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Indeed. If anything, the newer ones have more features standard. For the purpose of this discussion, they're the bullet point-worthy items. Just off the top of my head, all E class now come with the equivalent of the P2 Lighting package, folding seats & folding mirrors are included in the Premium 1 package. Flipping through the brochure for the 2009 E vs. 2003 E, there's a huge difference in what was standard equipment. Almost everything which was optional in 2003 was standard by 2009.
I'm still torn on it though -- I'd rather have the option of adding things than have them gone entirely. I know there are price targets they're trying to hit, and no one certainly expects a mass-produced E-Class to be built with no consideration to price like a 6.9, but I still miss things...especially that missing piece of wood -- it's something I'll see daily.
Exactly. That's fine if they want to keep the base model car under a certain price point to trick suckers into looking at this car. But if there are people that would gladly pay more money to get a few extra features that the folks in Europe get to enjoy, then why not accept my money? I will gladly pay extra money for 3 zone climate control and passenger massage/dynamic seat that we used to have on the 211 but now they are gone altogether. Maybe MB is making too much money off of us through the dealer servicing!
Funny you mention those options -- the upgraded AC + passenger massage seat were two things I wanted on this car. I'll gladly pay to put back the missing piece of wood trim around the HVAC controls. Considering that our Canadian neighbors get some of this, it can't be too difficult for Merc to put them back in. I already paid the SPC fee for my car, I wouldn't have minded throwing more options on the car.
At the same time, playing with the Canadian & German website configurations, my car wouldn't be possible to get from them as I'm having it built now, at least not without spending some heavy $$$. They had some neat options, but also some strange restrictions on which packages had to be added to the car for certain features.
Maybe I'm the oddball buyer. I basically want an S, without everyone knowing I paid for an S... hence the E I ordered. Looks like a normal E on the outside, optioned up on the inside where people won't see it unless they know Mercedes well. I think understatement's more of a Euro thing.
I'll gladly pay to put back the missing piece of wood trim around the HVAC controls. Considering that our Canadian neighbors get some of this, it can't be too difficult for Merc to put them back in. I already paid the SPC fee for my car, I wouldn't have minded throwing more options on the car.
Ditto - I'm trying to track down a part number for that piece also so that I can order it and have it ready to install by the time my car gets here in March. (Of course, the designo trim part might take as long to deliver as the car...).
Looks like they have deleted that off the 2015 model.
BMW does these sneaky deletes as well. My new Z4 35is is supposed to have cigarette lighter plug under glove box as found on my friend's 2011 model. My new 15' Z4 has an empty hole where the plug used to be.
Funny you mention those options -- the upgraded AC + passenger massage seat were two things I wanted on this car. I'll gladly pay to put back the missing piece of wood trim around the HVAC controls. Considering that our Canadian neighbors get some of this, it can't be too difficult for Merc to put them back in. I already paid the SPC fee for my car, I wouldn't have minded throwing more options on the car.
At the same time, playing with the Canadian & German website configurations, my car wouldn't be possible to get from them as I'm having it built now, at least not without spending some heavy $$$. They had some neat options, but also some strange restrictions on which packages had to be added to the car for certain features.
Maybe I'm the oddball buyer. I basically want an S, without everyone knowing I paid for an S... hence the E I ordered. Looks like a normal E on the outside, optioned up on the inside where people won't see it unless they know Mercedes well. I think understatement's more of a Euro thing.
I tried so hard to add the 581 3 zone to my car through MB corporate. I talked to someone that handles all the special orders, products reps, etc. and I could not get it approved even though our Canadian neighbors have this. In regards to passenger massage that won't happen (for this style car) because it must be submitted to NHTSA/US laws to approve this as it involves a safety system. Basically MB never submitted a car for testing with these parts because they never cared to offer that in North America. Hence, even if you really want it, you can't get it [from the factory]. I did get the 839 laminated glass approved for us in 2015 though!
I'm looking into retrofitting the passenger massage after the fact- looks like about $4K in parts for my designo 63 interior (new seat leather is required). Should be less for non 63 and even less for non designo/nappa leather etc. 581 is about 50 parts required and so many things need to be removed (including the dash). IMO a huge project and maybe not worth it. But I hate having that stupid blank area in the back under the climate control! Looks so cheap.
Originally Posted by Beemie
Ditto - I'm trying to track down a part number for that piece also so that I can order it and have it ready to install by the time my car gets here in March. (Of course, the designo trim part might take as long to deliver as the car...).
I've ordered the matching designo trim for the door armrests (4 pieces), 2 "ledge" pieces on each side of the center console, and the AC surround back in July. So far only one of the ledges have come in and I'm still waiting for all of the other ones! designo stuff is a PITA to order from MB- it takes forever, hence why I ordered it shortly after I ordered my car. I'd recommend sending MBenzNL.nl an email about what parts you want as he's got the best prices and knows exactly what you need. He's the master of MB retrofits and you don't have to dig for all the part numbers necessary like I did. Cost isn't too bad for these pieces, somewhere between $113-$200 a piece.
Porsche Macan S SportDesign / Ex M-B's: 11 & 10 & 06 E350's, 02 S500
Unfortunate that they took away the wood trim from under the door armrest. Was a nice touch. Quality craftsmanship is always best realized in the details.
I did opt for 839-Laminated Acoustic Glass, Front and Rear on my car. I'm hoping it makes somewhat of a difference. For the price ($300), it's probably the best bargain of any of the options available on the car. Almost makes me wonder why they don't throw that one in by default. I couldn't see spending $500-600 for a steering wheel upgrade.
Re: "missing" door trim underneath the armrest, it's just been replaced with aluminum, not a complete de-content like the missing piece around the climate controls. Seeing they did this next to the center console and the minimal price difference between the parts, I think this was purely a style issue rather than decontenting again. Personally, I like the aluminum better as the wood trim that low on the door was almost never noticed. To be honest the only time I noticed that wood trim was when the upper wood trims were sun-damaged in the 2010-2013 E350s but the lower one would still be the original color.
My E350 is a 4/2014 build as well. I didn't realize the missing wood trim until you guys mentioned it. Now I find myself bothered by it every time I get in the car! It's true that ignorance is bliss!
I'm also missing the right side trunk net, and I do have the aluminum pedals as well. Those I like, I didn't expect them because the models in the showroom didn't have them when I ordered mine.
One other piece of decontenting that I forgot until Beemie reminded me of it is the matching wood trim immediately under the speedometer (and behind the steereing column). This is now matte black plastic as of mid 2014.
Trim being deleted and replaced with black plastic or aluminum is decontenting to an extent because it's cheaper for MB to only make one part than 5-6 depending on the trim selected.
I agree with those who have said ignorance is bliss! But now that we can't un-see the black plastic, I've made a couple of crude photos of the trim pieces that have been changed/decontented between pre- and post-facelift W212 in case it helps anyone in tracking down parts. Let me know if I've missed any pieces here. Thank you all for bringing these details to light!
I just picked up an earlier build 14 E350 - it has wood under the armrests, wood around climate control, under the gauges etc. along with both trunk nets, but black pedals. I actually prefer the silver trim alongside the console - it should wear better than the shiny wood - on my prior car, those high spots showed scratches easily.
The mounting points are still there for the "trunk nail" - I like the hook, and installed one myself in the new car. It shouldn't be too expensive to fit in a facelift car.
I just picked up an earlier build 14 E350 - it has wood under the armrests, wood around climate control, under the gauges etc. along with both trunk nets, but black pedals. I actually prefer the silver trim alongside the console - it should wear better than the shiny wood - on my prior car, those high spots showed scratches easily.
The mounting points are still there for the "trunk nail" - I like the hook, and installed one myself in the new car. It shouldn't be too expensive to fit in a facelift car.
MY 2015 E250BT has the burl walnut trim, which makes for a pleasant contrast to the black interior. IMO, the additional aluminum trim pieces, now underneath the walnut dash segments, on each side on the centre console, underneath the armrests and surrounding the dash vents all serve to brighten up the interior.
As one or two other forum members have discovered, the trunk 'tree nail' is easily installed into a 2014/15 W212, cost about $12. Unfortunately, the right side trunk net is not available as a separate part. One would have to purchase the entire right side liner of the trunk for a pre-facelift W212 and install it - ultimate cost would likely make no sense.
Last edited by DerekACS; Nov 16, 2014 at 08:34 PM.
I actually prefer the silver trim alongside the console - it should wear better than the shiny wood - on my prior car, those high spots showed scratches easily. The mounting points are still there for the "trunk nail" - I like the hook, and installed one myself in the new car. It shouldn't be too expensive to fit in a facelift car.
I too prefer the silver trim on the center console. About the trunk nail, where is the actual installation spot? Is it compatible if a comfort box is installed?
Has any one had any luck running down the pieces of trim for their late model 2014 they want to add?
Be aware that the wood trim piece in front of the steering wheel, installed on pre-face lift W212, is incompatible with the 2014+ redesigned instrument console.
About the trunk nail, where is the actual installation spot? Is it compatible if a comfort box is installed?
The installation spot is the same as before, with the holes already drilled. All you need to install is a torx-head screw driver. I suspect that the tree nail is compatible with a comfort box, but I am not absolutely sure since I do not have one in my car.
Be aware that the wood trim piece in front of the steering wheel, installed on pre-face lift W212, is incompatible with the 2014+ redesigned instrument console.
Thank you for the info. The pics seemed to show that. It does look like the climate control wood surround would be the easiest to plug in. If one could get a part number from a member that has a first of the year 2014 black ash trim.
While we're comparing between models, is it me or are the air vents in the 2014+ smaller than the 2010-2013? Is the AC any louder in one or the other?
Yes, the centre vents are slightly smaller to allow for the wood trim surround, top and bottom. IMO, the overall look of the 2014+ dash is improved. No change to the AC that I can detect.
On the plus side for changes, the 2015 CD player is a single disk unit with RECORD feature. The previous CD player was a 6 disc with no record feature.
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