Has there been anyone who has been really impressed with this new centre arm rest?

Is it on ALL new 211's Worldwide, are is it some form of punishment? Surely America must be the largest customer for this model?

It is certainly upsetting a few potential customers on this forum.

Regards,
John
A sunny afternoon in Torquay (off for some physiotherapy)

 

I've got the Sirius trunk mount install. Its smaller than a pack of cigarettes, and while if it were body color, it would be nicer. Its ok. No uglier than the shark fin antennas on the roofs of some other imports. After a week, I don't see it anymore. I'm sure people who look at the car do, but I don't. Satellite radio is worth it.

No one seems to have the definitive answere as to whether I can have my body shop paint it to match without losing any signal strength, so black it stays.

As far as the old style console's cup holders go:
1. You have to have your arm on the armrest with a cup in the swing out cup holder so you can hold the cup from tipping over. You just can't trust them.
2. With a cup in the upper cup holder you wouldnt want to keep your arm up there for fear that your hand might knock the cup out of it.

...so it too is only the perfect armrest when it is all buttoned up.

No matter what. There is NOTHING like a Benz. There is simply no substitute, only alternates.

 

Good morning,

I agree Barry, let's make ourselves heard!!! After all, we are the power behind Mercedes-Benz' success as paying and interested customers. However, the interest in and willingness to pay for a Mercedes is only there as long as it lives up to its expectation and manufacturer endorsed standard of exceeding the competition in comfort, luxury, quality and reliability while offering decent handling and good performance. Personally I love the handling, comfort, and performance of my E500 and, as opposed to many other people here, have not had any major quality or reliability issues. However, it should be in Mercedes' interest to find an amicable solution to satisfy each and every potential customer. In the case of this console, it shouldn't be hard to offer a choice between the new and old arm rest, especially since the old one is still used in Eurospec models. C'mon Mercedes, deleting an active charcoal filter and then saying well it still has recirculation or deleting puddle lights is far worse than discontinuing a color or wheel design imho. But, as I said earlier, my salesman said that no one ist noticing or complaining about this. I guess it is up to the activists here to get things rolling. I talked to a friend wo owns a Lexus and a previous Mercedes SLK and, while he is satisfied with the car, he says the difference between Mercedes and Lexus is the customer service. He said "At Mercedes, the service area is overcrowded, there is no room to relax, and you are treated more like a number, in and out. At Lexus they take their time to make sure you are happy, in other words, they make you feel good". While I do not have major complaints to make about my dealership, I know a lot of you guys out there have. So, let's change the fact that Mercedes is unaware of this forum and thus our problems. We have the power!

Have a great day.

 

I will be writing a letter (snail mail - most effective) to the MBUSA Vice President in charge of Customer Service (see address below) to voice my complaints. Specifically, I ordered a car based on how MBUSA presented it. Upon delivery, the REST feature was omitted and the effectiveness of the center console changed dramatically. Other features that I had come to look forward to while shopping for the car earlier in the year, such as Puddle Lamps and Charcoal Filter, were no longer included in the model I ordered.

Then, I will discuss the VCS option fiasco. At the time of my ordered, MBUSA offered this option for $1450, which was $500 less than the same option for the 2004 model. However, the phone and cradle is not included in the 2005 price as it was in 2004. Of course, reasonably, one may conclude that the price of the phone and cradle when added to the $1450 would likely total around $2050 or so. This rational assumption is based on a few things:

1. MBUSA charged $600 for an additional phone in 2004 (v60 - CDMA)
2. $2050 is 5% greater than $1950, which even exceeds MBUSA's average annual price increase of 2.5%
3. Evolving mobile phone technology has contributed towards declining mobile phone prices

Although MBUSA offered the VCS option at $1450, there was no price set for the phone and the cradle, which were not to be available until a later date. Therefore, a responsible consumer was only left with his own rational assumption as to what the prices for those items were likely to be. I feel that my assumption was reasonable. However, now that MBUSA has released the price, after delivery of my car, the total price for the VCS option is now 37% higher ($2673) than that of the same option for 2004! THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE! If I had known this at the time of my order, I would not have ordered that option. Who would have? It is not reasonable.

Paul Halata
MBUSA Customer Assistance Center
3 Paragon Drive
Montvale, NJ 07645

 

Go for it, Baby Jocko. I am with you all the way! Please mention this forum in your letter as a proof that it is not only you who feels this way and that it is a forum not for nagging, but where MB enthusiasts voice their constructive criticism.

 

(1) Halata is not a VP nor does he have hands-on for customer service. You’ll just get a generalized double talk reply from one of the very many reps hired to do just that.

(2) Most if not all MBUSA materials contain “MBUSA reserves the right to make changes at any time”. That said, if the dealer makes an oral or written promise to an individual buyer regarding features which would be included on the vehicle that buyer is purchasing and then the vehicle provided does not have these features, then that is a breach of contract. Since new automobiles are almost always sold with written contracts, it is up to the buyer to see to it that the written agreements include the promise for the desired features. If the buyer signed a purchase agreement without such a promise, then there is no breach of contract. The advertising is irrelevant. This is why 03 buyers were unsuccessful regarding MBUSA inability to retrofit the navigation, and the absence of 4-piston calipers for the front brakes in the e320.

(3) VCS price increase – check your Private Messages before sending your inquiry.

 

konigstiger,

(1) I was told by several sources that Halata is a VP and is head of MBUSA Customer Service. If he is not the person I should direct my complaint to, then please tell me who is.

(2) Yes, it is written that “MBUSA reserves the right to make changes at any time”. However, in the case of the REST feature, for example, that is NOT a "change." That is an omission. I would think a court of law would differentiate between the two. Beyond the issue of legality, it is, without a doubt, unethical for MBUSA to present and then deliver their products in this manner. I would think that the executives of MBUSA would care to know that they have disappointed and dissatisfied customers.

 

Let’s be realistic. They know, but why should they care?

Mercedes-Benz posts record sales in the U.S. in September
Sales of Mercedes-Benz vehicles in the U.S. were up once again in September, rising by a good one percent to 17,400 units. As a result, a total of 157,600 vehicles (2003: 159,400) have been delivered to customers since the beginning of the year. Sales of the E-Class (41,400 passenger cars, up by six percent), the C-Class sedan (42,800 passenger cars, up by ten percent), the CLK-Class (16,900 passenger cars, up by 19 percent) and the SL-Class (9,800 passenger cars, up by eleven percent) remain at a record level and contribute substantially to Mercedes Benz’ sales success in the United States.

http://www.daimlerchrysler.com/dccom...-0-0-0,00.html

 

G'day, glojo

Hope the physiotherapy's done a decent job on the part(s) of your anatomy requiring some TLC

Yes, of course wifey and I are excited about the delivery of the E200. The PDI (according to the sales agents, whom I've now learnt not to trust any further than I could throw them) went without a hitch - everything's simply "perfect".

The proof of the pudding is in the eating, or so they say - and I guess we'll find out in 4 days' time! We're just awaiting some minor additions - tinting of the windows (that'll be done in house, and according to the strict LTA (land transport authority) regulations here in Singapore), and parking sensors ... and in FOUR DAYS' TIME *drool*.

Yes, I'm a happy fellow

 

We're all waiting with you. I hope it all goes well and I am sure you will be so happy with the car when it arrives. Every day I drive mine it puts a smile on my face.

 

If Acura can do it, why couldn’t MB? Center console design utilizes full armrest with split doors and adequate cup holders. Granted copied from original MB design to begin with and not as good looking - nonetheless Acura improved the inadequate MB cup holders without loosing the (IMO) comfortable armrest.

http://www2.autospies.com/article/in...articleId=3488

 

I have always thought that. The cupholders in my Lexus worked very well, and it was a very simple design. Didn't have to worry about it breaking in the future. I can already tell that the pop up design is probably going to need a replacement at some time in the future.

 

ok, i bought the car and had it a week now.
the console is........drum roll please........
not bad!
looks pretty slick with appear wood, and is actually comfortable when closed and used as armrest. 'tambour' drawer is strong i think. its not about to fall apart. also has nice-quality stitched leather surrounding the console, which if i recall is an upgrade from
it is a bit awkward to use cupholders, but frankly i dont do it too often.

this is not enough of an issue to cancel a purchase.

rest of car is great.
other issues i had commented on:

got the sirius with a better antenna, from the dealer. smaller, and lays on the rear deck , INSIDE the car.

re the charcoal filter, was told it was incorporated into recirc function automatically goes on (?)

j.

 

I hate it which makes me very happy since I have the 04. I always get sad when there are new things added to newer models that I wish to have but in this case I can definitely say that I like mine way better!

 

True....the design is the same as our '01 E320 4matic and now the door doesn't close all the time and when you fold the cupholder back in, it pops back up. Our '02 S500 is a better and simpler design and it holds the cups much more secure.

 

I have a 2005 e320 4 matic with the new center console.does anyone know if i can change the new console with the old butterfly console? I tried the dealer and no luck.

 

For more on this saga, check out this thread.

 

Where in the world are you located?

-s-

 

Im located in New Jersey

 

I think it looks nice..reminds me of a W124 console. Agreed its less practical and won't hold that much stuff.

 

Its actually not bad in person, especially with the charcoal and birdseye maple.

 

Hmm, that's weird. It's the exact same height as the old one, the top is much thinner, and it doesn't have the second layer for the phone. So it seems like it would hold more?

-s-

 

Gawd yes, finally!! Real cupholders!!!! Sure as hell beats these!!

EDJ

 

like the cupholders,but its not comfortable with my elbow on it..

 

I prefer the old look. I don't use cup holders, so they redesigned the console for somebody else.