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Originally Posted by Hatterasguy
...and eating transmissions ...
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Perhaps you should talk to one of the many many owners of 722.6 five speed automatics that is footing the bill for a new transmission.
Sure, other makes have their problems. But, it's how they deal with it. Honda is recalling all those models with the bad automatics. Mercedes has done no such thing. They just sit and hope you make it out of warranty so they don't have to foot the bill.
These things are measurable, and all the different measures have Mercedes falling from the top of the heap to the bottom of the barrel for quality. 99% of the glitches are caused by poor "gizmo" quality, but some are so out of character that it's ridiculous. Bad transmissions? Engine parts? (harmonic balancers) Sheesh.
Why should a Mercedes not only be as good as the competitors, but better? Price. In their segments, Mercedes tends to be the most expensive. In Canada, the $40K segment is packed with cars, including the TL, G35, 320/325, A4, Maxima, S40, S60, 9-3, and others. Mercedes is priced WAY at the top. A topped out G35 struggles to reach $50K, including AWD. A C320 4-matic equipped the same is nearly $70K. Back when W126's and W124's roamed the earth, you could see and feel the differences. Not any more. Way back when, most cars struggled to make 100K-miles and an MB lasted much, much, longer. A Mercedes was an "investment" and today it's just another car in the segment, and priced very high.
If I'm going to pay a premium for a Mercedes, I want something more than the cache. I want deadly reliability, impeccable build quality, incredible dealer service, and I want it to last a loooong time. And right now, that pricing is not 1% or 5% higher, it's more like 15%-25%.
Lexus nearly nuked MB into bankruptcy back in 1990, and they could come on with another assault with MB sitting at the bottom of the quality ratings. In Canada, the new E-Class is priced right along with the LS430, not the GS-series. With a new GS somewhere in the works, MB might be about to take a big hit.
In Canada, Infiniti has done some serious damage to C-Class sales. The G35 and G35X have been strong sellers. Mercedes dealers recently discounted C-Class cars by nearly $10,000 to try to move inventory. At $10K off, they were barely competitive. The new TL is WWD (Wrong Wheel Drive) but at $41K, it's $15-20K less than a comparable C-Class. Is the C320 made $20K better? Not a chance. A new M35/45 and GS330/430 just might hammer the W211 into the ground.