modulated

(1) The E brochure lists a Sunroof Package for '04, but it doesn't show up on the MBUSA.com website or on intellichoice or edmunds. The brochure says it has the sunroof, power rear shade, and manual roller shades for side rears. Does that package no longer exist? Anyone know?

(2) And as for rear side window Sunshades, apparently the ones that come with the Premium Package come up out of the door panel. Are those available any other way? Anyone know?

Thanks for the info.

marksatex

Not sure- Having to have my side rollerblinds manually disassembled and re-installed on the 04. Seems I cannot have them and a pano roof. Go figure...

konigstiger

As I understand it, the sunroof pkg has been discontinued. The rear side window blinds are available as a MBUSA accessory - only as a manually operated roll up from the door panel.

nyca

mbusa emailed me back about this question:

the sunroof package is "delayed availability", so its listed in the brochure but not on the "build your own" website because it is not orderable yet.

mallard

nyca,
That is very interesting to find out it is "delayed availability". I ordered this option when I placed the order in late June. It showed on NetStar for several months. Somewhere along the way the option was deleted and replaced with the sunroof only. Of course, without anyone telling me before it was too late to change the order. I am still pissed off about that.

What's interesting about the delayed availability is that I was at my dealership the other day and there on the floor sat a new 2004 E320 with a September build date WITH the Sunroof Package. My car was built in decade 2 of September and I was told it wasn't available.

I'm still wondering why if the package was made unavailable, the order wasn't split into it's individual parts so I could still have the rear sunshade. Or why didn't anyone call me to tell me it was deleted and ask if I wanted to order the items separately. Absolutely poor customer service. But I still don't know if it was the dealer's fault for not calling, or MB's fault for not telling them of the deletion.

Bottom line, I placed an order for a particular product and DID NOT get what I ordered. Unacceptable in my book. It's a minor thing, but here in Texas it's a nice feature that I really wanted. It's really clouded my opinion of MB and I'll definitely think twice before going through the ordering process again, particularly at the beginning of the model year.

nyca

i wonder how they shuffle their build configurations. If I had to guess: they want to draw people into the premium package.

alewifebp

mallard, I had the same thing happen to me. I ordered the package back in May, and suddenly, I check the Netstar report, and it is the Sunroof only. Now, in my case, I really didn't care either way. I don't understand what could make this package delayed, since it is in the Premium Package.

mallard

I would have been very happy to have the Premium Package, particularly since it costs no more than the options I ordered individually. However, I assumed it was going to be about $1,500 more than it is based on costs for the 2003, and didn't want to pay that much more for options that I could do without. Yet another major frustration about ordering early in the model year. I didn't really care about Nav or the drive dynamic seats, but would have enjoyed both options had I only known what a great deal the Premium Package is. Plus, I would have gotten the shades that I wanted. Oh well...hindsight is 20/20. Next time, I'm taking what's already on the lot so I know what I'm getting and how much I'll pay.

modulated

Thanks for the replies. Now I understand. I've chosen the premium package b/c it's a great value if you'd planned on a few of the ingredients. Basically, I'm getting the space age seats and the Nav for close to free. If there had been a sunroof package with rear side blinds, who knows.

alewifebp

The Premium package is a great deal. If you look at my options, I would have saved some money by going with the Premium package, as well as gotten a whole lot more. I ordered way before I knew what the pricing would be.

Hudson

same thing happened to me. Ordered sunroof package (together w/AVS, and Ent. Package) then learned about premium package and it's value through this board. After educating my dealer about the existence of the premium package and letting them know they should have advised me about it, considering I was orderering most of the pieces seperate and the value it presented me as a customer, I cancelled my original order and built a new one. At the end of the day, sales rep probably gets a slap on the wrist from GM but they have no problem re-routing the cancelled order to another dealer or some other local customer waiting in line. Bottom line- at this price point, doesn't matter who's fault it is...if you don't get what you pay for, cancel and start again or walk away.

10000_lakes

My 04 E 320 4matic was built on 9/1, and I did receive the sunroof package I ordered, which included the rear power, and side manual blinds. Also, the Appearance package included the Sport badges, and white guages.

I second both mallard's and alewifebp's replies. Had I only known the value of ordering the Premium pkg. and it's true cost, vs. the assumed higher cost, I would have gladly taken that option and gained the Nav and seat options. Very pissed, as well and extremely disappointed with the dealer and mfr. for not helping me get the best value in options ordered. Called and complained to MBUSA in NJ and they told me it was definitely the dealer's responsability to know that info (lack of pricing info was the dealer's excuse) and not the mfr's responsability. Hmmm... Considering that pricing wasn't officially announced until 9/15, I would have to side with the dealer on this one.

I have always enjoyed ordering my cars so that I may receive them exactly as I would want them. However, with all of the other issues I have experienced with this car so far, I too will only buy the next one from off the lot where the cost and options are known, as well as whether or not the differential is a leaker, the tires are correct for the package ordered, and if there are any scuffs present in the clear coat.

konigstiger

https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...threadid=52549

alewifebp

I would have to side with the dealer as well. I saw the information from Benz earlier, and in my case, since I was ordering the Nav, the Premium package did not show the Nav as being a part of it, so I thought that I would have to order the Nav on top of the Premium package, and that would have just been too much. Then I find out more or less when the brochure is released the true deal of what was going on. I was angered, no doubt, because I would have saved about $500-800, and I probably would have gotten Keyless Go as well.

Hudson

I still believe it's the sales representatives responsibility for ensuring he/she has the most current info. possible to provide the level of service/value the customer is entitled to - this may mean frequently accessing mb system for most current releases/features, calling around to other sales rep's, researching the web and forums like this, etc. ...not just waiting for the brochure and the pricing to come out and then using this as an excuse for not being able to deliver to the customer what they want or should've received. Bottom line there's a lot of info. out there and given MB's track record of not being the most open with info, salespeople should be more resourceful in keeping current. In my case, I had learned that although the brochure and other print materials the dealer had stated no DVD nav in Premium, the MB system (STAR or something like that) had the current features and listed it. I told my dealer about it, he looked it up, and whalaa it was true. All from info. posted right here. Now I question, why is it not the dealer's fault? Granted MB corp. should do a better job of syncing up the info. they release or sending memo's/emails out to all dealerships giving them an update, but why should we have to do their jobs. A good sales rep. should be more knowledgeable than the customer. It's like shopping for a diamond ring in Tiffany and the salesperson not knowing the 3C's or the latest styles.

mallard

It's amazing to me that MB works this way. Just not what I would expect from a supposedly world-class company. All throughout my ordering experience I knew more about the car and its options than anyone at the dealership. That's a shame.

Hudson, I like your Tiffany's analogy. I feel like I ordered a diamond ring, but got an emerald instead. Still nice, but NOT WHAT I ORDERED!!!

alewifebp

I had not realized that their was more complete information available. I was actually looking at pre-release information that was available to all dealerships that was sent by MB to help their sales reps sell cars. It would seem to me that it would behoove MB not to inform their dealers of this information, knowing full well that most dealers don't know s**t.

In this case, it seems then as MB was sending conflicting information. So, Netstar was wrong, the informational packet was wrong. Let alone any idea that the pricing point would be at such a steep discount.

modulated

I guess MB fosters higher expectations, but it is extremely typical that salespeople and other dealer personnel don't know crap about their products.

I've been shopping BMW and MB over the past month, and I've educated quite a few salespeople and even one fleet manager about option packages, features, delayed availability and competitive information.

The most fun is taking over from BMW salespeople showing me how to use I-Drive ("uh, here let me show you how it works . . ." ). I showed a MB salesman how to use "Tunnel Mode" on the E500 ("Cool! I didn't know it could do that!"). After being led across the lot to three C-Class cars that he thought were E's, I showed another how to quickly tell C's from E's by simply looking at the headlights. And most horrifying of all, explaining errors in written lease summaries ("uh, no, actually you've included the acquisition fee in the cap cost, not in the drive-off, see?").

I just use the knowledge to my advantage. "As you can see I know a lot about these cars, including what they should cost, so let's cut to the chase . . ."

mallard

On the mbusa.com Build Your Own section on the Accessories tab in the Interior Appearance menu, there is the option to order a Rear Window Sunblind for $84 and Side Window Sunblind for $148.

I believe I saw the side blinds in this version at the dealership, though they were on a locked car so I couldn't see how they function. The weren't integrated into the door, but appeared to be fastened to the lower portion of the window.

Questions:

Does anyone have these versions of the blinds?

Is it possible to have the power rear blind installed after delivery? The dealership told me it can't be done, but I don't see how it would be much more difficult than installing a pair or rear speakers. The difficulty would be running the wire to the dash and installing the rocker switch on the motorized door.

If anyone has the manual version of the rear blind, where does it attach? To the deck behind the rear seats, or directly onto the window? Does it retract or do you have to take it out when it's not needed?

I am going to the Parts Department tomorrow to inquire about this, but any information beforehand would be useful.

TIA

Mercedesfan

I had been led to believe that the only way to get the rear window side blinds was to order the premium package. However, I saw a 2004 E Class with panorama roof and the side blinds on a dealer lot last week.

As far as the dealer installed side blinds they are in the parts catalog and the drawing looks nice, with their covering most of the window just like the factory installed ones. They were priced at $70 something each whereas the set from the factory was stickered at around $380. There may actually be an advantage to not having the factory installed ones over time. I can imagine dirt and grime getting into the slots and creating an opened surface that will be hard to keep clean.

marksatex

I am getting the Pano roof and the appearance package-

Since this is a replacement- we insisted that the rear doors have the blinds as well as the back power blind. No way to order the combo- so the dealer is going to install the side roller blinds from my car into the new car upon delivery.

The $320 blinds are roller retractable and the $70 are fitted inserts- After about one year of ownership we love our roller retractable side blids.

The rear blind can be installed at the dealer, but with considerable hardware substitution. The entire rear deck and supporting gear is different.

Either way- we really like the sun and prying eyes blocking "on demand" yet not have to resort to deep dark tint. In South Texas the sun can really beat down on the rear seat passangers.

In fact we experianced that some passangers do not like the pano shade opened due to the intense sun.

mallard

Thanks for the info. Marksatex, good to know the dealer can put in the rear shade. Is it fully wired to the front of the car with the switch on the dash panel just like the original?

Maybe there is a solution to this mess afterall. We'll see how willing they are to make a customer happy. I would be very willing to pay for the parts, but I feel the labor should be at their expense due to the cancellation of these items from my original order.

Mercedesfan

There must be a way to order the rear side window retractable shades and still get the pano roof. I saw one so equipped at the downtown Mercedes Benz dealer in Chicago. If I recall correctly the order number for the option was #350.

abhansali

I don't think there is a way, at least not when my car was ordered, I don't know now.

marksatex, could you ask your dealer how much it would cost for someone to have it fitted like you? I'm curious, because if it is comparable to the factory order price, I may come down to SA and have them do it for me also..TIA.

abhansali

Just to clarify, I'm talking about the rear side blinds, not the power rear blind...The power rear blind is orderable separately, it is just the rear side blinds (in the doors) that they have removed and you can not get with the pano roof.