Is merecedes too troublesome ? - Page 7 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

joel · #91 09-04-2003, 11:48 PM

i love my 89 300E and am confident that i will drive
it for many, many miles.

But my 1984 Toyota LE Van with 213K miles is
still all original, never failed any emission test. I also
still see a lot of them on the road.

haasman · #92 09-05-2003, 12:25 AM

I prefer driving a Mercedes. I like them, I like servicing them (for the most part) and my Dad owed his life to being protected by one during a horrific accident.

I guess this all adds up to pay to play-

Haasman

stevebfl · #93 09-05-2003, 07:34 AM

This thread is 7 pages long and I think I read enough of it to be amazed it took this long till someone pointed out safety as a consideration.

I don't usually think about it. I'm sure that is because I have driven a 3000+lb German car (Porsche, MB, or BMW) for the last 30 years.

I'm sure a year in a Honda would be an awareness shattering experience.

BenzBob · #94 09-05-2003, 09:12 AM

Yes, I am also amazed that it took this long to bring up the subject of safety. I guess everyone was keeping a narrow eye on the maintenance/repair cost factor.

Now that this factor has been introduced, I would like to say that when I consider purchase of any vehicle, I consider safety first! It makes no sense to save several thousands on initial purchase if you will pay later in possible medical costs after an accident (if you are so fortunate as to survive). Even after medical costs and recuperation, people just do not think about any permanent injuries that they will have to live with for the rest of their lives. I would much rather spend my money on a safe car even if it is not as trouble free as the most reliable vehicle I could purchase.

One last point, some cars have great crash ratings but they are designed to only pass the specific criteria of the test. These manufacuters do not take into consideration the vast array of crash conditions that occur in everyday life. Also, crash tests only take into account "passive" safety and do not even consider "active" safety features that keep you out of the accident to begin with.

What would you rather spend your dollars on, repair costs to your vehicle or medical costs for yourself with the possibility of lifelong injuries. When you look at it this way, a few more problems or a few more dollars just does not make economic sense to me.

Benzwood · #95 09-05-2003, 04:09 PM

Hey, I brought up safety in my first post, way back on page 2!

When I bought my car, one of the others under consideration was (shudder) a new Hyundai. A lot cheaper than a comparable Toyota/Honda, good features, great warranty, seemed like a good "disposable" car to cart the family around for a few years with minimal hassle. Then I looked at some of the safety ratings... and forget it. Not with a family.

ahobgood · #96 09-06-2003, 05:40 PM

Just read Albert Champion's post re: his fleet of Mercedes.

As the owner of both a 95 E320 sedan and wagon, which I think are great, great cars, I can only say...damn!! A 95 E320 Cab with 11,000 miles!!!

mnstang · #97 09-06-2003, 06:42 PM

mercedes has their problems just like everyone else does, stuff happens, things break...
i don't see why some people sit around and badmouth these cars though. think about it, mercedes is always on the leading edge of technology, it's kind of hard to basically invent new systems, and be compared to hondas 10 years later when they finally copycat a similar system, when all the bugs are worked out.
look at everything mercedes has done... they're always years and years ahead of their time. how many cars other than MB's can be driven without putting the key in the ignition? how many have electronic brakes? how many had airbags in 84? how many cars todays still don't have ETR's? they're the first company to develop ALOT of systems on cars all over on the road. (and the new 112/113 engines are pretty darn good except the occasional oil consumption, but that's covered by warranty til 150k now anyway)
won't even mention all the things a new mercedes will do for the driver without even the driver knowing it's happening, and the driver will never even know it's a feature! it's mind boggling all the things these cars do without the customer even knowing about, just to make it a more pleasurable experience.
and if you don't need all the bells and whistles (that "always break"), then mercedes benz is probably not the right car for you.
i skipped the pages after 2 so if i missed something, that's why.

Peter Fearing · #98 09-07-2003, 11:47 AM

Would someone kindly explain just why MB require so much (if it is "so much") maintenace? I have over 180,000 trouble free miles on my 97 C280 and have never done anything except change the/filter. The car runs flawlessly. and I schudder at some of the problems some folks have had. Am I just lucky? Or smart enough to stay away from MB dealers?

stevebfl · #99 09-07-2003, 12:12 PM

Personally, I think MB's are currently very low on maintenance.

Your maintenance record reminds me of a couple observations I have made over this life.

The first was as I was growing up: I can remember my dad talking about some of my cousins (the ones in particular had much better funding than our family). He used to point out to other family members how his kids could own a toy truck for years and never get a scratch on them, while these cousins had their toys broke before the Christmas holiday was over. As I grew older I noticed that there are inherent differences between those who tear things up and those than can make a piece of equipment last forever.

The second observation actually was very similar but directly applied to automobiles, or at least the automobiles of one of my college room mates. He came from a poor family that probably had never maintained anything. He had a practice of never doing anything until it broke. As a techno nut, I knew he would get his just deserts eventually with such a practice.

It turns out that he is the only one of my old college chums to still live in Gainesville and I am still waiting for his just deserts. He has to be the epitome of the concept my dad expressed. He can feel problems (maybe psychicly) and adjust the way he uses the product to start wearing it differently, thus absolutely wearing it out before having to fix it for some minor lack.

To point out this kind of subconscious activity I can point to a number of things I do when driving. Many are suttle but one I plan is that I periodically change the position I grip the steering wheel so I don't wear through in any place.

More power to those psychics that can make a car wear out evenly and avoid proper maintenance. For the rest, you better do more than just change filters in a 180,000 miles.

pmpski_1 · #**100** 09-07-2003, 02:40 PM

I was looking for a new car about a year ago and many vehicles came across the radar. My girlfriend's father has been a Mercedes Fanatic for over 30 years now so there was a lot of leaning toward a Benz.

I went to his house one day to find a his 300e sitting in the driveway, totaled. A drunk driver hit him at approximately 50 mph. He walked away from the accident unscathed. Seeing that totaled car and knowing that he was OK made me choose a Mercedes right away.

Now I have a 300TE and have just completed a 7000 mile road trip. I have done the same trip in another car (Chevy Beretta) and vowed that I would never drive that far again. After doing it in the Benz I cannot wait to do it next year!

Momo · #**101** 09-07-2003, 04:20 PM

In Japan, almost all cars get junked, or sold overseas, no matter what the make, due to the extreme severity and expense of the inspection they have to go through when they are four years old. This is also why Japanese cars go through a four-year model cycle.

Momo

MALK · #**102** 09-07-2003, 07:22 PM

when i lived Germany and Spain safety was the only issue.state inspection was for rust,any noticed, fix it or no license tag. MB and BMW were the only to last more than 5 years without the owners selling to the GI's who were exempt from the rules.
the question is... what manufacture has automobiles still on the road 20,30 years maybe 40 years .and there are still guys crying the blues their 25 year auto doesn't cut it.
i would agree looking at this and other forums, after 1990 ,maybe ,the DIY is not in an good position to fix much.

Angel · #**103** 09-07-2003, 11:57 PM

I'm kinda surprised no one has mentioned this...we have a whole forum devoted to it

(...For those of us that live in the US...)

If you want a diesel-powered car, **no one else sells one ** save MB and VW. Are there other diesels out there ? yes (GM, Isuzu, toyota...none full sized though). and calling a Jetta "full-sized" is kinda pushing it IMHO. Diesel truck ? okay, I'll cave on that one, credit the power/image hungry 'Mericans for that one. I dont think everyone considers Full size trucks and full size cars interchangeable.
Not everyone wants a diesel, and I'm not going to argue reasoning, I'm just saying that if you want a Diesel car, new or used, it's gonna say MB or VW on it.

-John

psfred · #**104** 09-08-2003, 01:27 AM

On the subject of reliability:

A young friend of mine (college age) has (I think) a Toyota. 93, about 100,000 miles on it, has replaced this year both axle shafts, a clutch, front struts, and front control arms. He drives it fairly hard, but even so I'd not think a Benz would have had this sort of stuff done, most of it would last 200,000 instead.

He's supposed to come out later this week to investigate a steering wander (no point in trying to look under the car at night on the street) -- steering rack worn out?

Peter

zero4588 · #**105** 09-08-2003, 01:43 AM

Yikes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Got another window regulator shot agian today, the 5th one since purchasing this piece of ****e. Drove two hours home with window open on the freeway.

Isn't Mercedes so F**King touble free. Gotta take it down to the dealer tomorrow. Good thing that I have automatic payment for my account at the dealership.*

*Please excuse my tone of voice. Just trying to blow off some disapointing steam.