Help what to do?????
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Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 24
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From: Salt Lake City,UT
CTS
Help what to do?????
I've been following this forum for sometime and found it very informative. So I'm now ready to step to the plate and order my first MB a E 320. we have had a deposit in place for several months waiting for the E4 option. I've never seen a car company that shows options that you can not order. Such as the E4, trunk closer, wood wheel and nav. My problem now is after waiting so long my wife (it will be her car) has changed her mind several times as to color ect. What she now seems quite sure of is she would like Platinum Blue with Ash and the wood wheel. But she really likes the black wood trim and blue tinted windows. So to get these items we need to order the sport package which has the Airmatic. I guess it is nice but we are 60+ years old and sport isn't what we are about. My question is with the 17" tires and airmatic package will we get a smooth ride? Long term it would seem like a more complex system will require more money spent on maintaining it. I'm sure we will keep the car 5 or more years. So what to do the car does look good with the package. I'm worried down the road I may have problems I don't need. Thanks in advance for your help.
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 879
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From: Toronto
SLK 350 '05
haha...no fear...the Airmatic is MUCH smoother than normal springs. there are 3 levels of "comfort". you can always put it on the "lowest" setting so that the ride is quite cushy. the 17" are not a problem either, they ride just like 16's, go ahead an order the "sport package"...although its not really a sport package...you only get new skirts and white dial with black wood trim and new wheels. it doesn't make the car look too sporty, so i don't think its a problem.
Super Member
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 524
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From: So. FL
2003 SL Launch Edition, 2003 E500 Pewter/Stone
Roncar:
First and foremost, you will both love the car. We first received the new SL last March with the intent to get the E this fall. When we got the SL, we were thrilled. I suggested to my wife that, although the SL was intended to be primarily hers, we should just share both cars when the E came in. She said "no way, I want a car to be pretty much mine and the other to be yours. You just have to choose". Well, of course, being the wonderful husband I am, I thought I would sacrifice and before the E came in, I told her the SL was to be hers. Well, when the E500 came in and my wife drove it, she said "don't you remember that we agreed to share both cars????" It really is that good.
As to the specifics:
a. The Platinum/Ash is wonderful.
b. We had ordered the E4 and got instead the "Launch Promotion Fold Down Rear Seats" for only $100. This is just fine because the only difference is a ski bag and a fold foward front passenger seat. Ask your dealer about the Launch Promotion deal on the fold down rear seats. By the way, this is a great option. We go to the garden shop and use the E like a station wagon!!
c. The Airmatic is wonderful. You can use it on the normal setting and have no problem with too hard a ride. It will then automatically tighten up only in hard driving. If you don't, it won't.
d. On keeping it over 5 years: the scheduled maintenance and warranty should cover everything except consumables for the 4 years and, for a relatively small amount you can get extended factory equivalent warranty coverage from MBUSA. beyond the initial 4 years, 50,000 miles.
e. I think the wood wheel is available for cars ordered now.
Go for it and enjoy it.
First and foremost, you will both love the car. We first received the new SL last March with the intent to get the E this fall. When we got the SL, we were thrilled. I suggested to my wife that, although the SL was intended to be primarily hers, we should just share both cars when the E came in. She said "no way, I want a car to be pretty much mine and the other to be yours. You just have to choose". Well, of course, being the wonderful husband I am, I thought I would sacrifice and before the E came in, I told her the SL was to be hers. Well, when the E500 came in and my wife drove it, she said "don't you remember that we agreed to share both cars????" It really is that good.
As to the specifics:
a. The Platinum/Ash is wonderful.
b. We had ordered the E4 and got instead the "Launch Promotion Fold Down Rear Seats" for only $100. This is just fine because the only difference is a ski bag and a fold foward front passenger seat. Ask your dealer about the Launch Promotion deal on the fold down rear seats. By the way, this is a great option. We go to the garden shop and use the E like a station wagon!!
c. The Airmatic is wonderful. You can use it on the normal setting and have no problem with too hard a ride. It will then automatically tighten up only in hard driving. If you don't, it won't.
d. On keeping it over 5 years: the scheduled maintenance and warranty should cover everything except consumables for the 4 years and, for a relatively small amount you can get extended factory equivalent warranty coverage from MBUSA. beyond the initial 4 years, 50,000 miles.
e. I think the wood wheel is available for cars ordered now.
Go for it and enjoy it.
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 454
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From: NC
'03 Mercedes E320
early orders
roncar--I have typically been ordering cars before they came out, sometimes US, sometimes European, sometimes Japanese. Up over 30 in my lifetime so far. They ALL have some options listed in sales materials that end up being "late avalability"or "TBD" on the actual order system available to the dealer. Not all the suppliers are ready on time, engineering issues develop, or some things just are not working on the assembly line. The worst I ever saw was an option on a US car that I forwent due to "late availability". I knew the dealer well, and it went on his system from "late availability" to "TBD" to "OFM" (out for model year!) with nary a one produced. The car business is not all roses, perhaps it may be mostly thorns!
Super Member
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 524
Likes: 0
From: So. FL
2003 SL Launch Edition, 2003 E500 Pewter/Stone
The "sport package" here in the states includes the Airmatic. Perhaps a better approach, if roncar really doesn't want the larger wheels or airmatic is to special order the birdseye maple and blue tinted windows, which would probably run less than the cost of the sport package even with the special order charge. Roncar, why don't you go drive the E320 with the sport package and see how you like it and if you don't like the extra items, discuss the special order with the dealer?
Member
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 215
Likes: 1
From: Seattle
2001 ML320
I have the plat blue/ash 320 and think it looks great with the standard (non-sport) wood as well and get tons of compliments. Of course it is a matter of personal preference. I even think my window tint looks blue (I don't think it is) but perhaps it is just picking up some of the paint color/reflection. I don't want to knock the airmatic (and haven't even driven one) but think the 'standard' suspension is fine and was cautioned by a dealer or two that airmatic, in most situations and driving styles, is probably 'overkill'. Those dealers also volunteered that airmatic is a very complex and relatively new system and they worried about potential high maintenance costs down the road. The extended warranty might not be a bad idea in that case.
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Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2002
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From: Salt Lake City,UT
CTS
If I could special order the birdseye maple and blue tint windows that would be great but my salesman said it was not possible (they checked with the factory). Do I need a new salesman??
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Super Member
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 524
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From: So. FL
2003 SL Launch Edition, 2003 E500 Pewter/Stone
Try calling MBUSA directly 1-800-367-6372 and ask the question. I do not see whey they would not do that when they do special color combinations, etc. for an additional charge.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 24
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From: Salt Lake City,UT
CTS
I just checked with MB at the 800 number - the rep said no deal only with the sport package. It does seem like MB is missing a bet not to offer special order items for extra profit. Maybe they figure the customer will just order the higher price option (sport) to get the features they want which I guess I will. But I would have paid considerable extra to get items that should have been easily handled at the factory while the car was being built.
Super Member
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 524
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From: So. FL
2003 SL Launch Edition, 2003 E500 Pewter/Stone
I suggest that you take a test ride in the sport edition with the Airmatic in the normal position (no red lights lit on it). I think you will be pleasantly surprised at the smoothness of the ride. The sport wheels are quite nice and would great on a Platinum car. Whatever you do, drive one and you'll like it so much that the other issues will fade into the background!!
Member
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 113
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From: Milwaukee, WI
1992 Ford Taurus with 13" rims
Ron,
Test drive the car, as many have said you can adjust the shocks, and on the lowest setting the car drives smoother and softer than the normal E320 setup. Plus, even if MB agreed to give you the tint and the birdseye maple trim....it wouldnt come in under a $1,000...thats just how car makers are. Both those options are upgrades, and cost MB more money. So when you add roughly a $1,000 and $1,150 for the special order charge, that's $2,150. The sport package is $3,800 MSRP...but you won't pay that, since they're discounting these cars heavily now. It's just not worth it IMO, if u want that stuff....just get the sport package.
Test drive the car, as many have said you can adjust the shocks, and on the lowest setting the car drives smoother and softer than the normal E320 setup. Plus, even if MB agreed to give you the tint and the birdseye maple trim....it wouldnt come in under a $1,000...thats just how car makers are. Both those options are upgrades, and cost MB more money. So when you add roughly a $1,000 and $1,150 for the special order charge, that's $2,150. The sport package is $3,800 MSRP...but you won't pay that, since they're discounting these cars heavily now. It's just not worth it IMO, if u want that stuff....just get the sport package.
