Does no one order the driver assistance package on the E-Class?
#1
Newbie
Thread Starter
Does no one order the driver assistance package on the E-Class?
I've been eyeing a lightly used late model e class for my next car purchase. An E-Class ticks all boxes, but a must have feature for me is an automatic cruise control w/ Stop and Go. As I understand this comes with the driver assistance package. An odd thing I've noticed is that it is next to impossible to find this feature in any used cars. What surprised me even more is that even if I search brand new inventory for 2020 it is equally impossible- no dealer seems to order this option!
I thought I was not unusual in wanting ACC, and it is a common option on 20-30k cars these days. What gives?
I'd consider a slightly older S class (where ACC can be found)- but I really dislike the burl interior wood trim and 99% of them have it.
I imagine my best bet is either sucking it up and special ordering a new one , or searching until I find someone else's used special order unicorn.
I thought I was not unusual in wanting ACC, and it is a common option on 20-30k cars these days. What gives?
I'd consider a slightly older S class (where ACC can be found)- but I really dislike the burl interior wood trim and 99% of them have it.
I imagine my best bet is either sucking it up and special ordering a new one , or searching until I find someone else's used special order unicorn.
#2
MBWorld Fanatic!
I can't imagine someone would buy a car without driver assistance package (and hurt a potential resale) .. such a basic and useful set of features to have!
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Texas, Northern VA
Posts: 393
Received 78 Likes
on
69 Posts
Porsche Cayman S, Mercedes W213, Nissan Titan, BMW X5, Chevrolet Suburban
I have the feature on my car but when I was shopping most of the cars on the lot didn't have the package. It is listed as part of a 10k package on my Monroney. It is possible that more cars that are less than a year old might actually have the feature since it no longer has to be bundled with other packages. I was fortunate to find it in my case in 2018 because my car didn't have the digital dashboard cluster that was normally a part of the p3 pkg and the car had sat for 8 months on the lot. It seemed that few were willing to buy a P3 w/out the digital cluster and consequently the dealer gave me a steep discount.
But if it is a feature you really want you might consider ordering it. There is a lot to be said for getting exactly what you want.
But if it is a feature you really want you might consider ordering it. There is a lot to be said for getting exactly what you want.
#4
Member
We have had it on a number of cars so far but always have had to order a car to get what we want. I suspect that this is not ordered as often as you would think in part because the first ones that come to the dealer tend to not be as fully equipped.
#5
Newbie
Thread Starter
was fortunate to find it in my case in 2018 because my car didn't have the digital dashboard cluster that was normally a part of the p3 pkg and the car had sat for 8 months on the lot. It seemed that few were willing to buy a P3 w/out the digital cluster and consequently the dealer gave me a steep discount.
By the way I've seen references to P1/P2/P3 a few times on these forums. Building a new e-class I only see one premium package offered. Do the Ps refer to something else, or did MB consolidate to one premium package in 2020?
#6
Member
Robert
#7
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 8,565
Received 3,899 Likes
on
2,609 Posts
2019 C63CS
In my experience, it's like this across brands, unless the features are made standard. Dealerships don't typically order cars with these features and the recommended builds in the order guides, which is what dealerships typically order, don't usually contain these options. It tends to be something sales people struggle to sell, unless the customer has seen the light and specifically wants it. Lots of customers are hesitant and don't trust a computer taking over some of the driving.
Trending Topics
#9
Senior Member
I am one of those who doesn't want to pay extra for the Packages/Options I rarely/never use and Driver Assistance is one of them. In the last 15 years of driving and having driven more than 100,000 miles in road trips alone over this time, never have I used any form of Cruise Control.
Yes it's a great feature and it keeps improving over time, however I'm not a fan of it. And yes, there are lot of people who do use it.
For the dealers, the higher the MSRP the harder it is for them to sell these and the car sits longer in the lot. Custom orders are only a small fraction of the sales, with the majority being dealer specced orders instead. Also, Packages/options do not significantly affect resale price in any way in the used market. Yes there would be some sellers who might pass on these cars but you can easily find someone who buys even without those packages/options. The original MSRP is rarely used while assessing the value of an Used car.
Yes it's a great feature and it keeps improving over time, however I'm not a fan of it. And yes, there are lot of people who do use it.
For the dealers, the higher the MSRP the harder it is for them to sell these and the car sits longer in the lot. Custom orders are only a small fraction of the sales, with the majority being dealer specced orders instead. Also, Packages/options do not significantly affect resale price in any way in the used market. Yes there would be some sellers who might pass on these cars but you can easily find someone who buys even without those packages/options. The original MSRP is rarely used while assessing the value of an Used car.
#10
Senior Member
How old are the cars you are looking at and where are you? In recent years most E s come with what you are looking for. When it was P1, P2, P3 the packages were large steps in terms of cost and a lot of cars did not have the P3 package. Today with the assist features more available individually that is not the case. But be clear a fully loaded E wagon will get into the mid 80 s.
The following users liked this post:
Lanzz (01-20-2020)
#11
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: MA
Posts: 6,142
Received 1,501 Likes
on
1,173 Posts
2008 E350 4Matic, 2011 E350 4matic
The problem is basically the dealers. Most people don't special order a car due to the wait so they will buy whatever is on the lot. MB already charges a lot so adding more packages just increases the price so they tend to just order a couple options and not have them fully loaded. Otherwise the price creeps up so high that the buyers end up with something else. So you end up seeing a lot of base model cars out there so it tells you that people are basically buying the car for the name, not for all the options.
#12
MBWorld Fanatic!
I am one of those who doesn't want to pay extra for the Packages/Options I rarely/never use and Driver Assistance is one of them. In the last 15 years of driving and having driven more than 100,000 miles in road trips alone over this time, never have I used any form of Cruise Control.
Yes it's a great feature and it keeps improving over time, however I'm not a fan of it. And yes, there are lot of people who do use it.
For the dealers, the higher the MSRP the harder it is for them to sell these and the car sits longer in the lot. Custom orders are only a small fraction of the sales, with the majority being dealer specced orders instead. Also, Packages/options do not significantly affect resale price in any way in the used market. Yes there would be some sellers who might pass on these cars but you can easily find someone who buys even without those packages/options. The original MSRP is rarely used while assessing the value of an Used car.
Yes it's a great feature and it keeps improving over time, however I'm not a fan of it. And yes, there are lot of people who do use it.
For the dealers, the higher the MSRP the harder it is for them to sell these and the car sits longer in the lot. Custom orders are only a small fraction of the sales, with the majority being dealer specced orders instead. Also, Packages/options do not significantly affect resale price in any way in the used market. Yes there would be some sellers who might pass on these cars but you can easily find someone who buys even without those packages/options. The original MSRP is rarely used while assessing the value of an Used car.
The following users liked this post:
NewYorker555 (01-20-2020)
#14
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 618
Received 213 Likes
on
160 Posts
2023 GLE450, 2021 E350 / Used to drive: 2019 E300, 2021 + 2020 GLE350, 2019 E450 Wagon(s), 2017 E300
I think it has to do with the way options were packaged in 2017 and 2018. The Driver Assistance features were only part of the Premium 3 package, which bundled many other things with it - the overall price was higher and few dealers stocked cars with the Premium 3 package. My 2017 E300 had the Premium 2 package and it had a lot of features I wanted and a few that I didn't. Starting in 2019, option packaging is more flexible. There's a Premium Package, Driver Assistance and then a bunch of other packages and standalone options you can add or not. While it is not simple to find a car configured exactly as you would like, it is definitely easier to find a car with Driver Assistance from 2019 onward. My 2019 has Driver Assistance, but I did not care about the multi-contour seats with massage or the air balance functionality - this is perfect for me, but would not have been available on a 2017 or 2018 E Class.
The following users liked this post:
jbean12 (01-20-2020)
#17
Member
This comment is for this forum but could also be added to another forum involving brake "judder". Yes, my 2018 E300 is a P2 car but I have never used the adaptive cruise control and the short story is my car drives as the day it was delivered.
Robert
Robert
#18
Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: On an island in Maine
Posts: 92
Likes: 0
Received 5 Likes
on
5 Posts
2019 Mercedes E450
Active Cruise Control is a safety feature, although it’s not promoted as such.
We all have minor distractions while driving (talking, tuning the radio, rummaging through the console, even just putting your cup of coffee in the cup holder).
In those distractive moments, ACC will step in if the car in front of you unexpectedly slows.
I’ve been using ACC since 2008 (Lexus 600hL) and I rely on it’s constant monitoring and adjusting. I use it constantly on every trip.
Also there have been a few inclement weather situations where the ACC helped when the viewing was diminished.
A must have in all of my future cars. My wife is a convert as well, in her Eyesight equipped Subaru.
Manual cruise control is useless and dangerous in any situation where other cars are present.
HBH
We all have minor distractions while driving (talking, tuning the radio, rummaging through the console, even just putting your cup of coffee in the cup holder).
In those distractive moments, ACC will step in if the car in front of you unexpectedly slows.
I’ve been using ACC since 2008 (Lexus 600hL) and I rely on it’s constant monitoring and adjusting. I use it constantly on every trip.
Also there have been a few inclement weather situations where the ACC helped when the viewing was diminished.
A must have in all of my future cars. My wife is a convert as well, in her Eyesight equipped Subaru.
Manual cruise control is useless and dangerous in any situation where other cars are present.
HBH
The following users liked this post:
rraisley (01-22-2020)
#19
Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
Received 14 Likes
on
6 Posts
2017 E300, P3, Sport, Driver's Assist, HUD, Multibeam, Multicontour, Pano. Black on Black
I have a 2017 E300 with a P3 package and some other options that the previous owner ordered (Black on Black, AMG Styling, Driver's Assist, Brown Ash wood grain, multibeam headlights, pano roof, sport bucket dynamic seats w/ ventilation, HUD). Sticker was about $70k when new but I bought it CPO. I posted a few weeks ago that I think I had a unicorn, and for the most part I think it is. I have personally never seen another one like mine (I always look at other E classes in parking lots or at the dealers)... When I was looking for a P3 E300, I was only able to locate two within a 500 mile radius (I called MB USA and they helped search for one). The one which was 200 miles away was sold by the time I called. The dealer pretty much said that people buy them sight-unseen over the phone. Finding them used is a treasure hunt, especially with a Sport package, since I think most were ordered in the luxury style.
I use nearly every feature of my P3 package daily. I have never owned a car with a driver's assist package before, but now that I have one - I will never purchase a vehicle without it. I use my driver's assist every single day, on the way to work, on the way home, in the city and on the freeways. The car has surround view cameras with 6 radar sensors, which automatically wake up when something is close to the car. It's so helpful, but you don't know what you are missing until you have it. Seeing how the car uses all the extra cameras, radar and other sensors is really amazing. I've been driving on a freeway with very little visibility through heavy rain and dense fog and let the car do the driving using the radar. It blew me away. It's crazy how different these P3 cars are to base or P1 cars (which are everywhere). So much so, that I think they are just in another class of vehicle. Getting a P3 car was a bit of a splurge, but now that I see how different these cars are to a standard E300, I have zero regrets.
I use nearly every feature of my P3 package daily. I have never owned a car with a driver's assist package before, but now that I have one - I will never purchase a vehicle without it. I use my driver's assist every single day, on the way to work, on the way home, in the city and on the freeways. The car has surround view cameras with 6 radar sensors, which automatically wake up when something is close to the car. It's so helpful, but you don't know what you are missing until you have it. Seeing how the car uses all the extra cameras, radar and other sensors is really amazing. I've been driving on a freeway with very little visibility through heavy rain and dense fog and let the car do the driving using the radar. It blew me away. It's crazy how different these P3 cars are to base or P1 cars (which are everywhere). So much so, that I think they are just in another class of vehicle. Getting a P3 car was a bit of a splurge, but now that I see how different these cars are to a standard E300, I have zero regrets.
Last edited by sardarji; 01-21-2020 at 01:13 PM.
#20
Senior Member
I have a 2017 E300 with a P3 package and some other options that the previous owner ordered (Black on Black, AMG Styling, Driver's Assist, Brown Ash wood grain, multibeam headlights, pano roof, sport bucket dynamic seats w/ ventilation, HUD). Sticker was about $70k when new but I bought it CPO. I posted a few weeks ago that I think I had a unicorn, and for the most part I think it is. I have personally never seen another one like mine (I always look at other E classes in parking lots or at the dealers)... When I was looking for a P3 E300, I was only able to locate two within a 500 mile radius (I called MB USA and they helped search for one). The one which was 200 miles away was sold by the time I called. The dealer pretty much said that people buy them sight-unseen over the phone. Finding them used is a treasure hunt, especially with a Sport package, since I think most were ordered in the luxury style.
I use nearly every feature of my P3 package daily. I have never owned a car with a driver's assist package before, but now that I have one - I will never purchase a vehicle without it. I use my driver's assist every single day, on the way to work, on the way home, in the city and on the freeways. The car has surround view cameras with 6 radar sensors, which automatically wake up when something is close to the car. It's so helpful, but you don't know what you are missing until you have it. Seeing how the car uses all the extra cameras, radar and other sensors is really amazing. I've been driving on a freeway with very little visibility through heavy rain and dense fog and let the car do the driving using the radar. It blew me away. It's crazy how different these P3 cars are to base or P1 cars (which are everywhere). So much so, that I think they are just in another class of vehicle. Getting a P3 car was a bit of a splurge, but now that I see how different these cars are to a standard E300, I have zero regrets.
I use nearly every feature of my P3 package daily. I have never owned a car with a driver's assist package before, but now that I have one - I will never purchase a vehicle without it. I use my driver's assist every single day, on the way to work, on the way home, in the city and on the freeways. The car has surround view cameras with 6 radar sensors, which automatically wake up when something is close to the car. It's so helpful, but you don't know what you are missing until you have it. Seeing how the car uses all the extra cameras, radar and other sensors is really amazing. I've been driving on a freeway with very little visibility through heavy rain and dense fog and let the car do the driving using the radar. It blew me away. It's crazy how different these P3 cars are to base or P1 cars (which are everywhere). So much so, that I think they are just in another class of vehicle. Getting a P3 car was a bit of a splurge, but now that I see how different these cars are to a standard E300, I have zero regrets.
This was the closest one within hundreds of miles. I use all features everyday at all times. As soon as I start driving I engage it and again if I brake for any reason. My only wish is it should have been about to be update similar to Tesla.
My car has jus about ever option with the exception of heated steering wheel and airmatic. In my opinion it takes the stress out of driving in stop and go traffic and makes those very long drives effortless and not at all tiring. I would definitely recommend it to anyone willing to pay for it
The following users liked this post:
rraisley (01-22-2020)
#21
Member
I hate to brush with too broad strokes, but this is exactly the conclusion I came to as well. When I started looking for a wagon in 2018, I couldn’t find a well optioned model in stock, and those closer to what I wanted were in colors I didn’t want. It took ordering one to finally be happy. Yes, MSRP was nearly $90k, but I got almost exactly what I wanted (I wish I could have deleted the sunroof entirely).
#23
Senior Member
I hate to brush with too broad strokes, but this is exactly the conclusion I came to as well. When I started looking for a wagon in 2018, I couldn’t find a well optioned model in stock, and those closer to what I wanted were in colors I didn’t want. It took ordering one to finally be happy. Yes, MSRP was nearly $90k, but I got almost exactly what I wanted (I wish I could have deleted the sunroof entirely).
#24
Mercedes should just make it standard. Probably the next gen E-class.
#25
Senior Member
It should be standard on a car of this caliber as safety should always be first. But alas business decisions to pad profits. This is what makes a Genesis so attractive.