Have a new E550. Everything works perfectly. I think they have dealt with quality issues effectively. The only major problem is the 750 page owners intruction manual. We have important work to do in order for us " dumbies" to inform the company to rewrite this document so we can understand it. PS, As a surgeon, I can revove your kidney refering to a medical publcation that makes this fairly routine. Go figure.

Have a new E550. Everything works perfectly. I think they have dealt with quality issues effectively. The only major problem is the 750 page owners intruction manual. We have important work to do in order for us " dumbies" to inform the company to rewrite this document so we can understand it. PS, As a surgeon, I can revove your kidney refering to a medical publication that makes this fairly routine. Go figure.

I have no desire to own a new one, however, there has been great outcome for my daughter in a serious accident. She was going 65 around a bad curve, car pulled out in front of her. Consequently she t-boned them. Meg and her boyfriend were not even scratched, thankfully no one else either. She said "Dad, I barely felt it." No she isn't fat. There are other cars to drive, but I feel safe with her driving down I 75 in the 84 300 cd with the dominating truck drivers all over the highway. I also feel economically good about the older sd's with their repairability and help that you can get today compared to 20 years ago. I bought a car-lift, decided to do as much as I can, started reading, studying and realized that hey ,I can do a lot of this. So after learning how they tick, I am not anxious to get something totally unfamiliar to work on, ie.,90 saturn,95 camry, 90 grand prix, etc. Just my 0.02

I noticed some people here bought their MBs for status and/or driving pleasure though I don't understand how someone can enjoy driving a luxury car that by many people's accounts break down frequently. Personally I didn't buy my MB for status or "driving pleasure" but because it was a diesel and I wanted to experiment with biodiesel. My car is old but has only 143,000. It ran 2 weeks before dying. Found hard starting cause fuel to wash away cylinder oil, pushing the already low compression engine below the minimum compression threshhold. A squirt of oil and three down weeks got it started. Now the injection pump is dead.

I brought this up before but I have a John Deere bulldozer that is the same year as my MB. It requires no glow plugs and starts instantly, everytime, even during Michigan winters. Lots of people rave about the MB engineering but it has still not been explained to me why JD was able to design such an easy starting, superior engine during the same timeframe.

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I read your post covering several subjects and will respond to one of them.

Your comment in re: driving something that breaks down frequently or more correctly has the potential to do so can only refer to the 126 or 140 model and I'm convinced that buyers of these often do so for status with driving pleasure and economy (a relative term) a secondary consideration. I would not describe a 124 as a luxury car by today's standards and certainly not a 123 (I drove mine 120K miles) which was just a very good and solid mid-sized car. Both of these models are now in their dotage and have plenty of problems, just like all old machines. Their advantage is that that some repairs and maintenance can be down by the owner.

As far as breakdowns, the only MB that ever let me down (temporarily) was my '78 300D when the power steering pump erupted like a Texas gusher, in my garage. So I cut the drive belt with a knife and dropped the car off at the dealer on my way to work for the warranty repair. And both my 201s, my 202 and now my 203, despite all their warranty fixes, have never failed to proceed.

My MB sales guy called this afternoon to tell me that the production date (at long last) for my '08 C300 will be September 1-10 with delivery about six weeks later. And, based on MB's printed claim, this will be the most reliable model they have ever built and I believe it.

This one won't be a lease car, BTW, so it's another substantial committment to MB.

I've had similar thoughts and simalar cars. My 300D is converted to run on WVO, so I'm eating a lot of repairs myself. My Nissan Sentra is a great backup

Roger,

The reason older MB engines start harder than your JD tractor is probably because the MB is pre-chamber injection and the JD is direct injection. Direct injection engines are known to start easier.

I have a 40 year Case tractor with direct injectionand it starts easily without using the manifold heaters down to about 45*F.

Why MB chose to use pre-chamber injection instead of direct injection, I do not know. Maybe someone else can answer that question.

The newer MB are now direct injection.

P E H

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The reason older MB engines start harder than your JD tractor is probably because the MB is pre-chamber injection and the JD is direct injection. Direct injection engines are known to start easier.

I have a 40 year Case tractor with direct injectionand it starts easily without using the manifold heaters down to about 45*F.

Why MB chose to use pre-chamber injection instead of direct injection, I do not know. Maybe someone else can answer that question.

The newer MB are now direct injection.

P E H>>

Huh? I don't have a John Deere anything. I was answering Hickey's post on the subject which I thought was pretty clear. And MB used pre-chambers because it's quieter. Comparatively. And BTW, todays MB Bluetec engines have nothing much in common with tractor (or Isuzu truck) direct injection.

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Roger E.

My HINI DI engine on the Nissan Patrol starts at quarter turn even in 2C winters here, whereas my IDI turbo OM616 needs glow plugs and half throttle with few cranks to start in the same weather, DIs rule when it comes to starting, far better than any gassers for that matter.

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99 Gurkha with OM616 IDI turbo

2015 Gurkha with OM616 DI turbo

2014 Rexton W with OM612 VGT

When I got my 140 I did not even start to realize how many things could go wrong. 4 years later and probably around $14K invested in repairs I don't think I will foot another bill.
I am sure that the engine and tranny can go 300-400K miles, but the electronics and everything else is just horrible.
140 has got the the best looks of any MB, even better than the new S-class, but for Pete's sake, it looks like they made it with the idea that the owner will pay about the same price for the parts/repair as for the whole new car...
So, I will wait for a good deal on a 3-4yr old certified pre-owned S-class (definitely will invest in extended warranty) and will trade in my 140 for mere pennies as compared to what $$,$$$ went into it...

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2004 CL 500
1992 400 SE

I rebuilt my first car engine at 13 years old. I am 44 now. With 31 years of gasoline vehicle experience I have seen where people have brand loyalty for strange reasons like, "I buy Fords because my dad always drove them". I can point out to the Ford people examples of how Ford has been producing junk for 30 years, yet you cannot change their minds, even as they return to the repair shop again and again.

I wonder how much of that goes on with the Mercedes people: My guess is it would be the same. How many people promote them because they are good and how many promote them for other reasons?

I have been thinking about this a bit too. I read lots of praise for the W124. Mine is a 1995 E320. I do love the car, even though it has plenty of expensive problems, but I think the reality is that newer cars are probably faster, quieter, handle better, and are more reliable. That may even be true for Fords, although I would be more tempted to get 3-series BMW, or maybe a Lexus, or an Acura.

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I just couldn't give up on my 1995 E320.

I think it might be like always going back to that same bad relationship with an ex girlfriend.
You feel you love them too much, or you are just too stupid to know any better.



Flickr slideshow of my 1995 E320
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24145497@N06/sets/72157616572140057/

Well yeah a new car of any make would need less attention then a 13 year old car.

For totaly trouble free driving its hard to beat a leased BMW 3 series. The only problem is that route will cost you about $6k a year, much more then your 13 year old E class. For a new E350 your looking at about $9k a year.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I have owned my 1995 e320 car for 10 years. I would say it cost about $4K per year, if I include the depreciation. I know my car has cost more to own than my wife's Honda Accord, but my car is nicer to drive. I think a new 3-Series would also be nicer to drive than my car, although it might cost more. It is just that some will say that it is worth it to pay more for the W124 experience, compared to the Honda Accord experience, since the W124 is so great. I am just saying it really isn't all that great, compared to say the the new or newer 3-Series BMW, which is regarded by many as possibly the best all around car in the world.

I am just saying that if I purchased a slightly used 3-Series, like I did with my W124, I might find it costs about the same to own as my aging W124, but that it would really be much nicer in many ways, or possibly every way, to be in the newer 3-Series. Many seem to try to convince themselves that these older Benz cars are really superior. I don't think they really are, even though I still love driving my car and I think there is something special about keeping and maintaining an older vehicle.

I would not consider the newer or newest Benz!

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I just couldn't give up on my 1995 E320.

I think it might be like always going back to that same bad relationship with an ex girlfriend.
You feel you love them too much, or you are just too stupid to know any better.



Flickr slideshow of my 1995 E320
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24145497@N06/sets/72157616572140057/

$4k a year? Thats not bad. I expect a luxury car to run about $2k-$4k a year to keep as they age.


The only way to not have to pay that while driving a high end car is to buy a new one every 2-3 years and trade before the factory warranty goes up. I know a builder that buys a new 325I every year, costs him about $10k a year but he always has a brand new BMW. Thats not a bad way to go if you just want something new all the time.

I know a ton of people with late model MB's, they all love them. Happy people don't complain and make noise.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200