etenn

There are couple of posts over on the BenzWorld.org forum stating that the Navigation WILL NOT be available for the 2003 and will not ship until the 2004.

This sounds impossible at this late date, but who knows. Anyone have a source (better than the salesmen they are quoting) to check with?

What about the letters from MBUSA that some got....didn't that have a name and phone number on it?

Ed

mco

I am supposed to pick up my car this week. I am really concerned about this. I really want the navigation. If anyone has any info, please let me know. I am going to try to get ahold of MBUSA tomorow.

Callaway

I have still heard that March build is when the DVD navigation is factory fitted,but like most, it is not an official factory announcement.

abhansali

Just an FYI,

My car is still on production hold after my dealer told the factory I want the car with pre-wiring for Navigation. I know there is still no straight answer on what is going on, and that this is in conflict from what dealers have told others like rtrider and mco, but just wanted to let you know there is still no change in my cars production status.

Apurva

drb

Last week a contact at MBUSA said the navi would be out feb/mar 03. He noted some testing was still underway. I have read several posts on this forum from others who contacted MBUSA and were advised of the same time frame. MBUSA has maintained this time frame since December.

cdimarco

My ML is up this April and I am waiting to order an E500 with Navigation. My dealer (very knowledgable) says that they were promised vehicles with Navigation April or May of this year.

rayscar

It would be a major black eye to MB if the DVD Nav is not available until 2004! I also don't know why they cannot give us information about its capabilities. They must know the system specs by now!

jhb

As I posted as the start of another thread, a call by me to MBUSA last Friday about the Navigation and V60 with voice activation resulted in a statement that both were going to be available in the first quarter of 2003. But, the MBUSA rep indicated that those who are ordering cars would have to delay their cars until a March build if they wanted Navigation as there will be no more "pre-wiring" for later installation of the Navigation.

I assume that this is because the per unit cost and the hassle factor of the installation of the wiring and later install of the Navigation is far greater than doing it all at the factory, especially coupled with the $500 credit policy. Probably a good business decision and one that I could live with if I were still waiting on an ordered E class. My preference would always be to have a factory installed component.

mco

I just spoke to my dealer. It is unbelievable, but he just told me that Mercedes told them that the navigation system will never be retrofittable. He said there is some electrical problem with the airbags and phone and that Mercedes is concerned about liability issues. He states that April production will be the first to have it installed at production. They also said they will definately not prewire any more cars after 1/1/03. If you want nav you have to wait until production starts with June as the first possible delivery date.

I just spoke to MBUSA and they still claim if it is prewired than it will be available to retrofit and don't believe what your dealer says.

This is unreal. I just sold my car and need to make a decision what to do. This may sound infantile, but I'm not sure I want the car if I can't get the nav system.

Legacy

I called MBUSA Customer Assistance Center today to ask about the status of the NAV system for my E500 delivered on 11/01/02 and "pre-wired" (& pre-paid) for the NAV System. The person with whom I spoke assured me that it was on track for retro fit to pre-wired cars sometime later this year. No more pre-wiring of cars after 01/01/03 as stated above. This is exactly the opposite of what I was told at the dealership last Thursday.

I assume that it will all become clear in due time.

-----------------
2003 E500
Platinum Blue/Stone Leather Interior
E1, E2, E3, Heated Front Seats, CD Changer
Chrome Plated Sport Wheels

Sean

Navigation on the E should be available by April/May...this is what the Candian head office told me.

drb

I've been told many times by MBUSA to expect navi in FEB/MAR03.

etenn

I am really annoyed (pissed off) at the total lack of information by Mercedes Benz. They took our money and have told us nothing. All we have is various rumors....some may be true but since they are at both ends of the spectrum, some if not all have to be incorrect.

All MB has to do is issue something....just say that they are working on it and will have some information out as it becomes available. Is MBUSA so insensitive to customers? Do they care or are they really this clueless.

Probably no one at MBUSA has ever read this board. What a shame.

Ed

jhb

I would believe MBUSA over second or third hand information, from a dealer, from Benzworld or anyone else. Everyone who has posted that they spoke directly to MBUSA indicated that there would be Nav this year and that the cars delivered "pre-wired" for Nav could have it installed. All have consistently said that no more cars would be pre-wired and anyone wanting it would have to wait for a factory install later this first quarter of 2003. So, I believe that over the other "reports".

It would be ideal for MBUSA to send a note along from time to time updating folks who have taken delivery and paid for the Nav (or, as we did, the V60 with voice activation too) or included it in their lease. But, I won't be too upset about that unless it is delayed beyond the March/April time frame and they don't communicate anything about it.

In the meantime, I am concentrating on how much I have been enjoying and loving this car, and so far, I haven't gotten lost!!!!

Jeff

Callaway

What about those that have ordered the Linguatronic option.

That feature is directly related to the COMMAND system and Sat. Nav.

Is that on hold too?

etenn

Jeff...the whole point is that MBUSA does not communicate. If someone calls them they "usually" hear that it is still coming. Someone posted that they got a letter from MBUSA. How about the rest of us?

I do enjoy the car, but the Navigation is important to me and probably would not have bought it without it, no matter how much I liked the E-500.

Ed

mco

I spoke to my dealer twice yesterday and MBUSA twice as well. Nobody seems to know what is going on. MBUSA continues to insist that navigation will be retrofittable if car produced before 1/1/03. My dealer insists that new information as of monday is that they will not guarantee that any car will be retrofittable and that MB told them that they anticipate that cars will not be retrofittable and if they were that cars would need to be sent back to VPC for this to be done.

I'm supposed to pick up my car later this week and I'm still not sure I want to.

etenn

If it were me, I would not take delivery until they gave me, in writing, a letter advising that they would and could install the Navigation. (That is easy for me to say as I have my car :p )

If navigation is important to you (as it is to me)...I would want to have assurance that I would get it or I would buy a different car.

I wonder why MB does not issue a clear official answer to this. It can't help sales.

cdimarco

In light of all the posts on the Nav unit, I called MBUSA myself and what I was told was - "we don't know." "It was supposed to be available in the first quarter but there are known bugs that keep holding it up." She would not guess at when it will be available because she says they just don't know for sure.

She didn't say anything about there not being any retrofits or stuff like that. It seems it is just a time issue and for those of us waiting, we need to be patient with them.

I assume that most people buying this car are grown ups, so we need to exercise some self control.

Damn Damn Damn DAMN!!! I want my E500.

Hey, my 2000 ML430 lease is ending soon and I only have about another 1000 miles left on my brakes and maybe another 3 or 4000 left on my tires. If this car isn't ready soon, I am going to have to invest over $1000 in a car that will be turned back to MB in a few months.

Damn Damn Damn DAMN!!! I want my E500.

Brandon @ Kleemann

According to my dealer that I bought my E500 from the DVD based Comand system is not yet available, but will be in MY2004 cars. This most likely means late summer as far as he is concerned.

A special "nice price" retrofit price will be available when the system is ready.

The vehicle is "pre-wired" for the system.

etenn

The following was posted on 1/6/2003 by drb. Wonder if that phone number is different from the general MBUSA number?



[B]From last weeks' email response to my question on Navi:

Currently we estimate Feb/Mar production for the COMAND/Navigation system on
the E-Class.

Regards,

Joseph Burka
Customer Relations
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
201.476.6249 [b]
.

jhb

I called Mr. Burka and left a message days ago. I never heard back from him. My call to MBUSA last Friday was to 1800-For-Mercedes.

Jeff

mco

My car should be in tomorow. The latest I have heard from dealer and MBUSA is that will no longer guarantee that prewired cars will be retrofittable. They aren't saying that they definately won't be. I was also told that new cars in production starting in April will have navigation available for production.

I am supposed to get a call from the regional sales manager tomorow. I will let you know what I hear.

Sean

The regional sales manager will say the following to you.

If they are retrofittable he will tell you no problem.

If they are not, he will say he is not sure (even if they are not) so that at least you still buy the car.

In my experience, you are better off buying the car with all options already fitted, otherwise there are no guarantees.

cdimarco

I went to Manhattan Mercedes Benz last night and actually said I am ready to place my order for an E 500 with Navigation. The response was I cannot place an order for a car with Navigation until March of this year. I asked can I take early delivery of a pre-wired model and then have it retrofit later on, and they replied the retrofit is no longer an option.

So...there you go. They would't even take my business.