LOL! So very true. That's why I ditched CL a long time ago.

I have the same opinions as ksing44 about my 1994 E320 (W124). I purchased this car 6 years ago with 30k miles and have no regrets whatsoever. The car has been extremely reliable and has never let me down. I keep the car in excellent condition and 99% of the people have know idea how old the car is. I have an S front grille, clear corner lenes and custom wheels which I think gives it a contempory look. I would like to buy the wagon if I had the room.

Actually, the 124 wagon and sedan are within a couple of inches of one another in length, perhaps 1 inch overall. it's not that much difference. We have a 1995 E320 wagon and a 1994 E-class sedan as well, and both are excellent cars.

Cheers,
Gerry

I have always proudly owned Mercedes and had no problem until now. My ML 320 has been leaving me stranded by the road. First there was a crack in the Catalytic Converter, then there were strange vibrations, the vehicle looses power for no apparent reason and the problems go on. Can anyone tell me if these problems are related to the harmonic valve?

Anna

Mercedes are only reliable when cared for by a caring owner and a knowledgable technician, it really helps if you happen to be both.

I recently traded a 1986 560SEL w/148k for a 1963 22SEb coupe. My 560 had been maintained well and never left me stranded, it did however have a few issues with the climate control, cruise control and self-leveling. The coupe was drained of its fluids and parked in a field 10 years ago.

Fill the fluids, change the filters, new battery, turn the key and Wa-La...my new daily driver. That's why Benz is the best!

__________________
Kyle Fitzpatrick
Materials Engineer

1969 300SEL 6.3
1992 300E
1994 E320 Touring

I'm a 16 valver, my first MB. I love my car, and I am looking forward to a mid-90's SL. My 16V was an abused child, rode hard and put away wet, and has taken two and a half years to straighten out. I am a licsensed aircraft tech and a heavy DIY tech and would vote this car to be complex but worth the trouble. I vow never to own an asian car, they are just not the same.

__________________
'87 190E 2.3-16
Heated Seats, Graphite Dash,
Delsing shift bushings

A problem with the harmonic balancer could cause the vibrations, but not the power loss or the catalytic converter cracking. The ML was the first vehicle built at the Alabama plant, and has had more than its share of quality problems, especially '98 and '99 models.

My ML drives beautifully, but has been stranded by a bad harmonic balancer and a failed driveshaft center bearing. Other issues such as the cracked catalytic converter could be addressed on my terms.

__________________
Lenny

There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games. --Ernest Hemingway

'10 GL550/'04 BMW 545/'99 BMW 323/'98 ML320/'87 VW GTI (race)

I am driving a '96 E320 so I am qualified, I think, to express my opinion. Is MB too troublesome? We are all consumers, just read problems associated the MB on several MB websites, then read problems associated with Lexus and Infinity on several websites, and we all can make a clear judgement call from there, it's very clear... then we understand why more people are jumping ships from MB to Lexus. For people who care more about quality , they don't care about MB names anymore, its engine is probably still good, but its electronic portion of the car is years behind the Japs. Since new cars are controlled so much by computers nowaday, your car does not run smoothly not because of the engine but the computer that controls it. The German are too proud to copy the Japs, but the Japs are not afraid of copying the German (as long as it's legal) and make it better. I traveled to Germany a lot in the past and I've learned one interesting thing about its culture: there are 3 ways of doing business: the Right way, the Wrong way and the German way. Unless I see major improvements in MB's electronic components, I don't think MB would get a second chance from me.
I guess the same applies to GM and it's clear , to me anyway, the reasons why GM is in a deep hole. IMO, GM management can't see pass the bottom line, they should have seen troubles coming in the 80s. They should make better quality cars, they are so greedy making huge SUVs because of higher profits margin, but those things bite them in the rear end... We American sure want to have the "buy American attitude", but not to the point where we are losing money due to poor quality cars and at the same time those GM CEO and upper managers pocket high salaries... I just feel sorry for people who work for GM and Delphi... Lesson to be learned.

I just purchased a 1992 190e 2.3 with 90,000 miles. It appears to have been well maintained and runs like a top. I needed a second car that would not suck the gas to get me back and forth to work. I looked at alot of Nissans and the likes and found what I thought was a gem. After reading this Im affraid I may have made a mistake. What am I in for in the coming months?

Dudley, no one knows, but you might want to have some handtools and jackstands around just in case.

A M E N ! ! ! You speak the truth.

Cheers,
Gerry

(I just purchased a 1992 190e 2.3 with 90,000 miles. It appears to have been well maintained and runs like a top. I needed a second car that would not suck the gas to get me back and forth to work. I looked at alot of Nissans and the likes and found what I thought was a gem. After reading this Im affraid I may have made a mistake. What am I in for in the coming months?)

I am told that older MBs are better than newer ones, probably due to less electronic components in them (I don't like to make statements without data to back them up). I change oil often (3-4K miles for non syns and 7-8K miles for syns oil) and change spark plugs as recommended by car mfg, I change trans oil every 60K miles, I change coolant every 3yrs or 20K miles which ever comes first... So far they work well for me. If you can find a reliable indy mechanic, then get to know and work with him (them) ... Good Luck

Thanks for feedback duong.

Remember what I said about GM... now they reported 30,000 jobs lost. Sad story. But they rob the future for the benefits of next month's bottom line. People can't tolerate low quality products and poor service anymore. Customers are King, if companies don't understand that then they will disappear like Yugo, Peugeot, Fiat...

Funny how J D Powers dissagrees with your statement.....quite a few GM products are far more reliable than Mercedes....and hold the top 10 best slots....

__________________
Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
---------------------
Section 609 MVAC Certified
---------------------
"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche