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Mercedes-Benz S-Class
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How many times did it take for you to drive Nekked in your S and notice that the seat was getting dirty?
;0
Interesting.
Robert
The problem I am experiencing is a pause in the sound system, or several. Whether the radio is on or the CD player, I get hiccups where the sound just stops. Sometimes for a few seconds and the longest was for 2 minutes. This is VERY FRUSTRATING and IRRITATING. I have the factory installed phone but this happens when the phone is or isn't connected. The dealer tried to tell me that I have a phone message hung up in the system (which I don't) because I rarely even attach the phone to the car. I have been told that they are waiting for a software update and have no idea when it will arrive. They admitted to us they knew this problem existed , but never told us about it before we purchased the car. We were now told the more bells and whistles we have, the more that can go wrong. So, now we are waiting for a supposed software update.
The other problem is that all of a sudden we have a dirty sock odor, or ammonia smell comming from the air conditioner. The dealer says that because we live in Arizona, mold grows at the bottom of the AC unit and they have to spray a disinfectant in there to kill it and therefore the smell. They say this will re-occur and this will be an ongoing problem. So, they have sprayed the stuff, and now sometimes we have a odor like ammonia, sometime we smell the disinfectant (which actually smells good.. like strawberries) and sometimes no odor at all. The service manager told me it would help to turn the air conditioner off about 5 minutes before I arrive home to help minimize this effect. I DON'T THINK SO!!! H-E-L-L-O ??? I live in Arizona??? 120 degrees in the summer??????
Now you tell me why I should have to put up with this CARP in a car that cost $85,000 out the door??
Has anyone else experienced similar problems?? If so, please advise possible solutions! Thanks for reading this. Since I just joined the forum, I don't know if there are any other messages pertaining to either of these problems. Maybe someone can help me out in that respect.
Your other alternative is just to put up with the smell for the first couple of minutes of the trip the next day. You can also try spraying Lysol yourself into the air intake (with the fan running at maximum speed and A/C off) to get rid of the smell. Open all of the windows/doors though and don't sit in there immediately after :-)
Drew
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Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards
But what's worse, from what you say, is the DEALER'S ATTITUDE. My advice is to call MB corporate and complain about your dealer's insulting and incompetent attitude and demand some service. You could also try another dealer altogether.
Of course not all dealers are the same, but you certainly expect better service from a Mercedes-Benz dealer.
Good luck!
As far as the sound system, for some reason they are thinking it has something to do with the software of the phone talking to the software in the car. (Or not talking). HE asked me if my phone had a green readout which it does. Its the little silver Motorola Timeport. To me, with all my electronic knowledge(none), it sounds like its a loose wire or connector somewhere, since it started on our trip to LAX the first week we had the car and its intermittent. I asked the General MAnager why they couldn't look at the whole system, to see if thats a possibility. Well, at least the dealer is addressing the problems now!!! Thats all I can ask!! They didn't build the car . SO, I guess I must be patient. They are finally trying to help.
sally
Having said that, it would surely be better, faster and cheaper in the long run to do ALL the darned steps to try to make you happy than drag you through this kind of experience and potentially turn you off the dealer and even the car at some point.
My dealer has made mistakes (ordered a wrong part or not in fact fixed something), but the attitude of my service advisor is so good that I still have good things to say about the dealer as a whole.
As for checking all the wiring in the stereo/phone system that's easier said than done in today's tight spaces! That might involve taking the entire dash apart, removing seats, etc.
Can't you just not use the phone or have it permanently disconnected from the car and see if the audio problem persists?
Anyway, good luck.
2. I find that most MB dealers are not very familiar with the Timeport phone and would often blame the phone system. If I were in your shoes, I would ask them to put in a new radio unit and see if the problem persists as a first step.
3. I use a CDMA Timeport with a non-COMAND stereo on an E-class 2001. The green/blue/orange readout means it's a CDMA phone. If you need help, Motorola has a special telematics division dealing with BMW & MB phones. Call Brian Carlson at 1-847-907-7917 for additonal clarification on known system bugs if they truly exist.
4. The only time the radio will mute is when I receive an incoming call with the phone attached. Since you have GPS, I wonder if your cut off has anything to do with the voice prompts?
Good luck.
I
S
Guess i like with and without sport. If I had it to do over again I'm not sure which I would choose. My S500 is non-sport.
Cool pics, thanks for sharing
BTW - chrome wheels are dealer-installed accessory. Should be a simple markup, since they can keep the standard AMG wheels (original) as a "core", ie. replacement.
This was the first time I averaged anything higher than 22 MPG on a trip.
I had 2 passengers and the temp was 76 degrees with wind 5-10 mph....
Then the hands-free speakerphone (integrated phone option) stopped working. Dealer replaced the phone, phone cable, and 2 black boxes in the trunk. Still can't find the problem (it's not the microphone).
And the final straw..... i opened my garage today to find my S500 leaning on one side (like a flat tire). Started the car and get a RED ABC warning message that the car is too low. I was ticked.
Now get this .. I called Mercedes roadside assistance and was on hold for 10 minutes.. only to find out that Mercedes DOES NOT provide towing as part of the Roadside Assist program. I'm dumbfounded over this. They did say that I would "probably be reimbursed" if the problem is under warranty (i would guess that a brand new car leaning on it's side would have a warranty issue to begin with).
To be honest... i've lost faith in Mercedes and the quality of their product. I don't want to worry that my wife is out driving a car that might decide to "reboot" on the highway... or require a laptop computer to get it "restarted".
Anybody else experiencing these kinds of issues?
You know! These days, it's very hard to get good customer satisfaction anywhere, no matter how much you spend on things. With corporate cutbacks on personnel and processes, customer support everywhere is the first thing that suffers. That's a slowing economy for you.
By the way -- when the tow truck arrived this am, and he started my car.. the sagging front end rose to the right height. So... there's obviously a problem,and I HOPE the dealer can trace it.
Stay tuned...
http://www.bmw.com/e65/
The technology on this car trumps the S-Class by leaps and bounds. I hated the car when I first started seeing spy pics, but have grown to admire it. I think it will look much better, more impressive when seen in person. I think it will be more akin to the old W140, which is what BMW designed it to, not the W220. That is why they were shocked to see the sleek W220. But I do believe the interior materials on this car will also trump the W220. "This is not your dads BMW" might be an appropriate term. :-)
Frankly, I think the new BMW continues the typical German Teutonic styling. Mercedes has chosen to soften it's edges more, more like a Japanese auto.
Just my humble opinion, please no rants and raves.
The S class, on the other hand, was totally revamped from 1999 to 2000.
I do agree with some that said BMW 7 series are sturdier, more solidly built than the S class. Especially true with the 750il, it's very close to the silence one come to expect from a Lexus flagship.
The S class has too many plastic interior parts that rattles, jiggles, and behave in an unbecoming manner.
But I cannot think of a better car to drive from New York to Wash D.C. at night with no traffic than my S class.
Just a reminder that the MB chat is on tonight (6-7pm Pacific/9-10 pm Eastern). Hope to see you there!
http://www.edmunds.com/chat/mercedeschat.html
Drew
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Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards
I don't think BMW build quality is any better than current M-B quality, and it was light years behind my earlier year SLs (1991 and 1995). Those cars were built the way M-B used to build 'em -- heavy, solid, and unbreakable. My wife's '97 740i and previous 735iL weren't even remotely close.
As for M-B's starting to look more Japanese, I think you have that reversed. There was nothing on the road at all that resembled the new S Class...until the Lexus LS430 came along. And even then, the LS 430 has merely appropriated styling cues (tail lights, grill, headlights, etc.) while getting the overall shape hopelessly wrong. The LS430 is a frumpy looking hodge podge of a car stylistically, at best, but when you just catch a glimpse of one pulling away at a light between trucks, for example, the tail lamp can fool you into thinking for a moment that it's an S Class.
That is not a compliment to one's desgin staff, in my judgment. Say what you wish about the new Lexus SC430, on the other hand -- and I personally think it's unattractive -- at least it's fresh and quite original. It will never be mistaken for anybody else's car. It's a mostly honest design, if ill-conceived (just my opinion).
Too bad about that fellow who's having all the problems with his S Class. My E500 gave me fits such as that, too. Eventually, they iron themselves out I think you'll find, unless you're unlucky enough to have a real lemon, which does happen on occasion. An M-B salesman was recently telling me a story about a customer's ABC equipped car that the dealer had to buy back because M-B simply couldn't fix it. Anyway, at least they did the right thing when things became dire.
Separately, I also occasionally experience the red "drive carefully" ABC warning when I start the car. Shutting the engine and restarting makes it go away. I wasn't planning to do anything about it, but now that I've read here that it's a common problem with a known fix I'm kind of miffed that Mercedes hasn't taken the initiative to recall the car for the necessary reprogramming, rather than waiting for everyone to bring their cars in under warrantee.
Drew
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Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards
Can anyone give me some feedback about these or other optional items. Do you like the feature, does it work well, is it user friendly, would you order the item again, what problems have you had with the item, how long have you had the car.
Thanks
Thanks,
George
I'm still trying to figure out what makes an S600 look better than an S500. Is it sprung lower, or has bigger wheels/tires? Somehow it looks better.
Robert
I mount it at the bottom of the plate.
I think that it is supposed to block UV rays. On the BMW there is an actual cutout on the front lower center for radar detectors and EZ pass devices, etc. If you look real carefuly on a BMW you can see the cutout.
I believe that MB has the same thing but I cant tell where it is. It seems to be fairly concealed. Look on the lower center of the Front Windshield, look really carefully.
I believe that this was made for radar detectors..... Wonder why one of those are necessary on these cars
Robert
The other problem (caller can't hear me on integrated speakerphone) isn't fixed yet. They need to replace a crimped cable that's actually built into the main console... and will need to replace the entire console at the same time (to avoid crimping the new cable).
So - i'm not happy about these problems..but i am pleased with the dealer's response in figuring out the issues and getting it fixed.
By the way - another 2001 S500 Designo Edition was in the shop. Car had produced a fault code that indicated a problem with the "fly by wire" accelerator sensor. Get this -- the factory rep ordered the main master wiring harness to be replaced. When I saw the car, the front/back seats, carpet, console, and everything in the trunk was out of the car. A frightful thing to see (gave me a real appreciation for the amount of wires in my vehicle). The car had been in for a week, and they expected another day to complete.
If this happens to me (or something similar)..I'm through with high tech cars and will look for a Japanese product...at least they know how to handle electronics.
If MB chooses to ignore these issues until the 2003 model then they truly have their heads in the sand and maybe you should consider a Lexus.
Frankly, if I started having continual problems with the ABC, which at 3,000 miles is doing fine, I would not hesitate to get rid of it, as much as I love the style and the ride. It would also be my last Mercedes.
I have had tremendous good luck with my 740,and would definitely consider the new 745Li. So my CL better listen up and behave itself. :-)
Please keep the board posted how your fix is going for your ABC. I am very interested in it.
Yes, I would be horrified to see all the interior bits taken out like you described. I just don't believe they go back in as well as they might from the factory.
The three cars were Lexus LS430, MB S430 and the BMW 745i.
I have to say right off, the car looks much better in person than it does in photos. Though the trunklid still looks just a bit awkward, it definitely looks better in person.
I will try to recall all the details that I can.
The headlamps are bi-xenon and have the "halo" effect like the 2001 5-series. VERY cool.
The 745i bases at 71,650. Which is significantly more than the current 7-series. That includes the usual stuff, including an "active" type suspension. The car they had there was FULLY loaded. Had auto door closers, the trunk was auto open and close and was a sight to behold. I DEFINITELY would want that. It is just amazing to watch.
The best way I can describe the interior is that it is like sitting in a living room full of Italian furniture. With this interior, BMW has definitely taken a high-tech path to luxury. It definitely has a luxurious feel, but if you think of Italian furniture, sleek, VERY modern, you will know what I am talking about. I think BLACK will be the best color for this interior.
Also, the standard wood has a matte finish. I would definitely upgrade to the shiny stuff. The matte is ok, but doesn't look as rich as shiny wood.
The seats are fantastic! Think of sitting in a catchers mitt, all snug and cozy. That's exactly the way it felt. The seats are just awesome, and the controls for them, which are on the side of the center console are unique. There is a rotary control and you turn it either way after selecting the portion of the seat control that you want to change. Very unique, and very effective. Of course it had the heating and cooling seats.
ANOTHER COOL feature is the rear window shades. THEY ARE ELECTRIC!! There are controls on either rear door that control the rear quarter window shade of the rear door shade. They can also be controlled from the front seat. The center console is HUGE! VERY wide, but again, very elegant in a high-tech way. When you open up the two center "armrests", it is cavernous inside. A definite improvement over my 740's armrest storage, which is non-existent. :-)
The i-Drive is FANTASTIC! It is the most amazing thing I've ever tried. Also, the center hood, which I complained about in the past as looking stupid. Well, guess what, in person it looks REALLY good. It blends in surprisingly well, and doesn't look like an add-on, which is the way it looks in the pics to me.
The rear seat passengers have a drop down mirror, like the Mercedes, except that there is only 1 and it is in the center. The other feeling that strikes me about the interior, is it is very much like a cockpit, especially with the brushed chrome overhead console.
The rear seat legroom has NOT improved on this i model. I thought maybe it would be, but with the frontseat set comfortably for a six footer, the knee room is still about the same, maybe just a tiny bit more than the current 740i.
The rear seats were also VERY comfortable, but again, it is like sitting in really comfortable leather furniture. You sit IN to the seat, not on them. It would DEFINITELY be my choice for a long-distance drive.
is4b2rd you are a very lucky man, is the 760i going to be long wheelbase or normal, will they have a 760Li?