Nevada Jack

Here is my selection for my R500. Disregard the "444,444" for the base vehicle and the figure in the totals. The base price will be $55,500.

carpersn

While i think the thermotronic option would be nice, as i have auto climate three zone in my current Tahoe, the fact that (at least as I read the option list) you do NOT EVEN GET VENTS in the third row without ordering 3-zone is ridiculous. If you are going to make 3rd row seats standard, then vents ought to be a given. I am now on my 8th Mercedes, and with each one, i have gotten more disgusted with the logic of the bean counters. charge me more up front, but cr&p like that doesn't make any sense. I'm not saying the actual 3rd ZONE of control ought to be standard, just the VENTS!
Opinions?

Nevada Jack

I don't know exactly what the vent setup is between the standard Thermatic and Thermotronic. All I know is that I wanted the digital readout and the ability to have the 2nd row passengers set their own temps. Whether the option includes the auxillary compressor for the 3rd row area I have not been able to determine.

On the MB options and how they are determined I totally agree. For 30 years I have been trying to figure out why they do things the way they do. You are correct that the bean counters make some pretty stupid decisions...like no Keyless Go option on the R350?

I solved the problem with this car...I just ordered all the packages and the single available options except for some minor stuff. MB will be happy as will the dealer with the profit on my car but I don't give a hoot anymore. I am just waiting to take delivery and enjoy it until the next one turns my fancy...:-)

AutoSaurus

The 3-zone setup in the 06 ML does not have a digital readout as some of the brochures indicated. The temp is set with the round dials like the standard unit. The display doesn't say much.

Nevada Jack

The display is digital in the production R Class...I don't know what it shows but the pic belows shows the display. The temps are set with the round dials like on the ML (and my EClass.)

carpersn

That display does not look digital to me (save the little red bars indicated perhaps rear fan strength?)...i take digital to mean the actual readout of the temps is in digits as opposed to the dials themselves. maybe another bean counter at work.

Nevada Jack

You are probably correct...I should have said LED read out of some kind and fan level or heat/cool level of some kind. This is from the MB R Class in Depth Article:

The driver and front passenger are each able to select their preferred temperature using stylish rotary controls. Red LEDs indicate the temperature settings. The right-hand control also includes buttons for activating the rear compartment ventilation and residual engine heat utilisation functions. In the centre of the panel between the two temperature controls can be found buttons for manually setting the blower speed, switching on the defrost function, the heated rear windscreen and air recirculation mode, as well as for altering the air distribution settings.

AutoSaurus

Some early photos showed a digital readout of the temp as opposed to the red LED dials. The photo NevadaJack posted above is the unit I have. The only other thing I've seen shown on the display is "max cool" on the left hand side.