GregW / Oregon

Is that what your dealer is telling you based on some information from MBUSA? I couldn't get any kind of an ETA when mine was on hold.

Hurricane1938

That came from the dealer. 'Lance' the Executive Referral Manager steadfastly refused to give me any ETA, but assured me that my PO 71759660 had been "hot listed" what ever that really means.

tery

I just called my Dealer, they refuse to tell me an ETA also. Very frustrating, all they trying to do is to buy more time for you to accept the delay.

GregW / Oregon

They are not giving you an ETA because, at least in the US, MB told them not to until production is complete, and they probably don't have one - not the dealer's fault.

Hurricane1938

Certainly "not the dealers fault". I feel confident that since the owner, general manager and sales manager have all been involved with my order, the dealer is not at fault and has provided outstanding service. MBUSA has failed to deliver comparable quality service.

tery

I will keep on waiting, hopefully it’s worth the wait.

Hurricane1938

"I will keep on waiting, hopefully it’s worth the wait."
Likewise, Tery.

Did you order E-ABC like I did?

Skizz

I have E-ABC on my order with a 1st decade April build. Crickets and cluelessness. Someone at MB(USA) knows what's going on and this is how they choose to communicate with, at least in my case, a repeat customer that has pre-ordered a few new vehicles from them, bought quite a few others off the dealer lots and showrooms, and frequent their dealership service departments. It's mickey-mouse and unprofessional, especially for a higher end brand. Stuff happens, I get that, and sometimes it just can't be helped. Communicate clearly, promptly and truthfully, and your chances at retaining loyalty increase and patience wears a little less thin. As it stands, it won't be too long before I head back to the Porsche and Range Rover dealerships. RR shops in my area are a little smug about selling their vehicles, but the Porsche folks really shined. I was fairly impressed, although killer discounts were few and far between. And from my comparisons, for me, the value with MB seems to be better. But if you don't have the vehicle, the value calculation begins to change.

tery

yes ordered with E-ABC

Ron.s

My dry sense of humor is out of place on the Forum. I had an Emolji winking but it didn’t make it, just got?? I wasn’t serious just trying to be sarcastic!

I wonder if we will ever know why E-ABC is an issue. I’m beginning to wonder if they had to change suppliers. It’s gone on too long to be a normal delay and the fact that Mercedes is unable or unwilling to project a solution indicates to me that something serious is going on. I could be wrong. It could be something as simple as a flaw with a key component requiring a design change. I wonder why they don’t offer a build with just Air or whatever is holding these up so long.

Skizz

Could be because they figure that the folks that ponied up over $8k for the E-ABC option may cancel the order if is unavailable, then a high profit vehicle with a probably high profit option is off the books. I probably would cancel, myself. It's one of the main reasons why I went with MB over the Porsche or full size Range Rover. They probably figure that they'll just string us along until they can get the supplier issue (or whatever) solved, and don't tell anyone anything that would make them reconsider. The only real consolation I have is that Greg's is on its way to him.

beth22

I was told my order was red lined this morning. Just to be obsessive, i asked for the dealer to send me a scan of the order to check. Sure enough, it's missing the ventilated/heated seats, and the lighting package (and the multicontour seats since you have to have that for the ventilated seats. Has anyone here had any experience with getting the dealer to call Netstar to see if the order can be changed? I am ready to dump the order and reorder for December at this point.

GregW / Oregon

I just sent this to the Vice-President for Consumer Relations, MBUSA:

"Christian, et al,

I am finally getting my GLE in 12 days or so, but it has been a frustrating experience for me and many of your ardent fans and early adopters. Your refusal to give real information to us has caused many to question where the brand is going in the US. We know issues early in a new build are common; this V167 launch is worse than anyone can remember, and I had one of the first MLs in the US in ’95 and the first of every generation since. Just read a few posts on the thread I started on the MBWorld forums over a year ago, starting here: https://mbworld.org/forums/gle-class...ml#post7734480. People are frustrated because they’ve had orders in for months and now options are being delayed, production is being delayed, and the customer, through the dealer has no real information on when or if they may see their car. Unlike dealer stock orders, special order customers may have leases coming to an end or other reasons to know when to expect their car.

You need to do better than you’ve done to date on the information issue. Give dealers your best guess on all customer orders. My production date on NetStar was -24 days when my order was finally completed. And I don’t know if that was divine intervention or because I was a total PIA at some point.

We love Mercedes. Show us some love back!"

Edit 4/18: The Executive Referral Manager called today to say they had got my email and to emphasize that HE was my point of contact - guess the VP is getting tired of hearing from me!

Hurricane1938

Good email, Greg. Thanks.

Rocketman

Well my turn to vent/share my frustrating experience with MBUSA. First week in December 2018 I visited my local dealer who I have dealt with several times before and discussed the new GLE, returned a week later, sat down, put together an order of a very well equipped 2020 GLE ( E-ABC, best leather interior, wheels, and all the rest). I was told they had several slots assigned to them and the build would begin the second decade of Feb. That means I would see the vehicle sometime in mid to late March at the worst. Well you guys can guess the rest. Had a phone call from the SA this afternoon to tell me he finally received confirmation that the car will be built May 31! I laughed out loud! I may see the car by the end of June. More than 6 months! I am going to stay with it - I don't need to replace anything right away and at this point I just want to see it through to the end. I told my SA I expect a smoking hot deal in exchange for my wait - he laughed. Vent over - back to the real world.

GregW / Oregon

I'm surprised they actually had a date! Hopefully it holds for you.

Baloo588

How you find the serial number on netstar?

GregW / Oregon

Once production has officially started a VIN will be assigned the dealer can provide you.

tery

I really wonder what’s going on with mine, I have a VIN so it in production and so how stop ?

beth22

I found out yesterday that my car was red lined, and the sheet they sent me didn't have the advanced lighting that I ordered, the multicontoured seats, the ventilated and heated seats, and maybe a few smaller things. The dealer said that he couldn't get the order accepted as it was, and that hopefully they will be able to add those things in as it gets built. I have decided not to stress over it any more, but just let the car go (and my husband's, with the same problems, same build date, same options, just in a different exterior and interior color) and if it comes out with everything great, if it doesn't, I will just order when the options are available.

GregW / Oregon

Mine started two decades late and was "in production" for 38 days; hopefully yours is not the same.

Skizz

Past my decade and I don't even know anything about my build, nor does my dealer nor anyone there (or don't act like it), and they can't even tell me what "red-lined" means (not that it really matters anyway, apparently). I'm bummed, but about to take my cash deal over to Porsche and Rover and see who wants my money the most. I tried all the competition before settling on the GLE, and the Cayenne and the Rover, to me, were the stand outs (full size Rover, so a bit larger and I really didn't want that large a vehicle, but the Sport just didn't do it for me). Personally, me, I didn't care for the beemer or the Q8. Really kind of odd; I spent the least amount of time with the GLE than any of them, and that's the one I went with. Maybe the car universe is telling me something. I'd stick with the GLE if someone at MB would just give me some kind of clue instead of this frustrating behavior. It feels like I'm begging them to take my $90k. I have ordered Rovers and a Porsche before, as well as MB, and I've never been made to feel this way. Kind of takes the fun and excitement out of it.

Baloo588

So I was reading autoblog today and saw an article on the Mercedes plan to cut cost and efficiency along with some production issues.

https://www.autoblog.com/2019/04/19/...os-10000-jobs/

Manager Magazin said around 30,000 Mercedes-Benz cars with faulty vehicle electronics were produced at its plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, requiring expensive reworking which was causing production delays.

Those delays had led to a revenue shortfall of around 2 billion euros and could depress first quarter earnings by up to half a billion euros, the report said.

Daimler is due to release first quarter earnings on April 26.

GregW / Oregon

Finally we find out what the parts-related issues were! I wonder if they were control or infotainment electronics?

subroc

How do you guys get in to Netstar to check your order status? I have a VIN but have to rely on my sales guy for any updates. Would be nice to be able to F5 it myself!