Pointless optional extras?

[WelshBoyo]

I have had my W204 C350 Sport Estate for almost a year now and love it (yes I still long for a C63 but the missus says no).

It has a few optional extras I just don't see the point of:-

• Flappy paddles for manual mode - now I had this on my MK5 R32 with DSG and it was essential - however I've used it once on the Merc and I just don't see the point as the Auto is perfect
• DAB Radio - I can only get Radio 1/2/3/4 and 1 Xtra and that is it. The sound is worse than normal radio so what is the point?
• Panoramic sunroof - makes the cabin quite light, but never used the sunroof part so a bit expensive option really
• Logic 7 sound - always off, putting it on just makes everything sound worse
• Sat Nav - only 5 digit postcode and just seems so outdated compared to 100 quid ones from Halfords
• 12v power socket in boot - only seems to work when the car ignition is on - so plugging in a electric cool box everything wasn't cool any more

The essential upgrades are:-

• Hardon/Kardon sound system - wow oh wow, this is amazing, sound quality is superb.
• Parking sensors - essential - this is a big car
• Sport button - turns a sedate car into a bit of an animal!
• Auto Tail Lift - such a cool item all cars should have this
• Foldable wing mirrors - great for tight parking spots
• Heated seats - well it is cold in Wales

What optional extras do you love or hate?

[Dog Star]

Since I'm now a leasing convert I don't have to get extras for their perceived "must have" resale desirability. So no airscarf for me.

Things I'd like - folding mirrors (so I can get into the "slim" side of my garage - for some reason it has one 6'6" door and one 7' door ). Interior ambient lighting. Cos it looks nice.

And my favourite fantasty extra: unkerbable alloys. The AMG jobbies on new SLKs are an absolute bd, I've done 3 of them now and I am oh so careful. I've given up now. I'll get them fixed a month before it's due back.

[anonymous-user]

WelshBoyo said:

*Auto Tail Lift - such a cool item all cars should have this

HATED this on my E-Class, takes too long to open, too long to close, you can't over-ride it if you want to carry long items than need to protrude from the hatch with the lid tied down. Mine also malfunctioned several times and wouldn't open if the car was parked nose down on a steep slope.

The automation of something that doesn't need automating IMO, but then I hated the auto wipers and auto lights too!

[audidoody]

Rear-view camera on my E-Class Estate is very handy.

Flappy paddles on the auto box are very useful for using engine braking for slowing down from a rapid speed (e.g. exiting a motorway) and on steep hills.

Privacy glass is a must for keeping the pooch cool in the back on hot days.

Tyre pressure monitor saves manual checking of tyres.

Edited by audidoody on Thursday 20th June 22:47

[Dog Star]

yellowbentines said:

The automation of something that doesn't need automating IMO, but then I hated the auto wipers and auto lights too!

This!!! So much crap to go wrong. Electric seats. No thanks. SL R230 soft close boot. Just the boot, not the doors. Why?

Oh - and on the subject of my fantasy alloys - kerbed them AGAIN this evening. I fking give up!!!!

[Dog Star]

audidoody said:

Flappy paddles on the auto box are very useful for using engine braking for slowing down from a rapid speed (e.g. exiting a motorway) and on steep hills.

I've tried using the paddles a few times. Waste of time. As to your suggested uses - may I suggest the brakes

[audidoody]

Dog Star said:

I've tried using the paddles a few times. Waste of time. As to your suggested uses - may I suggest the brakes

Sure. If you want your brakes to overheat and fade down a long steep incline be my guest.


""Downhill gradients On long and steep downhill gradients, especially if the vehicle is laden or towing a trailer, you must shift to a lower gear in good time or select shift range 1, 2 or 3 on vehicles with automatic transmission" (Mercedes Manual)

Edited by audidoody on Thursday 20th June 22:52

[Jobbo]

You can control the gearbox using the flappy paddles even when it's in E or S, not just M. I haven't done much more than 1000 miles in my S204 C350 yet but I generally find that I don't bother with M or S mode, just use the paddles and leave it in E. So I'm a fan; much more usable than tipping the gearlever left and right.

And surely HK audio comes with Logic 7? I have to confess I leave Logic 7 on; I'll try it without.

The 12v socket and electric tailgate are standard across the range, btw. Anyway, I agree on the panoramic sunroof; I rarely used mine on my old 545i Touring and didn't even retract the blind much because it increased the wind noise and was cold in winter. At least Merc's doesn't buffet when open, doesn't seem to have any noticeable effect on wind noise and seals closed nicely. Shame the panel doesn't go back a bit further; it looks like it has a couple of inches left to go when it's fully open.

All of the audio options are my pointless offering. I can listen to MP3s from CD, DVD, memory card, USB stick or the music register. Why so many choices? A second dedicated USB port so I can plug in my iPod and a USB stick would be ideal; throw away the rest.

I was all ready to dismiss the reversing camera, but then I noticed it has a fish-eye lens so you can see down the road when reversing off a drive past a tall hedge. So I do actually use that.

Oh, and speedtronic. I have never used it, and I'm never likely to. What is its purpose?

[TackMEU]

WelshBoyo said:

I have had my W204 C350 Sport Estate for almost a year now and love it (yes I still long for a C63 but the missus says no).

It has a few optional extras I just don't see the point of:-

• Flappy paddles for manual mode - now I had this on my MK5 R32 with DSG and it was essential - however I've used it once on the Merc and I just don't see the point as the Auto is perfect
• DAB Radio - I can only get Radio 1/2/3/4 and 1 Xtra and that is it. The sound is worse than normal radio so what is the point?
• Panoramic sunroof - makes the cabin quite light, but never used the sunroof part so a bit expensive option really
• Logic 7 sound - always off, putting it on just makes everything sound worse
• Sat Nav - only 5 digit postcode and just seems so outdated compared to 100 quid ones from Halfords
• 12v power socket in boot - only seems to work when the car ignition is on - so plugging in a electric cool box everything wasn't cool any more

The essential upgrades are:-

• Hardon/Kardon sound system - wow oh wow, this is amazing, sound quality is superb.
• Parking sensors - essential - this is a big car
• Sport button - turns a sedate car into a bit of an animal!
• Auto Tail Lift - such a cool item all cars should have this
• Foldable wing mirrors - great for tight parking spots
• Heated seats - well it is cold in Wales

What optional extras do you love or hate?

I use my flappy paddles. Not all the time, but frequently.
My DAB picks up a lot and I rarely lose reception. Maybe more to do with where you live. Would not be without absolute 90's.
Logic 7 sounds fine to me, although I usually just listen to the engine. Glorious V8 <3.
SAT NAV is full 7 digit search. Seems accurate enough with good info.

[DeadPrez]

Dog Star said:

I've tried using the paddles a few times. Waste of time. As to your suggested uses - may I suggest the brakes

My exact thoughts. On my E class, it changes gear itself even when in manual if you try driving hard. I am not sure you could use it for engine braking

[WelshBoyo]

Also forgot to add:-
Linguatronic - what is the point of this - I can use buttons no problem ;-)

audidoody said:

Flappy paddles on the auto box are very useful for using engine braking for slowing down from a rapid speed (e.g. exiting a motorway) and on steep hills.

I thought you can still change gear on the auto box gear lever, I was just taking about the flappy paddles as an optional extra?

You are right though I have always used engine braking for slowing down although I believe they don't even teach this in driving lessons these days? I notice in normal "D" driving it rarely uses engine braking but in sport it drops cogs so seems to have some manor of engine braking.

[Dog Star]

WelshBoyo said:

Also forgot to add:-
Linguatronic - what is the point of this - I can use buttons no problem ;-)

Oh - good call! I can honestly say that I NEVER used mine once I'd tried it for novelty value.

Another from me: Xenons. I can honestly say that I have not had a crash or problem at night due to my lights being ste - even back in the 80s with my old 55/50W jobbies. It's just more middle-management, curtain-twitching, keep-up-with-the-Joneses bks. Not needed at all.

Personal one: cupholders. Anyone trying to eat or drink in my car (or touch the glass) would find themselves sat on their @rse on the pavement pronto while I disappeared into the distance. I'd de-spec them if I could.

[GreenMan]

WelshBoyo said:

I thought you can still change gear on the auto box gear lever, I was just taking about the flappy paddles as an optional extra?

On 212-generation E-Classes with the 7G or 7G+ gearboxes there's no conventional lever (there's a column-mounted selector instead) so it's paddles or nothing if you want any manual control. That said, I think all cars with such gearboxes come with paddles as standard anyway??

[Sargeant Orange]

WelshBoyo said:

Also forgot to add:-
Linguatronic - what is the point of this - I can use buttons no problem ;-)

Now see I use this all the time on my SLK (granted i've only had it 4 weeks ), it just seems easier to me.

Things I like:
Airscarf (no explanation needed)
Button for folding mirrors - my garage is tiny so this is the best thing ever
Remote roof operation - not sure if this was an option as such but it's cool
Memory seats - the OH leaves the seat what seems like 2 inches from the wheel so I just press my button before getting in
A/C after turning the engine off - genius. I'm sure it's been around for years but it's the first time i've had it

Things I could probably do without:
Heated seats
Rain sensing wipers - they seem to have a mind of their own in drizzle

[Gouki]

Linguatronic, used it once.

Asked for radio 2, didn't get radio 2.

[Sargeant Orange]

Gouki said:

Linguatronic, used it once.

Asked for radio 2, didn't get radio 2.

You did the voice training, right?

[Lagerlout]

The Good:

Comand
ABC - glide serenely everywhere
Comfort & Massage Seats - mmm good for oldies like me
Linguatronic - it does work!
That collison detection thing in the mirrors when some yob is about to cut you up in a roundabout.
The auto brake thing, just piece of mind when having a kip
Radar guided Cruise
Any Petrol Engine

The Bad:

Standard Springs
AMG anything that's not on a proper AMG, worse ride, limited handling improvement, just for looks
Diesel Engines
Standard Seats - or back killers as I like to think of them

The downright Ugly:

Night vision, utterly useless unless impressing friends
Headlamp washers, squirt guff on the headlamps, so what, it doesnt remove 1000 dead bugs?
Digital TV that also receives the "dodgy channels" so all your passengers think you're a right perv (!)

[xspencex]

audidoody said:

Dog Star said:

I've tried using the paddles a few times. Waste of time. As to your suggested uses - may I suggest the brakes

Sure. If you want your brakes to overheat and fade down a long steep incline be my guest.


""Downhill gradients On long and steep downhill gradients, especially if the vehicle is laden or towing a trailer, you must shift to a lower gear in good time or select shift range 1, 2 or 3 on vehicles with automatic transmission" (Mercedes Manual)

Edited by audidoody on Thursday 20th June 22:52

Yup, flappy paddels on my ML320 CDI are essential, when towing that is. . . keeps the horse in the back a happy mare.

[HarryW]

GreenMan said:

On 212-generation E-Classes with the 7G or 7G+ gearboxes there's no conventional lever (there's a column-mounted selector instead) so it's paddles or nothing if you want any manual control. That said, I think all cars with such gearboxes come with paddles as standard anyway??

column stalk and flappy paddle is actually very good once you remember the centre console is just cubby holes....

[f328nvl]

http://www.honestjg.com/2013/01/c63-amg-more-is-le...

My 5p worth. Of the £14k of options on my C63 AMG PPP Estate, I'd take £5k+ off it if I could.