konigstiger

They (DaimlerChrysler) are also raising their stake in Mitsubishi Motors to more than 50 percent. So many are literally addicted to the MB "brand" that steady income is a given no matter what they do - especially with the e class (their bread & butter). Can you blame them, who among us won't hedge our bets if endless guaranteed residuals are arriving in the mail daily?

nyca

there is a limit they can push this too. BMW pushed the envelope on styling and (recently) price, and its going to catch up with them.

A $50K plus car with no lumbar support? Marketing safety as a key feature, and then ditching a set of quality front brakes? A friggin light in a side view mirror?

HollaBack

Are these changes for the E320 and E500 or just E320?

Adobe

It appears to be both except that the E500 keeps the old brakes while the E320 gets a less costly system.

I can put up with price increases but I can't tolerate these changes. I'll still take a look at a CDI when it gets to my dealer but I'm more and more inclined to find a new 2004 E-Class.

nyca

it sounds like this de-contenting on the 320 is taking place on cars being built at the factory right now, so those are 2004 models. you would have to find a 2004 E320 that is already in the US it would seem.

rarenaro

hi - i've called just about every dealer (i know) in the nyc area and no one will confirm - and many actually deny that these items are being removed from 2004 E class(320 or 500). However, for the 2005 E class, they have been given notice of items changing and being removed (some of which are listed). Has anyone in the NYC area taken delivery of a car recently that were missing these items. My friend just oicked up his all of the items listed were on the car. His dealer said the Mercedes woould not change the specs that drastically mid-year. Especially during the end of the 2004 cycle. Can anyopne add anything tho this?

Adobe

I thought these changes took effect for Model Year 2005. So far as I know, 2004 E-Class currently in dealer's inventory are unchanged.

chairman

wow a $1,070 increase in the premium package. I got my car in the "nick" of time. The problem I have is that leather was a $1470 "required" addition. Seems to me a car of this caliber should have leather standard.

So now instead of the premium package being around $5,000 it is now over $6,000. Seems the dollar/euro spread is causing some headaches on the bottom line.

Sheesh!

rarenaro

Yes. They are taking place for 2005 models -definitely. The question was, are new ollrders placed today for 2004 models missing the equipment. From what I can find ount -m locally at least, the answer in no. Whether you get one from dealer stock or order one (built today), the items are all on the car and not changed in any way. All the dealers I spoke with were willing to guarantee it....if that means anything.

-Rich

chairman

Where are you in NY? My family is "on the island" Westbury.

jhh

Just one correction. As noted at the beginning of the thread, the new sticker on the back of the brochure says "The front brakes on E320 models use single-piston floating calipers."

This statement is not intended to suggest a *change* in the design or content of the E320. The current E320 has *always* had single-piston floating calipers in the front, and as the current brochure states, the current E500 has always had the "4-piston fixed type" calipers in the back (and single piston floating in the rear). The problem is that the brochure has a typo in it and indicates that the E320 has the "4-piston fixed type" calipers in the front, which is simply not the case.

Why I am so sure about this? About two-three months ago there was a thread on this very topic in this forum and one of the forum members actually removed his front calipers and posted a picture of has dangling front caliper -- and sure enough, there was the single piston sitting inside the caliper. Hey, even the gnomes in Stuttgart (and their minions in New Jersey) can make mistakes.

I can't speak to the rest of the information regarding decontenting in this thread, but I, too, am disappointed in the trend, both as to loss of features and increases in price. I would assume, however, that the market will speak and either the increases will be sustainable, or the dealerships (and ultimately MB) will have to grant greater concessions in the actual purchase transactions in order to keep customers (like me, I hope) buying their cars.

nyca

well, if the German chat rooms are talking about seeing these changes now, then doesn't that mean they are taking place on 2004 cars? Whats coming off the assembly line now, they must be 2004s, right?

schristo

Hello, we picked up our W211 320 4Matic at the Sindelfingen factory outside of Stuttgart a couple of weeks ago and can offer the following:

The illuminated entry system does not include entrance lamps beneath side mirrors. - I did not specifically look at this but did not notice the lighting when approaching the car in a fairly dark parking garage.

The front center armrest storage compartment is not climate-controlled. - Ours had a vent within the compartment.

The standard sedan audio system includes 9 speakers, no subwoofer. - We had the Logic 7 system which sounded great.

The front passenger seat does not include adjustable lumbar support. - We did not have adjustable lumbar for the passenger seat.

The windshield washers are heated only at the nozzles. The reservoir and hoses are no longer heated. - I never saw steam coming from the spray?

The rear-window washer on wagon models in no longer heated. - We had a sedan

The windshield is tinted but does not include a shaded upper band. - Ours had a shaded upper band.

In addition, the finish appearance of the wheels, interior door trim and seat trim, and the configuration of the climate-control dash-top diffuser vent may have changed. - It all looked as expected.

The front brakes on E320 models use single-piston floating calipers. - Interesting that this has been a typo all along... I can say that the brakes were fantastic whatever they are.

Stephen

nyca

i'm on the south shore.

yes, because the premium pkg had the special seats, those seats only come with the full leather, and that's optional on the E320.

DMI+RY

Same thoughts here....

Pablobaamonde

I got my E class 7 days ago, shipped directly from the german factory, the dealer told me so, I live in Europe.

I saw that the mirrors had the light underneath them and lights on whenever you open or close the car.

I don´t know about the brakes, because I don´t know what do I have to look, if someone could tell me exactly where and what do I have to find.

I think it is common sense that removing those items from this objects do not cheap production, because all the models are already done, and on the contrary, this could declench a very poor image marketing, which I dont think is usual in either car trademark, even less in mercedes. (recall what happened with A class after discovering problems of stabilty)

I rather think/hope this is one of this extended lies that are common through the net.

Adios amigo

Adobe

I've spoken to two salesmen in two different Mercedes dealerships in the U.S. and both were aware of the changes in content being made on 2005 E-Classes.

chairman

I own an Audi A6 in addition to the E320. The A6 has been constantly improved since I got mine in August of 01. My 2.7 has been bulletproof. With the new A6 coming in the fall, the "old" one may be a bargin. Either the 4.2 or the 2.7 would be my recommendation.

In defense of the E 320, it is rock solid (ok we have only about 600 miles on the clock) and enjoyable to drive. It is a shame that they have decided to do away with the "nice" features.

Dont laugh, but the new 300 C looks awfully close to the E 320 in terms of parts. After all it uses stuff from the E 320"parts bin".

nyca

well, it appears the brake piston thing was indeed an incorrect perception.

as for the other deletions, if its not until 2005s, I still don't understand what is coming off the line, are they making 2005s already?

levind

I've been reading the German forums again. I appears that recently MB started putting V rated tires on the CDI instead of W rated tires, and electronically reduced the top speed of the car to fall within the range of the V rated tires. How much could this really have saved the company?

I would like a fuel-economical car like a CDI, but hate what MB is doing to the '05s. Are there any other options?

rarenaro

I say...those interested should get an 04. It seems that they pretty much still intact. Maybe MB will learn from this by hearing the public....but not likely. Oh well, there's always 07. Another theory is that maybe they are eliminating the items that are giving them trouble on the service side. Although I don't see how passenger side lumpbar support could be all that difficult to maintain.

Adobe

You get H rated tires on a BMW.

I'm glad the CDI has V-rated tires because they should last longer, not to mention being quieter and cheaper to replace than W-rated.

V-rated tires are supposedly good to 149 mph. How many of us ever drive that fast in the U.S.?

If these changes are designed to hold the current prices unless or until the dollar (ever) recovers, then I'll go along with the tire change. I'll even go along with the loss of so-called free maintenance because I don't lease cars.

However, I wouldn't be happy with a loss of quality (change in alloy wheel finish?).

I spoke to my salesman earlier this week and can get a new 2004 E320 for $200 over Invoice. He said they haven't got any trunk money on the E320 (yet) so this seems like a good deal. I'm waiting to drive a CDI before I make a move.

levind

Have any of you looked at the BMW X3? It looks like you get a lot for the $$: panorama roof, navigation, active xenon, leather, parktronic, free maintenance, premium audio, etc. for mid $40s. They also have a Euro delivery program that saves $2.5K.

Adobe

The automotive press have blasted the X3 for it's poor chassis. It looks appealing but it seems BMW is now trying to commit Hari Kari with three straight flops.

nyca

exactly right Adobe, if you check out that X3, you need only close the doors and your can hear that it doesn't sound like a BMW should.

Sticking with a sedan comparison, the new A6 is a possibility, but it has the MMI I-drive like thing, which I do not like. The other serious sedan I see coming down the road is the new Infiniti M45 (spring 2005). Looked good at the NY auto show.