CynCarvin32

They are lights that are under the external review mirrors that come on when you unlock the car. They are the illuminate the ground around the car and to make spotting the car in a dark parking lot more simplistic. Trouble is they are so dim that you can barely see anything around the car. If they were bright lights I would completely agree with the idea but this is far from the case. Either do it right or don’t do it all! I think MB said "these will not be missed" and took them away for the late 04 and 05 cars.

norb

Canyon are you that dense?

Regardless of whether you think them useful, the FACT THAT MB IS GETTING RID of them means they are DECONTENTING the E Class. And the FACT THAT THEY RAISED THE PRICE instead of holding steady or lowering their price proves it.


Why can't you just admit that? To proud? Oh yes of course, you're above everyone cause your from Califronia! Let us all bow to Canyon, all hail Canyon.

CynCarvin32

Need not hail me ... not quite royalty but still more logical than yourself. I don't need to prove anything to you for I honestly don’t care what you think of me or any of my ideas. I'll just keep proving you wrong for the sport of it. Enjoy!

Me to proud? Oh please don’t even try to start that one Mr. "My E55 is gods gift to the automotive world. It is better than anything out there so don’t make fun of it..." As I recall you could not admit the E55 was to heavy and was less desirable than some of its competitors in the chassis department (something most would consider fact). I could not think of a better example of hypocrisy if I sat here for the next 45 minutes. But instead of wasting my time doing that I will go bbq my self some dinner and enjoy the night. I recommend you do the same.

In your past discussions with me you have shown yourself to be the one who is "to proud" and I bet there are many reading this who would agree.

I’m not going to waste my time finding MB's internal memos that came out stating why parts were removed but it was FOR QUALITY CONTROL NOT MONEY SAVINGS. Go track the Euro and you might see a reason why the car keeps going up in price. Mid year price increases such as the ones seen during 2004 are explained by dollar fluxuations not MB trying to screw new customers. Seems that you think MB is out to get you! Take Cover! Buy a BMW!

Cheers!

awiner

2003 and later W220 and W215 models do have the puddle lights.

schwarzwagen

Thank you Adam. I was not sure after I posted whether or not it was true. I know for a fact that the '01 S55 didn't have them, so I was thinking of that car specifically.

schwarzwagen

This is not necessarily the case. Taken on face value, yes removing parts is decontenting by definition. No one can dispute definitions here. However, there is much more to this issue under the surface than mere "decontenting." Market dynamics dictate what the manufacturer offers customers; the customers dictate what items the car gets. When MB does a market study and it says that customers are indifferent to a particular item then what is the impetus for keep that item? None. The w211 has been around since '03 so obviously this is the right time for MB to implement whatever findings their product planning department suggests. In-other-words, it takes at least this much time (2 years) for MB to gather data from customers on the various systems of the car. One year would not be enough time, to gather data, make findings, and implement them. If they find that customers don't want/care about an item it gets the axe, that's not decontenting thats good design.

This might seem like decontenting due to the dollar, but I would ask why now? The Euro has been strong against the dollar for years now, and in the last year has stabilized at around $1.20. Why would MB say ok now that the currency market has stabilized lets take equipment out of the car when they have been under the strategy (for 3 years) of raising the price every MY and mid-year to combat the strong Euro? And been successful with that strategy.

Also, I disagree with your statement that MB is decontenting throughout the model line. Do you have proof of this? I know the C-Class has received major updates every MY and mid-year for the past 2 years. The S-Class received a major update in '03 and like Adam clarified, the w220 and w215 received the hotly contested puddle lights. I don't see how this supports your full model line decontenting theory either. Simply put, a couple of random items getting removed from a specific model/chassis is not the end of the world, nor is it necessarily a decontenting scheme designed to combat euro inflation. Especially when you consider the average driver does not use the contested items much (this follows my 2 year data turnaround argument exactly).

Can you explain for me why everyone who doesn't live in California hates everyone from here? I've lived in the midwest and when I would say that I was from California they would give me a dirty look and walk away. Is it because we have the best weather, a larger economy than France or any other one state, or more Porsches than the rest of the world combined? Or a combination there of or all of the above?

LYSHOLM

They have raised the price and removed features that I cared about!! That is decontenting a car!! Mercedes' have never been and will never be simplified autos. It is their feature rich design that attracts me to them in the first place.

PS-I love my puddle lights and ALWAYS use the fresh air A/C knob.

AMGe55

I am a gadget head and I too must admit I am attracted to the cars because they are feature rich but on the other hand I think some of the features are overly complicated. Having four individual temp. controls may sound great but that air all gets mixed in the same small box as soon as it comes out of the vents.

MelsE55

I am with you Lysholm, I have a 05 on order and am seriously reconsidering. The competition is getting strong and it seems as though a good 04 is the way to go. I actually like the CLS55 so maybe I will go to that vehicle assuming it has what I like. I am also considering just keeping my trusty 02 and getting one of the new Porsche 911's.

AMGLAB

I bought a new E55 in 2000. Back then the base price was $69,000, but the price included all options except navagation and a phone system. MB really started their pricing tricks for the 2003 model year.

CynCarvin32

Your last sentence is what I would personally do. The E55 is a great car but after spending a day at a track event in a 996 TT I swear the 996 (and more so the 997) are a blast to drive. The 996 TT understeers a bit but the 4wd and the useable power of the car is something you wont get on the E55. 500 hp and rwd is a tough item with no LSD.

CynCarvin32

I agree with that but the 03 and up cars had options the old version did not offer. But things like xenon lights should be standard on all upscale MB's at this point. I do not know why they are option at this point in time. IS300 has them standard (honda S2k's too!) so why not a 80k MB?

But things like drive dynamic seats, pano roof, and distronic were not even offered back then.

But clearly 03 marked a step up in price class for the E55 and it now is just as much as an S430 (or less in a loaded version).

CynCarvin32

Aug 2004 Issue of CAR: In the "We Hear" section pg. 29

"There were embarrassed faces at Mercedes when a senior manager railed against the company’s policy of overloading its cars with electronic functions. Stephan Wolfsried, Vice President of electronics, claimed in early June that he had already canned over 600 electronic functions on current models - "functions that no one really needs and no one knew how to use." The disclosure comes after Mercedes recalled 650,000 E- and SL-Class models around the world last month to address a fault with the company's much vaunted electronic brake system."

Does this sound like it is being done to raise quality or screw the customer? And I have heard more than just this little blurb but I wont go there... This is what I have in print form.

norb

OK, maybe they are doing it to cut down on features or they are putting that out to disguise decontenting? Who knows? What does getting rid of puddle lights have to do with the SBC recall anyway?

Gee, I guess only Californians realize this, thanks for clearing that up for the rest of the world.

Imagine that a purpose built 2 seat sports car handling better than a Luxury 4 door sedan! Wow, and here we all thought that the E55 could beat Ferrari's and Formula One cars on the track!

schwarzwagen

Thank you for not addressing the issues again and instead attacking where someone chooses to live; it really helps build rapport.

norb

What problem would that be oh enlightened one? You don't know the history with Canyoncarvin so don't come in the middle of something you don't understand.

CynCarvin32

As for the 996 comments if the man is thinking of a 996 or 997 I don’t think he would be nearly as with a W211 as he would be in a 997. Plain and simple. He has a W210 already so why not keep the 4 door car and get a sports car. Just trying to prevent someone from throwing 90k out the door for a car they might not feel at home in. Im here to give my opinion for there are people out there that might want to hear it. Never once said an E55 was equal in any way to a 996 TT. But they are similar in price so that makes them two cars that could be cross-shopped.

I think it might be best if we both stop posting in response to each others posts. Most times you become insulted and turn to name calling and there is no reason to put a damper on threads simply because we don’t get along.

This is pointless. You do your thing and I will do mine. Agree to not agree. That’s all I can come up with.

norb

Whatever, you're the one who started it with your snide Texas remark. Don't think I'll forget how you put down Texas in your previouse posts.

MelsE55

CynCarvin has my point. I don't have unlimited dollars to toss around on cars but they are important enough to buy good ones. I was lucky enough to get a good deal on the 02 and I really like the car. I am sure that the W211 cars are a step up but to throw away the deal on the 02 on another high performance four door that is getting more and more expensive starts to not make sense. If I am going to spend 90k on a vehicle, I might get something that satisfies a different urge. Sometimes I think I would give my right arm for a car that will turn in.
I like the new 997 and it might be just the thing I am looking for. No matter, I would still have fun on Hwy 1, FM2222 or what ever twisty road exists no matter what state it was in. Let us be content with our fortune.

schwarzwagen

I thought the issue here was decontenting, not a prior grudge match between yourself and cyn. Perhaps this might be part of the problem. As for me, I feel that I have advanced some more than thoughtful ideas, only to be ignored or rebuffed by your own "snide" commentary. I, for one, do not see how you can portray yourself as better than cyn when your own discourse is littered with callas remarks. You cannot be above one for whom you are. And, just for the sake of fairness, please find cyn’s “snide” comments towards Texas for me so that I may know that for which I do not understand.

SLK55_AMG

then concerning taxes too!