Rusty, that's question I often ask myself. Looks like they are trying to get extra profit on all those little extras.

I agree, especially when the screens are turned off, interior look so simple and clean.

 

I've had my coupe less than a month, and I'm still learning things about it. I did not order soft-close doors because the coupe I test drove had them, and it felt harder to semi-close the doors than to fully close them. It struck me as a feature better suited to S-Class sedans. But twice now when I have live-parked while my wife ran into a store, she has left the passenger door not quite closed. Forward placement of the interior door grips makes it awkward to reach across the passenger seat and get enough leverage to pull the door tight. We'll see how often this happens going forward, but soft-close might be a feature I'd consider next time.

One option I'm liking even more than anticipated is Magic Vision Control. I've hated windshield washers on previous cars when I've needed to use them at speed, and the spray goes up over the sunroof. And don't get me started on the morons who wash their windows in heavy traffic letting their spray land all over my newly cleaned car. Magic Vision Control works ingeniously. With the rainy winter we've had in Southern California, it has come in handy a few times already. It's a small thing, but it makes me grateful.

HUD wasn't available in my build cycle, but I'll definitely order it next time. As everyone who drives these cars understands, the ride is so smooth that speed can get away from you. I use the Progressive instrument display with a big digital mph readout smack in the middle. That helps. But I've driven cars with HUD, and much prefer being able to see my speed without looking down.

 

Also, have the dealership check your door latches. On my E300, my passenger door was harder to close than my driver side doors and Mercedes was able to adjust something (I think the latches).

 

You know, that's the one thing I vacillated back and forth in getting. Having a convertible, I don't envision driving in the rain unless I got caught. So, I decided against it because of the possible infrequent usage. Now, I kinda wish I sprung for it,

 

Turns out the passenger door latch is fine. My wife just didn't want to "slam" it, so she was closing it too softly.

One other option I'm coming to really appreciate: massage seats. On long drives when I don't want to make a stop, the massage effectively relaxes my back and I arrive stress-free.

Also, the kick-to-open trunk was a feature, not an option, but it has proven extremely useful for all the times I approach the car with a bag of groceries in each hand. (Or more frequently, groceries in one hand and wine in the other.)

If there's one thing about the car that bugs me a bit -- and I apologize for straying off topic, because this is not about options -- it's the A/C port behind the right side of the steering wheel. It chills my hand and the whole right side of the steering wheel, even when pointed down and away. I find myself closing it often.

 

 

I wish I optioned distronic

 

I got the AMG line which came well specced, and I added the premium pack which added the cameras, COMAND online, Multibeam, Nappa leather and memory seats and wireless charging.

The parking cameras and Multibeam are a surprise, really impressed with them. Multibeam seems to be the best compared to Audi's Matrix and the BMW Icon lights, their sensors are excellent, and I haven't got flashed anytime the past few winter months. Wireless charging is good, got an iPhone XR the other days and it works very well, but not really needed as I use Apple Car Play most days and thus have the phone hooked up by cable.

Regrets? Not getting the Burmester system. The standard sound system is OK, but it's not great is it. I mainly listen to Podcasts, so it's not too bad, but when listening to music, it's weak, but is pricey and would have added about €60 a month to monthly lease payments. I would have liked the Pano roof too.

I don't regret not adding any adaptive cruise etc, the car is so easy to drive that I don't need it. And I don't regret not getting metallic paint. I stuck with plain black.

 

Hi all,

Very interesting thread! This has given us a lot of food for thought.

As mentioned in another thread, we are considering a E300 Cab with Premium Plus Pack, Driving Assistant Pack and upgrade leather (not Nappa / Comfort Pack). I think these would cover most of the more desirable options including intelligent light, interior light package, adaptive cruise control (DISTRONIC Plus?), lane assist, wireless phone charger, Keyless-Go, Burmester sound system, COMAND with upgraded centre screen, driver digital screen, etc... Things will not be included are the likes of HUD, perfume for cabin and massage chair (Comfort Pack).

It seems that the Premium Plus Pack already includes most of the options and there were only 2 to 3 others to choose from. We've decided against Night Pack and Comfort Pack, but is there anything else we should consider?

Also, what's the difference between AGILITY Control (standard) and AIR BODY Control?

Thank you very much!

 

Some features become so appreciated after a few weeks of use that they would be severely missed if not there. These features include (especially) adaptive cruise control, HUD, and (in cold climates) heated seats and steering wheel.

 

Thanks Helmar! I completely agree once you've had certain options, it becomes "essential". It would have been nice to have a choice on heated steering wheel and heated windscreen but neither are available on the E300 Cab. I've not tried HUD but will certainly consider.

I would love try the Adaptive Cruise Control as I can imagine it's a good feature. I remembered when I first used Cruise Control and it took me some time to get used to it. Now I can live without it, especially when driving through a stretch of roads with average speed cameras!

 

Actually, the active cruise control is a completely different animal from non-active cruise control.

With non-active, you must always be continuously aware of the traffic in front of you.

With active, if your attention should wander momentarily, and the car in front of you slows, you will slow down as well.

While it may sound like this encourages inattention, I find that it just allows for more relaxing travel....

HBH

 

I really do wish I had the multi contour seats in my wagon like my cabriolet has, they are more comfortable. Right after I got my wagon the dealer I go the cabriolet though had a white wagon with the multi contour seat option and the adaptive cruise. I was very tempted to ask them if they could do a trade off my wagon with the regular standard seats, I'd had my wagon about 2 weeks at that point. I didn't even ask as I knew I'd take a real haircut doing that as my car was then a used a car and more than likely I woulda lost like 5 or 10 grand or something like that. So I live with the standard seats in m wagon.

 

Took delivery last week and it was a car someone had ordered and walked from. 2019 E63S wagon diamond white on nut brown. The numbers on my trade made sense and I drove home with it. So far I’m loving this beast and haven’t had a chance to think of all the options fitted.

This is is not our first Mercedes, we’ve had a GLK, currently own a GLE and now this car. My goodness this interior is excellent. I always thought the ambient lights were “meh” and over marketed but they add to one heck of a feeling when you’re driving at night. I have wood inlays and am happy with that. Not a massive carbon fiber fan.

Here are are some of my thoughts on the other options:

1. Multicontour seats. Love them!! I had had comfort seats in my ‘17 Audi with massage function which was very disappointing. Little more than tiny air bladders inflating and deflating in your back in that car. I’m pleased to say Mercedes clearly does massaging seats a heck of a lot better. Plus, the dynamic bolsters that hug you in place when you accelerate and corner are flipping cool!

2. Warmth and comfort package. A must for us people living north of the wall (read: Minnesota). The seat is warm in 2 minutes with rapid heating front seats. The heated arm rests are so nice and add to the luxurious cuccoon feeing.

3. Heated rear seats. Also a must. Either myself or my wife always rides in the back with the little kid so we use regularly. Why it’s not included with the warmth and comfort package above I don’t know. My GLE was CPO and does not have that option and we miss it when driving that car.

4. Heated steering wheel. Also required in cold regions. Of note, this is another area where I noticed Mercedes is superior to Audi. When that wheel heat knob is turned on, the wheel becomes adequately hot. This is in contrast to Audi’s wheel that barely becomes warm. Someone on audizine wrote a couple of years ago that someone had complained to Audi that their heated steering wheels were “too hot” so they turned the temps down?!! And there’s a way to hack the car through OBD to increase the preset limit for the heated steering wheel.

5. Increased cabin insulation with acoustic membrane. I’m kind of torn on this. It’s not cheap at $1,100 and I’m not sure I’d equip it if it were my build. Besides it filters a lot of that V8 sound in the cabin. The flip side is, when I have a sleeping baby in the back there’s nothing to disturb him as the cabin is unbelievably quiet.

6. Adaptive cruise with parktronic. I’m a little meh about it. We live in a smaller town. I drive less than 10 minutes to work. And on the GLE it’s fairly intrusive yanking you into what it thinks is the lane, decelerating aggressively on the freeway when traffic ahead is just a little slower...etc. I’ve heard the newer system is much improved but I haven’t tried it since I’m still in break in.

7. Soft close doors. Should be really included in a $120k car. Only advantage I see is when baby is asleep you don’t have to slam doors. I’d save my money.

8. AMG performance exhaust. A must for an E63 if you ask me and relatively inexpensive at $1,200.

9. Head up display. Love it and used to it on several of my other cars. This is very individual though. I find it handy for track use as well.

A couple of mandatory regrets I suppose:

1. I wish Mercedes offered the designo interiors on the E63 cars. Those look really sharp.

2. I wish there was an extended leather option to cover the lower dash and glove compartment and lower doors, a la my GLE63S. It was included for free oddly enough on the SUV but not the W213.

And thats it! Love this thing and can’t wait to put more miles on it. Cheers everybody.