Wall Street Journal article July 22 2003, pg D4

[Gilly]

Mercedes Offers New Cars to 2,000 Customers

Daimler-Chryslers AG's Mercedes-Benz luxury brand is offering new cars to about 2,000 owners of the 2003 E-Class Mercedes who paid for, but never received, a navigation system in their original vehicles.
The company is offering an additional 1,000 customers who wanted the system, but didn't pre-pay for it, a $3,250 coupon toward the purchase of their next Mercedes-Benz.
By offering customers new cars, Mercedes decided to steer clear of a complex retrofitting process, Mercedes spokeswoman Donna Boland said. The situation, reported yesterday by Automotive News, comes as Mercedes is trying to repair some dents to its quality image.
The cars that Mercedes takes back will be sold as used vehicles, Ms Boland said.
When Mercedes began taking its first orders for the E-Series, its customers were aware that supply delays would ultimately force the company to install, or retrofit, independently the navigation system on the vehicles of all customers who ordered the option, she said. The plan, Ms. Boland said, was first to sell the vehicles and then allow the new owners to bring the car back to a Mercedes dealer in the spring to have the system installed.
But in May, Mercedes informed dealers that it would be unable to retrofit the vehicles. "The retrofit is very complex and time-consuming", Ms Boland said. "Our feeling is that the customers would be better served if we could simply move them into vehicles which have already been produced with a new navigation system."
The navigation system, which provides oral and visual navigation assistance, is one part of a broader package od options, dubbed "Comand", for the Mercedes E series. The digital-videodisc-based Comand system also includes a stereo system and a hands-free telephone, among other features. The navigation system was the only component of Comand that Mercedes couldn't deliver in September, Ms Boland said.
All new E-Series vehicles are available with the navigation system, which comes as a factory-installed option, Ms Boland said.
Earlier this month, a survey of vehicle dependability by J.D. Powers & Associates ranked the Mercedes brand below the industry average. The 2003 E-Series vehicles weren't a part of that survey. Mercedes has already resolved most of the concerns reported in the J.D. Power study, Ms Boland said.
The Mercedes E-Class is priced between &47,670 and $55,570, depending on model and options.
The navigation option was priced at $1,625 for those who prepaid for it and currently sells for $2,125.


Gilly

[psfred]

I'd love to know how MB has resolved the issue of massive electronics that don't make it through the warrenty (or how any other manufacturer is going to address that issue).

I must be getting old, I prefer simpler and more reliable systems over wonderfully complex but less reliable ones.

At least MB is using decent plastic for their interior parts -- I've seen NEW BMW replacement parts broken in the box from the factory.....

Peter

[albert champion]

it's diffficult for me to figure out why anyone wanted[wants] that electronic junk.

it's the nonsense that caused me to retain my old benzes and acquire more old benzes instead of buying the new "junk".

it should also be of interest that drivers using these navigation systems while driving are slowly being recognized as being more of a road hazard than drivers who exceed the blood alcohol levels of .08 - .1.

those drivers who have a glass or two of wine and will go to jail for DUI[DWI] within this new and old threshold in texas are less of a problem than the teetotaling zombies who are engaged in reading the navigation systems' lcd screen while driving on the public's roadways.

in my view, these navigation systems should be outlawed. and the penalty for using them while driving should be equivalent to those penalties for DUI.

any arguments? i thought not.

beam me up scotty.

[ericnguyen]

Dear Albert:

The new navigation system can be both oral and visual. More expensive standalone GPS units also include oral navigation.

Don't look down on this electronic junk. If you have a GPS system with both visual and oral navigation, you will like it very much. Very accurate and very convenient. That's a miracle of high tech.

Eric

[tkd_M119]

psfred - not getting older - getting wiser!

Don't believe the hype!

[engatwork]

oral and visual navigation assistance

LOL - mine only works when the wife is in the car with me.

Maybe I am getting old and behind the times but I have yet to ride in a car with one of these electronic navigation system. If I want navigation assistance I use a map.

[psfred]

Eric:

I've driven for 31 years now, and a paper map has never failed me. It does not require electricity, nor have all the maps I've purchased over the years put together cost me anything lile $2000. All the old ones still work, unlike the standard electronics -- years and they are junk.

More to the point, an $4000 EZL module every three years ain't gonna cut it in a car. Ditto for the $8000 engine control module, the $4000 computerized climate control (whatever happened to dumb servos -- all it does is act as an automatic thermostat!??).

If air pollution is a problem, the answer is to not use personal automobiles, and to live very near where you work, not endless, very environmentally damaging, electronics.

Peter

[SteveStromberg]

I have a pouch of AAA road maps and a Silva Boy Scout Compass in the glove box. I also have a sense of adventure and just drive often taking the road never driven. It seem's that I spot the Chrsler Airflow on blocks peeking out from under a trap or that old speed boat that looks like it was built for Batman. Some times I will knock on the door and go home with a Zundapp 400 in tow.
Steve