CRB

Autoweek just finished up a long-term test for C320 wagon and didn't have too many kind things to say.

Autoweek finishes off long-term C320 wagon test.

What bothers me is that many of the problems that were fixed recurred before the test was over. I hope Autoweek doesn't fill out an evaluation form for JD Powers or Consumer Reports.

SOC320

Saw the article. I hope that it was a fluke. However, it does seem like a pretty wide array of problems affecting different systems.

Anyone in the real world experiencing similar?

mbtech208

Must have been a bad example car. Some of those problems I've never even seen before. Anti-roll bar bushings? Cloudy fog lamp lens? Broken glovebox? Hmmm.....

RedC230K

Dave,
At 20k miles, my torsion bar bushings have failed and, at low speeds, it sounds like the whole front end is falling out from under the car.
It took 14 trips to the dealer to fix the sunroof.
My CD player died.
The steering wheel buttons cracked.
The contol arm bushings had to be replaced.
The Smart keys have failed.
BAS/ESP lights - constant annoyance
Driver's seat latch mechanism failed
numerous plastic interior parts break - nearly constantly
headlight washer mechanism broke

I have to stop there. It's too depressing.

And I actually baby my car.

SOC320

Sheesh. I would put in a call to MBUSA just to let them know and have them document. Express your dissatisfaction of the quality of your car and see if they suggest a means of making it right. It looks to me that you've spent much of your time servicing and tending to your car.

brabus c

sorry to hear bout that...

RedC230K

Thanks, guys. I love the car.
But, you know....

My Volkswagen never had a problem even ONCE in 68,000 miles.

The lesson I learned: Never buy version 1 of ANYTHING. hahahahaha

Benzer

RED - please tell me what was the problem with you sun roof and how it was FINALLY fixed (if it is fixed). I am on the 4th trip to the dealer for the sun roof and am getting very tired of it now. Espcially when i keep getting stuck with bottom of the heap GM loaners.

My sunroof makes very very ennoying clunking noises when closed and at low to moderate speed.

Thanks

Buellwinkle

Typically MB's are not that realiable, if you have a good one then that's great. I've had 4 and while the state of california called one a lemon they weren't really horrible like a Yugo or Fiat. They really slipped in the JD Powers 5 yr dependability surveys and that's a shame because they weren't that good before so to see them slip like that is bad. Doesn't mean I don't like the car or the service, just think that a premium car should have premium reliability.

RedC230K

They never could find the rattle in mine - they even suspected a structural flaw. In the end, they sent it to a body shop and had the entire roof mechanism replaced from windsheild to hatch.

mleskovar

Actually, they did have many kind things to say. If it weren't for the obvious defects it would have been a good report. Unfortunately this wasn't an isolated case. Not reliability related problems but annoyances requiring service visits.
Took MB several visits to fix a couple of my problems. I would still buy another Merc before a "defect free" Lexus or whatever because I feel the ride and feel is superior. And yes, because I paid more for the car I expect more quality and am disappointed but not put off.

Jim Banville

Buellwinkle, you just can't resist making the same irrelevant remarks in these types of threads can you? PLEASE tell us how the C class ranked in the 5 year JD power study, NOT an "average" for the entire MB line. Also, please remember to quote JD Power's associate who stated that the first few years of the poor ML class was the biggest reason for MB's low OVERALL score on this particular study.

Please post a study that says the C class is anything less than average when it comes to reliability.

By the way, we discussed this long-term wrap-up review several months ago.

speedfrk

The current c class was new in 01, so a 5 yr avg is meaningless for our cars. Consumers Reports lists the c class to be much worse than avg for expected reliability. I don't know how they arrive at that, but probably by using 01 data to predict the 02 reliability. My car is reliable in the sense that it always starts and gets me to my destination, but the transmission has never shifted right from day one, it burns a qt of oil every 2000 miles, it has had to be in the shop for the ESP/BAS problem, fuel sender problem, the hinge on the rear hatch cover ripped right off, etc. But it is "reliable" - A reliable POS.

Outland

In a year of ownership my only problem Ive had is a cracked button on the steering wheel. Car runs great! No oil usage, no issues whatsoever. I love it!

If this is unreliable, I'll take it over my last so called "reliable" car, a Honda Accord. What a POS.