benz4asc

It seems to me that most dealers don't normally order parktronics as an option for their inventory. Is this a less desirable option for most buyers?

TwinCam

Very few of the E cars in inventory in Southwest Florida had Parktronic. We settled for an E550 with more options than we originally wanted in order to find a car with this feature. The Parktronic helps alert you to high concrete bumpers in parking lots that can damage the front spoiler. It doesn't catch all concrete bumpers, but it alerts you to the majority of them. It's unfortunate Parktronic is so scarse. Twin Cam

mcdohl

Most dealer do not order it for their inventory because it is an option most buyers are unwilling to buy in general. The only buyers who tend to buy that option in general are people who fully loaded car's. You normally wont find that option unless a striped car unless someone order the car that way and canceled the order. Most buyers would take P1 or P2 before parktronics or the appearance package. Even then most dealers tend not to order 350 loaded because a 350 loaded is more expensive than 550 with just P1 package and most customers I bet prefer bigger engine over options.


I order basically a full equipped E-550A Cab and the only option I did not order was Parktronic's and I did not order it because everyone I know who has it says it works great on the highway but is worthless in the city as it goes off to often when making right turns cause of parks cars, or when making left turns cause of cars on the other side of the road. I live in Los Angeles maybe in places with less traffic it works better who knows.

220S

I'm hooked on Parktronics

It's helped numerous times in unknown parking areas, too high wheel stops, and when people decide to walk against the light at intersections. And then there's the small animal/child behind you syndrome.

McDohl, if it bothers you in city use, then just turn it off. There's a switch on the console. Turn it back on when you want it. Very simple.

And it can't reach that far when making turns with parked cars on the street, or on the highway. Trust me.

(p.s., unless MB has eliminated the on/off switch on the W212s )

mcdohl

Their is still an on/off button, like I said most people I know said it is worthless in the city as it gives too many false warning. I think you do not understand what I am saying. If you ever have driven in Los Angeles traffic it is like Manhattan traffic gridlock all the time. So cars going in the opposite direction are right next to you when trying to make left turns and many times the interception get blocked when the lights turn red durning rush hour traffic. On the right hand side of most streets their are parked cars too, so when making a right hand turn you are basically next to a parked car too. If you leave it on in the city except maybe late night and early morning it gives way too many false warning making the system pretty much worthless.

I choose not to spend $3k for an option I will not use very much as I tend to drive my Cab almost exclusively in the city and I drive very seldom on the highway with my cab, if we go on long distance drives we take the wife car which is much more conformable as she got Escalade.

Almost everyone I know who bought Parktronics regrets buying it as even on the highways inside the city it is bumper to bumper traffic and parktronics gives 20 false warning for every 1 valid warning.

They claim the system works great for example if you are driving from LA to Vegas or late night but the system tends not to work great in congested city traffic like LA or NYC.

K-A

For a W212 Parktronic would be a must for me. My S500 had it and it was AMAZING.

My W211 I've scuffed up a few times when backing i[, fortunately, what would have been multiple repaints on my rear bumper and lots of $$$$ was simply saved by having to replace the very SMART and M-B conscious "Form Follows Function" impact strips (saved me so many times).

New M-B's don't have this, and with my sh***y parking skills, I'd be screwed probably without Parktronic.

220S

First off, I live in LA. Second, you have unfortunately received some bad info. Are you sure you're understanding parktronics correctly or are you confusing it with lane change and blind spot assist? This is parktronics we're talking about; the sensors in the front and rear bumper.

What does it have to do with highway driving? This is about parking. I've dealt with LA bumper to bumper traffic most of my life and parktronic never goes off.

The distance the sensors can reach is 40" on center and 24" on corners. The audible ONLY goes off within 8" on center and 6" on corners. If you are that close to a car, then you're a danger on the freeway

Third: parktronic is NOT a 3k option. The DRIVER ASSIST option is a 3k option. That includes distronic plus, lane change assist, and blind spot assist.

Parktronic, on the other hand, is a $970 option.

You are confused about MB terminology.

Parktronic is not driver assist......

benz4asc

220S, you are correct. I was referring to the parking sensors. Unfortunately, most dealers' inventory doesn't have this option. Thanks for the clarification.

mcdohl

Sorry you are correct except on some MB models to get Parktronic you have to get the Distronic Plus Package which is $2900 and includes the 3 options of which 2 of the 3 maybe are junk. The people I know who have this option have S class and E Coupes. And that option is $2900 for all 3 options. Maybe the Parktronic feature works well and other 2 are bad which is why when I asked about getting the Distronic Plus Package I was told to save my money.

I did not know the E-Class Sedan allow you to just order Parktronic without the other 2 options like other models.

220S

With the E Coupe you get Parktronic bundled with Distronic Plus. But no Driver Assist Package (Lane Assist and Blind Spot Assist.) Distronic Plus is really worthwhile, imho. It's a great advanced cruise control system. I have Distronic on my AMG. Driver's Assist is questionable as to its real world value. And as you say, only works well for long distance freeway travel with not a lot of traffic. Otherwise I agree it's pretty useless.

The S Class has Parktronic bundled in with the P2 package. Driver Assist is a separate option but it is bundled with Distronic Plus (like with the E Class.) It's also separate with the SL. The S600 has everything, there are no real options to buy.

The E Class sedan has Parktronic, and the Distronic Plus and Driver Assist bundle as separate options. P2 doesn't include Parktronic like it does in the S Class.

I don't know of any MB model that forces you to get Parktronic and Driver's Assist together. Parktronic and Distronic is bundled together with the E Coupe, but not with Driver's Assist.

Anyway, the thread was about Parktronic, not Driver's Assist or Distronic. And to get back OT, I think Parktronic is very worthwhile. But most dealers don't seem to allocate their inventory with a lot of options and Parktronic tends to be one of those left out options.

ddskier

+1

Love Parktronic on my W212. Parking is so much easier when things get tight.

On my S600, I love distronic plus, however I can't stand the lane assist. I turned it off.

K-A

Especially for those of us who like to get in that perfect spot, nose up as close as possible in the front to avoid from someone scraping our rear, yet not too far as to bump our front, close enough to a wall on one side to give ample space to the person next to us to avoid door dings, etc. Parktronic is masterful, unless you're a master parker. Everytime I've bumped my car it's when ****-y parking in that "perfect" position, far away from the person next to me, and end up bumping or scraping against something that I didn't see on the other side.

Don't knock P-Tronic 'till ya try it

pappilo

I though it looked strange cos every picture I have seen of a W212 in the States didnt have the parking sensors. It is a standard feature on all W212 here in the UK.

RW C55

Hey pappilo OT here but
since you're in UK, I was wondering if you can do me a favor. If you see any W212 E63 AMGs, can you take some photos of the headlight please?
The reason is I was looking at MB UK website and found out one of the standard feature on UK models (or European models) is the dark tinted headlights, and it doesn't mention anything like that in Canadian/US websites. I'd like to see how the tinted headlights look like.

Thanks man!

K-A

RW C55, your car has the tinted headlights too, it's a very light tint.

bradshaw46

I have a 2010 P1 Sport Pkg without Parktronic, but the rear bumper still has the sensors (none in the front) and camera. Are the rear sensors standard on the P1 pkg? I know the camera is standard on the P1, but wasn't sure about the rear sensors. Nice feature - wish I had them in the front too!