Is anyone as crazy as I am concerning my one but BIG objection to all the new MBs is

the electric window switches are ON THE DOOR and not on the console where God intended them to be on European cars. American cars have them on the door, not real European bred products. Nothing is more frustrating to me than driving a friend's car and reaching to roll a window up or down and feeling 4, nay 6, nay sometimes 8 buttons of various size and shape. So let me take my eyes off the road and study the configuration.. let's see that and that look like a seat thingy adjustment and that may be the mirrors, oh yes here it is.. clumk, I just unlocked the doors.

On the console of my car the left front switch is for the left front window and so on.. wow, what a concept. On my used-to-have Jaguar if you pushed the switch down, the window went down and if you pushed the swith up, the window went up.

I guess if I had enough moolah to purchase a new MB, I could afford to put the switches back into the console. But why did they change the location?

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Nello Tare

1982 300D (266,001 mi.) looking and running great

Previously owned:
1976 450 SLC
1983 300D
1976 300D
also
1982 Jaguar XJ6 (loved, but gone)

Cheaper to build with available parts? Simplified wiring harness?

Don't forget the integrated side marker lights. That's an American truck thing.

TO PISS YOU OFF!?!?!?

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You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman

The design of the new switches themselves, i.e. the lift for "up" and push for "down" are EU requirements. The placement has much to do with all the stuff on the console these days. I actually have the found the switches on the door to be better that the console, more convenient when going through security checks, toll gates, etc.

Makes it look like you're not reaching for your gun when you're stopped by the cops.

Man, those engineers thought of everything!

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You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman

But now my wife can't roll my window down

I believe that placing them in the center console is safer as well for children. If placed on the door, small children can accidentally close a window with their feet with part of their body out the window, which can be fatal for them. The "lift to close" and "push to open" design of the switches addresses this danger.

I personally like the look of many buttons and switches on the center console, especially when offset against the wood trim.

Feet Canadian thing?

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BENZ THERE DONE THAThttp://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...c/progress.gif
15 VW Passat TDI
00 E420
98 E300 DT
97 E420 Donor Car - NEED PARTS? PM ME!
97 S500
97 E300D
86 Holden Jackaroo Turbo D
86 300SDL
(o\|/o)

how else can you open the window when you have a beer in one hand and a cellphone on the other?

now, if they still manage to close the window with a "lift-to-close" switch, then that just says something about the strength of our beer ...

Maybe im just used to them being on the console, but I'll agree. I HATE driving any other car that has the grouping of 50 switches on thhe drivers door. It can be hard to find the right button, and at least for me, feels awkward using my left hand for anything other than lights, turn-signal, parking brake release, and steering. The rright hand is closer to the shift knob, radio, climate control controls, hazard lights, sunroof button, overhead dome light controls etc etc etc.. which makes is nice to have the window buttons accessible with the right hand as well, and having them placed so ingeniously in a logical pattern on thhe console makes finding thhe right button super easy.

And when pulling up to a toll booth all I have to do is keep one hand on the wheel, and use my right hand to open my ash tray (where i keep toll booth cash) grab it, hit the drivers window button, hand my money to the toll worker, hit the window switch again, close the ash tray, and then resume its position on the steering wheel. All the while my left hand stays on the wheel.

This action is made even smoother with the one touch down windows on the C280, I wish my 300D had em!

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Nate

1995 E420
1992 BMW 525i
1984 300D Turbo sold
1993 Volvo 244 sold
1995 Volvo 944T R.I.P!


"The details are not details. They make the product."
-Charles Eames

www.cbs.nu

pulling away from a tollbooth with my manual-tranny 190e, without the one-touch-down switch, I have to wait to shift into 2nd gear first before closing the window, since there is more time (vs. doing it in 1st gear) before I have to upshift again.

But that gives me an opportunity (or excuse?) to hear the wonderful sound of that M103 at high rpm ...

HAHA! Thats one thhing I love about toll booths in my 300D, having my window down as I pull awa while the 617.952 lifts off, turbo kicks in and whisks me away! It may not be an AMG or 6.9, but I live for that staid, strong, and intoxicating diesel grunt. LOL

__________________
Nate

1995 E420
1992 BMW 525i
1984 300D Turbo sold
1993 Volvo 244 sold
1995 Volvo 944T R.I.P!


"The details are not details. They make the product."
-Charles Eames

www.cbs.nu

I'm trying not to sound too cynical, but maybe the new Mercedes Benz cars with this feature are sharing the same wiring harness as the new Chryslers are. Makes good financial sense to use a one harness fits all setup. Already too much parts sharing going on.