Someone stole my center console...
I took apart the shift gate today and this is what I found:

The day of manufacture is 07/19/2000! This could only mean one thing... somewhere along the line someone stole my leather console and switched it out with a console from a MY2001 S430 or S500 or S55 AMG!
I spoke with the dealership where I bought the car since it was a CPO and they had no clue. They pretty much told me that I should have brought this up to them 5 months ago when I was inspecting the car. Lesson learned.
They said they would get me the correct leather console for their cost, which is $1620.00
(Dealer list is $2025.00) and eat the labor for swapping them out. The plastic console for the S430/S500/S55 is about $488.00What can I say? Lesson learned. Next time I got to buy a CPO car, I will bring my microscope with me and go through every millimeter of the car to make sure everything is on point.
I took apart the shift gate today and this is what I found:

The day of manufacture is 07/19/2000! This could only mean one thing... somewhere along the line someone stole my leather console and switched it out with a console from a MY2001 S430 or S500 or S55 AMG!
I spoke with the dealership where I bought the car since it was a CPO and they had no clue. They pretty much told me that I should have brought this up to them 5 months ago when I was inspecting the car. Lesson learned.
They said they would get me the correct leather console for their cost, which is $1620.00
(Dealer list is $2025.00) and eat the labor for swapping them out. The plastic console for the S430/S500/S55 is about $488.00What can I say? Lesson learned. Next time I got to buy a CPO car, I will bring my microscope with me and go through every millimeter of the car to make sure everything is on point.
Can you be more clear? are you talking about the part where the shifter letters are?
I'm not sure what you mean by "Plastic" but I haven't seen any plastic consoles But either way.. How could you possibly know? so its not your fault.
I think if any lesson you can learn from this is that you can;t trust Dealers, and "CPO" is just three meaningless letters that serve no purpose but to milk you out of a few extra thousand dollars under false pretenses.
I'd like to see a shot of what your "actual"console looks like.. Here is a pic of mine that I took when I did my shifter. Is it similar?
That is the difference he is referring to.
I took apart the shift gate today and this is what I found:

The day of manufacture is 07/19/2000! This could only mean one thing... somewhere along the line someone stole my leather console and switched it out with a console from a MY2001 S430 or S500 or S55 AMG!
I spoke with the dealership where I bought the car since it was a CPO and they had no clue. They pretty much told me that I should have brought this up to them 5 months ago when I was inspecting the car. Lesson learned.
They said they would get me the correct leather console for their cost, which is $1620.00
(Dealer list is $2025.00) and eat the labor for swapping them out. The plastic console for the S430/S500/S55 is about $488.00What can I say? Lesson learned. Next time I got to buy a CPO car, I will bring my microscope with me and go through every millimeter of the car to make sure everything is on point.
look at the dash on this S600 you can see fine leather stitching vs the normal dash S430 and S500s come with...
http://cgi.ebay.ca/Mercedes-Benz-S-C...3A1|240%3A1308
Trending Topics
look at the dash on this S600 you can see fine leather stitching vs the normal dash S430 and S500s come with...
http://cgi.ebay.ca/Mercedes-Benz-S-C...3A1|240%3A1308
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
S600/S65 AMG Center Console:
A220 680 61 50 (9C05) EXCLUSIV/CONDOR/EXCLUSIV AMG/LEATHER DESIGNO COUTURE LEATHER $2,020.00 $1,620.00 $1,620.00
And the S430/S500/S55 AMG Console:
A220 680 49 50 (9C05) HOUSING W TRAY $610.00 $488.00 $488.00
S600/S65 AMG Center Console:
A220 680 61 50 (9C05) EXCLUSIV/CONDOR/EXCLUSIV AMG/LEATHER DESIGNO COUTURE LEATHER $2,020.00 $1,620.00 $1,620.00
And the S430/S500/S55 AMG Console:
A220 680 49 50 (9C05) HOUSING W TRAY $610.00 $488.00 $488.00

But like suggested I will raise hell and get it right.
Do you have pictures of the ad when you bought it that show the center console without the stiching?
There is nothing on a CPO inspection that guarantees model authenticity of requires the inspector to check. Only brand and only then obvious stuff like the radio, and wheels. AND even if it fails that part it only means that the car failed the CPO inspection if the problem can't be corrected, it does not mean it can't be sold.
CPO is a joke.
I would be surpised to tears if they even pay you any attention with this..
There is nothing on a CPO inspection that guarantees model authenticity of requires the inspector to check. Only brand and only then obvious stuff like the radio, and wheels. AND even if it fails that part it only means that the car failed the CPO inspection if the problem can't be corrected, it does not mean it can't be sold.
CPO is a joke.
I would be surpised to tears if they even pay you any attention with this..
Do a survey on this forum and see how many folks drove off the lot with new tires and new (brakes), now that's a joke all by itself.
If you had new (brakes) and tires when you bought your CPO then you had a good day. It still doesn't justify the 3 to 5k rise over market no matter what.
Thanks for your input.
Do a survey on this forum and see how many folks drove off the lot with new tires and new (brakes), now that's a joke all by itself.
If you had new (brakes) and tires when you bought your CPO then you had a good day. It still doesn't justify the 3 to 5k rise over market no matter what.
Thanks for your input.
I hate to say it but I agree with you, I payed 4k to much for my car because I thought CPO was legit, but after becomming a member here and getting input from others I would not do it again.
The only way I justify it to myself is I have heard that getting a warranty on the TT V12's is not very easy except by going the CPO + extended warranty route.
- both door handles on driver side (Keyles GO button w/o function)
- Suspension repair (don't know exactly from memoory, but was a connection point at the front of the car, much labor involved)
- right rear sun blind
- plastic covers on rails of passenger seat
- various attemps (finally successfull) to program cluster for key dependency
- replaced DisTronic sensor (i.e. the radar unit)
So far, I did not pay one cent. I am happy to have a CPO'ed car!!!
Last edited by 300SDLguy; Nov 27, 2008 at 01:58 AM.
They're the "experts" when it comes to Mercedes Benz. Looks like they tried to cut corners when preparing the car for sale. If they are a reputable dealer, they will make it right.








