have 4 pots up front anymore. They have single piston sliders. So now the dealer has E350s with 16" wheels and 4 pots, 17" wheels and 4 pots, and 17" wheels with sliders. Thanks MBZ for giving us the more fade prone brakes. We love you, too. Why do they have to do this? Now if you wan't the 4 pots you need the E500. Now maybe the only way to get 4 pots on a 350 is with this new AMG Sport package. The current AMG sport they rolled off the truck was not the new one, but the old one. Just thought you guys would be tickled to know.

 

WTF is a pot? Are you referring to piston?

 

More cost cutting.. the CDI is also the same.. I'm trying to get a price on installing the 4-pot.. so far it's $1000 just for parts!

 

Ya piston.

 

In addition to the change in the front piston configuration, they also went from 13.0" ventilated front and 11.8" ventilated rear disks to 12.3" ventilated front and 11.8" solid rear disks.

 

That sucks. The E320 is totally lacking brake with that set up. The E350 must be so bad. The 13.0 works well on the E500 and would be ideal for the E350. Thanks to Benz.

 

And you're calling him ? You're the one that doesn't know the term. Have you read a car enthusiast magazine in the last twenty years?

 

In the old days, the engineers would design the car the way they wanted, and then tell marketing to price it. Now, marketing tells the engineers that they have this much money to work with on this or that feature, so we are getting shortchanged. Wish it was back the way it was. I would be happy to pay more and get more.

 

this has been my mantra for the last few months Jim. MBUSA doesn't think it customers can afford it I guess

 

That is EXACTLY correct. That's why MBs cost so much more than the competition for the identical level of equipment. The fact is, MB has to compete in this country with Lexus, and the MBs of today, dont have to last 20+ years because most of them are leased for 39 months anyway, so they only need to last 1 1/2 ownerships.

The reality of the buisness is MB needs to be rescued, and yesterdays business models dont work in todays buisness climate. Dieter (and MBUSA) WILL TELL MB what the car must sell for, and to build it the best they can, and to come in at that price, and the whole car better run as well a Lexus, or the "Heratige Glory Factor" of an MB will NOT be enough to carry it into the 21st century as the worlds finest luxury car. No, they won't be built as heavy duty as they were in the past, but they will remain "competitive", and remain relevant. For the car to survive, it must first work well, and second, sell in suffucuent numbers.

 

I have NO issue with MB making changes to a model as part of an effort to cut costs and compete. My pinch, as it relates to the brakes on my brand new E350, has to do with a change in the middle of a model year. When I ordered my car in July, the brochure reflected the 4 piston front caliphers and the larger disk. When I accepted delivery in October, they had already made the change.

To say that I'm furious over this change is an understatement.

 

I don’t blame you for your anger. Curious, what do you think an acceptable settlement in your case should be? Furthermore, where are you located?

 

We'll if it's anything like the settlement I am getting on my Vinyl, it's gonna be a big fat "sorry".

I will state this emphatically.. MBUSA are you listening? If MB continues to nickel and dime, cost cut (on the engineering), and water their brand down to nothing more than a fancy version of a Chrysler, this W211 will be the last MB I drive. I will likely hop to Audi. They don't hind their affiliation with VW, because they know VW is a good solid base to build on for their higher line cars. The new A6 is a darn good car, but the W211 was more appealing to me.. knowing what I know in hindsight the A6 was even better... but I'm sticking my MB (for now). I am very impressed with this car, and I just took it to the track last night with a few friend from this forum where it beat up on a few (very few mind you) souped up rice burners, and other ordinary cars in the 1/4 mile (15.5 was my best time). It drove solid as a rock the whole way down the track and handled/braked like a charm.. That is what I expect from MB, nothing less.. nothing less..

 

Statements like this are becoming all to familiar.... Too bad.

But have to wonder, if it bothers you so much that they made the brake changes, why did you buy the car???? You could've easily have walked.

 

I didn't find out about the brake change until yesterday; two weeks after I took delivery of the car. In retrospect, I still would have accepted delivery of the car. I think MB's action to make this kind of change in, the middle of a model year, is unconscionable. After owning 8 MB's in the 70's, 80's and 90's, I moved away from them for 10 years. In what I consider to be a "leap of faith", I decided to purchase the E350 over the Lexus GS300. While I am not disappointed in the vehicle so far, I am livid over these kinds of business practices.

 

Yea, That sucks.... But chances are you problably will and in fact didn't even notice the diff in that "family sedan" anyway..... Still no excuse for MB... If people only checked their car orders more carefully when accepting them at delivery for changes and then not buying them for being not what they ordered would be the only way to truley change things around for we consumers and wake-up MB...
I went through this nearly 2 years ago. I waited nearly 3 months for my first order only to reject it and to reorder again.


Read this thread about it..........

https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w211/56016-welp-back-square-one.html

 

OK, I had to leave for a while. If you don’t mind shall we move this off the forum for now? I need some info if you’re serious. Check your PM.

 

I think you are right. This is indicative of current business practices at MB. Brakes are only a tangible aspect of overall cost cutting, who knows what else that we can't see has been cut...

FWIW, my S-Class has the same brakes as a 560 and the *only* changes made to the braking system throughout the *entire* model run from 1979 to 1991 was to install *larger* front brakes in 1986! That's it.

Maybe the days of the high quality MB are gone? It seems that ppl don't want to pay for quality in the face of stiff competition from Asia.

 

Sounds familiar doesn't it HoH? I'm not saying that I wasn't an idiot to do more research on the car before I bought it, but the cost cutting is not the right answer for a brand like MB.

I noticed the brakes as soon as I took delivery of my mom's E-350.. I recall how the calipers looked a lot better than mine. At first, when I bought the CDI, it didn't register to me to wonder anything about my single piston calipers.. but after noticing the E350, and E500 calipers ('05 model year E500 and '06 E350) I had to ask MBUSA why the CDI got short changed.. No answer.. I assume it's cost cutting, as the CDI cost's $1500 more than the E350, but for what ever reason, maybe the sales volume for the US market, it didn't deserve the better brakes/rotors.

This isn't how MB's current management should run this 120 year old pillar of automotive engineering.. they're going to do the same thing to MB, as GM did to Cadillac.. unless we consumers are heard to complain.. remember the Cadillac Cimmeron?

 

Exactly! As much as we all feel it shouldn’t be necessary for us to do because we’re buying a MB (in light of all the continued decontenting, changes, etc.) everyone when taking delivery (ordered or stock) should get into the habit of asking if anything has changed and if the reply is no, suggest your salesman make a written note somewhere on the paperwork and initial it. Guess what, he or she is not going to agree unless they check first, at least I wouldn’t. Grab a brochure while you’re waiting for your car to be prepared for delivery (detail, paperwork, etc.) and familiarize yourself with the features, specs, etc.

Does this entitle you to a buyback? Does this entitle you to monetary retribution? Well let’s just say a goodwill gesture would not be out of the question if you purchased from a reputable dealership. Others will claim it is out of their hands, not their fault, and pass it back to MBUSA offering nothing. If this is the case you have to decide what is most important to you at the time; the price you are paying; the convenience of using this dealer; and how long you’re willing to wait if you need to place an order through another dealership as opposed to being satisfied without having matched every single thing listed in the collective marketing materials.

Am I making excuses for MBUSA - no. Nevertheless, we’re not going to stop the decontenting by no means. Furthermore, no matter who thinks otherwise, the dealer; MBUSA, or DC/MB simply cannot be held legally responsible for any of this. Even if the salesman agrees to put a note on the paperwork it is most likely not going to be very specific or detailed but you do have a written acknowledge of sought to base your concern and request a fair goodwill gesture.

 

did you get a 4matic E350?

 

Yes

 

I remember when the 1980 S classes came out, they stood out of a crowd like a soar thumb! If you took a Toyota, Datsun, GM, Ford top of the line product and parked it next to a 300D much less a. 300SD, or 380SE etc.. you could [as clear as God's daylight) see the difference in quality, workmanship, and technology. There was no doubt as to which car was King.. the S or the Buick LaSabre, the S or the Toyota Cresseda, the S or the Ford LTD..

Sure, the S cost $45,000 in 1980 dollars.. but it was worth every penny.. I've said it before, and I'll say it again... I would have been more than willing to pay 10-15% more for my E to get some of the basics that a world class MB sedan came with in the 80's. After all, if you add up the $ I spent on this car, after the $54,000 I gave MB it would be well north of $62,000.. I would have been more than willing to write that check to MB rather than to MB, and Steve Krabenborg (nothing against Steve, he did great work, but it wasn't as cheap as if MB did it).

I mean wtf MBUSA?

 

Using this philosophy you would've had to pay a hell of a lot more than 10-15%.... I read alot about how it was in the "old days" and I also read how expenisive the cars were back then too.... "Some MB cars in the early 80s and 90s costing more than the ones now".... So keeping that in mind, how can anyone complain about the current cars and how their being built today and compairing them to what used to be.... I remember when a candybar was 15 cents and Coca-Cola was made with real sugar and not corn syrup...W.T.F.....

Times are changing like it or not.... MB wants to sell cars..... lots of cars.... Perhaps they are decontenting some electrical features for good reason (to many problems) and other items to keep costs down for we (I) working class to afford and not just the rich and famous...

 

There you have it. The 4matics did not get the 4 piston calipers... on any model, even the S-class. People are very quick to jump to conclusions.