northbenz

Talk about dealer ignorance. I was in Canada, Washington State and Illinois last week and stopped at Mercedes dealers to inquire about availabilitiy of 4 matic on the new E Class. The Canadian dealer assured me it would be available on the new 2004 models when they first come out, whether that will be in spring or late summer he couldn't say. A salesman in Washington State claimed that 4 matic would not be added to the E until spring of 2004 and the dealers in Illinois just pled ignorance.

Again, if you are privy to knowledge as to when Mercedes USA will first be accepting orders for the E Class 4-matic your posting of same is welcome.

vodc4

what is 4 matic?
is it 4 wheel drive or what?

thank you

muhri

Yes, it is 4 wheel drive.

rkwjr

Checkout this thread:
https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...ghlight=4matic

It says 4matic not available until Sept 2004.

Hugedrive

Last weekend at the Montréal autoshow, another mercedes rep. confirmed that the 4-matic will be available in september of next year as a 2004 model year.

northbenz

The salesperson in Washington State implied that other countries would get the 4-matic option on the new E before the US. Anyone with a US dealership who understands otherwise?

northbenz

Any updates on 4-matic availability? Does MarcusBenz and the others working for dealerships still post on these sites? What about those of you in Europe and Great Britian, what are you being told about 4-matic's availability on the E class as to taking of orders and time of availability?

Hugedrive

All I can tell you is that my dealer up here in canada takes orders on E500 4-matic and E-350 or E-320 4-matic! The delivery date is set for september 2003 in canada so I would imagine that it will be the same for the U.S.A.

wesam

There is no dealer taking orders for 4-Matics anywhere in the world right now. An order constitutes having a product to sell. Any dealers taking deposits on cars that don't yet exist are grossly taking advantage of customers IMO. How can you take an order on an E350? For all they know that car could come out in 2005, and even worse, NEVER.

Canuck

As far as Canada is concerned, the first batch of 350 engines will be appearing on the M-Class with the first batch as soon as February, 2003. So the engine is out there, its just a question of when it will filter through to the rest of the brand. I myself am planning to trade in my '32 for a E350 4-Matic when its available as it is probably better as a family car than an AMG, no? Merry Christmas all!

northbenz

Once a build date has been scheduled orders are placed by dealers on I believe Netstar, though I could be wrong. In any event the manufacturer "sells" vehicles many months before the vehicle is off the line. Most vehicle manufacturers will not accept orders though until a build date is established. The info from our Canadian friends here is that the 4-Matic E Class will be built as early as July 2003. Obviously this will be a 2004 model, but that doesn't mean dealers have to wait until the cars are here in the US to accept an order. I would assume that anytime now that Mercedes USA creates an order category on its computer sheets that dealers should be able to begin placing orders. When that is or will be is the question that I expect someone from a dealership should be able to answer for us - assuming they are still checking in on this forum. Let us hear - thanks.

northbenz

Anyone with solid information that orders are now being accepted by US dealers and being processed by MBUSA for the 4-matics? Any confirmation US wil get same as Canada with build dates beginning in July 2003?

northbenz

The timeline put out by one of the leading German automotive magazines projects September 2003 as availability date for the new E Class 4-Matics. Didn't specify which engines though. With the new diesel engine coming out for the E any guesses as to whether there will be the US option of a diesel engined 4-matic E? Come on you posters from the dealerships, can't you at least let us know when Mercedes will allow us to submit orders for the 4-matic E? (Not just the taking of deposits pending factory authorized order.)

Baloo588

Northbenz,

Most of my delearship in my area of Michigan are saying the 4-Matic models will be available with the 2004 model years which will come in March. Remember, the 2003 Mercedes E-Class came out in europe in March 2002, so, the 2004 models will be available the following year during march also.
However, if the 2004 cars do not arrive in U.S till September, my family is planning on doing an European Delivery Program, so we can obtain the Mercedes E500 4 matic earlier from europe. This will help us prevent waiting for it to come to u.s. in September.
Keep in mind, buying the mercedes in europe is the same price as buying it from here but will be cheaper due to no luxury tax, no shipping cost, and no gas-guzzler tax. The trip around germany as well as the tickets for the plane trip is payed by the Mercedes Benz.

Dave

northbenz

There won't be a luxury tax for anyone after January 2003 as it is being phased out then. The gaz guzzler tax will still apply if you get the 500, but doesn't apply to the 320/350/400. What does your dealer tell you about MBUSA accepting orders for the 4matic E on European Delivery?

northbenz

Surely someone connected with a dealership can add some factual insight as to if and when MBUSA is going to accept orders for the 4-Matic E.

Baloo588

I'm sorry Northbenz,
I was out of town for a while, I couldn't reply to your response. The delearship said that beginning of March, when the 2004 mercedes E-Class is available in europe, they will be taking orders for the European Delivery Program in order for us to obtain the 4-Matic early instead of waiting till next September to get it. Go to the mercedes worldwide web and take a look at the program and its advantages, etc. I'm telling you that you will love this program based on our past family experience with this program and order this 4-matic with this program in March, no earlier, no later.

Have any questions, I will be glad to help out,

Dave

northbenz

Thanks for reporting. Anyone from a dealership able to confirm the report that orders for the 4-matic can be entered with MBUSA in March. Also if getting vehicle on European Delivery what is first expected date it would be available to pick up in Sindelfingen?

benggolf

Does that mean that all E-Class manufactured starting next March are to be considered 2004 models? Normally, cut-off for model year change-over starts July or August production. Thanks for clarifying.

abhansali

I would be surprised if European Delivery could get you the car any quicker than US delivery. My understanding is that you pick up the car in Germany, then travel, once your done, you drop it back off and they ship it to the US to your dealer where you pick it up again. But if they don't have the infrastructure setup in the US to receive the vehicle, do any US required modifications, etc., then how can they manage this?

Yes, the car maybe available in Europe before the US, but European delivery is essentially picking up a US model car, not a European car.

northbenz

Abhansali - are you from a dealership? I recall the first 300SD I saw was at a Texas dealership about a month before they were being sold in the US - it had come in on European Delivery. I suspect one might be able to get a US Spec 4-Matic E a month or two earlier by going the European Delivery route, but likely not much more for the reasons you suggest.

northbenz

Now that we are entering calendar year 2003, any updated info from MBUSA on 4-matic availability scheduling for the new E's? Still waiting to hear from someone at a dealership who has heard something concrete.

abhansali

Nope, software guy that likes E-class....but when I was in high-school, I worked part time for Southeast Toyota which was the distributor for all toyota's in the southeast. I remember that they had a port in Jacksonville, where all toyotas for southern states would come into. When the cars would come in, they would actually have some items missing that would need to be fitted for US specs...things like mirrors, some bumpers, lights, etc. This was done at the port before sending out to dealers. Lot of small regulation type things for US spec cars.

With MB, I am special ordering non-leather seats for my E500 (because of my religion). In Germany, you can get E500 with MBtex seats or even cloth seats, so I figured MB should be able to build one for me also that way. So I talked to MBUSA folks and they told me that they have a special assembly line for US spec cars, and they would have to get seats from another line which would involve some work, etc, etc. Point being, that they clearly have a special production line for US cars, and the Euro pickup program is designed to get you a US spec car, not a German spec car (this would be bad for resale). Therefore, I would assume that until the line is up and running, they can not get you the car for Euro pickup....of course, this last statement is an assumption on my part...

northbenz

Looks like it is just us customers here speculating since the dealers (and their employees) are ignoring MBWorld.org Forums for the present.

northbenz

Those of you attending the LA and Detroit auto shows this week and next, what are the Mercedes reps saying regarding 4Matic availability on the new E?