balhome

I’m ready to pull the trigger on a ‘14 S and am finding myself between 2 cars: one with all the options including my favorite color except it has the lane tracking pkg instead of the drivers assistance pkg. Alternatively, there's another with all the goodies, including the drivers assistance pkg, but in a less favorite shade.

As the difference between ‘em boils down to the difference in the lane tracking and drivers assistance packages, I thought I reach out to the community for constructive thoughts on the real world difference between these packages.

Thanks!

rhukster

I have lane tracking package and chose it over the drivers assistance package because I don't mind my car telling me that i'm doing something stupid, but i really don't want it auto-correcting me on its own accord. I really like how the lane tracking package will give you subtle vibrations in the steering wheel if it thinks your drifting out of your lane for example. However, there are enough occasions when it does this and i'm just exiting the highway or something, that if it actively turned the wheel, it would freak me out! No thank you!

ace10

Two thoughts:

One is that you weren't very specific about the builds. There could be a $20K difference b/w car #1 and car #2. If there is, then is price a consideration?

Two. If these units are on the ground at the dealers, then you might not want to fiddle around taking a decision. One or both is going to sell out from under you.

I tried to buy a no-option car in early Sept. It sold before I could blink. There are quite a few out there right now, but I wouldn't hesitate on putting the deal together if this is the car you want.

For me, certain colors would be non-starters. Brown, diamond silver, white, steel gray... those would all be no-go's. Anything else, and I'd be fine. The driver assistance stuff is cool. Especially in bumper-to-bumper traffic and mindless empty highway cruising. But I wouldn't be upset if my car didn't have all that stuff, either.

$0.02

balhome

Thx for your response!

ceteris paribus...all other things the same!

vdubpower

DAS package is very good, but it all depends on how and where u drive

ive used the DAS cruisecontrol on the freeway when i just want to chill and been able to change on/off ramps and come to complete stop without doing a thing....its cool, not necessary

im not sure if with out that feature u still have the "stop the car if u might crash" feature...that may be something generically built in to all models....

2012 merc amg

I would not give up my DAS for anything, use it a lot. If it were me I'd widen my search and get the car with the color I wanted AND the features I wanted.

Chocofishez

If you want someone else to do the driving take a taxi...

I'd get the color you want and do the deal ASAP as it won't last... This car is the new hotness.

balhome

Can you turn the 'assist' feature on/off? I guess I'd appreciate it telling me I'm drifting into the other lane, but having it help me seems a little spooky

vdubpower

thru your center screen u can

leave it on, u paid alot for it

2012 merc amg

I don't care for the lane assist, I feel like somebody is constantly pushing me against my shoulder as the car moves around by itself, I leave it turned off. Plus I figure by having it on your gonna wear out your brakes faster as it works by applying brakes to the side it pulls on, that most certainly must wear out the pads faster.

DXBE63

I have DAS and wouldn't want to give it up in my next Merc. If you are going to by a car, I say just spec it the way you always wanted and wait.

balhome

So can turn the 'assist' feature (selective wheel breaking) off while leaving the 'detect' feature on (steering wheel vibration)?

ShocDoc79

Finally starting to see more than just a few cars (E63S) available on Cars.com and Autotrader.

DAS adds another layer of safety which may prevent an accident. IMHO well worth the cost.

Color means ALOT as to personal taste. If you settle on color, it will nudge you every time you approach the car.

With more than just a few cars now available find one with DAS and that makes you smile every time you open the door.

2012 merc amg

I agree about settling on the color, never do that, you will regret it. I did that once and everytime I looked at the car I was thinking what was I thinking?

DXBE63

yes

2012 merc amg

At least on my 2012 it's called lane tracking assist and it's either on or off, maybe I'm wrong but if I could just leave on the steering wheel vibration feature and not have the car automatically pull me back to the center of the road I'd do it. Can anybody tell me if this can be done and if so how to do it? Right now I just have the whole lane tracking assist feature disabled but of course I have the distronic cruise control feature turned on. It would be nice to have the steering wheel vibrate if I veer off the center of the lane, but I don't like the car correcting me when I do.

vdubpower

ok so theres two different systems , one is "active" one isnt,
my car will vibrate the wheel if change lanes with out indicated

i think it only pulls me back to lane if it sees me cross a solid line...its not perfect

i know when i put the car is sport mode the distronic doesnt work...i have to be in regular mode.
i wish it had regular cruise control for those situations. If i needed.

the side mirror triangle thing is good too, it has saved me once when i didnt look, but i dont know if it will pull u back, or just warn.

not sure how the "prevent rear ending System" works, nor do i want to....i have stopped the car alone by distronic which was very impressive, but ive never had to rely on it to prevent a crash yet.... but i have had the presafe light come up if i brake a little later than it wants me too....

not sure if i answered any questions above.....but thats just my take
my car has all the active options...

2012 merc amg

I actually did have the presafe braking kick in last summer when a pickup truck with no brake lights working locked em up in front of me on a back road going about 55, My car beeped from the dash and then braked itself, it was nothing short of amazing, saved me from rear ending that truck. I just wish there was a disarm the part where the car self steers itself but does vibrate the steering wheel. I think there is only one part to the "lane keeping assist and either it's on or off.

TheOtherEric

Agreed with the above - buy the one in the color you prefer. The other details you won't mind. I passed on DA package but did get the Lane Trackng. But even more important is the 360 Camera -- that's the only option I couldn't live without.

balhome

So I got the car on Saturday in iridium silver with drivers assistance as opposed to Palladium silver w/o. As I kept going back and forth, the extra safety features afforded with the DAS package became more and more important. Then I went to a nearby dealer and compared the two colors on a grey Saturday in Chicagoland; the iridium just pops whereas the palladium is more muted.

Now the commercial for the team at Joe Machens in Columbia, MO where I got it.

In summary, they exceeded all of my expectations. Their internet guy, Chris Yllescas was awesome. He sent personalized pics comparing the two colors of cars positioned adjacent one another and walk around videos of their car, which tell so much more than pics. He even located every new palladium car built (on ships, at dealers and awaiting shipment) in case I wanted to go that route. Once I decided and flew down, he picked me up from the airport, just as the dealership was closing on Saturday evening, in a new S class no less. Moreover, Greg, the GM, was aggressive on price and their finance guy, Terrance had everything done before I arrived; literally it took me 3 min to do the paperwork!

Finally, although I'm no authority, I do not believe you can selectively turn on the automatic breaking feature on/off with 'active' systems. If the system is on, it will selectively brake if you cross a solid line.

Thanks to all for the input.

2012 merc amg

Congrats on the car, you will never be sorry you got the iridium silver, it's a real nice color and very easy to maintain, does not show the road dirt as much as darker colors do.

As far as the lane tracking, at least in my 2012 it's called lane tracking assist and you can turn it off so the car does not brake itself back towards the center of the lane, off course when you do this you loose the vibrating part in the steering wheel too when the car crosses non solid lines in the road. I leave mine off to save my brakes and the vibrating steering wheel does get a little irritating to me too on a trip. If I'm tired I turn this feature on for safety reasons. Go to your setting menu, you should be able to turn it on or off as you like same goes for the distronic too. I think you did the right thing buying the car that had these features.

Gersh320

Thank you for the kind words balhome!!! It was an absolute please working with you and your wife. I'm so glad I actually got to meet you instead of having to ship the car! Don't forget to mention your car also has the AMG Exterior Night Styling :-)

JJCTHE1

Congrats on the car! I never turn off safety features. They are made and engineered for a reason. If they have ever interfered w my driving it was for a good cause. Gotta love these cars.

Midcont

I leave the lane assist off. If I change lanes without signaling, which I do if nobody is close enough to be affected, it vibrates, and gets annoying. Blond spot assist is nice though.