gwjoeymed

Hey there,

Tried to order bluetec ML today. Planned on getting nicely loaded car, leather, distronic, lighting package, 3rd row A/C (spc), etc..

He called me, I thought to give deposit, and he told me that the Driver Assistance Package (System 997) will be unavailable until next year likely. Anybody heard?

That's the primary reason I'm ordering this car! How short sided of MB to not be prepared. I'm prepared to wait till January, though.

Anybody heard of any issues regarding this package?

My first MB...with delays such as Leather (?...ridiculous), Driver Assistance, etc, what is going on?

thanks...

Fongletez

Welcome to MB JIT, just in time, inventory production model.. its horrible for this car which I don't doubt is somewhat on purpose.

YYZ-E55

DISTRONIC is in short supply until January production (perhaps longer). This is true for most MB models, not just the ML.

27T

I noticed that DAS showed limited availability on the mbusa site a few days ago. I'm amazed that this brand that prides itself on safety is seeing so many issues providing HIDs and DAS. Especially given how low the take rate is on DAS.

My ML is ordered with both options and then some so we'll see how it gets built in a couple of weeks.

nosnoop

Does the delay only affect newly placed order?
Or would it also affect previous order with an assigned build date?

YYZ-E55

If you've got a PO with DISTRONIC confirmed, you're fine. It may not be possible to add DISTRONIC to a new or existing PO (depending upon decade of production).

nosnoop

Thanks for your info.

RichardB

We are running into the same problem with an order we placed a few weeks ago. We were told yesterday that the option would not be available until February. No Driver's Assistance Package (with Distronic,) no order. It's unacceptable that a manufacturer that prides itself on safety, luxury and giving the buyer "more" is so unprepared to actually provide a critical component of those three commitments. Really! Does it take 5 months to build a distronic plus?

iankayem

I suspect some of your problems lie in the fact that some markets, such as Australia Pacific, have so many of these options standard (DAP, Distronic, Leather).
They have to give priority on these optons to supply in these other markets, while for you Yanks, you can still buy a basic car without their promises being broken. (That's MBUSA promises, not your dealers whom I am sure would really love to get you the car you want).

Then maybe they prefer to sell to us because of the dollar exchange rate so they make more $$$ from us.

MLee

We in OZ certainly pay a premium price and it is not all transport and taxes. Roughly double US price, so we dammed well better be getting preference on orders.

Glad I have a few nice BMWs to amuse myself with for the next 3 or 4 months.

Lee

mot123

I wanted to order an ML with distronic yesterday in US and was told that delivery is May 2013 for black leather and distonic. Evidently, they are changing the supplier for the distronic.