superangrypenguin

What is the package code for the acoustic comfort package on the E?

rbrylaw

The code is PAF

From the Dealer Build Guide:

PAF Acoustic Comfort Package Increased Cabin Insulation, Windshield and Side Windows with Acoustic and Heat Absorbing Membrane All Models $ 1,100

superangrypenguin

Thanks rbrylaw. The only glass reference I see here in Canada is "light tinted green heat insulating glass", and it is listed as standard equipment. I'm curious if you know if that's double or single pane?

rbrylaw

I haven't personally seen a car outfitted with Acoustic Glass, but I believe it is single pane. Likely a bit thicker, with insulation built into the glass. Maybe someone who has the glass fitted on their car will chime in. I can tell you when we got our 2016 GLC, for some reason it came with Acoustic Glass. There was really no visible difference between the standard glass on our other C class, which didn't have Acoustic Glass.

ua549

The glass is laminated with an IR reflective film. There are 2 areas on the windshield that are radio transparent to allow transponders and other devices to function. I have the package and there is a very noticeable difference from the standard glass regarding heat transfer. The car is also quieter due to the increased sound insulation blocking noise transmitted through the floor.

rbrylaw

I can certainly see the advantage in terms of heat transfer. But I also wonder if for less money the same heat transfer savings can be had with a high quality Nano-Tint applied to the interior windows? I would imagine the heat transfer savings would be similar? In terms of making the interior quieter, I don't know if I see any need to make the interior of my car any quieter than it already is.

superangrypenguin

To me the additional sound insulation on, say, the underneath of the car and in the doors is the only thing I care about with this package (and double glazed windows which seems like it doesn't come with that).

rbrylaw

I didn't get Acoustic Glass, so I don't know how much quieter it is or what else they did for $1100 to make the car quieter? To me, the car is already vault quiet as it is. But I did have my windows tinted with a very high quality Nano-Film to cut down on heat transfer and to protect the surfaces in my car from the suns harmful rays. It certainly didn't cost $1100 to do that.

superangrypenguin

The package in question adds additional noise insulation underneath and in the doors. It's mainly to cut down on road noise.

The acoustic film in the window is supposed to cut down on wind noise.

rbrylaw

Then I'm not disappointed to not have it. The car really can't be much quieter than it is with standard glass. Or better stated, I don't need it to be any quieter.

superangrypenguin

Yup, to each his own :-) If you follow my threads on the W204, you'll probably see that I've taken car noise to an insane level.

I've personally measured about half a dozen high end cars on the same piece of road in the same weather using the same measurement device just to figure out what car meets my needs. So far the S class does, but the part that pisses me off most is that I don't want an S class. I want an E with this particular package, but it's not offered here in Canada.

Those b*stards!

rbrylaw

Sorry about that. Maybe there's some advantage to being older, with less sensitive hearing! LOL

superangrypenguin

Hahahaha. The interesting thing is that I have developed tinnitus, but even so, I appreciate a whisper quiet interior mainly because I'm a music junkie. My next MB will have the $6900 CAD 3D Burmester stereo option. This is a non negotiable item to me.

So while I live with a ringing in my ears, I would love to supplement that with less wind noise and the sound of Beethoven piped through 912 speakers in the car (i'm exaggerating of course.). I actively fight with wind noise as I drive very very fast, and wind noise is very hard to combat at higher speeds.

rbrylaw

I have a degree in Music, so sound quality is very important to me. The regular Burmester system is actually pretty darn tootin' good. But I've never heard the 'spensive one. I'm afraid to know how sublime it is for fear I'd have to have it!

superangrypenguin

Nice! I didn't know that!

To be blunt, and please take this as face value. I am not, by any means, pooping on anyone's car here, but I am very very very much disheartened by the performance of the Burmester stereo in the E/S. The Frontbass system is sorely lacking here. Mid/highs are crisps, but I don't know how I would be able to live without a subwoofer. That said I will be buying that option without listening to it (the 3D one) because no car here has one, but personally, I am not at all pleased with the regular Burmester stereo system. It sounds a tad tinny to me.

Again - this is just my opinion, and it is certainly not one shared by many auto reviewers! I'm an audiophile and have sunk thousands into home stereo systems. Nakamichi, Mark Levinson, B&O etc, are all brands I have tinkered with. So maybe I'm just a fussy SOB!

rbrylaw

No offense taken, trust me. I had the same (supposed) Burmester system in my C300, but I think the system in the E400/E300 is significantly better than the C and actually pretty good for my listening needs. I've sunk a LOT of money into my home system, with Focal (From France) Reference Monitors, MartinLogan Rear and Sub. But the standard Burmester in my car seems to meet my listening needs.

superangrypenguin

Oh I totally agree with you that I think the E class's system is much better than the upgraded C class one. Although to this day, if there is one sum of money I am SO pleased to have spent, it would be for the $1000 I spent to upgrade my 204's sound system to the Logic 7 sound system by HK. HK is a run of the mill "Brand" which isn't even known to have anything above an average sound quality, but this $1,000 has been the best money I have ever spent on a car. I'd take that over many factory sound systems, with the exception of the super high end systems (Burmester 3D, Mark Levinson on the new LS500, etc), but those cost at least 6x as much.

It's still a sound system that still makes me scratch my head. Only $1,000? Anyways, sorry, seriously off topic, but just wanted to share, from one audiophile to another. :-)

rbrylaw

Before MB started using Burmester, I was VERY happy with the HK Logic 7 system in my 2012 E350 Coupe. If you want a 2019 GLE, it still comes with the HK Logic 7 System, but will turn over to the Burmester, when the new GLE comes out sometime in 2019 as a 2020 model. It will also have the new I6 with battery backup boost engine that is coming in the 2019 CLS. It's going to be a major league bump up in engine sound and fun factor for sure. My first ever MB was a 1995 E320 with a 217HP Inline 6. I loved that car more than I could imagine. It had such great acceleration for a heavy car and it was built like a bank vault. Just the sound of the door closing with the strong THUNK sound was amazing. And I loved the one wiper blade system. It was sure poetry in motion as it moved up to wipe the entire windshield, then back down on return.

ua549

I find the car to be quite noisy even with the acoustic package. Most of the noise comes from feature B63 - Engine Noise Over Speaker that is piped in from the amplifier in the trunk. On my first service visit in a couple of weeks I'm going to request that the current amplifier part #2139001821 be replaced with either part #2139008315 or part #2139008715. My W211 E500 was much quieter than the W213 E300.

rbrylaw

It's as if you and I are describing completely different cars altogether. I find the interior of the E300 to be an extremely quiet place to be. Far quieter than the GLC300 it replaced. And the GLC had Acoustic Glass, so go figure.

superangrypenguin

Ah yes the good old days of MB. May I ask if you kept it or did you trade it in? That's my dilemma atm. I love this car and am finding it difficult to trade in something that I love and is also worth close to nothing now. Ha!

ua549

Yes, the C class is inferior to the E class sound wise. Does the E400 have B63 - Engine Noise Over Speaaker? The car would be much quieter without it.

rbrylaw

I have no clue if my E400 has B63. Where would I look to find out?

rbrylaw

I actually bought the very same model, color and options package twice (long story) in the same year. But I truly LOVED LOVED LOVED that car. I did trade it for a 1998 CLK 320 Coupe. That I traded for a bright yellow SLK 230, which I then traded for a Burgandy SLK 320, which I then traded for a black 4 door C 230 (don't ask why, but I did), then I messed up and went over to Infinity G35 (which was simply DREADFUL), so I really lost my mind and got a Honda S2000 but came right back to MB and got a CLK 500 Cabriolet, which was a lemon, which was taken back and I got a Red SL 500 (I was making pretty good money back then). Then we moved north and I felt I needed a sedan and I got a 2007 E350. I hated it up north, came home to Florida, saw someone getting out of a BMW 335i Cabriolet and just had to have one, but never really warmed up to BMW, so I got a 2010 Red C300 4 Door, which became a 2012 C350 Coupe (loved that car, but then wasn't making the same kind of money), so that turned into a 2016 C300 Sport, pretty fully loaded, which I really did like, until I traded it a couple weeks ago on my new 2018 E400 4Matic. The good news is both the E300 and E400 are 100% paid for and today, I extended the warranty on both cars to 7 years via a dealer in California who offers amazing prices on extended warranties.

Whew. I've had quite the car journey over the last couple decades!

superangrypenguin

Hahaha - reading your story reminds me of the nightmare that was Japanese cars when I owned an Infiniti. It was an unmitigated disaster and have thus decided to stay with MB. Even right now, I'm torn between a W213, a W222, and a 2019 Audi A8. Methinks I'll stick with MB, even if I do like the Audi looks/interior better. A car's main job is still to get from A-> B...and well, Japanese cars sucked for that, and my last Audi was pretty much a disaster too. Sigh.

I'm much younger than you simply because I haven't owned that many cars, but you have had quite the cars over the years! Great journey and thanks for sharing! I hope to have a story like that to share one day myself!