Driver Assistance Package
03-29-2018, 03:27 PM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: NJ
Posts: 85
Likes: 0
Received 13 Likes
on
12 Posts
2019 S450, 2020GLC300
Driver Assistance Package
I’m in the market for an S450. I’m looking for thoughts on the Driver Assistance Package. Interesting, nice to have, awesome, gimmick?
03-30-2018, 05:42 AM
#4
Super Member
Crap the driver assistant package is what makes the car special. If you had to ask that perhaps you might not want to pay for an S Class.
03-30-2018, 08:48 AM
#5
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Texas
Posts: 1,616
Likes: 0
Received 91 Likes
on
72 Posts
2014 S550 - SOLD, 2014 GL550 - SOLD, 2014 GL63 AMG, 2015 S63 AMG Sedan, 2015 S63 AMG Coupe
Originally Posted by Katie22
Crap the driver assistant package is what makes the car special. If you had to ask that perhaps you might not want to pay for an S Class.
03-30-2018, 09:34 AM
#6
Member
i bought a CPO 2016 and love it - however, i think at least MY driver's assistance package is overrated. (when i was about to order an E i was going to get it loaded to the gills). anyway,
my BMW has lane alert (whatever you call that). and it could spot the line if the road only had it on one side, like a small road.
my S seems to only spot it under ideal circumstances, and not only on one side.
the distronic works very well - i think better than my 5 but i'm not sure about that - it's close at least.
however the steering does NOT work the way i had hoped - it keeps bumping me around in the lane like a bowling ball in an alley with the gutters up - you only get about 15 seconds or so until the "put your hands on the wheel" message. i believe the 2017s or 2018s allow about a full minute. anyway, i LIKE having the steering helper, but don't always want the distronic (active cruise control) - so that's a tradeoff. note, i have NOT done much highway driving as yet - so on the windier roads i think the steering is not incredible - highway might be better.
I HAVE had the lane keep apply the brakes to keep me in the lane - i don't know when and don't know how to manually make that happen - generally when i go over the line i just get the steering wheel vibration. might require a car coming in your direction - at which point, don't voluntarily play a game of chicken
i still think get it - i just think keep your expectations realistic.
i want to be able to be an absentminded fellow driving and not worry as much about ME - that's not the case.
i test drove a volvo S90 and that thing steered amazingly well - but the cruise control scared the daylights out of me so i always had to brake. the S550 (and BMW) brake nicely.
last thing - i drove my BMW today (first time in a while) - i have to say, compared to the S the BMW feels like a cheap car (yes, a 5 versus an S550, maybe a 7 would be a more fair comparison) but the 5 feels "cheaper" - the S has better window switches, etc. (details abound). a lot heavier/more solid. more powerful engine (but versus higher weight, so that is a trade off). all in all much more luxurious. and makes me feel good.
just my .02.
once i test drove a 2015 S550 and later sat in a 2018 E it was over - i didn't want the E anymore.
i THINK the tech may be better in the 2018, and i don't regret getting my 2016. and yes, i'd get the driver's assistance and all the other goodies again. i'm just suggesting realistic expectations.
my BMW has lane alert (whatever you call that). and it could spot the line if the road only had it on one side, like a small road.
my S seems to only spot it under ideal circumstances, and not only on one side.
the distronic works very well - i think better than my 5 but i'm not sure about that - it's close at least.
however the steering does NOT work the way i had hoped - it keeps bumping me around in the lane like a bowling ball in an alley with the gutters up - you only get about 15 seconds or so until the "put your hands on the wheel" message. i believe the 2017s or 2018s allow about a full minute. anyway, i LIKE having the steering helper, but don't always want the distronic (active cruise control) - so that's a tradeoff. note, i have NOT done much highway driving as yet - so on the windier roads i think the steering is not incredible - highway might be better.
I HAVE had the lane keep apply the brakes to keep me in the lane - i don't know when and don't know how to manually make that happen - generally when i go over the line i just get the steering wheel vibration. might require a car coming in your direction - at which point, don't voluntarily play a game of chicken
i still think get it - i just think keep your expectations realistic.
i want to be able to be an absentminded fellow driving and not worry as much about ME - that's not the case.
i test drove a volvo S90 and that thing steered amazingly well - but the cruise control scared the daylights out of me so i always had to brake. the S550 (and BMW) brake nicely.
last thing - i drove my BMW today (first time in a while) - i have to say, compared to the S the BMW feels like a cheap car (yes, a 5 versus an S550, maybe a 7 would be a more fair comparison) but the 5 feels "cheaper" - the S has better window switches, etc. (details abound). a lot heavier/more solid. more powerful engine (but versus higher weight, so that is a trade off). all in all much more luxurious. and makes me feel good.
just my .02.
once i test drove a 2015 S550 and later sat in a 2018 E it was over - i didn't want the E anymore.
i THINK the tech may be better in the 2018, and i don't regret getting my 2016. and yes, i'd get the driver's assistance and all the other goodies again. i'm just suggesting realistic expectations.
03-30-2018, 09:35 AM
#7
Member
Trending Topics
03-31-2018, 12:19 AM
#8
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Maryland
Posts: 679
Received 172 Likes
on
109 Posts
18 MB S63, 2022 911 Turbo S, 23 BMW M5C
I don't know what a driver assistance package is, maybe it's on my car, but if it has anything to do with the car doing something for me instead of me just driving my car and paying full attention like we did 20 years ago before gizmos and stuff, I wouldn't want any part of it. I'm totally old school and like to be in full control of my car at all time whether I'm in a lane correctly or parking it. I don't want a noise or shaking steering wheel or beep or buzz or anything distracting me at all! Just sayin'. These features make the car safer you say? Not for me they don't.
03-31-2018, 05:39 AM
#10
Super Member
I don't know what a driver assistance package is, maybe it's on my car, but if it has anything to do with the car doing something for me instead of me just driving my car and paying full attention like we did 20 years ago before gizmos and stuff, I wouldn't want any part of it. I'm totally old school and like to be in full control of my car at all time whether I'm in a lane correctly or parking it. I don't want a noise or shaking steering wheel or beep or buzz or anything distracting me at all! Just sayin'. These features make the car safer you say? Not for me they don't.
you certainly can can turn off all the safety gadgets. With that said in reference to the old school thing. I remember when we started wearing seat belts and the old school people claimed they were unsafe. Same story for airbags, anti lock brakes, traction control, etc. etc. Time marches on and old school or not the world of cars is safer today then anytime in the past.
03-31-2018, 09:25 AM
#11
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: NJ
Posts: 85
Likes: 0
Received 13 Likes
on
12 Posts
2019 S450, 2020GLC300
Thanks for the info. I’m still going to keep this as a “must have”.
My Lexus LS has the parking system, and it has never been that useful. I just didn’t want to be in the same boat. I probably won’t use the autodrive functions much, but I do like the other safety features.
My Lexus LS has the parking system, and it has never been that useful. I just didn’t want to be in the same boat. I probably won’t use the autodrive functions much, but I do like the other safety features.
03-31-2018, 05:18 PM
#12
Senior Member
I don't know what a driver assistance package is, maybe it's on my car, but if it has anything to do with the car doing something for me instead of me just driving my car and paying full attention like we did 20 years ago before gizmos and stuff, I wouldn't want any part of it. I'm totally old school and like to be in full control of my car at all time whether I'm in a lane correctly or parking it. I don't want a noise or shaking steering wheel or beep or buzz or anything distracting me at all! Just sayin'. These features make the car safer you say? Not for me they don't.
03-31-2018, 05:20 PM
#13
Senior Member
Thanks for the info. I’m still going to keep this as a “must have”.
My Lexus LS has the parking system, and it has never been that useful. I just didn’t want to be in the same boat. I probably won’t use the autodrive functions much, but I do like the other safety features.
My Lexus LS has the parking system, and it has never been that useful. I just didn’t want to be in the same boat. I probably won’t use the autodrive functions much, but I do like the other safety features.
03-31-2018, 09:00 PM
#14
MBWorld Fanatic!
04-01-2018, 07:00 AM
#15
MBWorld Fanatic!
I buy a car to drive myself and such systems are not replacements for the drivers .However, I have read at these forums various times that Mercedes Benz's systems avoided accidents ,even if it could fend off one time I ought to say that it would have paid itself many times over .Unless such systems are mandatory as ABS, ESP I would not pay for those though
04-02-2018, 12:46 PM
#16
I believe, the parking options are the capabilities not available in the US. Everything else is....
The following users liked this post:
AppleFan1 (04-02-2018)
04-03-2018, 01:10 AM
#18
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Maryland
Posts: 679
Received 172 Likes
on
109 Posts
18 MB S63, 2022 911 Turbo S, 23 BMW M5C
Actually not, since these features totally and utterly distract me. I tried them, they drive me crazy and make me nervous. Without them, I'm actually a better, more attentive driver. I spent an hour at my dealer on Saturday going over them all with my salesman. They were cool but are not for me... at all.
04-10-2018, 11:58 PM
#20
Distronic works very well. It allows me to keep my eyes way ahead of the car in front of me and reacts naturally to changing speeds. I can focus more attention on cars doing something odd when I don't have to concentrate as much on the spatial relationships of cars doing everything normal in front of me.
04-11-2018, 09:54 AM
#21
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: NJ
Posts: 85
Likes: 0
Received 13 Likes
on
12 Posts
2019 S450, 2020GLC300
So, I did get the Driver Assist package. I'm surprised about how well it works, but driving is a bit too frantic around here to use the self driving features.
