Check this out:

"Champion and other Consumer Reports officials said while the quality of vehicles from Detroit still lags those of Honda and Toyota, they were ahead of most European models and some Japanese brands. Toyota and Honda brands took the top five spots in predicted reliability based on owner surveys, with Mercury rising the highest among domestic brands to 10th. In last place: Mercedes-Benz, which had no recommended vehicles due to quality concerns."

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070228/BUSINESS/70228055

"If the only things that mattered to a car buyer were performance, comfort, and safety, Volkswagen would be at the top of the heap. Its Volkswagen and Audi models do well in handling, braking, and standard safety features. But few VWs have decent reliability.

Mercedes-Benz is an even more striking example. Its cars have the fourth-highest average test score at 77. They handle well, are nicely finished, and ride comfortably. But none has good-enough reliability to be recommended."

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/which-companies-make-the-best-cars/overview/0407_best_cars.htm

Somehow this is not surprising given the W210 issues I've been having lately.

__________________
Thanks,
Ray Ackley
www.vocontrol.com

'98 E300D

rember CR represents the average buyer and CR just sucks ass

I don't believe reliability has anything to do with Consumer Reports' bias, rather it is all about Chrysler characteristics propagating quality issues into Ma Benz's platforms.

With the marriage of the two I was hoping the quality engineering of Mercedes would benefit the Chrysler/Plymouth/Dodge families which unfortunately have only adopted a few styling and fit/finish lessons. The doors and body parts of Chryslers still fall off after 100K miles, their wiring is a veritable fire hazard before the batteries are even dropped in and the Chrysler body mystique is all about "how on earth can so much rust still hold together"...I hope Daimler gets the message.

Since 1985 I have really liked the look and the feel of many of the MB Models but I have not seriously considered any of them for a purchase due primarily to my perception of their reliability, especially in the last 10 years.

Don't laugh but I am on my third Ford in a row and have had exceptional reliability on all three. Other than normal maintenance I only have had a recall on a switch on my '97 with 136K miles, a recall on lugnuts for my 2000 with 86K miles, and zipp for my '03 with 70K. Kinda hard to beat for just plain old transportation or even with plenty of the bells and whistles. They just don't have headlight wipers, first aid kits, and alas, I probably will not get more than 150K on any of them.

__________________
Bama1


2008 SLK 280, Firemist Red - "Hurricane"
2001 F150 Lariat 4x4, Black on Black - "Badboy"
1982 240D 4 speed survivor -"Pearl" - Donated to Vietnam Veterans
1962 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 -"Gertrude"

1954 model original owner - ~2.5M
Gray softtop/solid exterior/modified chassis

If you look at history, you'll see MB's quality control problems began about 5 years before the merger.

__________________
'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

In a 1978 review, CR praised the Mercedes W123 300D as the best car they had EVER tested in their entire history of testing cars.

That REALLY woke me up at the time.

__________________
1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

Most of CR's information about vehicles comes from customer surveys. The population has a huge bias against domestic quality, which is unfortunate given how good they are. Saturn has won quite a few Car of the Year awards for the Aura. Beating out the new Camery

__________________
Adam Lumsden
(83) 300D
Vice-President of the MBCA International Stars Section

Consumer reports is right on the money - MB since the mid-90s has not been on par with quality with the rest of the manufacturers. Even then, there's a bunch of MBs from the late 90's and early '00s that I would buy regardless of CR's recommendations. Keep in mind, the Camry and Accord are their favorites - these people are passengers, not drivers.

__________________
- Brian


1989 500SEL Euro
1966 250SE Cabriolet
1958 BMW Isetta 600

Although I do agree with the negative comments about CR, I would NOT buy a new Mercedes at this time.

My 2001 that I bought new was a total disaster. It had numerous electrical gremlins and many other problems. I finally got rid of it and took quite a washing on it.

Maybe someday they will get their act together again. For the mean time is there anyone building new 123 cars?

you could bid on that wagon on ebay... looks good. 18K is less than a new MB rattletrap...
John
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1985-MERCEDES-300-TDT-DIESEL-WAGON-58-232-MILES_W0QQitemZ180090559920QQihZ008QQcategoryZ6330QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

__________________
John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

As opposed to......?

Essentially, Mercedes C-Class = Dodge Neon.



Ken300D

__________________
--------------------------
1982 300D at 351K miles
1984 300SD at 217K miles
1987 300D at 370K miles

ya know... rich people...

I lost faith in Consumer Reports 30 years ago, when they rated the Dodge Aspen much higher than the Plymouth Volare. They were essentially the same car.

I don't put much stock in there car ratings.

Ever since I found out they rate brake dust as a problem.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I don't agree with THAT! The 203 C Class cars, mechanically, structurally and sitting in the drivers seat are a Masterpiece IMHO. It's the gadgetry that makes a nightmare out of them. If you could wave a magic wand that took all that gadgetry out of it, it would be a GREAT car, and it would CERTAINLY be FAR superior to a Neon and MOST other cars when in the drivers seat.

They just got ahead of themselves on the technology with fiberoptics throughout the car, exotic traction control that even includes a gyroscope, etc.