mhh

I'm loving my new E500 wagon - currently touring remote Tasmania in it - but I'm dismayed to find it has no front cupholders.

The owners manual shows an available double cupholder that fits behind the auto selector. Do some markets have this as standard? My car is Australian spec and the dealer can't even supply as an option - only a single cupholder is available in accessories brochure.

DWP

You must have the new-style center console with the tambour (sliding) door.

This thread:
https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...3&page=3&pp=10
... indicates that in the US, at least, the new console has a removable two-cup holder. Haven't seen it myself.

trin

I live in Sweden and own a E320 CDI Avantgarde full equipped.

I don't have cupholders in the front either... I don't get it

vraa

You shouldn't be drinking in your car anyways... :p

scorchie

The double cupholder is standard in North America. I believe it is an option everywhere else in the world.

Cupholder part is A 211 680 00 14. Note that in Australia and other RHD countries, the upper portion of the cupholder unfolds into the driver area.

-s-

scorchie

"New style" console is only for the North American market! As of now, at least.

-s-

MBenzNL

It is ONLY in the US where I have seen mercedes brochures with multiple pictures of people DRINKING in the car...

...and it is only in the US where cupholders are standard equipment...

greetingz,

Le Burpor

My dealer could get the cup holder that pops out of the mid console (ie. the one right below the gear stick. It costs around AUD 100. The only issue is that the pop up cup holder was designed for left hand drive vehicles but so far I've been using it without any issues. You can put 2 cups into this unit, 1 goes into the part that pops out and the other goes into the cavity that the pop out unit comes out from...if that makes sense

glojo

As has already been stated it is an optional extra on your vehicle.

The plus side however are all the standard fittings you should have that US vehicles do not have. To name just one goodie:

SBC Hold

Good luck with your car,
John

A sunny, showery morning in Torquay

scorchie

Plus, most Australian vehicles have a lot of good things fitted that US cars have, that most European-spec cars do not have. To name just one goodie:

Horsepower



-s-

scorchie

There are several models of MB with standard cupholders, outside the USA... like the M-class. Or the Vito. Or your C250D. (I mean the ones in the doors and glovebox...)

Luckily I come over every once in a while to drink in your vehicles... or no one would use those optional cupholders that you fit!

-s-

glojo

Nope!!! Not going to bite

Take care,
John

marcos

Just for you John I'm gonna bite,

TORQUE

glojo

Mercedes-Benz SLR
Made in England

Hi Marcos I just could not sit back.

Kind regards,
John
We torque the talk
and walk the walk
In Sunny Torqueee! (Torquay)

SAguirre

Now I have to bite!

John, I don't know if "Made in England" entirely a good thing! I just had to say this !!!!

I will confess and say that my family has actually had a lot of cars that were made in England: Rolls Royce, Bentley and Jags. The Bentley turbo was by far the best one (but still was problematic sometimes). But what truly British car brand is left anymore anyway?

We just hit the high for the day!! -10 C 12 F!!!! T-shirt weather! I have a foot of snow on all the side streets between work and home. Only the bigger collector streets are plowed. I have to run tons of errands today, but I will go home and get the Mercedes instead of driving the Audi.

These are opinions, not facts,

Steve

johna1

Mine is also missing any front cupholders, but from memory there are some in the rear! Why would MB do this? Most E's will be self drive rather than chauffer driven, so why put the cupholders out of reach!

I think this must just be Germanic pigheadedness, they don't like cupholders in Europe (probably seen as too American), so they won't fit them as standard, regardless of what their customers say.

What really annoys me is the flimsiness and impracticality of the thing once you bit the bullet and pay extra for it.

Every tinpot car I am aware of comes with multiple holders, why is it so hard for MB? Even my Jags had them and they worked well.

HELL ONA HARLEY

Touch'e....
Personaly, you can keep that SBC Hold feature.... Never had it so definitly don't miss it....Besides its alot more fun going faster than stopping....

glojo

My personal opinion is that the British car industry is not what it used to be, but this goes way back to the 1960 -70's when trade unions got too much power. (Ooops)

However the skills for building top quality motor vehicles must surely still be recognized when you look at some of the brands that have been purchased by foreign business, but remain on the very, very small island of Great Britain\England. Rolls Royce, Bentley and Aston Martin might well be no longer British owned but the place of choice for manufacture is still England.

Regarding performance vehicles then both the Mclaren F1 super car and the Mercedes-Benz SLR are made here they are surely amongst the elite of super cars?. Take Ferrari out of the equation and the great majority of the World's top formula motor racing cars are made in England.

US vs British vehicles .......... I will only have a little nibble here as I have absolutely zero personal experience of US produced vehicles except the Mercedes-Benz ML! """Steve, I don't know if "Made in the US is" entirely a good thing! I just had to say this !!!!"""" Your quote, but I am more than pleased with US products.

I have just purchased a US made electric car polisher which I am highly delighted with and this product is still cheaper than any English made similar item. I buy what whatever appeals to me, quality is always a major factor and I pay very little attention to where it is made. (my wife will NOT buy French products though)

Hopefully this banter is just a light hearted exchange of opinions.

Harley if I cannot convince you on the SBC issue (don't knock it, until you try it ) then what about folding mirrors?

Over to you ""Dude"" and have a nice day.

Take care,
John
A cool misty 8 degrees morning in Torquay

mhh

Thanks everyone for the input. Le Burpor, I'm also in Adelaide and my dealer (BEA) said they could only supply the single cupholder for about $A100. Can I ask where you got yours?

mhh

johna1

I think you will find that when the single cupholder is deployed, the space that is left behind it (where it folded out from), becomes the second cupholder. It is not symmetric!

Fastbuck

That is correct.

Le Burpor

mhh,

I got mine from BEA as well. Ray (Payne) organised it for me. It was around $90-$100. I think what they mean by the single cup holder is that it's one piece which pop's out to allow for 2 holders. I can't find the invoice in my office which has the part number. I'll check at home tonight.

Alternatively, speak to Ray and tell him it's the same cupholder that he sold to this tall asian fella with a Tealite Blue E320 that he took to the memorial drive tennis on Wednesday. He'll know..

I note you also have a Lambo, I've only seen 1 on the road in Adelaide so I guess it must be yours

BTW, just a small side note.... I'm putting an '03 CLK500 Ice Blue onto the market next week so if you or anyone you know might be interested, I'd appreciate it if you'd PM me. Planning to advertise it here, Melb and Syd.

Enjoy Tassie!

mhh

Le Burpor, many thanks!

mhh

Le Burpor

I forgot to post pics of the CLK500...in case you know someone who might be interested *wink* *wink* *nudge* *nudge*

ATS

Seeing pics of right hand drives with the door open always freaks me out.. It is like a brain teaser to me for the first few seconds..