MB-JIM

I noticed the E320 CDI brochure says: "Center console design is subject to change during model year 2005 production." Does anyone have any information on what is being changed? I assume this must have something to do to another cost reduction.
I also noticed that the leather inserts are no longer on the rear seats.

bmms8

i hope they dont make it one top, without the slit, i really like the look of the slit, but i dont know what they can really change, to save money.

MB-JIM

If no one has any information on the redesign I will try to find out when I'm at the factory May 24th.

IluvS500

even though the slit consol is confusing, cause I can never open the right compartment when I am in the S, I still would hate to see it go on any car. Hopefully it doesnt change too much on the E.

onpaws

I think they are referring to how the center console is no longer heated/cooled. My E500 4Matic no longer has a heated/cooled lower storage compartment.

MB-JIM

The photo in the CDI brochure clearly shows that the lid is not split. This may be what they are referring to.

BudC

Is this good or bad? Any opinions? The pressure to buy a 2004 is mounting daily

MB-JIM

I noticed in the brochure photo that the center air outlet on top of the dash is gone. I won't miss that since I was always concerned with the reflection on the windshield from the grille of my E500. How many more cost reduction items will we find?

IluvS500

the cost reducing is getting pretty sickening IMO

alewifebp

I agree. Let's see, dropping full maintenance, raising prices, decontenting features that are not deal breakers, but would have been nice to haves. We already get plastic grilles, mirrors that don't fold, a donut spare tire. What are they trying to do, decontent it till it becomes a Chrysler 300?

Did anyone see the most recent Consumer Reports? Well, they had a review of the E in the issue, and they had a side bar about what is happening with German reliability. And what stood out from that is what we have all thought, that the management of DC is really doing a poor job. Does DC think they will gain more customers by doing this?

Apollo

Problem is they are selling more cars than ever

onpaws

Oh, also as of 01/2004, the glove box shelf and the rubber mat for the front ash tray has been removed from production.

Glove box shelf part number: A211 680 03 30
Ash tray rubber mat: A211 683 00 51

Luckily my parents' car came with a "free" ash tray rubber mat in the glovebox. "whew..."

MB-JIM

I'm pleased to see the dash-top diffuser grille gone but it really looks cheap simply filling in the hole. They should have re-tooled the dash top to eliminate the hole.

cte430

That is exactly right. Only when people stop buying will things change.

alewifebp

onpaws, now I have the ashtray thingy, but I don't have the glove box shelf. Kind of makes the glove box worthless. 9/03 build.

jhh

Can anyone post a picture (or a link to a picture) of the change? I'm having trouble picturing it. Thanks.

levind

I also got the '05 CDI brochure. It shows a picture of the dash with no air diffuser above the climate control module, just a solid plastic insert. Doesn't the diffuser also house the center speaker in the HK audio system? Something doesn't make sense.

jyg e500 maybe

are split. THe coolling feature is supposed to be deleted.

onpaws

I have seen center consoles that are not split, in an accessory catalog. They mention that cars "without phones" do not have the split design. I assume all cars in the US have the split design only because all the cars are prewired for telephone.

levind

According to factory workers at MB in Germany, the air diffuser on the center dash is getting a slight design change. It will still be present, but look more like that on the C class. Functionally it will be identical.

MB-JIM

I certainly hope you are right about the redesign. If they are going to make a grille similar to the C Class it will be an improvement that gets rid of the serious problem of reflection in the windshield. I had a C Class and the grille reflection wasn't any different than the basic dash. My E500 had a bad reflection problem.

If they are making this change, the E320 CDI brochure is wrong since it shows a plain grille and no control lever that would have controlled the airflow.

I will ask at the factory on Monday when I pick up my E320 CDI . The change may have already been incorporated in my car.

Mercedesfan

MBJIM - Looking forward to any and all reporting from your factory visit Monday. By chance are you going to the Mercedes Museum outside of Stuttgart? I understand the new SLK350 is on display there in U.S. Launch Edition trim (off Pewter, tobacco brown interior, wood trim pieces) Would really like to see what the wood trim pieces look like on the SLK350 since the European brochures don't show that option. If you have a digital camera there are a number of us on the new SLK thread who would welcome a view looking across the entire dash to include the wood wheel and glove box.

MB-JIM

I will not be at the museum on this trip but there most likely will be an SLK on display at the factory delivery center. I will certainly take photos if there is a SLK on display.

S55inPA

hi guys,

here is a link to edmunds.com review of the E diesel.
it has a photo of the interior.
hope this helps.

http://www.edmunds.com/new/2004/merc....roadtests.1.*