Almost Done With MB...Never Again! - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

KylePavao · #1 09-25-2007, 01:15 AM

But the point is supposed to be that MB is the pinnacle of engineering, reliability, et cetera... Engineered Like No Other Car in The World? That used to be the slogan. If I am paying 51K for an E350..I want that thing to be bulletproof...at least that will make up for the price difference between that and a Lexus or Infiniti or other Japanese model. I want to see cutting edge performing at it's best, and reliably. That's the whole Benz reputation; quality. That's why up until recently all Benz taxis in the fatherland..BMW is creeping in after my recent trip there..

Carleton Hughes · #2 09-25-2007, 07:45 AM

You poor slob

I could not agree with you more.
Got a '98 E300 and it has been literally one issue after another but being a handy fellow with a backgound in mechanics and electronics I,with the INVALUABLE help of member of this forum{and my code scanner} have been able to remedy everything no matter how simple or difficult,as a perusal of my posts will show since I have,until now enjoyed the superb handling and economy it offers.

But you know one thing...I'M GODDAM TIRED!!!Worse than my damn Jaguar....at least with that car it was essentially lucas relays and Jetronic fuel pressure regs,maybe a coolant temp sensor... But this monster is unpredictable!
I know,I know....it's nearly 10 years old,but then I've collected,bought and sold historic cars for most of my life and it was just coil,points and condenser,carb rebuild,new clutch,oil and tranny seals...you get the picture.

I was bantering with another forum member here about selling it but I really like the guy,why would I want to unload any future problems on him?

At this point I'll just fix it up,detail the hell out of it and let some hoople fall in love with it,then I can get the best manual tranny 123 out there.....hopefully a wagon.

A264172 · #3 09-25-2007, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carleton Hughes

...
I know,I know....it's nearly 10 years old,but then I've collected,bought and sold historic cars for most of my life and it was just coil,points and condenser,carb rebuild,new clutch,oil and tranny seals...you get the picture.

I was bantering with another forum member here about selling it but I really like the guy,why would I want to unload any future problems on him?

At this point I'll just fix it up,detail the hell out of it and let some hoople fall in love with it,then I can get the best manual tranny 123 out there.....hopefully a wagon.

When do the 2008's come out? Look out bub, she's made it to double digits. As Father Fran might say, "time for her first beer".
There is something nice about an older car for a man that does his own work. I think you've hit on it with the term... predictable. As time goes by, when you've replaced most every system, you get to know what may soon come to fail and what will surly not, at a level of intimacy usually reserved for only the oldest and best used of whores.

Obnoxio · #4 09-25-2007, 09:39 AM

Sorry to hear of all this pain you folks are having with your "newer" Mercedes. But, I have to smile deep in my blackened soul

: My ex wife recently purchased a 1999 E320 (?). I cant wait for the fun to begin on her end

Meanwhile, my 82 300D keeps rolling along.

LUVMBDiesels · #5 09-25-2007, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carleton Hughes

...it was just coil,points and condenser,carb rebuild,new clutch,oil and tranny seals...you get the picture.

I am with you on that one. The one big reason I love the '83 is because it is completely mechanical and I can understand it. The '84 BMW has Jetronic injection, but still has a lot of mechanical bits as well as it is not too bad but the 1999 is a complete mystery and I cannot deal with it.

I miss setting dwell, timing, carb jetting, etc. Used to be you could tune a car by ear with nothing more than a screwdriver, feeler gauge, and a spark plug wrench.

However for you guys who still want a new MB don't give up yet. They are getting better at least according to my friend doing QA on their parts suppliers. They have gotten the message that their cars are unreliable and are trying to fix it. They do not want to become the Jaguar of the 2000's
I feel for you guys with cars from 1992-2003 though they went through ten years of producing crap ummm EXPENSIVE crap. Oh, they had excuses like "MB cars have to be on the cutting edge of technology to please our customers, that is why our cars have teething issues not found in lesser brands" I say that is crap nobody should be a guinea pig for a car company- that's what prototypes are for. I think they got this through their heads with the new C-Class...

Zeus · #6 09-25-2007, 10:11 AM

lol - man, you guys are bitter!

While I do understand the frustration, I have to disagree in some areas.

My E430 has been a dream thus far. Consider that these cars are close to 10 years old. Consider that they cost upwards of $70-80 new. I paid a mere fraction of that, $16K. Say you lease a new Audi or BMW for $500/mo over 4 years, $3000 down. That's $27,000. So, if you add in $10K for repairs over 4 years for the E430, and you are still better off than leasing a new car, which would cost more and leave you with nothing at the end of the lease. $10K can fix a LOT of problems and of course a 10 year old car will have problems.

People think that just because it is a Benz, it should last forever. The older chassis cars were infinitely more simple in all areas. So, yes, they are easier to maintain and service. I miss tuning the dual carbs on my 1971 250, but those days are gone, plain and simple. Time to break out the OBDII scanners. Apples to oranges. Do I miss the way my 250 drove? Hell no!

The major areas in my mind are the chassis, engine and tranny. There are plenty of happy 210 owners out there driving high-mileage cars that just keep going and going. I look at the features my car has - ESP, power everything, xenons, rear electric sunshade, rain-sensing wiper, etc. and I can't think of another car that could match the luxury, safety and performance I get with my E430 - not for the same numbers.

Visit ANY car forum and you will find the same gripes. Lexus, VW, Audi, BMW...each and every forum will have a post like this.

Bottom line is that with any car, a lot of it comes down to luck. Maintenance and diligence play a key but after that it is luck.

My W124 - considered one of the best MB's ever - had its own share of problems. Same with the W123 that preceeded it, etc. Looking back fondly on past cars seems to bring a tad of selective memory along with it (myself included).

Hatterasguy · #7 09-25-2007, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KylePavao

But the point is supposed to be that MB is the pinnacle of engineering, reliability, et cetera... Engineered Like No Other Car in The World? That used to be the slogan. If I am paying 51K for an E350..I want that thing to be bulletproof...at least that will make up for the price difference between that and a Lexus or Infiniti or other Japanese model. I want to see cutting edge performing at it's best, and reliably. That's the whole Benz reputation; quality. That's why up until recently all Benz taxis in the fatherland..BMW is creeping in after my recent trip there..

Half the people in my office drive late model MB's, they are all perfectly happy.

Drove an 07 CLK550 today. Great car, only 6k miles on it so far but totaly trouble free.

Faster then hell to, that V8 sounds sweet!