HoustonRider

Stopped by the dealer to check on my E350, they just got an E550 black /black vented leather, P1, voice, Ipod, sport package.

doesn't have Keyless Go, and sticker didnt say anything about Xenon. I understand Xenon is not standard on any E, but only if you get P2. I didnt verify before I left, salesman said Xenon was standard.

they are getting it ready for me to test drive in the AM. I want Xenon headlamps. Am I right, is it only with P2 on the E550?

This salesman has missed the mark a few times with me, just wanna know if I should get excited or not.

JRAMGV8

If the cars says Package 2 then you are good.

Tuffy72

If the car is indeed a P2 then Xenon and keyless go are standard.

HoustonRider

both of those answers don't answer the question.

It doesn't have P2, my bad... wtf was I thinking? lol

Its a P1.

Dealer says Xenon is standard on E550

I"m betting you have to have P2 to get Xenon (thats the way I see it online and on the brochure) . If you have P1, its not gonna have Xenon, correct?

Untertürkheim

From the BYO E550 Page:

P1: Premium I details $2,860

· Hands-Free Communication System
· Heated and Active Ventilated Front Seats
· DVD Navigation
· SIRIUS Satellite Radio
· Power Rear-Window Sunshade

P2: Premium II details $4,770

· Includes all the items from P1 Package plus:
· Headlamp Washing System
· Bi-Xenon Active Light System
· Keyless Go

pmb600

Salesmen are stupid...it's been proven time and time again. He is completely wrong, you are right. Only P2 will get you bi-xenon on an E-Class. Not even the E63 AMG has them standard.

By the way...how many times have you gone into a dealer on a weekday and they are doing nothing. Would it be that effing hard to read a brochure once in a while and learn what they are actually selling?

HoustonRider

I wonder that myself. I glanced thru the brochure, and its basically all the same option packages as on my GL. He was wrong about the wheel size on the BlueTec, the P2 options on the E350, and now this. He drives an E350 himself.

They only sell about 40 cars a month here and there's 3-4 salesman. I would know these cars back and forth. He DID just come from somewhere else, but I only read the brochure once and had most of it figured out.

I guess if I like this one I'll have to locate one with P2.

Polar Bear

As you have already determined, you will need the P2 package. For entertainment, you should visit eBay Motors and look at the cars that are said to have Xenon lighting but don't. Many salespeople represent any projector beam headlamp as Xenon. Most don't even know how to tell.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2005-...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/05-M-...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2006-...QQcmdZViewItem

Pathetic.

Only the W210 E55 AMGs had Xenon standard. I personally think all US model E-class cars should have Xenon standard, and offer a Xenon delete option for the folks that don't want it. Don't get me started on this!

Tuffy72

Although I bought my car through the Euro delivery. I went the MBUSA website and built the car online. I then printed and called around looking for the specific options that I wanted. I think you might find it hard to find a car on the lot that is a P2 or higher with most of the options you're looking for. I found it cheaper to do the Euro program and less time wasting (although you do have to wait about 3 1/2 months for it finally to reach you, but worth it) and I was able to have it at my specifications. By the time I went to the dealer I knew more about the options than the salesmen.

IndiumGreyE63

It's always best to do your own research prior to dealing with any kind of salesperson. The majority of them are clueless about the product they're selling, but there are a few that really know their stuff - which is not the norm, and takes you by surprise if they do.

In any big ticket item I purchase, I walk in knowing exactly what the bells and whistles are, and what I want.

pmb600

It's really a pathetic situtation with car salesmen. At big dealers they can make a lot of money. I would like to see if someone who was in sales selling services to a Fortune 500 didn't know their product/services inside and out how successful they would be.

NCE500

I had the same same situation when I was searching for my 550 last Summer. I wanted a P2 only car with Sport package.

Most dealers had P1 option cars available but P2 cars were more rare and generally came with most every option off the menu. The cost delta between P1 to P2 is $2K, pretty small in relation to the cost of the car, but by the time everything else was thrown in, it quickly grew.

I was fortunate to eventually find a P2 only car with Sport Package, to my taste it has everything I want, but it took awhile. I would not own this car without the Xenons or Keyless Go.

I would tell your salesman to find you a P2 car with whatever other options you do or don't want.

The 550 is an awesome car; very balanced and refined, and also very powerful when you want to go fast. I smile every time I drive mine.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Polar Bear

Same here. When I was searching for a used W210 several years ago, I wanted xenon headlamps. I was searching for an E320 but could not find one with equipment on it no matter where I looked. So I assumed that getting an E420/E430 I would find more choices with more options (not to mention the fun V8). I was wrong. Still, almost every car I located did not have xenon headlamps and heated seats. So finally, I knew if I found an E55, it would have those options for sure. Once I drove the E55, I had to have one. Liked the first one so much I bought a second!

So needless to say, I got spoiled with the E55 and when searching for my E320 CDI I had to get some options on it. I still don't understand why so many dealers order these cars stripped. I don't think there is a single E-class at the local dealer that has a P2 package.

This was originally a car I considered... but no P2...
http://www.mercedesofknoxville.com/e...UF56XX8B230824

pmb600

The reason is because probably 80% or more of Mercedes customers are not like us here on MB World and don't care what the car has, as long as it has a star. Most consumers, even those buying Mercedes, are pretty basic when looking at what features a car has and don't want to pay for extras like bi-xenons that most would feel are unnessisary.

E500Newbee

I do agree with what you've said. I was one of those without a whole lot of knowledge about MB. I knew little bit about the option like bi-xenon etc...but didn't know MB has so many toys like Panaramic roof, keyless-go, heated seat, etc...After owning this car for 4 months I found out a whole lot more about the car. My next one will be loaded with every options MB offer.

pmb600

Fair enough, but the fact that you are on MB World is part of my point. You are obviously more of an enthusiast than the average customer. On this site there are a variety of degrees of interest, but obviously everyone here is a little bit more into cars than the average person since they are taking their free time to read/post about them.

Everything I have observed and learned from talking with dealer personell (I know I bashed sales people as not having enough product knowledge, but they do know what their customers ask for) has proven that most people still don't care about most of these options. Maybe 80% was too high, but I still think that more than half could care less.

Also this changes depending on what car we're talking about. The S-Class customers are more likely than C-Class customers to want all the toys.

Polar Bear

My ex-fiancee was like that - she didn't care as long as it was a CLK. However I don't think many customers are educated on what is actually available. A friend of mine purchased a new (at the time) 2004 330i and special ordered the car. I told him I would highly recommend the lighting package as he had issues seeing at night anyway. He said it wasn't worth the $800 or so dollars that it cost and ordered the car without it, even though the dealership he ordered it from ordered almost every car with the lighting option. He then drove my E55 at night with the less than perfect D2R xenons and wished over and over again he had paid the difference. He then traded it for a 2005 M3 and purchased the lighting package, as well as navigation and every other available option.

I think if the people see what the options offer (experience the dynamic seats, xenon lighting at night, etc.) they would probably consider these options more.

I find it frustrating that almost all new Nissans have xenon lighting and most E-class Mercedes-Benzes do not.

pmb600

I know I wish that there were more options as standard. I like that BMW has bi-xenon as standard on pretty much everything with a 35 engine and up (so 335, 535 etc). Also the 3-series coupes and convertibles have them standard.

I think I once saw that all MBs in Canada have bi-xenons standard.

I guess the problem with the dealers and options is kind of the chicken and the egg. The dealers order cars on past experience on what they know will sell quickly. Since customers rarely see/experience these options on cars off the floor they don't even know about them so the loop keeps repeating. It would be nice if the dealers would take the first step and just equip all the cars nicely, but that probably won't happen.

Bundy

I'd like to challenge one of the complainers to a fact check since they think it is so rediculous to not know the intricate facts on the car they interested in.

Remember, these salesman are selling 15 different models each with 2-3 variations that have 2-3 packages which include different but similar equipment. That is 135 combinations that are constantly changing as new models come out and special incentives are created. It would not be hard to get confused. We are focused on 1-3 vehicles we are interested in. They are all over the board each day.

E500Newbee

I agree to what you have said. But I believe if you're a good saleman, you should know the product that you're selling. A little time out of the day read up on the product or products would not hurt to help you sell the product.

wmhjr

You're kidding, right? This is their job! Their primary responsibility is to fully understand the product that they are selling. And a statement like the "E Class coming standard with Bi-Xenon" is not just a little wrong. That's just plain ignorance.

My expecation is that if the salesman wants commission they need to add value, and that to add value they need to be conversant with their product lines. Communicating what is clearly false data is the opposite of adding value.

pmb600

I'm well aware of how many models MB sells. If I can know so much of this info as a hobby, they can know it for their profession.

I don't even expect them to know everything, I just hate when they insist that false information is right. They are always so unwilling to check to see if they are correct.