Rolling passenger floor mat
I got couple customers complaining about this.
I work at the MB service in Korea and seems no warranty campaign scheduled for this.
any solution or home-made-remedy for this?
much appreciated.
Happy Holiday~
I haven't experienced the OP's observed issue as of yet, but just switched to the "winter" mats for the rainy season in CA. I put these in my cars in Chicago as well, as they wear like iron and show little to no wear over the long haul.
I was extremely surprised to discover that there were no clips or snaps to hold it in place. Even much lesser expensive cars have that simple feature.
I was extremely surprised to discover that there were no clips or snaps to hold it in place. Even much lesser expensive cars have that simple feature.
How about a little quick fix suggestion...use some velcro on the back side of the mat.
I was extremely surprised to discover that there were no clips or snaps to hold it in place. Even much lesser expensive cars have that simple feature.
This really pisses me off. MB has been slowly decontenting and cost cutting stuff like this assuming nobody notices.
I think my 2009 W211 E63 is my last MB. I was reading the owner's manual of the new BMW F10 and it's almost as though BMW studied all of the decontenting that MB has been doing lately and added that stuff to their own product. Maybe the only hope is that MB will be forced to up the ante and once again add stuff they removed. Although I doubt that will happen......
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But to say that they're better and therefore it doesn't matter that they are doing cost cutting is just being complacent. And that's what MB is hoping; that people don't notice or won't say anything.
When they cut the alcantara headliner out on the 2010 W212 E63, people complained. And loudly. The 2011 W212 saw a return to the alcantara headliner. If nobody says anything, then MB will keep on cutting out stuff. To say it's minor is just looking the other way.
K-A posted a pic of his trunk a while back. The springs and hinges are no longer covered up with trunk liner. It looks ugly to have them exposed and also easier to get stuff hung up in the springs. Yeah, okay call it a minor issue. Who cares because the car itself is still better than the E Class from 10 years ago. Well, I care. And I'm willing to say something just to get MB to listen.
Anyway, Happy New Year! Time to open the champagne.



But to say that they're better and therefore it doesn't matter that they are doing cost cutting is just being complacent. And that's what MB is hoping; that people don't notice or won't say anything.
When they cut the alcantara headliner out on the 2010 W212 E63, people complained. And loudly. The 2011 W212 saw a return to the alcantara headliner. If nobody says anything, then MB will keep on cutting out stuff. To say it's minor is just looking the other way.
K-A posted a pic of his trunk a while back. The springs and hinges are no longer covered up with trunk liner. It looks ugly to have them exposed and also easier to get stuff hung up in the springs. Yeah, okay call it a minor issue. Who cares because the car itself is still better than the E Class from 10 years ago. Well, I care. And I'm willing to say something just to get MB to listen.
Anyway, Happy New Year! Time to open the champagne.
The removing of the passenger clip-on is just another sneaky little decontenting tactic by M-B. Very sneaky, and very lousy to pull this on buyers (like the POS $15K Chevy-esque Alarm-honk).
The floor mats are also thinner, I guess one can say they're lighter, but they're not as substantial as the W211's. That said, they still feel pretty good and quality to me. The passenger mat seems to be huge enough, and fitted enough to hold in place in my car, but I don't have passengers in the car much, so no real rigorous testing of it.
Fit & finish in the W212 is superb, everything feels granite solid, panel gaps are laser thin and sharp, etc. But there are sneaky downgradings applies. And I think the 2011 has a few more than the 2010 even (alarm for one, removing the "ESC Off" button... But actually leaving a blank dummy-button, which looks unrefined IMO).
The removing of the passenger clip-on is just another sneaky little decontenting tactic by M-B. Very sneaky, and very lousy to pull this on buyers (like the POS $15K Chevy-esque Alarm-honk).
The floor mats are also thinner, I guess one can say they're lighter, but they're not as substantial as the W211's. That said, they still feel pretty good and quality to me. The passenger mat seems to be huge enough, and fitted enough to hold in place in my car, but I don't have passengers in the car much, so no real rigorous testing of it.
Fit & finish in the W212 is superb, everything feels granite solid, panel gaps are laser thin and sharp, etc. But there are sneaky downgradings applies. And I think the 2011 has a few more than the 2010 even (alarm for one, removing the "ESC Off" button... But actually leaving a blank dummy-button, which looks unrefined IMO).
But things like eliminating snaps, finding a vendor for less substantial and less expensive floor mats, wiring the alarm to the horn, etc., is a huge savings over years of production runs. It's economy of scale and saving even a few bucks is major over that many produced cars. It's what the bean counters are hired for and it's what mfgs aspire to do (unless they're super high end where the end product is so high priced that the expenses are well covered for max profitability.)
btw, Porsche has the highest profitability per car built of all the pedestrian brands; it's around 19%, whereas MB is around 10% and BMW is around 8%.
Daimler is such a huge corporation. The biggest investors are now from Kuwait and Abu Dhabi. Recently they sold a lot of shares to a Chinese investor (who has yet to be disclosed because the level of investment is under what German law requires for disclosure.) And the Mercedes division of Daimler is now partnering with Nissan/Renault.
I just hope it doesn't end up like the dark days when Jurgen Schrempp (aka Jumbo Shrimp) was CEO. He just about destroyed Daimler with Chrysler and Mitsubishi as part of his "Three Pillars" strategy. And his focus was on maximum profitability while appeasing shareholders and finding new investors. Well, we all know what happened there. It almost sounds like Daimler is going in that same old direction...... I hope not.
I think with VAG building an empire to take over the world, and having the ability to slyly share random parts from each manufacturer in their repertoire with each other (from Audi to Lambo, even), it's got M-B and BMW jealous, and scrambling.
No doubt, building an Audi, costs a ton less to build an equally priced, and competitive Benz or Bimmer, considering an Audi is a mishmash of so many VAG corporate parts, as are many of VAG's cars. Profitability for them is ridiculously high. BMW is starting to build practically identical cars (on the same chassis' at that), just with different sizes, and barely sheetmetal and styling gimmicks here and there, while M-B is starting to do the same, but throws in this Nissan thing. Personally, I think BMW's on a better track, in terms of not diminishing and demolishing their good name. Share with yourself, NOT with a brand like Nissan.
When Volvo was sold to Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, the Chinese promised to let Volvo remain a "Swedish company." That didn't last too long.
Back to Mercedes: while I await mine to arrive, does that mean the floor carpet on the passenger side is not held by anything?
What about the winter mat /rubber mat: does Mercedes sell more than one plastic mat then?
RHD uses the same system of a single clip on drivers side and no clip on passengers side. Mats are decidedly thinner than previous factory mats on previous new M-B cars I have owned.
?cost cutting or another part of the "Blue efficiency" palaver and weight reduction.
At least if we have problems we can order each others drivers mat!!!
Bill
Last edited by WGB; Jan 1, 2011 at 10:28 PM.
When Volvo was sold to Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, the Chinese promised to let Volvo remain a "Swedish company." That didn't last too long.

Fact is, Mercedes-Benz, down to its simple logo, is one of the most recognizable brands in the world, has perhaps the highest premium/status cache in the car world, etc., etc. This is thanks to the people who came before the Company heads today, so it's beyond paramount to keep that from diminishing as best they can.
That's funny, 'cause that's exactly what I was saying. If you ask M-B, they'll certainly say it's part of the new "weight reduction" plans, i.e; thinning out the mats, the thinner and less luxurious/lighter sunvisors, the thinner chrome door handles, etc. etc. All can be considered less luxurious, as luxury usually comes with a certain weight and substantiality. At the same time, the material construction and tactility of these materials are still of good quality and premium feeling to me.... they're just lighter, and more utilitarian (sunvisors are a drastic downgrade in feel, though).
http://www.weathertech.com/store/mvp...ustomerVehId=0
Last edited by golfster; Jan 2, 2011 at 07:09 AM. Reason: Missing information.
) to compete with the S Class and 7-series, and Jacoby wants to concentrate on a business plan with functional (and high quality) cars similar to "Apple's model." The two CEOs have totally different philosophies. Jacoby goes one way, Li Shufu goes another.Also when the Chinese government financed the purchase, Geely said they'd "keep Volvo Swedish." Already they've announced a Shanghai factory, and just recently more factories in China. We'll have to see if Ghent, Gothenburg, and Torslanda remain open in the future. (btw, Ghent was the world's first carbon-dioxide free vehicle plant. I kind of doubt Geely cares much about that sort of stuff.)
Anyway, Volvo lost it idiosyncratic appeal when Ford bought it. Where it will position itself in the automotive market is up for question. But that question is already causing friction. I may be wrong but I'm guessing Geely will just make it whatever they want it to be. Hey, it's their baby now.
London
Published: December 2 2010 22:13
Differences have arisen between Volvo and its new Chinese owners, Geely, over a planned expansion of the Swedish carmaker’s business in China.
While Geely wants to build up to three Chinese plants to profit from that country’s rocketing car sales, Volvo’s Gothenburg-based management want to build a solid business case before expanding, according to several people close to the discussions.
“The board will not decide about investing if they don’t have a business case with black figures and good margins,” said one of these people, who requested anonymity. “We need to walk before we run.”
The debate over strategy marks the first major test for the biggest acquisition yet of an overseas brand by a Chinese carmaker.
When Geely agreed to buy Volvo from Ford Motor in March, its chairman Li Shufu – who now chairs the Swedish carmaker’s board – vowed to protect its managerial independence and premium image.
Two Chinese cities – Dacheng and Jiading near Shanghai – helped Geely to finance the $1.5bn deal in expectation that Volvo would build car or engine plants under discussion in their regions.
In China, Volvo currently makes its compact S40 and a long-wheelbase version of its S80 midsize model in a joint venture with Ford and rival carmaker Chang’an under agreements due to lapse later this decade. It will sell slightly more than 30,000 cars in China this year – about half of which are imported and so face steep duties – making it a relatively small player in the booming market.
Stefan Jacoby, Volvo’s chief executive, wants to more than double global sales to 800,000 within a decade, partly by expanding in China, now a larger vehicle market than the US. However, he wants to form a clear business case for the plants, and know how they will be financed before proceeding.
One of the people briefed on the deliberations described the tone of the discussions inside Volvo over China strategy as “heated, not acrimonious”.
Volvo declined to comment on the discussions. Geely referred questions to Freeman Shen, the Swedish carmaker’s new head of China operations.
“Definitely we would like to go to China – this is the target,” Mr Shen told the Financial Times. “We just need to make a plan that includes the possibility to get the financing and the right product for the Chinese customer.”
Jason




