Even a $130k S class has blank buttons
 

http://i.imgur.com/gPh7iEd.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/hrfASCk.jpg
Even a $130k S class has blank buttons.

So the hypersensitive aesthetes at jalopnik don't want expensive cars to have spaces to add features after purchase? Personally: I'd pay extra for blank buttons. And electronics in DIN mounts.

Are they car people, or are they latte-sipping flower arrangers?

A good dashboard would follow aircraft design principles, where electronics, gauges, etc can be added and removed as needed and replaced with other compatible units.

I'm mostly appalled at the horrible build quality when you get up close and personal with a $130,000 Mercedes dashboard. I've seen Kias with better fit lines. Shiny black plastic screams of cost cutting.

Textured plastic wears smooth from finger pressure and looks like crud after a while. This is typical German design -- engineering over pretense.

I'll note that the W126 never had any switch blanks - the wood trims on the console and doors match the equipment fitted ;)

-J

If that's the kind of thing that bunches up some folks panties . . . then perhaps their sensitivity levels could benefit from some adjustment. :D

That doesn't bother me so much as it appears many of the new models are literal "plastic", inside and out. What ever happened to the idea of a big bodied W126 with classy styling? Women have actually waived me over to tell me what a nice looking ride the 560SEL is.......

Everytime I go to the stealership and look at the new models, I go back to the classics and decide to keep throwing parts and repair orders at 'em.

Same with the 124 and 201. If one model had more switches than another they cut more holes in the wood panel. The cost cutting on this new S class is ridiculous. I guess new S class buyers just don't know any better.
If you're spending $130,000 on a car...

Modern cars are just meh.

I don't like the vast expanse of LCD screens on the new S class. Audi and Jag have better interiors now.


Also they are so expensive to own the thought of keeping one out of warranty is downright scary. Maybe that's why it costs $60k+ to lease one for three years? Their depreciation curve match's the stock markets downward trend in 2008...

Nope. My 201 has a blank. Right where they used to put the antenna switch. I just have the rear defroster and a blank.

And a 124:

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/atta...er-console.jpg

Thats not how it left the factory. My 93 190e doesn't have any blanks in the dash. As for the 124...
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/atta...m-dscf1014.jpg

Actually that's not a blank - note the little LED in the middle. It shows when the alarm is set. IIRC 1993+ cars have it.

-J

Mine does. Its a 93 too.

Yeah I knew they made a whole bunch of different cut out wood pieces.

Bah! Didn't even see the LED in there.

The older cars probably have no blanks because they were mostly standard in this country with the number of accessory buttons needed so they could just make a couple versions of the wood and be good. Nowadays there's more variance in the options in a given car, so they'd need several, which would just further increase costs and complexity.

Those blanks are to remind you its not the Pullman edition or S65 :) ;)

With that said, I'm willing to bet you'll find some sort of harness behind the dash that would fit the button(s) that are supposed to fit in there. Newer MBs are awesome in that if you REALLY want something like Distronic, linguatronic, or ventilated seats, all you have to do is add the appropriate hardware, then turn on the feature in the given SAM/module.