Japanese cars are great cars for people who don't understand cars and just want to put gas in them. In most cases this is car abuse. People who barely change their oil and have no idea about how a car works buy Japanese cars. When these people buy a more complicated machine like a Mercedes that is designed by Germans who go through a complex licencing program which teaches them about how a car works before they even drive one problems arrise


rchase...what an interesting reply...been a long time since I have posted in this forum...but I feel like I need to chime in
I guess from your quote above it seems to me a good idea that the germans need to hire some of the japanese...when you can't get the simple sytems to work right.....AC evap...window lifts..wiring ..etc something is wrong..I can understand issues in the complex systems...but C/mon why could they not build the 140 with an A/C that would work

Let me tell you the story about the 1992 300SD( 140) that I used to own...many here may remember my car but I will post again to refresh

Bought the car in the late 90's with a 2 year warranty. Had been a 1 owner car owned by a doctor and bought at at Merecedes of Morristown NJ in December 1991
Full MB dealer records indicating a shorted out instrument cluster in 1994 and also MB updated some front end parts and replaced all the tires under warranty.
There was also an evap core replacement in 1996. All of this was warranty work except for the evap where MB paid half of the $2500.00 repair.

I buy the car and asked the dealer .." should I be concered about these issues in the past"..he told me these were average for a 140 and the car had had all the updates

Anyway...during the 2 years of warranty I had on the car.

Closing assist pump
AC evap core(2ND TIME!!)
complete engine long block assembly replaced
AC switchover valve
climate control dash push button control unit
LR window regulator
various front end replacement parts
Alternator
and few other items I forgot to mention I am sure

Total cost to the warranty company for these was about $20,000
All repairs done at my local MB dealer


after warranty period was over:

becker radio exchanged with a rebuilt unit
becker 10 disc CD changer rebuilt
Bose amplifier replaced

I have to say I VERY picky and the car when I got rid of it was cherry...however I was tired of messing with it...and whn I did the value of the car versues the repair ratio it did n't make sense

Have you noticed how cheap you can get a 140( or 220) for these days...( or 126 for that matter)...it hardly makes sense to repair them

anyway so I bought a certified 2000 BMW 740I in 2004 and the costs to warrnty company have been less that $1000

So as for the statement that german cars always break...not true

good luck

Warren
2000 BMW 740I with full sports package
1992 MB 300SD(sold)

Columbus Ohio