After waiting since October 2002, my car finally arrived at the dealer last Saturday (1 March) and delivered to me on Tuesday (4 March). This car is sensational - I must admit I started getting a little worried after reading some of the posts here! Absolutely no problems/faults/complaints after one week and 400km of driving (touch wood!).

Some notes about this car -

- the tracking system on the Internet (found link on this site) is fabulous! I got the VIN from the dealer in the beginning of February and tracked my car all the way from the factory to Melbourne, Australia (via Belgium, Spain, South Africa and then Perth, Australia before arriving in Melbourne)

- my car was loaded on the ship on 18 January in Germany and arrived in Melbourne on 26 February. It was delivered to the dealer on 1 March with 4km on the clock. I picked it up from the dealer with 7km on the clock!

- at delivery, I was told that I got the sports suspension for free! I specified 17" wheels for my car but not sports suspension - apparently 17" wheels (5 spoke Avantgarde design) can only be specified with sports suspension. The factory put in sports suspension and charged dealer for it - but dealer couldn't pass charges on ... :-) I thought that Avantgarde came with lowered sports suspension (according to MB Aust web site) but according to dealer, only lowered, but not sports!

- suspension is firm and sporty, but couldn't be considered harsh by any means!

- this car is the quietest car I have ever experienced ... spooky in fact. At 110km/h the car is so quiet that all you hear is the very quiet tyres rolling ...

- sound system (APS 50) is absolutely sensational! Fantastic bass with very good clarity up top as well!

- sound system also comes with Nav system ... with a disk for Europe! Tried plugging in a German address, and it tried to navigate me there ... in a very clear female German voice!! This version with APS 50 has no map, but still works with arrows etc.

- with this Nav system, I also get an electronic compass on the multifunction display when Nav is selected! (I think I posted something to this effect some time ago ...)

- althought the Australian spec Avantgarde does not come with Xenons, the light still emits a bluish tinge when seen at a distance from certain angles! Very cool!

- everyone loves the Cubanite/Pewter colour - apparently the best feature of the car!!!

More updates soon!

 

Pics!

 

Sounds like you will have fun for a while

Congratulations on your new car!!

 

Hi etenn

Thanks ... I will indeed!

 

awesome!! enjoy!

you'll love it more and more.

 

Congrats, but someone clarify 2 things.

1. How is Nav available????

2. Is Anthracite = Ash leather? Please post more pics.

 

Congrats! Have fun !

 

Congratulations, very nice color, have fun!

 

Enjoy!!! Love the color!

 

congrats on your car, like said above, you have the NAV? can you please take some pics, of different screens, and the different views, thanks

 

Enjoy the car. I love the color too. It does not look like the Brilliant silver that we get in the US. Looks a bit darker - probably in between the Brilliant Silver and Tectite Gray. Wish we had that choice here in the US.

 

In Oz...anything is possible.:p

 

But isn't the color of his car pewter....which IS between silver and tectite?

 

Yup - definitely a NAV system ... albeit a text-based system without graphical maps; and it's a CD-ROM based system (not DVD).

Try this link ... this is what I've got in my car (except that I've got a disk for Europe and not Australia!)
http://www.mercedes-benz.com/e/cars/...n/audio50.html It demonstrates how the system works exactly!

And if you want to see what the COMAND system looks like, go here ...
http://www.mercedes-benz.com/e/cars/...en/comand.html

I'm in Sydney tomorrow, but will post some pictures over the next few days when I get back!

 

I'll be looking out for you on Chapel Street Craig!!

Just to answer a few questions Pewter equals Cubanite Silver in Oz and Ash is the Grey interior here.

What did they say about the Sat Nav system when you picked it up,when are they changing it to the DVD version?

Who did you buy it from, Mercedes of Melbourne??

 

Congratulations Craig. I am coming to Melbourne in May for my brother's wedding. Maybe by then, Callaway will have his pewter E too. That way, there is more of a chance I can be relieved of my separation anxiety from my pewter E500 by seeing two on the street!!!! Now, if only I had navigation on my rental car, I could find "Chapel Street"!!!!

Jeff

 

Are there many 211 E's in Melbourne yet, Craig? Your new car should be a rare sight and get a lot of attention...at least until Callaway gets his.

Ed

 

Damn. I was all set to lock in my order for my '04 E500 with Tectite, then I saw this picture of Craigng's Pewter (one of the best pics that truly shows the color I've seen), and now its got me thinking again...

But I'm determined to get a charcoal interior, and not sure if it clashes with Pewter. Has anyone else noticed up close that there is almost a hint of brown in the metallic flecking of the Pewter paint?

Anyway, Pewter or Tectite, still excited about my order, can't wait to get my car so I can start sharing more educated conversation with some of you owners!

 

Pewter/Charcoal is quite sexy. It is very sporty looking. I have seen all combos Pewter/Charcoal/Ash/Stone. I am getting Ash because I want a lighter interior and I like the 2 tone effect of the darker upper dash/lighter lower dash. With Charcoal it is only 1 solid black.

If you are determined and love Charcoal, Pewter is one of the best combos with it in my opinion.

Pewter does have a good tint of brown.

 

Thanks Jeff I also hope that the new E is in the garage by May.
I have started to notice more new E's on the road in Melbourne and would see one every other day.

8 out of ten are Brilliant Silver with either Ash or Anthracite inside (no it's not the same two cars!!).

Have seen two Pewter's only, with Ash and Anthracite so when my car arrives it will be the first Pewter/Stone I will see in reality.

Yes,Pewter has both a brown and a silver finish to it depending on the light, so it matches all interiors (except the Blue).

 

Hi all

I really like my cubanite silver/anthracite (pewter/charcoal) combination - IMHO ... the charcoal interior looks very sporty with the black birds'-eye maple.

The cubanite colour does have a brown tinge, but only in strong daylight. Otherwise I would say that the colour is more kinda 'gun metal' when under shade or under articifical light.

You don't see that many W211 in Melbourne, but they are a heap of them in Sydney - I would see at least two or three each day over here! Yep - I do get the glances in Melbourne ... very nice!

Callaway - look forward to seeing yours when it arrives. I started talking to MB of Melbourne, but they wouldn't do any deals. Ended up getting from Silver Star who looked after me with the price! Dealer quoted me June/July to get DVD retrofitted.

Will post some more photos over the couple of days!

Craig

 

Silver Star is where I bought my current car,a new 1986 230E nearly 17 years ago.

I went to them for a price, spoke to a guy called Soren but found the best deal at Worrells where I have been getting the car serviced for the last 12 years.

Retrofit promised to me by the latest September, so keep us posted on your progress.

P.S You should attend the MB Club Concours d' Elegance at the Dandenong Showgrounds on Sunday 30 March.

Will be a great day to see all models of Benz's (and other European cars) in mint condition and meet fellow MB club members.