bjan33

I wanted to get some opinions from you guys regarding the p2 package. I'm looking at a black p2 2010 vs an iridium silver p1. The difference in price is about 8k. I like the black but love the silver. Basiclly, How big of a deal is that p2 package?

CEB

Not having P2 would be a dealbreaker for me. The adaptive HID lighting is worth the price of the package alone.

Your dealer should be able to find you a car with P2 in a color you really like.

CorvetteOJ

Yes, the P2 would be a deal breaker for me also. In the big scheme of things, leaving the house in an "E Class" without P2 would be like leaving half dressed!

Dealers can almost always find you the one you want. My dealer once went to Naples, Fl to get the one I wanted. We live in Montgomery, Al, but it is over 600 miles to Naples. Another occasion, he was prepared to go to Texas, but at the last minute he found one in Atlanta. On even another occasion, he went to Pennsacola, but that was only 250 miles.

Remember, you have to know you will be happy with second choice. Sometimes, second choice gets old after 6 weeks. Good luck in your decision.

bigigg

Color of choice and P2 would be great.. but if you really had to choose one or the other, i would pick color. Who wants to own a car in a color they dont like.

newyorktoLA

+1 on the color comment; black is a biatch to keep clean (example: i washed my car yesterday morning and by evening, it was covered in dust while my iridium silver GL hides swirl marks in bright sunlight and looks stunning all the time)

hyperion667

+1 on this too, I have both colors as well, and it's a nightmare trying to keep my black car clean...although it does look stunning for about a half an hour....AND the pollen is coming soon!!! ARRRGGGG!!!
the iridium hides pretty much everything, and plus, with Iridium you get several colors depending on the light......light blue, grey, deeper blue, white, silver, dark silver.......it's avery nice paint, also has the best resale value if I'm not mistaken
good luck, post up when it's done

BM2BZ

if it's a 2010, i assume it's preowned. if that's the case, unless you don't might to wait for the next silver w/p2 to come up. otherwise, if both cars' conditions are about the same, i'll go w/the silver one. not only like other members said, black is pita to keep clean, the $8k price difference is ridiculous.

ImInPA

For me, the only thing I wanted from the P2 package was the HID lighting. At that point, During one of several test drives after dark, I found the standard halogens to be very good, albeit not as good as HIDs. I did not see the value for me personally in the added cost of the P2 package. I do not find myself wanting for anything with only the P1 package. I also have a wood/leather wheel and fold down rear seats. YMMV.

EmE247

+1 on color as well. I didn't think the P2 pricetag was worth it. I also plan on keeping my car for a while so didn't want to deal with any unnecessary options that might cost an arm/leg to fix outside of warranty later.

I haven't washed my car in about 3 weeks and it's spotted, stained, w/ craploads of dust and from 10 feet away it looks awful clean!

Paxfobiscum

You should buy what you want to buy and not buy what you don't want. The worse thing that can happen to you is that while you are driving your car - you see another and WISH that you had gotten something else. When this happens you end up getting aftermarket HIDs, options, doo-dads, etc. Things that were all OEM options you could have purchased had you been a little more patient and waited for the car you truly wanted. I waited for a whole month and dealt with seven different dealers to look for the car I wanted with all the options I wanted. I was ready to do a full order and wait until March when a dealer finally found the car I wanted. Why settle? Are you in a rush that you have to get your car right now? It's too expensive a decision for you to settle for something different.

If you love the silver then get a silver. If you want P2 then get P2. If you can't find both - THEN WAIT. It's fairly simple in my opinion.

-.-.-.-.-.

With that being said, I owned a black car for eleven years and at some point I got tired of the dust and the swirls and the scratches. Black is beautiful when it is shiny and when it is new but as it gets old - well it gets old. I was being offered a Black with P2 at a very good price and I turned it down (even if I wanted P2) because I wanted a Diamond White P2 car with leather. It was impossible to find but with patience and patience and patience, I now own a Diamond White P2 with Beige leather seat.

EmE247

I'm pretty sure there were other options that OP failed to mention in his first post about the 2 cars...

But I'd take my first choice in color, P1 and 8K in my pocket anyday over some color I didn't want and P2.

Dema

P2

PHML

p2 all the way baby

K-A

I'd shop around for a P2 with a color you'd like.

P2 is the only deal-breaker Option on the E-Class for me, i.e I wouldn't want one without it. Even aside from the big stuff, you have the nicer/larger projectors, the necessary LED projector in the inner parking light housing, the awesome post 10/2010 build date high-intensity Xenon's, the LED front blinkers, the chrome lining in the upper door handles, etc. were worth it alone for me.

bjan33

Thanks for the input guys, it's definitely helpful. Timing is a bit of an issue as I am relocating to the northeast. I want to buy it when I get there. Immediately preferably. It's still a couple months ahead but I've got the bug in a bad way for this car and I'm sorting through my options.

Paxfobiscum

Be patient and you will get the car you want. There are a lot of dealers here in the Northeast who are building up inventory right now for spring. MB selss a lot of cars during its December winter events and MB knows that they need to re-stock inventory for spring. Moreover, make sure you get a 2012 model year as it has a newer engine with 35 more horsepower and direct injection. You probably won't be able to tell the difference between an old and new engine but getting the latest model and the peace of mind in knowing that you is priceless. Don't rush the purchase, BE PATIENT, and talk to as many dealers as you can so you can get the right deal. From my experience, the MB salesman can tell within 10 minutes after meeting you if you are a smart consumer or not-- at least in my case. As soon as they realized that I knew my numbers, my options, my data, then they started talking deal prices.

Get the car you want without settling for "less".

CEB

If it is a couple months down the road then why don't you order one to your specs?

bjan33

Im considering ordering one as well as a used car. It's more of a matter of what end of the financial responsibility ballpark I want to end up in.

Paxfobiscum

In that regard it is all the more compelling that you order the car you want with all the options you seek and none of those that you do not need. You said in your original post that there is an $8,000 difference between the two cars you were considering but failed to mention what other options (besides the P2) was included in the more expensive car. I am speculating but it may have had Distronic, Leather seats, entertainment system, Panorama roof-- in order to even get close to $8000 more. Do you want all these options or not? Based on this your most recent response it seems that money is a factor - hence you probably don't want $8000 more expenses - hence you probably don't want the more expensive car.

I got P2 and leather but that's where my options end and I have none of those I do not need - effectively saving me some money. But I was only able to do this by being patient. Which I recommend you be.

ngerstman

It is impossible for me to believe that any decent dealer couldn't find you exactly what you want in a pre-owned 2010 over the next few weeks, let alone months!!! Give them the order, they have the ability to swap out their inventory to another dealer. Be a little patient. Do a search on cars.com and I'm sure you can find what you want. I too like the p2 package, without it the e is not quite up to being the luxury car it should be. Also agree that $8,000 is insane for p2, but is an indication of how the market values that option or more rightly penalizes cars without it. All other things being equal, I must admit I would have a hard time paying up that much just for p2. Regards. Ned.

K-A

I think that P2's emphasis in the Used Market can be due to how insanely rare it is. SO many people order these cars without P2. Every time I look up W212's in the classifieds, I see lots of Pano's, but little to no P2's at all.

ngerstman

It never occurred to me that p2 would be rare. It seems that when I bought mine, it was about 50/50 p1 versus p2. Maybe that is just my area. Regards. Ned.

newyorktoLA

my local dealer doesn't even have any e classes with p2 at the moment...

hyperion667

wow, that's nuts, I didn't even consider P1......just knew P2 would be better...

CEB

Just like 4matic, the prevalence of p2 seems to be pretty regional. I would either order a car or have the dealer find one. For me, both P2 and color is important.