Mike T.

Umm, OK.

GTIDAN

Buell
Check out this site and you can read all about the most recalled new vehicle made in recent years.........that great Ford Focus.

http://asp.usatoday.com/money/autos/...s-recall_x.htm

Lets lighten up a little.........

My experience with Fords/Mercury cars since I was a little boy....no barbs please

1955 Mercury Montclair...Dad's pride and joy. Motor crashed, door rattles, shock bolt came out and shock dragged on the road.

1959 Mercury Montclair. Rear window quit going up or down...it was raining at the time.. I know I was in the back seat...

1965 Mustang.........whoa what a POS. Everything broke, tranny, windows, wheel bearings, etc.

1973 Ford LTD. My car. While driving down I-10 in Nebraska the steering wheel suddenly pulled right and I almost lost it. Pulled into a gas station and put it up on the lift. Wow...the nut came off the lower A-frame and the bolt had almost sliped out. Now that would have been nice while I was crusing about 80. The tranny started to slip and one of those wonderful Firestone 500 tires blew out at speed.

1979 Mercury Comet...Dad's car. Burned oil like a stove. Tranny shifted rough and I mean rough. Dealer said normal for the car. Dash rattles, door rattles.

Your talking to the wrong guy when you try to make this old fart believe Ford has it together. Never be another Ford product no matter what name it goes by in my garage...

My benz may not be perfect but the I feel safe in knowing the wheels arn't going to fall off.

If you love those Fords........why not dump the benz and get a Lincoln. I hear they are almost giving them away with the free financing.

Your so funny..........you love to bait people....but I still love ya...

When you going to get the K/N Air Filter and have it dyno'ed?

CHECKMATE

Owned:

61' VW-Great college car, rotten valve train
62' Austin Healey-Lots of fun but totally hosed Lucas electrics
64' GTO-Handling: , Straight line power, fuel .40/gal
68' GTO-POS
74' Volvo-A tank with all the style of an outhouse
76' Volvo-Stone reliable
62' Jag MkII 2.5-Wish I still had it, chrome wires, RHD and more wood than Sherwood
64' Austin Healey 3000 Mk111-Rebuilt twice, concours points the second time around, a pain but would'nt let it go
79 MB 240D-Long range tanks, marine fuel filter, zero problems
80 MB 300SD-Euro Cactus Green, stone reliable at 220K miles
94 BMW 530T-Drives great, dealers suck, high maintenance costs and cheap assembly bits. Won't buy another BM!!
99 MB 230 Komp-Zero problems, but black too hard to keep up
02 MB C320 Wagon-Zero problems, nothing about it I don't like, wish I had two!

Great long term experience with MB's, have dealt exclusively with Hoehn Motors, Carlsbad CA-great dealer, with outstanding service dept. Free washes, free cookies, free MB loaners.[COLOR=red][B]

Buellwinkle

Dan, Dan, Dan,

1984 - 190D - taken back under the lemon law that was just enacted in CA.

1984 - 190D (2nd one) - transmission, horn, radio replaced within 2 weeks. Spent many a day in the dealer before loaners where in vogue

1984 - 300SD - someone told me that my problems were 190 related because I bought the cheap MB (sound familiar) - also a POS

2002 - C230 - figure that after 18 years MB would have learned from the beating they took from Lexus, Acura and Infiniti. Nope, same POS but at least they have loaners now, makes it all worthwhile. What MB couldn't do in reliability the dealers made up for in customer service.

1960 - T-bird - got it as a classic car, had issues, dumped it
1977 - Mustang II - what can I say, flawless
1978 - Mustang II - same
1979 - T-Bird - same
1980 - Mustang - 105K miles, flawless
1985 - Mustang GT - flawless but scary dangerous to drive
1994 - Ranger - flawless
1998 - Mustang - flawless - still have
2001 - F150 - short lived, kid didn't want it after 1 month, flawless of course

Dan, I drive my coupe because I like the car despite it's poor build quality

CitronC230K_03

when life hands you lemons, make lemonaide. looks like you can open up a stand buell

viper

Buell,

I've had 3 Mustang GT's over the years but for you to say ANY Mustang is flawless is stretching reality to new heights. The fit and finish on Mustangs is terrible and those cars have all kinds of squeaks and rattles even when new. The only reason to buy a Mustang GT is because it is fast and relatively cheap. But they don't last. They were not designed or assembled to last.

Buellwinkle

Just giving my experience, not saying the Ford is a better vehicle, just consistantly more realiable for me. My '98 Convertible has been in for warranty claims but nit picky cosmetic stuff to try to get a free top out of them towards the end of the 3 yr warranty, not mechanical failures like the MBs. What I have experienced is that the I4 and V6 Mustangs don't have the harsh suspension which makes is not rattle as much or not at all. The '98 Convertible is incredibly tight car with no rattles or squeaks but it is a V6, even after my daughter tore the rear end off in a trip sideways into a ravine.

CitronC230K_03

or forget the stand and just squeeze the free carwashes and loaners from those lemons!

columbus

...you forgot to mention the free donuts and coffe

Buellwinkle

That's muffins and coffee.

CitronC230K_03

do they have an espresso bar? if so i may drop by for a wash on the way back from my parents when i visit them.

GTIDAN

Took the car in today to have them address the ESP/BAS problems and the engine light I showed you the other day.

As you might remember the first time I took the car in for the ESP/BAS problem they replaced the wiring harness. Today the fault codes told them the problem was in the brake pressure sensors. The problem comes from using the wrong material for the contacts. They were replaced with gold and they tell me I should not have any more problems.....will see

The engine light code indicated two bad coils on the 2 and 3rd sparkplugs. They replaced all the coils and put in new plugs.

I have to say my only problems have been not mechancical but rather electronics. I did and still feel the built quality of the car is great. It's rock solid, very little suspension noise and the fit and finish are first rate. Now if they can just get the electronics to work all the time theywill have a nice product...

I kidded the service writer that a friend told me to have MB contact Lexus and find out where there computers are made and get one from them. The service writer told me to go and check out the web and I will find Lexus is having similar problems with there electronics as well. Will have to check it out...

Buell:
The current edition of Consumer Reports (their new car issue) has a section listing the most reliable and least reliable cars. Guess what? Under the LEAST reliable were both the S and X type Jaguars.....go figure..

Still love the 'benz'

Buellwinkle

Consumer reports doesn't count, it's not a random sample like JD Powers, it's a list of whining subscribers. All the Jag-X owners I know barely know where their dealer is, I know every service writer and mechanic by name, now that is very scary.

Sorry to hear you are having so much trouble with your "reliable" car. It's just the begining, it doesn't get better for at least a year. Is Fletcher Jones still providing loaners, I heard they are limiting loaners to select customers and the rest get rentals.

CitronC230, sorry, you will have to go to Fletcher Jones MB in NewPorche Beach to get an expresso bar and haircut. Laguna Niguel is just a mere shadow of NewPorche Beach. The best coffee is at the Jag dealer in Santa Ana.

Mike T.

I hear that the new US Yugo (ZMW) dealers are going to have free gourmet meals like Volaille de Bresse aux gousses d'ail confites and Chambertin wines, will repaint your car free every week and have Maybach 62 loaners.

GTIDAN

Buell....
It dosen't count because you choose to ignore it. It does count to the rest of us....Remember the survey you brag about is on cars five years old. It seems the NEW ones can't make it 90 days without turning to junk and that's my point.

Fletcher Jones continues to give out loaner cars as follows: If you drive a 2003, 2002, 2001 or 2000 MB you get a MB as a loaner. They have both E and C class for that purpose. The rest get Chrysler junk.

Did you know Fletcher Jones owns a dealership in Chicago as well as the Newport shop. The two together do over 700 MILLION in sales with the Newport shop doing 450 MILLION of the total.

If you don't mine driving a rebadged Ford go get the Jaguar. Was in Tecate, Mexico yesterday and saw a Ford Montero. As you know the X is bulit on the same chassis. The S is built on the Lincoln LS you seem to love.......Boring, boring, boring. Also saw another Ford product new to me. A Ford KA made in Brazil. Looks like it's made out of beer cans.

Will stick with the 'benz'. Again my problems have been with sourced out products like the computer. The built quality I think is excellent. All the parts, panels and such fit. I drove over some really potholed gravel roads yesterday and I never heard so much a peep from the chassis or interior. Even my VW would have had a littlle creak or noise over some spots.

Buellwinkle

Come on Dan, everyone knows a C-Coupe is a rebadge Dodge Neon and the Jag X-type uses part of the chassis from a Ford Mondeo, only available in Europe, not a Mitsubishi Montero or a Ford Tempo as you suggest. Also, sharing a chassis with a Lincoln LS is a good thing, I would have bought a Mustang if they released that chassis sooner but couldn't wait for the 2004. And yes it's more important to know the car will be trouble free after the warranty is up than getting a bunch of nice loaners in the first 90 days.

Of course Fletcher Jones has big money, repairing MBs is big business, no other car requires that much work. You don't see that many Jag only repair shops around town but there are certainly many MB only repair shops. At least they share some of that by offering expresso/latte's/capuccinos.

mongoman

Buellwinkle , You said it well, my C320, C2, C3, C4, Leather, Command, is back for the 15th trip in. ( in 28,000 miles) I do count on the car washes, free feed, and the variety of loaners (320s to PT Cruisers). I'm amused at the people coming in crying about their early build E 320s. Same things we went thru. I've only got 12 months left on my lease and can tell you I'm outaa here and back to a boring realiable anything else.

GTIDAN

Ok, ok.....................I give up.........I'm over it.........I'm outta here.

:o :o :o

MarkL

Good G-D, what have your problems been? My 2002 C240 w/ 13K miles has been in once for "A" service. Oh, the steering wheel lock/unlock motor jammed once while away from home and I had to get a tow. But, the MB dealer in the town where I was did an excellent job of getting it fixed and back on the road. My Mercedes is the best car I've ever had, and I've owned many. I think a lot of you guys experiencing repeat visits are victims of dealers who don't know what they're doing -- don't diagnose the problem on the first visit, and don't do the repair right the first time... I won't think twice about getting my next one!

GTIDAN

If you read enough of Buell's postings you'll see a pattern of complaining. He's a nice guy. I've met him a couple times but I think he's a dealer's nightmare.

Any and everything that does not seem exactly right he goes in and complains about it. He loves to bait you as well so be aware. He may not take the position he expresses at all but rather is just looking for a response.

Now about my car.
I've had three problems in the first four months.
1) Rattle in trunk area. Replaced the molding around the hatch and now the car is quiet like a vault.
2) Engine light came on. Replaced two coils and all the spark plugs. Seems to be ok now.
3) BAS/ESP shows a fault. Been in to dealer three times and it still keeps coming back. Replaced wiring harness and contacts to date. Still there. Going back on Thursday...11/14.

Do I like the car? Absolutely...fun to drive and it has that Mercedes solid feel on the road.

Footnote: Don't take Buell to seriously....he means well. It's just that he was dropped on his head as a baby and woke up sitting in a Ford product. Now it's Fords forever....He'll get over it in time LOL

Buellwinkle

Riiiiight! You'll be back, like a moth to a flame.

I never said I didn't like my car. I also like all the loaners. Wouldn't have it any other way!

BlackC230Coupe

its amazing to hear how many people have problems with there MB's i think some people may have small problems that they make into big problems. i would be willing to believe some of those reliablitly problems with MB's if i have experienced them. In my household we have had over 10 brand new mercedes in about 6 years and we never once had a serious problem with one, other than on a cupple windows getting stuck on my moms E430 and ML430. but other than that its hard for me to belive all these problems if i never experienced them. Myabe we just got lucky.

i dont know how u deal with getting all those loaners buell, to me its just such a hassle waiting for my car to get done and then making the trip back to the dealer. i dont care what rental they give me, i would rather have my own car.

Buellwinkle

Thanks for reminding me, the power steering pump is making unusual noises when turning left. I'll call right now for an appointment. No worries, they are only 1 mile away.

amdeutsch

ROFL

I smell a betting pool coming up

mongoman

My 320 was an early build bought new in Nov 2000. Would never have expected this from MB. I've had everthing from bad wiring, bad brakes, bad keys, moving wobbling front seats, plus a host of more minor things. I paid 44 grand and did expect more. On the bright side the level of dealer service has been great. I'm also happy to hear that the later builds you guys bought are better. I just feel like the earlyMB 320/240 buyers became the last step in determining what needed fixing for the later builds.


As a side note, I also have an LS 430 bought in Dec 2000 (Another new model) that has been back just once for a minor window adjustment. building a new model right can be done!@