Merc's - I'd love to drive my one!

jabaroon

Anyone out there got any experiences to share with a Merc?

Since buying my '00 E200, I have spent less time driving it than I have driving the dealers courtesy car. It just seems like everything that can possibly go wrong does!....now in most cases, its not big things, but here's my list so far:

- Electric Window Motor replaced
- Air Mass Meter replaced
- Airconditioning (something) replaced
- Speaker replaced
- Electronic Engine something (for choke) replaced
- Air vents inside car no functioning for footwell or window

Thats just the major stuff, but lots of small stuff too.

Its probably the worst car experience I have had. I am changing the car soon and will never buy a Merc again...never!

Interestingly enough, watched Top Gear the other night (could have been a re-run), and Mr Clarkson said something similar about his 55AMG. He joked that he would love to get a chance to drive it, but its never in his posession -- its always down the garage being repaired!

Anyone else got any similar stories?.....

Me thinks I will try a 5 series or a Lexus next....anyone agree?

Ta,
Jab

mike65

Sounds bad alright (Clarkson has it in for Mercedes ever since he bought that car!), my own experience is'nt relevent as mines 13
years old with nearly 180,000 on the clock! The company is'nt what is used to be though, they simply dont build them like they used to....

Mike.

MadsL

A friend of mine just handed back his Vanquish to the dealer because in the 4 months he's had it, it has been into the dealer six times. He's an Aston fan and this is his second but he was sick of not being able to drive it.

He bought a 911 instead.

unkel

Originally posted by mike65
Sounds bad alright (Clarkson has it in for Mercedes ever since he bought that car!)

Not only himself. Have you read the motoring supplement of the Sunday Times over the last year or so and wept at the stories about merc's customer service?

I've grown quite suspicious about those big conglomerates of car manufacturers. Buy an x-type jaguar and you'll just get a mondeo (Ford). Buy a Saab 9-3 and it's really a Vectra (GM). Quality control in MB is not what is used to be. Some porsche's are made in Austria and Finland

Mind, not always bad news: if you intend to buy a VW bora, save yourself at least 4 grand by going for the excellent Skoda Octavia. Apparently VW got it wrong in their strategy and loads of traditional VW buyers now buy the octavia leaving VW f*** all margin

The company that stands out from the crowd is BMW. They are family owned (!). They do not let their standards slip and surprisingly still maintain a healthy margin. I haven't the faintest how they manage do this :eek: The fiver has been the best car in the world in its class for the last 15 years

Originally posted by jabaroon
Me thinks I will try a 5 series or a Lexus next....anyone agree?

I have done with my current car and I will do again :cool:

mike65

http://www.mercedesshop.com/shopforum/showthread.php3?s=&threadid=73435

for a lengthy discussion on same issues....

Mike.

DukeDredd

Don't really agree with the BMW being the best. I've had experience with a '93 520i (E34) and a '92 320i (E36) - both cars being the biggest pile of scrap i have ever driven (if you want me to go into details i will). Both cars gave so much trouble it's incredibile. Add to that the TERRIBLE BMW dealer network we have in Ireland makes the situation even worse. I was even in France a few months ago - when i drove off the ferry there were 3 irish BMW's parked by the side of the road with the hoods open - how i felt sorry for those drivers as i had been in that situation before!

mike65

Feel free to post your motoring woes its why we're here!
(I 've got some more to relate but not until its all fixed)

Mike.

Captain Trips

I bought an E240 A/Garde 6 months ago ('98 model). Absolutely zero problems, except for bulbs (had to replace a few). Was never NCTd in '02, I drove it straight in, passed first time.

I think in '00 they update the model with the newer electronics (e.g., steering wheel controls and dash computer, etc., ). WOuldn't trust that stuff, esp since after 1998 MB bought Chrysler and basically have had trouble since. You don't know what sort of crap US tech the Germans might have been tempted to use

Also, the locations of the newer car factories are not where you would think - interesting article in Sunday Times last weekend I think. Just like the M class problems evident in the ones built in the US but not the EU built ones.

The change to mass production/consumer level production also means that they have somewhat lost the bullet proof status of the cars with teh badge. My one runs perfectly, probably because it was taken care of.

Mercedes build great reliable hulks of engines. Throw in 40 processors to check the status of the bonnet and whether each wheel is comfortable on it's bit of tarmac and you know it's trouble. They are probably doing it for the US market (gimmicks, etc., ).

MadsL

http://www.guardian.co.uk/car/story/0,7369,1013588,00.html

E-Class unreliable eh? Who would have thought it?

Good news for me, I just bought a Smart.

Gmodified

Good news for me, I just bought a Smart

and it wasn't smart move:D

Big al

bought a 02 laguna 1.9 diesel, a joy to drive. a farmer drops a large rock on the road in front of me and creams my engine, 7.5k damage, took 2 months to get the engine from france

a month later the turbo goes another 2 weeks to fix cause they have no parts and its a waranty job

any takers, going cheap

mike65

Did the Farmer have insurance and did the claim go through okay?

Mike.

unkel

Originally posted by DukeDredd
Don't really agree with the BMW being the best

Never said BMW was the best, just that they seem to be the only one of the so-called upmarket brands to make a solid margin year on year

Originally posted by Captain Trips
...WOuldn't trust that stuff, esp since after 1998 MB bought Chrysler and basically have had trouble since....

Also, the locations of the newer car factories are not where you would think - interesting article in Sunday Times last weekend I think. Just like the M class problems evident in the ones built in the US but not the EU built ones.

That was exactly what I meant with my post. Maybe people's growing awareness (those media reports, people's own experience) on the one side and short term decisions by the big conglomerates to provide shareholder margin (jaguar - cheap ford parts, merc and others manufacturing in cheaper countries) is hurting those manufacturer's margins

Originally posted by DukeDredd
Both cars gave so much trouble it's incredibile. Add to that the TERRIBLE BMW dealer network we have in Ireland

Very good point indeed.

Aging BMW's are ONLY good cars if they have been maintained to a very high standard. It is well known that most BMW's in general, and the 3 series in particular are among the hardest driven cars around. They can take it but only with very regular proper care.

I have been fairly lucky with mine, but didn't have the car checked out by a BMW expert. Will never take a big chance like this again with a BMW unless the car comes with a full history (rare in this country) or is thorougly tested. NCT means virtually nothing

The dealer network is only a few garages that operate like a monopoly charging excessive rates. I have again been lucky to have found (by chance) a reliable second hand merc/bmw specialist. It is a small family owned (and worked) business that charge reasonable rates and have proven to be reliable

Big al

Originally posted by mike65
Did the Farmer have insurance and did the claim go through okay?

Mike.

The bas%^rd had no plates and drove off , but i found out who he was and he is denying it, my NCB is ruined so I'm taking him to court. The cops were as useful as tits on a bull (nothing new there then)

Lord Nikon

Audi A8 quattro, or even an rs4

ColinM

Big Al, I'm really sorry to hear about that. Fricking typical carry on it sounds like.

Hey Neuromancer, I had a look at your A6 there. Your modified grille looks pretty good. Lovely location especially in the early morning light. Is it your car? I see it has Portugeese plates.

Why don't you put URL tags around the link in your sig? Anyone could just click on it then instead of copying and pasting the link.

I see you have a few other pics as well:
Pic 1
Pic 2
Pic 3

Nice photos.