E Class Configurator - pull your finger out MB!

[Teflonso]

If you go on the MB website you can configure and price a car. Most models. Except the E-Class. Maybe others, I've not checked every model. It's been saying "coming soon, our new configurator" for at least 4 months.

You can go on the German site and configure a car, but of course it will be German spec and priced in Euros.

I can appreciate that when the facelift model came out the website needed a few tweaks but that was yonks ago. It's not rocket science to update it. Is it?

C'mon MB, pull your finger out.

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[st13phil]

I suspect that the problem is borne of MB UK's penchant for "packaging" options that are discrete in other markets, and not offering a number of the options available elsewhere to us in the UK. So, instead of just changing the language descriptions of the options and the prices, the UK's configurator rules have to be made unique.

Having said all that, when pretty much every other manufacturer / importer / concessionaire can have their website configurator up and running to match the launch of a new model, it's pretty poor show on MB UK's part. The term "fat, dumb and happy" springs to mind - and we know were the next stop is on that route

 

[cinek]

This has been discussed before, the MBUK configurator is down pretty much all the time.

Doest seem to be an issue on MB website in other countries :/

 

[bob6600]

I noticed this a few weeks ago and thought it was maybe being updated.

If it is regularly like this, that is p155 poor from any car manufacturer, let alone Mercedes

 

[gIzzE]

Haha, that is useless, I was moaning that the UK hadn't updated the configurator for the new E class back in early January, I went on the German site and configured this...

And Elegance with AMG Sport Packet Exterior.

Those images are dated 1st Feb.
That is 8 months now FFS!!

 

[cp3377]

There is an App now on Apple App Store - it has a configuration feature - the colours look a bit odd as usual though.

 

[Berkshire Rich]

Happened with the W204 too, configurator was ready months afters other countries and when the first cars were almost being delivered.

 

[DredsMB]

I tried to configure the facelift E-Class on 6 Feb 13 and was confronted by the same message. I've been trying every week since with no luck. Against any standards that is very poor.

 

[Teflonso]

Update - it get's worse. The face lift has been out since about March, right?

I sent for a brochure in June and they sent me the pre-facelift 4-eyed version. Fair enough, I'll get one from a dealer...... So every now and then, driving past one I've popped in for a brochure. Yesterday my missus went in. Same result as always, irrespective of the dealer.

Still no brochures. Six months after the car came out. Do you have a copy of the September price list? Er, nope. I'll e-mail you one of each (the same ones as on the website). The website version of the brochure has been changed twice since I started looking, but still no print version.

For pity's sake, it isn't a Lada I'm buying, it's one of the four premium brands. Someone should take the marketing guys out, preferably for a paintball session, tie them up and pepper the blighters.

Has anyone seen an E-Class facelift brochure in the flesh?


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[amdownes]

Totally agree. I have all but given up on moving to a new E-class:-

1. No working UK Configurator
2. No hardcopy brochures
3 No car (been on order since end of Feb - MAY get it in January '14)
4. Poor dealer experience. [Recent dialogue - "you probably know about as much as I do about the vehicle and you could try Googling it if you need any further details]

 

[st13phil]

4. Poor dealer experience. [Recent dialogue - "you probably know about as much as I do about the vehicle and you could try Googling it if you need any further details]

Look on the bright side: at least you didn't get someone who guessed or made up answers

For any brand - let alone a prestige one - to respond to a customer enquiry in that way is mind-boggling.

 

[amdownes]

Look on the bright side: at least you didn't get someone who guessed or made up answers

For any brand - let alone a prestige one - to respond to a customer enquiry in that way is mind-boggling.

Alas - unfortunately before he gave me guidance on how to find 'additional' information the few things that he did impart were largely incorrect e.g. B&O sound system was standard on E63 and E63s had a 60BHP power uplift!

 

[Berkshire Rich]

Totally agree. I have all but given up on moving to a new E-class:-

1. No working UK Configurator
2. No hardcopy brochures
3 No car (been on order since end of Feb - MAY get it in January '14)
4. Poor dealer experience. [Recent dialogue - "you probably know about as much as I do about the vehicle and you could try Googling it if you need any further details]

Exactly my experience on buying the C Coupe after the MY2013 changes came out - one dealer told me that the C350 Coupe had definitely been discontinued; another told me that it was still available and definitely still had the dynamic handling pack. Both were wrong, but only after the MBUK customer service team had started by agreeing the C350 was no more, and then changed its mind when I said I had seen a new price for them. Madness

 

[cp3377]

Teflonso - I have a brochure if you want one. There was a massive delay on them apparently because specs changed just before launch, but all dealers should have got stock by now you'd have thought. Let me know your address and I'll send it. If you've got an iPad check out the app - it isn't too bad.

 

[Teflonso]

Teflonso - I have a brochure if you want one. There was a massive delay on them apparently because specs changed just before launch, but all dealers should have got stock by now you'd have thought. Let me know your address and I'll send it. If you've got an iPad check out the app - it isn't too bad.

Many thanks for the offer, it's good to know that they do exist. If one doesn't come through the post as ordered, I'll get back in touch.


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[Teflonso]

Things are looking up. At least the brochure exists, it popped through the post this morning.

The bad news - in either the brochure or the September price list there's no mention of the 9G-tronic gearbox supposedly being fitted to E350 from September. Mine's being built next week, so I wonder if I'll get that or the 7G-tronic?