This weekend our long-term 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 lost one of its door lock plunger trim pieces. Don't know how, and neither of my kids is owning up to it, but it's not where it's supposed to be.
Worst part? I vacuumed the little piece of plastic up off the carpet at the car wash yesterday. Thought it was a pen cap, and it didn't occur to me what it was until it was too late.
So instead of just snapping it back in place, we'll get a new one installed at the car's next scheduled service, which according to the Benz's computer is a short 500 miles away.
Scott Oldham, Inside Line Editor in Chief @ 12,603 miles
the_big_al says:
05:51 PM, 07/21/08
Don't mean to be picky, but that shot makes the door panel look like a last decade Kia door panel. Cheap and hard plasticky. The missing plunger cap doesn't help matters, but I think I would still think so even if it weren't missing.
redgoatee7 says:
06:04 PM, 07/21/08
I found the materials in the interior of the new C are like those found in Benzes from 10+ years ago, similar to that in our 1996 C220. It's by no means plush, but I think it has a feel of quality and solidity to it. It's a tactile thing, not a visual thing.
I like the old "golf tee" door pins like the our Benz.
cx7lover says:
08:42 PM, 07/21/08
The plastic that's in the picture is actually really nice, but the door lock plunger looks nasty without the cap.
7driver says:
10:03 PM, 07/21/08
Wasn't there a time when that hard plastic was covered in leather?
frazier500 says:
10:46 PM, 07/21/08
Yeah, there was a definitely a time. You know...when you bought that S600.
sgude says:
05:19 AM, 07/22/08
It is interesting how people keep ragging on the quality (or lack thereof) of the C-Class interior plastics. I found them to be fine during my test drive, but there were more hard surfaces than I expected.
sgude says:
05:21 AM, 07/22/08
I find it interesting the things people say about the quality -- or lack thereof -- of the C-Class' interior plastics. I didn't find it to be problem when I test drove a C-Class Sport, but there were more hard surfaces than I expected.
dougtheeng says:
05:35 AM, 07/22/08
I agree that picture makes the door plastic look pretty bad, but I haven't sat in the car so I can't comment.
I'll be curious to see how much this piece costs from MB. Maybe when its all said and done you'll wish you'd just opened your vacuum bag and dug out the original.
z479 says:
05:39 AM, 07/22/08
it was the car washs' vacuum, not his
dougtheeng says:
06:07 AM, 07/22/08
"it was the car washs' vacuum, not his"
Right-o, missed that bit.
phybenz says:
10:35 AM, 07/22/08
This is a known problem to Mercedes-Benz as they have had issues for some reason with the rear door lock pins.
As far as the door panel, it is NOT hard plastic. It is not super soft either but you can push it and it is soft.
lazyhater says:
03:19 PM, 07/22/08
Is that a door panel from a 1990 Hyundai Excel?
cx7lover says:
04:41 PM, 07/22/08
lazyhater
duh!
lazyhater says:
08:59 AM, 07/23/08
My bad, door lock plunger trim pieces don't fall off on a 1990 Hyundai Excel.....sorry guys, my mistake.
cruiserhead1 says:
11:49 AM, 07/24/08
fail