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Socal. At invoice or a bit above? It almost makes sense to order out there, fly out and pick it up but driving cross country could be a pain. What do you think?
I checked Fairfield in Connecticut and he gave me the long wait list song and dance and said only MSRP, same with Mercedes Benz manhattan. Maybe need to try N.J. or philly. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
You can buy the CD players there and have then installed at the dealer. Ask your dealer about the install cost. I paid around 200.00 but it was then under MB warrenty for 4 yrs.
Good luck
When I got to the "servicing" aspect , as in repairs, things quickly plummeted to Hyundai-like levels.
If you like the present CLK design, certainly don't pay more than a clearance price for it. Go into the dealer with a colour printout of the new CLK body and say you might settle for an old one if the price is low enough. Hardball is the rule!
To answer your question. YES ...dealer invoice...not one penny more...including all options with car at dealer cost also. As time gets closer to the release of the new "E" it only makes sense to deplete the 2002 stock on hand. The deal was too good to pass up. My wife loves the body style and its such a different drive than the C320. I prefer a more sporty drive, but when you want to just relax and enjoy a very comfortable drive then the "E" is fantastic. It's all a matter of preference. I don't see any reason why they should'nt be seeling the CLK's at dealer cost also.
I saw that new Infiniti G35 at the Toronto auto show and thought it looked great. Seems like this segment of the market is getting even more crowded.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
At 300 miles the sunroof would not close. Dealer fixed it.
At 720 miles the sunroof would not close.
Dealer fixed it.
On a long trip, the low beam left Xenon went out. Tele-Aid said to go to a local gas staion and buy a bulb...on I95 in South Carolina!.. Something tells me that they dont stock $400 xenons in the local station!
On that same trip the ESP/BAS malfunctioned. On an off every few restarts of the car.
The car went in for servicing 3 times in December and January to fix it. After the fourth time, I started the lemon law process in Florida. On the 4th repair trip...it seems they might have fixed it by replacing 4 parts of the brake system including the "brake master"
Now this week, the car idles roughly and has stalled two times back and forth to work on I95 traffic in South Florda.
Sorry, but I now give up on this car. PLEASE NOTE: Mercedes is not a member of the better Business Bureau (many manufactures are) and you can read that in the state of Florida they contest with lawyers, every Lemon Law case. Other makers just settle with the Better Business Bureau requests.
If you want me to send you the letters I have sent Mercedes USA and Mercedes Benz Fort Lauderdale, let me know on this message board.
"For years, Mercedes has cut costs in an effort to hold the line on prices. Materials that look and feel relatively cheap have been showing up even in expensive models like the S-Class sedan, but have been especially notable in the M-Class sport utility. At the same time, the revered Mercedes brand has been dropping in quality and durability rankings.
One such survey by TUV, a German auto-inspection and research association, which measured durability during the first three years of ownership, ranked half a dozen Toyotas ahead of the highest-rated Mercedes, the SLK. (It was No. 12.) Over all, the TUV survey found that Mercedes quality and customer satisfaction had been falling since 1999, and had dropped below the ranking of General Motors' Opel subsidiary.
In North America, Mercedes fell last year to 10th place, from 6th, in a J. D. Power & Associates study that measured dependability after four to five years of ownership. The study found 296 problems for every 100 Mercedes vehicles, compared with 173 problems for Lexus, which has been ranked first for seven years.
None of these issues — declining quality, budget materials, possible brand erosion — may matter much to those who buy the C230. But they pose risks for a company with a century-old reputation for automotive superiority.
"
Heh, my old Peugeots are looking more and more like the sensible alternative to a new car...
We did expeirence the ruff idle problem twice in the last month. The service manager explained that MB engineers were aware of fuel injection software problem that they have not solved yet. He offered to replace the FI system but warned me that it would have the same software and may or may not fix the problem. He suggested that we wait till the 24,000 mile service before replacing the system and that the software issue should be resolved by then. While I was not thrilled with that answer, at least he seemed honest and sincere about the whole thing.
Overall we like the car and are satisfied with the service. We just acquired a second puppy so we may move up to a C320 wagon.
The upcoming E will be a big test - the last time a troublesome E debuted [the W124 in '85-'86], there were practically riots in the streets of Stuttgart from the legions of angry cab drivers and other regular E buyers who were ready to lynch somebody over the problems in the early cars. Hubbert and Schremp claim they are on the case...we'll see...
It's been a while. How's the Obsidian sibling faring? Two trips to Vegas, just a few chips on the hood, and 13K later, the car is still a blast to drive. Just had the A service done a couple of weeks ago. Learned my lesson on those long trips. If you can, stay away from letting those trucks into the passing lane ahead of you. What you get in return is a shower of hard flying granules of sand and rock. That hurts.
Peter: Unlike your C which was the first MY of the production run, your E is the last model year of a 6 year production run (The Current Body style was introduced in late 1995 as a 1996 model). To say that it should be bulletproof as far as reliability goes is an understatement. It probably doesn't have some of the electronic goodies like you said, but the '03 E will. Good luck with your new E320!
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
Tom
I have nothing but the highest of praise for my Mercedes Dealer in Jersey = Millennium.
Ian
I can't open the link to the '03s, and I know what you guys say about playing hardball, but I called up and down the East Coast as well as Chattanooga, TN and I was out of luck. Dealers in NY, NJ, Pa, Virginia, Connecticut tell you pay a premium if you want it now. They don't call you back if you tell them no. It's just over. Maybe it's not that way elsewhere in the good old USA, and maybe if I wanted to wait a while until the summer is over, I'd be better off. Punch in my zipcode (11596) on cars direct for this car and even there it has a $1,000 premium. I'll know tomorrow if the car is mine. If not, I'm back to waiting for someone to call on a cancelled car or placing an order (some say 5 months, some say 8 months, etc.).
Any thoughts???
Please respond by March 9 to lordusky@aol.com
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kirstie_h
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Also, it looks like I will be moving north to New England and may store the car in the winter. Does anyone know of a website or have info related to the best way to do this?
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
Best Regards,
Shipo
Pat
Host
Sedans Message Board
Also does anyone has a successful fix in the ticking noise near the dash. It comes on and off.
I have found that a 'Rubermaid bottle bush' with a round head that effectively cleans brake dust w/o a scratch in wheels.
So far my C320 runs like a champ w/o any problems. My MPG improves as time goes by: 21 city, 26-28 hiway.
Go to: http://shopping.yahoo.com
Enter into the search box: mobil 1 0w-40
Execute the search.
On the results page, you will see a "Park Place Porsche", "Park Place Motors", "Park Place Mercedes-Benz" or a "Park Place something"
These folks sell Mobil 1 0W-40, I bought mine from them and had my oil in hand in about a week.
Best Regards,
Shipo
I don't come to the Forum as often as I used to because so many of the posts are angry and full of complaints. This depletes some of the joy I am experiencing with the Obsidian. In addition, I have not received any responses to the last few posts or began any dialogues.
At what mileage did you have your A service done? Methinks the Obsidian might go a little longer than a year before hitting 10K. If you remember, I had been advised by my friendly Service Parts and Operations manager not to do an earlier one.
The Obsidian sends regards to its twin.
Miki
Miki
thanks
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Likewise, I haven't posted in a while. The tone on the forum has shifted a bit and although I sympathize with all the reported problems, I have been fortunate enough to have ended up with an awesome car. I heeded the advice of my service counsellor, despite the very enlightening exchanges that took place on the forum earlier, and did not change the oil early. The A service was performed at 12,500 miles at which time the computer still showed 200 miles to go. Prior to that, my service folks told me they would perform the service within 1,200 miles of what the computer recommended. Just didn't have time to take it in earlier. At some point, I thought I had a problem with the mirrors only to realize it was self inflicted. I was releasing the seat position button a second too soon after the seat returned to my position thereby not allowing the passenger side mirror to fully adjust. Since I figured that out, it's been flawless.
The sibling is awesome!! I find myself easing off the gas pedal quite a bit because it closes up on other cars very quickly. I am still glad I chose the Obsidian.
MB has hired Nokia to help them redesign the notoriously complex COMAND interface so ordinary mortals can use the system without a 5 lb owner's manual. The MB engineers, who are inordinately proud of their creation, have taken notable offense, but management decided they needed some help from a company that has a rep for keeping it understandable and intuitive. I forget the target date for the redesign, but it should be in the next couple of model years.
The system is simply too complex, and interfaces with too many of the car's subsystems, to be trusted to be installed at the dealer level. I'm not a fan of this option, so don't think you've missed much, but everyone has a different opinion. In any case, the corporation is weary of the automotive press frying them about this system, so a redesign is in the cards.
>I heeded the advice of my service counsellor, >despite the very enlightening exchanges that >took place on the forum earlier, and did not >change the oil early.
Nanky -- When the MB Service and Parts Operations Regional Manager personally returned my call and told me he would rather I not change my oil before the scheduled A service, I took his advice. He told me he had seen too many engines not being properly broken in when the oil change was performed before the FSS scheduled A service. After the A service, he said I could do it more often if I wished, although it was not necessary. Since there had been so much discussion about the subject even when the car was delivered with the Mobil 1 Synthetic, I posted this info on the forum and many, many posters disagreed and disputed it. Whatever! I chose to listen to the MB Regional Manager -- after all, it was with his help that I was able to get the replacement Obsidian.
Every few months, I might find a time when the mirror drifts once -- sometimes it is if I start the car and press the garage door opener button at the same time.
Thanks for information on your mileage at the A service. I think at the one-year anniversary I will ask the service advisor if I should wait more than a year to have the service performed even though I have not hit the 10K mark and the computer has not scheduled it.
I miss our old group -- am still in touch -- some participate at MBNZ, but they still browse here now and then.
Miki
Mikki, the computer has already scheduled your A service based on driving conditions and there is a way of telling the number of miles remaining long before it is due. To do so, you will need to scroll through the computer screens. I don't have the car here and thus cannot be specific as to the exact screen. What I noticed is that with about 1K or so miles to go, a reminder screen appeared each time I turned the key to start the engine. Happy 9th month!!
>the computer has already scheduled your A >service based on driving conditions and there is > way of telling the number of miles remaining >long before it is due
Nanky -- I thought everyone knew that although I was blonde I did not think like one LOL.
My thinking was thus and I might have written it in blonde language: Although the computer does the scheduling and shows how many miles remain until the A service, it might be advisable to check with the service dept to ask if they thought it advisable to wait until that time even if it took 12-18 months to reach the number.
Thanks for your efforts -- appreciate.
Miki
Blondes Have Their Own Language!
I did note a faint buring oil smell though the first few days after the oil change, but that seems to have dissipated now.