Anyone here have a Mercedes?

[MichelleCarmen]

My husband is planning to buy a Mercedes within the next year after our son starts Kindergarten and we no longer have preschool expenses. . .

Anyone have experience with any Mercedes model and can you provide any insight as to how well you like your car, any problems you''ve encountered, and if you''d still buy your car again if you knew what you know now?

I''ve heard a lot of bad things and am actually hoping to get a BMW instead, but since my husband makes the money, he''s making the decision as to which to buy. . . Not that I''d complain about driving a Mercedes (just as long as I''m not broken down on the side of the road

)

 

[mrssalvo]

We used to have the ML400. Hubby and I both loved it but it wasn''t big enough for our family to ride in. the 3rd row seats are not really big enough for growing teenagers or adults. For a family of 4 it would be perfect. Hubby hopes to get another one someday. We never had any problems with it at all.

 

[Sundial]

We have had a number of Lexus vehicles and always found them to be extremely reliable and trouble free. Last December my husband bought a Mercedes SL class roadster. We don''t drive it a lot, but we''ve already had to have it in for service because the glove box wouldn''t open. When we took it in we found out there were three recall notices on it that they had to fix while it was there! It is fun to drive, but based on our terrific experience with Lexus I am skeptical so far on how well this German car will measure up.

 

[codex57]

My mom owns a 2003 E320 that I helped pick since I'm the car nut in the family. I didn't want to pick a Mercedes, but that's the brand she wanted. So, I just crossed my fingers and hoped it turned out ok. So far, it's ok, but I attribute it to her rarely ever driving it more than anything else.

Mercedes' quality, if you've been paying attention to JD Power rankings or just surf on Mercedes internet message boards (like I do), has pretty much tanked horrifically the past few years. A little while ago, the higher ups recognized all the complaints and plummeting quality ratings and promised to fix things. We're in the process of waiting to see if they made any changes and if those changes will make a difference.

Supposedly they've made a lot of progress, but the 3 models that killed Mercedes in particular are the ML-class, E-class, and C-class. All models had problems, but those are their best sellers so the most complaints were heard from them. My personal guess is that the ratio of complaints is prolly the same no matter what the model.

The general rule of thumb, if your husband insists on picking a Mercedes, is: Germans can't do electronics. Basically, avoid as many electronic options as possible. Other than the ML (and the C-class to a lesser degree), the overwhelming majority of the problems tended to be about various electrical bugs. And despite what Mercedes claims, it's not cuz they're cutting edge technology and something to be expected. They're just poorly designed and poorly made. Not a good combo. The ML. Well, I'll be generous and assume that all the problems are simply inexperience on the part of the plant (a problem other manufacturers have with new US plants, but certainly not all).

 

[ammayernyc]

My boyfriend has the C 240 Mercedes. He likes to say it''s the ''cheapest'' Mercedes. We LOVE it. It rides so smoothly and we have not had one single problems. The customer service is amazing. It''s the smallest car they have, but it seems really large.

 

[mrssalvo]

hehe. well after reading codex''s comments, maybe I''ll have to show hubby this thread and convince him to get something else

. i''ve heard good things about Lexus''s too, that''s what I want someday, but I know NOTHING about cars except how they look and how to check the oil

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 7/17/2006 5:28:43 PM
Author: Sundial
We have had a number of Lexus vehicles and always found them to be extremely reliable and trouble free. Last December my husband bought a Mercedes SL class roadster. We don''t drive it a lot, but we''ve already had to have it in for service because the glove box wouldn''t open. When we took it in we found out there were three recall notices on it that they had to fix while it was there! It is fun to drive, but based on our terrific experience with Lexus I am skeptical so far on how well this German car will measure up.

Ah, oh no! I''ll have to see which models my husband has narrowed his search down to. I believe one style he mentioned may have been the SL something-or-other. (and he is basically looking at a car that "goes fast." Keep in mind this will he HIS car, but the vehicle I am driving. We currently have a truck and a Subaru Forester and will be trading in the Forester and keeping the truck, and well, since I hate driving the truck I will be running all my errands in the Mercedes, and by next summer after the purchase, I''ll have the fortune of speeding down the freeway at 100 MPH to make it to the Nordies 2007 anniversary sale at 7 am Fri. Morning

)

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 7/17/2006 5:38:26 PM
Author: mrssalvo
hehe. well after reading codex''s comments, maybe I''ll have to show hubby this thread and convince him to get something else

. i''ve heard good things about Lexus''s too, that''s what I want someday, but I know NOTHING about cars except how they look and how to check the oil

Um, yes, I feel the same. Unfortunetly, my husband was raised on Mercedes and his dad has driven four or more of them over the years. DH insists. I keep pleading to have his and hers luxury models (and I''d take the BMW or Lexus) but we cannot afford both pmts plus the truck - which we have to keep.

Guess it''s time to lurk on a mercedes forum.

 

[codex57]

Does he have any specific models in mind? It's hard to comment on Mercedes cuz they have so many different models. The SL is a nice car. Its had some reliability problems in the past, but they've just replaced the drivetrain (engine and I think the transmission) on it so the jury is still out. However, the updated engines Mercedes has put out recently have been better than the older ones. The only weird issue I remember the SL having was some weird smell from the leather. Like a real stench after doing something. Hopefully they fixed that. I don't know the details of the car all that much cuz it's out of my price range currently. I spent most of my time in the E and C class subforums. Still, if he's looking for a sports car convertible, the SL would be my choice in that price range as well. Possibly the Porsche 911, but it's not as luxe and Porsche's auto transmission sucks.

Yeah, I suggest you lurk on a Mercedes board. I recommend www.mbworld.org Just remember, people on that board love Mercedes so many are quite a bit more forgiving on the faults. It's kinda like reading a review in a car magazine now. You basically have to read between the lines and amplify any faults or possibly negative comments written because everything will be sugarcoated.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 7/17/2006 5:44:33 PM
Author: codex57
Does he have any specific models in mind?
Yeah, I suggest you lurk on a Mercedes board. I recommend www.mbworld.org Just remember, people on that board love Mercedes so many are quite a bit more forgiving on the faults. It's kinda like reading a review in a car magazine now. You basically have to read between the lines and amplify any faults or possibly negative comments written because everything will be sugarcoated.

I cannot recall the exact models, but we will be buying used (with a budget of around $40K) so with this in mind, we will be stuck with a few bad design problems from the past. I'll check out that board. Thanks

 

[codex57]

Oooh, you're likely looking in the 2000-2004 range. Prime range of when the quality tanked. Definitely research each individual model on the boards. Not all were bad, but many were. Plus, there are some simply straight badly designed components that went into the cars at that time. Take my mom's 2003 E320. First year of the current E-class. As a first year model, it means bugs haven't been worked out yet. The door handle that was more cheaply made than our old $13,000 when new Dodge Caravan was a sign of Mercedes' cheapening out on quality of parts. However, it's brake by wire (braking system was controlled by a computer that decided how hard you should brake) was just badly designed. Made you look like a 15 year old kid driving stick for the first time when going at parking lot speeds. Also, the keyless entry had a nasty habit of going on the fritz and completely shutting down all electricals if you accidentally (or intentionally) pushed the unlock button while inside the car necessitating a tow to the dealership to "reboot" the car. If you got the navigation unit, well, it was so not user friendly, even the car magazines couldn't find a good word for it. I have a friend who retrofitted the COMAND navi unit into his C32. It's ok, but it's definitely a far inferior unit to what you'd find in a Honda or Toyota. Ahh, good stuff, good stuff.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 7/17/2006 5:52:34 PM
Author: MC

Date: 7/17/2006 5:44:33 PM
Author: codex57
Does he have any specific models in mind?
Yeah, I suggest you lurk on a Mercedes board. I recommend www.mbworld.org Just remember, people on that board love Mercedes so many are quite a bit more forgiving on the faults. It''s kinda like reading a review in a car magazine now. You basically have to read between the lines and amplify any faults or possibly negative comments written because everything will be sugarcoated.

I cannot recall the exact models, but we will be buying used (with a budget of around $40K) so with this in mind, we will be stuck with a few bad design problems from the past. I''ll check out that board. Thanks

wife would of love to buy a 2-3 yr old car but, she wanted a Lexus IS 350.yesterday i drove the car home from San Jose and it already got two rock dings next to the head light.

wife is all...

 

[codex57]

So you did get it. What options and color did you end up with?

 

[CaptAubrey]

The Capt. also hangs out on a BMW board, so take this with a grain of salt. If you want reliability and low maintenance costs, get a Toyota.

High performance and high luxury = high maintenance

This goes for all European cars, not just Mercedes, but my own anectdotal experience based on family and friend''s cars is that Mercedes is not what it used to be. Twenty-fve years ago, you could buy a Mercedes trusting that if you maintained it properly you could put 300,000 miles on it. That''s no longer the case. They have had a lot of reliability issues in recent years. German cars in general have these problems, it seems, but MB is the worst IMO.

When I was shopping for cars most recently, I visited the local MB dealership to see an E430 they had. I took a wrong turn into the service department, and found myself in an absolute madhouse. There were so many people picking up and dropping it off that it looked like some trendy restaurant on Saturday night. I was immediately trapped in the drop-off line and it took five minutes to get out. Not a reassuring experience.

There''s nothing wrong with buying a MB (and this is coming from a life-long BMW driver) but do it with your eyes open.

 

[bookworm21]

I''m a little late here, but just in case you check in again: I have a friend who leased a brand new S500, I think. There were problems from the beginning, with the electrical wiring, the transmission, and I forget what else. But the car was in for repairs at least once a week per month. In fact, there were so many things wrong with it that the Lemon Law applied a year later, and he got back his down payment, plus a huge amount of money back. He said he never wants to deal with another Mercedes again, but then he went out and bought a used ML. Go figure.

 

[codex57]

Date: 7/17/2006 7:00:11 PM
Author: Cinderella
He said he never wants to deal with another Mercedes again, but then he went out and bought a used ML. Go figure.

Bahahaha. He goes and buys the Mercedes with the absolutely WORST reliability of the whole entire line. And a USED one at that. One that was prolly traded in cuz it was too much of a headache.

Oh, and DF, have you considered getting a clear bra for the IS?

Hmmm, the Capt spends time on BMW boards huh? I wonder if our paths have crossed before.

 

[Sundial]

Date: 7/17/2006 5:39:16 PM
Author: MC

Date: 7/17/2006 5:28:43 PM
Author: Sundial
We have had a number of Lexus vehicles and always found them to be extremely reliable and trouble free. Last December my husband bought a Mercedes SL class roadster. We don''t drive it a lot, but we''ve already had to have it in for service because the glove box wouldn''t open. When we took it in we found out there were three recall notices on it that they had to fix while it was there! It is fun to drive, but based on our terrific experience with Lexus I am skeptical so far on how well this German car will measure up.

Ah, oh no! I''ll have to see which models my husband has narrowed his search down to. I believe one style he mentioned may have been the SL something-or-other. (and he is basically looking at a car that ''goes fast.'' Keep in mind this will he HIS car, but the vehicle I am driving. We currently have a truck and a Subaru Forester and will be trading in the Forester and keeping the truck, and well, since I hate driving the truck I will be running all my errands in the Mercedes, and by next summer after the purchase, I''ll have the fortune of speeding down the freeway at 100 MPH to make it to the Nordies 2007 anniversary sale at 7 am Fri. Morning

)

Well if it is an SL he is considering you won''t have much room to pick up anything when you are running errands! Hubby''s is a 2005 SL500 bought new at the end of the season. It does haul on down the road, but the trunk is quite small and when you put the top down (which is really cool by the way) it eats up even more trunk space.

 

[codex57]

But it's a convertible AND a closed coupe! Plus, when you're at a stop, you can mesmerize everyone around you just by opening and closing that top. That's so fun, it's gotta be worth the sacrifice in storage space.

 

[CaptAubrey]

Date: 7/17/2006 7:14:49 PM
Author: codex57

Hmmm, the Capt spends time on BMW boards huh? I wonder if our paths have crossed before.

Possibly, but I''ve been at it only a few months. Where are you at?

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 7/17/2006 7:14:49 PM
Author: codex57

Date: 7/17/2006 7:00:11 PM
Author: Cinderella
He said he never wants to deal with another Mercedes again, but then he went out and bought a used ML. Go figure.

Bahahaha. He goes and buys the Mercedes with the absolutely WORST reliability of the whole entire line. And a USED one at that. One that was prolly traded in cuz it was too much of a headache.

Oh, and DF, have you considered getting a clear bra for the IS?

yep...i hear friends complaining about their ML''s too.

codex

i heard about the clear bra. where can i buy one? and how much?

 

[Kaleigh]

Ughh, don''t get me started on Mercedes. One of my best friend''s husband owns a dealership, so many of us buy from him. I had a staion wagon that was his wife''s demo, and it was only 6 months old. A month later it needed a new transmission. He said return it and pick out what you want. I got a S 430 4 matic and knock on wood, it''s great. But I have had 2 lemons so far and the electrical problems can be a real problem. Would I buy another one?? Nah prolly not. But their service is awesome and I get a loaner car everytime it has to go in for service. I''m planning on driving this one for a looong time as I own it. Also the ride is super smooth. HTH.

 

[portoar]

I thought about Mercedes and BMW, but I am getting an Acura TL instead . . . it''s closest comparison cars are probably the Lexus IS and the BMW 3 series. Of course I''m not in your price league, but I do think you get a lot more bang for your buck with the Acura . . . an RL would be more upscale and a nice choice. . . . and probably not as many quality problems. I heard that Mercedes had gone to pot and it''s like, well everyone has them.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 7/17/2006 9:01:51 PM
Author: portoar
I thought about Mercedes and BMW, but I am getting an Acura TL instead . . . it''s closest comparison cars are probably the Lexus IS and the BMW 3 series. Of course I''m not in your price league, but I do think you get a lot more bang for your buck with the Acura . . . an RL would be more upscale and a nice choice. . . . and probably not as many quality problems. I heard that Mercedes had gone to pot and it''s like, well everyone has them.

TL ''s are very nice cars

some had transmission recalls from 2000-03?

haven''t heard anything bad about their trans in the pass yrs.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 7/17/2006 7:31:12 PM
Author: Sundial

Well if it is an SL he is considering you won''t have much room to pick up anything when you are running errands! Hubby''s is a 2005 SL500 bought new at the end of the season. It does haul on down the road, but the trunk is quite small and when you put the top down (which is really cool by the way) it eats up even more trunk space.

op, yeah, I just scanned the photos over on the mercedes forum. . .SL is a bit small to handle all the shopping I do (however, after car pmts, there won''t be any money left to allocate toward new shoes - or food!

).

I checked and it was the E55 that my husband test drove. We''ll see about researching that one and a few others. After reading the posts here and on another forum I post on, DH agreed that if the car he picks out has any serious maintaince issue, we''ll trade it in early on rather than risk huge repair bills.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 7/17/2006 10:05:10 PM
Author: MC

Date: 7/17/2006 7:31:12 PM
Author: Sundial

Well if it is an SL he is considering you won't have much room to pick up anything when you are running errands! Hubby's is a 2005 SL500 bought new at the end of the season. It does haul on down the road, but the trunk is quite small and when you put the top down (which is really cool by the way) it eats up even more trunk space.

op, yeah, I just scanned the photos over on the mercedes forum. . .SL is a bit small to handle all the shopping I do (however, after car pmts, there won't be any money left to allocate toward new shoes - or food!

).

I checked and it was the E55 that my husband test drove. We'll see about researching that one and a few others. After reading the posts here and on another forum I post on, DH agreed that if the car he picks out has any serious maintaince issue, we'll trade it in early on rather than risk huge repair bills.

one of my friend owns a 2001 E55, powerful mid size car with 346 hp. the newer ones has more HP.

 

[taitai_s]

MC,

From personal experience I love the smooth, smooth ride from the Airmatic suspension (on the S-Class sedans, I think it is also on some of the E-Class models). It''s unbeatable, in my opinion. However, I''m definitely a ride comfort girl (as opposed to someone who wants a better feel of the road while in the car).

Unfortunately, however, I don''t have much experience with any maintenance issues.

 

[portoar]

Date: 7/17/2006 9:38:14 PM
Author: Dancing Fire

Date: 7/17/2006 9:01:51 PM
Author: portoar
I thought about Mercedes and BMW, but I am getting an Acura TL instead . . . it''s closest comparison cars are probably the Lexus IS and the BMW 3 series. Of course I''m not in your price league, but I do think you get a lot more bang for your buck with the Acura . . . an RL would be more upscale and a nice choice. . . . and probably not as many quality problems. I heard that Mercedes had gone to pot and it''s like, well everyone has them.

TL ''s are very nice cars

some had transmission recalls from 2000-03?

haven''t heard anything bad about their trans in the pass yrs.

Yes I think the whole honda line had transmission issues for a few years there. I think they''ve gotten them straightened out now. I''m still haggling with the dealers . . . expect to be done negotiating and go do the buying this Saturday. BTW, your wife''s car looks very nice, DF! I love the color!

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 7/17/2006 5:18:20 PM
Author:MC
My husband is planning to buy a Mercedes within the next year after our son starts Kindergarten and we no longer have preschool expenses. . .

Anyone have experience with any Mercedes model and can you provide any insight as to how well you like your car, any problems you''ve encountered, and if you''d still buy your car again if you knew what you know now?

I''ve heard a lot of bad things and am actually hoping to get a BMW instead, but since my husband makes the money, he''s making the decision as to which to buy. . . Not that I''d complain about driving a Mercedes (just as long as I''m not broken down on the side of the road

)

Years ago we had a convertable SL and an SEL and both were problem free... but this was in the 80''s - they weren''t mine, they were mom''s live in boyfriend''s cars, I was in high school. He also had a rolls... I hated riding in that thing, it was so embarrassing! lol I''ve not been impressed with the lower end mercedes over the last decade... but the higher end ones still look classic and from what I''ve heard, they have higher end performance as well. I drive a venture though... I''m a practical mama LOL Every japanese car I''ve ever owned has been *fantastic*.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

We only drive ours in "good weather" and so far have had no problems. Altho I must admit to the sticker shock of a visit for service--oil change etc--our two Japanese cars are not as costly.

cheers--Sharon

 

[Dancing Fire]

my wife always had bad luck with cars...

1980 MB 450 SEL.....

1995 BMW 540i ......well you guys know the story