What, if any, add-ons or finishing touches are done once the cars arrive from Germany. Paint or upholstery corrections? Loading GPS data for COMAND? Are they test driven? None of this would be done in "assembly line" fashion, but instead much more slowly...very slowly. Does MBUSA monitor existing "old" inventory before releasing "new" inventory. Any government certification concerns? These are all possible reasons why, although, like you, I wouldn't want to hear any excuses. "Just give me my damned car!" Good luck there.

I'm sure many buyers look at more than one brand. Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Cadillac and even Volvo in the midsize luxury (upscale taxi to some) car segment . Maybe they research and test two or three brands, and select one as their favorite...their choice. If they can't get it, for whatever reason, they move on to their 2d or 3d choice. Sales figures on carsalesbase or goodcarbadcar would reflect that, showing one declining in sales and one increasing.

But the lowest figure in 3 1/2 years should set off alarm bells at Mercedes. For example, why is it still difficult to get a digital dash. Counting Europe (where W213 began as a 2016 model), they have had ample time to insure they have adequate supply...yet they don't. Audi Virtual Cockpit is pretty slick, and apparently not in short supply. Haven't tried it, but BMW offers gesture control, and don't even talk about touch screen.

 

 

their inventory and finance programs have been out of whack for awhile now. You cant find a c class cab or e class cab till September. The new G wagons wont be out for like a year. Moving the HQ down to Atlanta and the new CEO - all might have something to do with it as well. Their most selling trucks like the GLE is now limited production. They need to get it together. but long story short - they probably know what their problem is.... what they can do about it is another matter.

They know their sales are low - margin is a always a different story.

 

I agree and think the main cause of the low numbers was the computer glitch in their system that prevented customers from placing orders. I looked at July's numbers (in the US) for the C-Class and they fell 33%. S-Class numbers fell by 44% in July. GLC numbers were down as well.

 

The new G was originally due this fall, has that been pushed back?

M

 

 

 

He says that they will replenish dealer inventories only in the fall, and sales in the coming months will still be impacted, which didn't sound encouraging...

 

 

My dealer has about 50 E Class on their lot. 4 E400, about 8 E43 and the rest all E300. I'm sure they'd like to move the remaining inventory before the 19's are released.

 

Some sort of marketing ploy no doubt, spun to make it seem important and or relevant.

 

I live in France and placed an order on 21st Feb with a 15th June delivery date. E220d 4matic business executive estate with some options Inc airbody control and acoustic pack. Not an exotic model although well optioned the drivetrain is fairly euro standard (the engine is the most common certainly). I still do not have a firm date for delivery but was told the car was scheduled for a July build and they anticipate late August early sept. We do not get the same dealer support here for tracking build and delivery as you guys in north America do. I understand mercedes are testing a build tracker app for customers in germany.....
It transpires that in fact mercedes stopped production of all e class at one point for a period and then when it restarted it was for non European models only. The reason was the introduction of the new WLTP emission regulations and the certification needed. Cars could be produced for those countries not signatories but not for those signed up Inc the EU 28. There was a shortage of testbeds for the certification process so all the manufacturers were scrambling to get slots and the certification needed.
THE E220d has now been given its certs so they are processing orders and I assume eu customers with old orders like me maybe getting some priority. It must be costing mercedes as I am currently using a loan class c which was a brand new dealer demo when i was given it free of charge. The new certification has changed the rate of co2 emissions as mercedes are covering the increased registration costs arising from that too.
Search WLTP and you will see the difficulties it has caused across the industry.
on a separate aside I have already cost them money as my old lease c was drowned in a flood 2 weeks before return.....mercedes and my insurers have agreed settlement but not sure mercedes has the money yet and they lost any potential profit in reselling the car which was in a1 condition.

 

For whatever is worth, I will share the following information provided by our sales manager on Wednesday: When P1 (Priority Orders for customers) cars come in to the VPC center, they get priority for shipment once all the necessary inspections etc. are accomplished. Then dealer order cars are released. He mentioned this once I offered to select an incoming dealer car that would have most of the options that I had selected on our E450 4Matic Sedan. So he advised to wait for my "order" car.

 

it seems a world wide problem. in Europe, there has been the impact of the upcoming WLTP emission tests that can lead to price increases in September and people have anticipated their orders before that. Also, there has been a shortage in the wide screen panels given that Merc has roll this feature in several models and classes. It has even been shortage in interior colors packs.

as it is, it seems a major supplier problem with Merc. I am waiting for my E63 S *production* to November... 5 months waiting and counting...

 

i find it quite odd that they have had this wide screen issue for months now They should have another supplier by now. LED screens aren't new technology. Just the same way they source like 4 different tire brands for the e300s.

 

It is not a part that is common to many different vehicles. Next year's S Class won't be using it. The E Class display is quite unique and the quantity needed is quite small. That does not lend itself to multi-sourcing the part. Some Asian cars will start offering a 12.3" display, but it may not use the same technology that MB uses.

 

Yeah, it's odd but this one of the shortages that Merc representatives are stating across Europe. The A class is using also wide screens, less wide than E class I believe, but nonetheless it means more need of these displays. Class S and GL also.

 

S class is dropping the 12.3" side by side displays in their new 2020 model late next year.

 

was not aware of that. what will they use?

anyway, for now they still need these displays...

 

every e class (sedan/coupe/cab/wagon) takes at least one (pretty much depending on the country). every s class (maybach) takes 2 even if they are not using them in the 2020 model, there is still a whole year left.... and they might drop the side by side style , but looks like it is the same screen (dont quote me on this tho =) ) not sure about the new a class but looks pretty much the same. the new c class will take one with navi. the new c class will also have it in the dash as well (option). If they are all getting it from the same supplier, there are no guarantees that they can build one but not the other.

In January they released the Q2 package which is p2 without the 2 screens for the e300s. It is August now and the website still shows limited availability. This is an issue, clearly shows they don't need it in little quantity. reasonably speaking - how many is the supplier creating in a a day?? 8 months not being able to find a solution or a new supplier is very surprising. Those screens cannot be that hard to replicate, probably can get even for cheaper now that they need more qty.

When mb goes out for bid - they clearly had a number of dashes they needed in mind (easily obtainable by the units of cars they think they can sell). Pretty sure the supplier said they are capable of meeting the demands.... these aren't handmade, wonder what the real issue is (maybe a part that goes into them)?

I doubt MB makes them on their own.

 

[/QUOTE]
I doubt MB makes them on their own.[/QUOTE]

if they do they need to outsource it, because they are failing. Thousands of products now have digital screens. Work with someone that can meet their customers' needs.

 

I suspect that the brands mentioned in the above comments are European (MB and Porsche) and the reduction in cars arriving in the US is a knock on for the adoption of Euro 6d WLTP certification for EU and a number of other countries which is squeezing supply. MB is actually ahead of the game here and most of its range have the core models certified so there is full steam ahead with production. Whilst not necessarily helpful to those of you waiting for a big 6 cy petrol model the core product range of 4 cy petrol and diesel models that make up the vast majority of world wide sales have been prioritised for recertification. The fall out is that the more "minority" engines (including the hybrid variants) have taken a back seat.

Also the annual model cycle change this year is earlier than normal as any manufacturer selling in a WLTP market can only sell WLTP cars after 01 Sep 18 so they have had to build up stock for Sep whilst focusing on running down "stock" cars which can no longer be sold - hence squeezing supply for customer specific (rather than dealer stock order) cars. Even this week the large 6cy petrol and diesel engines for the 213 and 238 cars have been pushed back before they can be ordered from German dealers by another 3 weeks as there are simply not enough labs pan Europe to get all the cars from all the manufacturers through the system. VW in Germany is currently building Euro 6d WLTP cars which it can't sell as they are not certified and have just hired a runway in Berlin's unfinished airport to store them until the cars are certified!

Sackboydad - I feel your frustration as my Estate is currently 5 months behind schedule (but that's worked out well as I get the 2019 Drive pilot upgrades etc) but I am gob smacked your 450 is built and shipped and already in the US; are you absolutely positive it is build and in the US? The timeline seems really tight?? Unless yours is not a custom build there will be at least a 4 week air gap from order to production as the specification is fixed after start of production month decade minus 4 weeks. It was only order-able from German dealers (they get it first) on 22 Jun, so yours must literally been one of the very the first down the line on a transport/train out of the factory immediately and a ship to the US less than a week later to pop out in the US in the first week of July?? Or was it a 400 2018 (808) car that was ordered ages ago and then produced after 01 Jun 18 so became the upgraded 2019 (809) car as happened with our Cabriolet that is now built and currently sat in a vehicle pound in UK until I can collect it (for my own reasons and not to do with MB) at the beginning of Sep? For my Estate currently the engine lockout date was 20 July (8 weeks before start of production decade) and I am sweating on 20 Aug for Specification lockout (production decade start minus 4 weeks); once it clears that then its green light for production in production decade 3 for September (20th to 30th of the month) where it is currently scheduled for 24 Sep 18.

 

 

Sackboydad,

Strange thought why yours isn't released? I know its a new Euro 6d WLTP compliant engine but I thought you guys weren't signed up to the new system (?) or are you (?). Is the delay in getting the signed off by the US Authorities?

Well I ordered mine in Nov 17 for May 18 build and June 18 delivery (E220d SE Estate originally but now an E220d AMG Line Estate). Delay for widescreen, loss of half the options because MB UK said you can't have them any more and then pulled from a 2nd decade July 18 build as they didn't have enough air suspension. Now rescheduled for 3rd decade Sep 18 build!!! Farce. Our Cab (220d AMG Line) was delayed 3 months because of Widescreen issues and has been build with full Ash Black Wood interior instead of Designo Black Magnolia flowing lines as again MB UK no longer take that option!!

MB are right with their current advertising logo - the best or nothing. I was hoping for something!