MrE007

Leasing a 2019 GLC300 4matic. Base model (no Burmester). There are speaker grills in the front for 2 tweeters (on the doors), 1 center channel speaker grill on the dash, and 2 rear pillar speaker grills, all with no speakers in them. Is this right? Did they just prep the base model for the burmester audio system with all the cutouts, and just leave them empty if the option was not selected. Feel a bit duped.

Jason Zhang

I never actually noticed that but sound like something they would do to save cost lol. But the $1000 upgrade to the burmester is super worth it IMO.

Daniel6L

https://w205audio20.wordpress.com (upgrade ideas for the base system)

It's interesting that the Burmester is ripped on in the article but objective and subjective testing from SavageGeese shows the Burmester to be pretty good. They do both make the point that the system is missing bass though.

MrE007

Yep, Burmester upgrade would have been nice. But I was able to get a relatively good lease deal on the base model. Just disappointing to see, but not hear, all these speakers that I thought were in there. I have never heard/seen that before ... empty grills for speakers, but not speakers in them.

Mbracer26

What is the deal that you got. I have the same car without the speakers too. super bummed, they didnt have inventory and I needed a car

SteveE400

Yeah, they put grills in all the cars so that they can use the same design of door panels for all interiors, regardless of sound system installed. This is a pretty common practice, especially when door pillar trim and/or lower door panels are molded plastic. It costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to make alternate molds to produce the "speakerless" door panels or pillar panels (basically, they need tools to make two different versions). Also, if they did choose to produce panels without the grills, they would have to manage inventory of many more SKU's (stock-keeping units) in inventory for production at multiple plants. This leads to a lot more cost and inventory investment. The auto manufacturers will change a supplier over $.0001 per part (yes. . . one tenth of a cent). I've been on both sides of that situation, having worked for an auto parts manufacturer for over 20 years.

Oh, and those "fancy looking" speaker grills . . .they cost next to nothing, so it is really cheaper to put them in than to change all the parts to leave them out.

MrE007

Sure, I guess I understand the economics of it. Just feels a bit deceptive. When you look at the car interior, you see speakers (clearly they are speaker grills), but then they are not there. I would be less deceptive to put another type of cover (rather than a speaker grill) in those spots. Also, there is virtually no information on the stock stereo system in their literature or online. Only information I can find is on the burmester system.