I have been notified that the official "launch" date for '04 E class cars will be 09/15. Yo should be able to get pricing then and if you are one of the first on the list you may see your car in late September. Our first '04 was just completed on 08/28 and should be here in late September. That one is the only August build (a rear drive E320), they will really start to crank them out this month, we have about 20 being built in September and 30 or so in October.

Here they come!

 

great news, thanks!!

 

keil, is that more than you recieved before? I thought they were going to cut production numbers for '04?

 

I spoke to my dealer, and it looks like I should have mine the first week in October more or less.

Anyone have any info on October's pricing schemes, such as residuals or whether they will bring back the 39 month program?

 

they need as much profit as they can get to make up for the $5000 pacifica discounts, even if the dealers need to cut prices to move them, DC still gets its money.

 

Our dealer told us that our E500 should be here October 15.
My wife can't wait, as it her car (truth be told, I can't wait either).

 

CME4Benz- Any comments to the rumors the 04' "appearance packages" will have black faced inrtruments and white is reserved for the AMG's ?

Since I have an 03' Sport to be replaced by my dealer for damages, I really want the white as I have had as they are much more sporty.

 

marksatex,
Here is the low down on the '04 "Apearance package", cut and pasted from internal E-mail from a couple weeks ago:
Yes, black gauges vs. white for '04

August 13, 2003

To: All RGMs, ROMs, Market Managers

Re: Model Year 04 E-Class “Appearance” & “AMG Sport” Packages

We would like to take this opportunity to reiterate some optional package changes effective with Model Year 04 ordering.

· The Model Year 03 “Sport” Package E3 gets a name change and new code (322), and will now be called the “Appearance” Package as of Model Year 04. There is no change to the content, (other than deletion of the fender and gearshift lever badges*). This package is already available for ordering on both the sedan and wagon. The package will continue to be comprised as follows:
o (Requires optional Airmatic suspension and leather upholstery on E320). 17” 5-spoke alloy wheels with 245/45WR-17 high-performance tires. Sculpted lower bodywork. Blue-tinted glass. Black grille with five chrome ribs and chrome surround. Active curve-sensing (new) Bi-Xenon High intensity discharge projector low-beam and high-beam headlamps. Heated headlamp washers. All-LED brake lamps. Black (new) gauge faces, with matte chrome instrument cluster surround. Matte chrome gearshift surround. Black birdseye maple wood interior trim with polished chrome outlining.
o $3,880 on the E320. Projected order rate: 8%.
o $1,410 on the E500. Projected order rate 25%.

· The “AMG Sport” Package Code 321 is new for Model Year 04, and will be available on both the sedan and wagon. Production availability will be announced separately. At the time of this writing, the AMG Sport package will not be available on 4Matics. The package will consist of:
o AMG front & rear bumpers, 18” 5-spoke AMG wheels (not E55 AMG wheels; see photo below) in a staggered setup (8x18”245/40ZR18 front, 9x18” 265/35ZR18 rear). Sculpted lower bodywork (like “Appearance” pkg.) Two visible chrome exhaust pipes. “Sport” fender badges & gearshift badge.



Tezta,

As far as production numbers: I have no reason to believe MB plans to sell fewer cars than last year. We have recently moved into a new 100,000 sq.ft. facility and sold 150-170 cars a month this summer. In this business the more you sell, the more you get. So, our allottments will be up this year vs. last and we certainly plan to sell more than last year.


alewifebp,

The 9/15 release date is when we will have final pricing for the '04 E class. The 39 month "value added lease" program is back. Residuals will remain the same for September and be revised in October for the 4th quarter of the year.

 

It is a little confusing from the press release but it sounds like when you order the appearance package on an 04 320E that the price includes the airmatic and leather? In fact it is my understanding that for 04 the only way to get airmatic on a 320E is to order the appearance package. Is this correct or is there still a separate option just for airmatic like there was in 03?

Also can the black wood be substituted for lighter wood with the appearance package on the E as I understand it can be when ordering the "sport/appearance package" on other models? I would think a charcoal interior with the black wood would be a little redundant.

 

Well, as someone who ordered an '04 with Sport package and a special request, I got "half a loaf". I wanted the gear shift knob with wood instead of "Sport". Sounds like I'll get it. But I'll lose the white gauges (I wasn’t sold on it) and I'll loose the "Sport" badge on the fender trim. I can always add the "Sport" trim piece I assume (ASKING for confirm by knowledgeable folks).


The thing I'm ticked about is that the phone with COMAND doesn’t recognize pauses as noted in another thread.

 

Thanks for the info, but do you have pictures of the AMG kit that you described above? Our E500 is suppose to be made on the 15th of this month, and if it's nice, maybe I ahve the time to add it to our order. Thanks

 

leave sport badge off!! looks better/cleaner. Better without, IMO.

 

If you order the sport/appearence package on an E320 the airmatic suspension and leather are included (note the difference in price between adding the package to a 320 vs. a 500. The 500 already has the leather and the suspension.


Boughtabenz,

The pic did not paste for some reason but the AMG 5 spokes are the same style as you see on a CLK430 or CLK500.
At any rate if your car is getting built next week it is too late to change anything. The cars are "frozen" about 3 weeks prior to production.

 

Thanks! I guess it's too late for me then. Oh well, maybe next time!

 

I guess I will have to get over the loss of the white gauges since other improvements seem to out weigh the loss. The 7Sp and the new headlamps seem a good trade off.

 

here - http://muhri.net/w211 .. However, I did get the white gagues and aluminum gear surround - its a 03.

 

It looks nice, Thanks for the pictures. I wonder if I could change the gauge faces to the white ones. I just did that in my Corvette, and it wasn't that hard. If they make a different gauge face, or the 03 one will fit, I'll have the white gauges one way or another.

 

I do not think you can do it with the face only - You must buy the whole cluster. $900 or around that figure. Good luck.

 

Thanks for the info. I'm going to check into that.

 

So, is the pricing for the '04 E-class available now? The web site doesn't seem to show the new car yet ...

 

Called my dealer today, and they said that it wouldn't be until the end of the month that they'd know the prices. Hell, at this rate, I'll be able to tell them the prices (thanks to this forum).