C300 My Three Month Review. (Long!)
12-22-2014, 10:55 AM
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C300 My Three Month Review. (Long!)
I drove my new Iridium Silver C300 off the dealer’s lot on September 22nd, 2014. It was exactly what I was looking for … a stylish compact sedan featuring an economical yet quick 4 cylinder engine coupled to an all wheel drive system.
Living in frigid “snow country” as I do, I have found all wheel drive cars are an essential part of a safe winter driving experience. I have owned three Audi’s with their excellent Quattro all wheel drive, and a 2012 Volvo S60 with all wheel drive. With a good set of snow tires, these were all superb winter drivers.
My 2012 Volvo was an excellent car, but lacked some features that I valued. No digital speedometer, no power lumbar supports, no downhill braking when on cruise control, and mediocre fuel economy and cruising range, all conspired in moving me to trade this car in.
The new C300 attracted me with its unique style, attractive interior, and the slew of very positive reviews that were coming in. After researching the car, I scheduled a test drive at New Hampshire’s only Mercedes dealer … a nearly two hour drive away. The salesman was really good, and very low key. With my wife, we drove a couple of models and decided on the standard C300, rather than the Sport or C400. I wanted the Premium, and Multimedia packages in either Iridium or Palladium Silver, and he had one on the way in the Iridium. We sat down, negotiated a discount and trade value, and I walked away with my C300 only days away from delivery.
My first drive home, which was back into the higher elevation of the White Mountains, netted me over 29 mpg. I was very impressed with this, especially with a green engine. Since then, I’ve seen over 33 mpg on level highways, so the fuel mileage is really good. Finding a truly comfortable driving position took some time … sometimes too many adjustments can be as difficult to master as too few. Eventually, playing with all the ups and downs and back and forths of the seats and steering wheel, I did nestle into a very comfortable sweet spot.
Now, after three months, I think I’m in a position to objectively evaluate the pros and cons of the new W205 series. Here are my thoughts.
INTERIOR COMFORT
Even with the standard suspension, this is not a soft and cushy ride. Combined with the mandatory Run Flat Tires, it can feel a bit harsh over pavement breaks and potholes. Over normal pavement, it is smooth and very comfortable. Noise levels are subdued, with tire noise being the most prevalent. There’s very little wind noise, even with the Panorama roof option.
The seats are comfortable … after you spend some time figuring it all out. I’m 6’3” and have more than enough leg and head room up front. The rear seating is tight, but adequate if the front seats are not all the way back. Rear head room is also tight, with my hair just brushing the headliner.
HANDLING
This is the first car I’ve owned in many years that I did not order with a “sport” suspension. I have no regrets. The base suspension is very well controlled, with little body roll, dive or squat. It holds very well through tight corners, and feels planted at all times. I’ve heard that the car will oversteer if pushed hard enough, but I haven’t found that point yet.
I prefer a heavier feel to the steering, and this car’s steering is weighted too light for me. It is direct, but Sport+ is the only setting on Agility that feels right to me. Unfortunately, Sport+ steering can not be programmed into the Individual setting, so I have to make do with Sport … which is not quite as firm. It’s not bad at all, and I am getting used to the lighter feel the more I drive the car, but I do wish there was more user control of the settings.
COMAND
Well, this a bit of a mixed bag. It’s impressive in the scope of what it can do, but it also can be daunting in its complexity. The touchpad is neat, but not as precise as the wheel that sits under it.
The learning curve is steep, and many trips to both the written and online manuals should be expected before figuring it all out. There is just so much buried in all those menus and submenus … it does take some time and effort.
Many functions are split between the steering wheel controls and the COMAND menus, which can add some confusion to the process. I do find that the functions most commonly used are easily accessed, while the seldom used ones feel like they’re part of a treasure hunt.
Bluetooth works well, and I was able to pair my iPhone quickly without going to any written instructions. I took the trial subscription to MBrace and the MBrace apps. I’ll keep MBrace, but the apps are slow, and tedious to use. Any smart phone provides much better functionality.
My car has the navigation system built in. It is a fairly straight forward system and easily controlled through the voice command option. The display is excellent and directions, so far, have been spot on. The only feature lacking is its odd inability to show speed limits, something even the lowest end units offer.
The voice command system does work reasonably well. The fact that voice commands are shown on the COMAND screen is actually a very user friendly feature.
ENGINE
I have driven and owned 4’s, 6’s, and 8’s in my cars. This is a good 4 cylinder turbo, and compares favorably to the turbo 4’s on my Audi A4’s. It has good low end torque, and no turbo lag that I have been able to feel.
Fuel economy numbers have been excellent, averaging 27 mpg overall with a low of 21 and a high of 33.9. The engine warms up very quickly, and provides heat and defrosting in just minutes even on the coldest days. Acceleration, while not comparable to larger and more powerful engines, is still impressive. Tests have produced numbers as low as 5.75 seconds and as high as 6.5 seconds for 0-60 mph runs, which is really quite good for a 2.0 liter four.
The engine can sound a bit raspy under hard acceleration, and the exhaust note can best be described as wimpy, but it is unobtrusive during normal driving. Overall, I don’t consider the engine sound as a plus or a minus.
BUILD QUALITY
I would give it a 6 out of 10, which is somewhat disappointing.
The paint, while well applied and even, shows considerable orange peel … more than my last few cars. Panel seams are even, but the gaps can be large, especially around the front facades and trunk area. The fuel door on my car was very badly fit and had to be replaced by the dealer. The replacement is only marginally better.
The fabric screen for the sunroof seems flimsy, but it does work well. I have noticed that the front of the screen is now sagging, and no longer smooth. Interior trim is generally well fit, but sections of the headliner do not line up well.
I’ve done two recalls already … the steering column inspection and the Continental tire replacement.
When I got the car I noticed that the steering wheel was off center by 2 or 3 degrees. The dealer had to do an alignment. I also noticed that, on low beams, the headlights were not level, so the headlights also had to be re-aligned.
The other day one of the outside door LED lights stopped working. That hasn’t been resolved yet.
My impression is that the Alabama plant is having some problems with their early production quality … either internal QC or outside suppliers. No major issues, but enough minor ones to be very annoying.
GENERAL COMMENTS
The LED headlights are excellent. I’ve had Xenon lights that were even better, but these are quite good and throw a well defined and bright beam.
The windshield wipers are very good and the three nozzle windshield washers are the best I’ve seen
Keyless Go is just about perfect. I really like how a touch of the door handle will lock or unlock the car.
The huge, split sunroof is really pretty neat. It makes the interior seem bright and open … and it doesn’t seem to increase the interior noise level at all.
Brakes are excellent, with a good firm feel to them.
I was unsure about MB-Tex versus leather when I got the car. I do like leather, but the MB-Tex looks and feels like leather, so I can’t say I even am aware of it. It does not, however, smell like leather and I’m still getting some plastic smell in the car. This is going away quickly, but there’s nothing like the smell of leather in a car.
The Burmester sound system is one of the best OEM car systems currently available. It is not as good as a custom system, nor as impressive as a fine home system. But, with some tweaking of the equalizer to match your sound source, it can produce some very impressive results. Everyone’s hearing is different, but I think most users will be able to find a combination of settings that will be very pleasing.
That really strange column mounted shift lever, which seemed weird at first, is now second nature and feels just fine.
I still don't see the point in not having the odometer show on the same display as the speedometer ... the way it is set up on every other car in the world. You can display the speed or the odometer, but not both.
CONCLUSIONS
The W205 looks good, drives great, is economical, and is a pleasure to be in. It is turning out to be a very competent winter car as well, and has already acquitted itself well in some harsh snow and ice conditions.
The little four in the C300 is an excellent engine that returns respectable performance numbers and great fuel mileage.
I love the look, the interior, and the driving experience. I don’t love the fact that half the mileage on my car consists of trips back and forth to my dealer.
I’m hoping that most of the glitches will be a thing of the past and nothing more than typical early build issues. The minor, yet annoying, problems I’m seeing in no way compromise the excellent design of this vehicle. It is, in many ways, a superior car to its main competition … the BMW 3 series and the Audi A4.
I expect that by the time I post my six month review, there will be no more quality issues to report.
Living in frigid “snow country” as I do, I have found all wheel drive cars are an essential part of a safe winter driving experience. I have owned three Audi’s with their excellent Quattro all wheel drive, and a 2012 Volvo S60 with all wheel drive. With a good set of snow tires, these were all superb winter drivers.
My 2012 Volvo was an excellent car, but lacked some features that I valued. No digital speedometer, no power lumbar supports, no downhill braking when on cruise control, and mediocre fuel economy and cruising range, all conspired in moving me to trade this car in.
The new C300 attracted me with its unique style, attractive interior, and the slew of very positive reviews that were coming in. After researching the car, I scheduled a test drive at New Hampshire’s only Mercedes dealer … a nearly two hour drive away. The salesman was really good, and very low key. With my wife, we drove a couple of models and decided on the standard C300, rather than the Sport or C400. I wanted the Premium, and Multimedia packages in either Iridium or Palladium Silver, and he had one on the way in the Iridium. We sat down, negotiated a discount and trade value, and I walked away with my C300 only days away from delivery.
My first drive home, which was back into the higher elevation of the White Mountains, netted me over 29 mpg. I was very impressed with this, especially with a green engine. Since then, I’ve seen over 33 mpg on level highways, so the fuel mileage is really good. Finding a truly comfortable driving position took some time … sometimes too many adjustments can be as difficult to master as too few. Eventually, playing with all the ups and downs and back and forths of the seats and steering wheel, I did nestle into a very comfortable sweet spot.
Now, after three months, I think I’m in a position to objectively evaluate the pros and cons of the new W205 series. Here are my thoughts.
INTERIOR COMFORT
Even with the standard suspension, this is not a soft and cushy ride. Combined with the mandatory Run Flat Tires, it can feel a bit harsh over pavement breaks and potholes. Over normal pavement, it is smooth and very comfortable. Noise levels are subdued, with tire noise being the most prevalent. There’s very little wind noise, even with the Panorama roof option.
The seats are comfortable … after you spend some time figuring it all out. I’m 6’3” and have more than enough leg and head room up front. The rear seating is tight, but adequate if the front seats are not all the way back. Rear head room is also tight, with my hair just brushing the headliner.
HANDLING
This is the first car I’ve owned in many years that I did not order with a “sport” suspension. I have no regrets. The base suspension is very well controlled, with little body roll, dive or squat. It holds very well through tight corners, and feels planted at all times. I’ve heard that the car will oversteer if pushed hard enough, but I haven’t found that point yet.
I prefer a heavier feel to the steering, and this car’s steering is weighted too light for me. It is direct, but Sport+ is the only setting on Agility that feels right to me. Unfortunately, Sport+ steering can not be programmed into the Individual setting, so I have to make do with Sport … which is not quite as firm. It’s not bad at all, and I am getting used to the lighter feel the more I drive the car, but I do wish there was more user control of the settings.
COMAND
Well, this a bit of a mixed bag. It’s impressive in the scope of what it can do, but it also can be daunting in its complexity. The touchpad is neat, but not as precise as the wheel that sits under it.
The learning curve is steep, and many trips to both the written and online manuals should be expected before figuring it all out. There is just so much buried in all those menus and submenus … it does take some time and effort.
Many functions are split between the steering wheel controls and the COMAND menus, which can add some confusion to the process. I do find that the functions most commonly used are easily accessed, while the seldom used ones feel like they’re part of a treasure hunt.
Bluetooth works well, and I was able to pair my iPhone quickly without going to any written instructions. I took the trial subscription to MBrace and the MBrace apps. I’ll keep MBrace, but the apps are slow, and tedious to use. Any smart phone provides much better functionality.
My car has the navigation system built in. It is a fairly straight forward system and easily controlled through the voice command option. The display is excellent and directions, so far, have been spot on. The only feature lacking is its odd inability to show speed limits, something even the lowest end units offer.
The voice command system does work reasonably well. The fact that voice commands are shown on the COMAND screen is actually a very user friendly feature.
ENGINE
I have driven and owned 4’s, 6’s, and 8’s in my cars. This is a good 4 cylinder turbo, and compares favorably to the turbo 4’s on my Audi A4’s. It has good low end torque, and no turbo lag that I have been able to feel.
Fuel economy numbers have been excellent, averaging 27 mpg overall with a low of 21 and a high of 33.9. The engine warms up very quickly, and provides heat and defrosting in just minutes even on the coldest days. Acceleration, while not comparable to larger and more powerful engines, is still impressive. Tests have produced numbers as low as 5.75 seconds and as high as 6.5 seconds for 0-60 mph runs, which is really quite good for a 2.0 liter four.
The engine can sound a bit raspy under hard acceleration, and the exhaust note can best be described as wimpy, but it is unobtrusive during normal driving. Overall, I don’t consider the engine sound as a plus or a minus.
BUILD QUALITY
I would give it a 6 out of 10, which is somewhat disappointing.
The paint, while well applied and even, shows considerable orange peel … more than my last few cars. Panel seams are even, but the gaps can be large, especially around the front facades and trunk area. The fuel door on my car was very badly fit and had to be replaced by the dealer. The replacement is only marginally better.
The fabric screen for the sunroof seems flimsy, but it does work well. I have noticed that the front of the screen is now sagging, and no longer smooth. Interior trim is generally well fit, but sections of the headliner do not line up well.
I’ve done two recalls already … the steering column inspection and the Continental tire replacement.
When I got the car I noticed that the steering wheel was off center by 2 or 3 degrees. The dealer had to do an alignment. I also noticed that, on low beams, the headlights were not level, so the headlights also had to be re-aligned.
The other day one of the outside door LED lights stopped working. That hasn’t been resolved yet.
My impression is that the Alabama plant is having some problems with their early production quality … either internal QC or outside suppliers. No major issues, but enough minor ones to be very annoying.
GENERAL COMMENTS
The LED headlights are excellent. I’ve had Xenon lights that were even better, but these are quite good and throw a well defined and bright beam.
The windshield wipers are very good and the three nozzle windshield washers are the best I’ve seen
Keyless Go is just about perfect. I really like how a touch of the door handle will lock or unlock the car.
The huge, split sunroof is really pretty neat. It makes the interior seem bright and open … and it doesn’t seem to increase the interior noise level at all.
Brakes are excellent, with a good firm feel to them.
I was unsure about MB-Tex versus leather when I got the car. I do like leather, but the MB-Tex looks and feels like leather, so I can’t say I even am aware of it. It does not, however, smell like leather and I’m still getting some plastic smell in the car. This is going away quickly, but there’s nothing like the smell of leather in a car.
The Burmester sound system is one of the best OEM car systems currently available. It is not as good as a custom system, nor as impressive as a fine home system. But, with some tweaking of the equalizer to match your sound source, it can produce some very impressive results. Everyone’s hearing is different, but I think most users will be able to find a combination of settings that will be very pleasing.
That really strange column mounted shift lever, which seemed weird at first, is now second nature and feels just fine.
I still don't see the point in not having the odometer show on the same display as the speedometer ... the way it is set up on every other car in the world. You can display the speed or the odometer, but not both.
CONCLUSIONS
The W205 looks good, drives great, is economical, and is a pleasure to be in. It is turning out to be a very competent winter car as well, and has already acquitted itself well in some harsh snow and ice conditions.
The little four in the C300 is an excellent engine that returns respectable performance numbers and great fuel mileage.
I love the look, the interior, and the driving experience. I don’t love the fact that half the mileage on my car consists of trips back and forth to my dealer.
I’m hoping that most of the glitches will be a thing of the past and nothing more than typical early build issues. The minor, yet annoying, problems I’m seeing in no way compromise the excellent design of this vehicle. It is, in many ways, a superior car to its main competition … the BMW 3 series and the Audi A4.
I expect that by the time I post my six month review, there will be no more quality issues to report.
Last edited by StanNH; 12-23-2014 at 07:48 AM.
12-22-2014, 11:22 AM
#2
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Great & very fair review. Hope Tuscaloosa/NA suppliers sort out their teething problems. Enjoy! Look forward to the 6 month review.
12-22-2014, 01:55 PM
#3
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2015 C300 RWD
Nice write up and pics. That shot in the lot with the snow looks very cool with your color.
It's a shame about some of the inexcusable build issues. I mean, the recall and rare broken item here and there, ok. Fit and finish items visible to naked eye, or repetitive issues like LED lights out, isn't ever ok, and always a sign of poor oversight and management high up.
I don't like to say it, but USA is consistently poor at building things. I can't think of anywhere I'd rather NOT have my stuff manufactured. Compounded with companies too accepting of mediocre mindset in durability and reliability, namely MB/BMW/Audi.
There's no reason though that MB can't hire a team to oversee more of this to make it flawless globally. Maybe pick up some Lexus/Honda/Hyundai team leaders. There's gotta be as much effort into that as there is developing future models and so many variations of the current cars/SUVs...and there's just not.
It's a shame about some of the inexcusable build issues. I mean, the recall and rare broken item here and there, ok. Fit and finish items visible to naked eye, or repetitive issues like LED lights out, isn't ever ok, and always a sign of poor oversight and management high up.
I don't like to say it, but USA is consistently poor at building things. I can't think of anywhere I'd rather NOT have my stuff manufactured. Compounded with companies too accepting of mediocre mindset in durability and reliability, namely MB/BMW/Audi.
There's no reason though that MB can't hire a team to oversee more of this to make it flawless globally. Maybe pick up some Lexus/Honda/Hyundai team leaders. There's gotta be as much effort into that as there is developing future models and so many variations of the current cars/SUVs...and there's just not.
12-22-2014, 02:29 PM
#5
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Nice write up and pics. That shot in the lot with the snow looks very cool with your color.
It's a shame about some of the inexcusable build issues. I mean, the recall and rare broken item here and there, ok. Fit and finish items visible to naked eye, or repetitive issues like LED lights out, isn't ever ok, and always a sign of poor oversight and management high up.
I don't like to say it, but USA is consistently poor at building things. I can't think of anywhere I'd rather NOT have my stuff manufactured. Compounded with companies too accepting of mediocre mindset in durability and reliability, namely MB/BMW/Audi.
There's no reason though that MB can't hire a team to oversee more of this to make it flawless globally. Maybe pick up some Lexus/Honda/Hyundai team leaders. There's gotta be as much effort into that as there is developing future models and so many variations of the current cars/SUVs...and there's just not.
It's a shame about some of the inexcusable build issues. I mean, the recall and rare broken item here and there, ok. Fit and finish items visible to naked eye, or repetitive issues like LED lights out, isn't ever ok, and always a sign of poor oversight and management high up.
I don't like to say it, but USA is consistently poor at building things. I can't think of anywhere I'd rather NOT have my stuff manufactured. Compounded with companies too accepting of mediocre mindset in durability and reliability, namely MB/BMW/Audi.
There's no reason though that MB can't hire a team to oversee more of this to make it flawless globally. Maybe pick up some Lexus/Honda/Hyundai team leaders. There's gotta be as much effort into that as there is developing future models and so many variations of the current cars/SUVs...and there's just not.
As Ive pointed out previously, one of the big reliability issues is the a la carte optioning strategy. One characteristic of brands that maintain very high reliability like Honda and Toyota regardless of point of manufacture is the streamlining of models into packages which include most to all of the options. That strategy reduces manufacturing costs and complexity significantly thus leading to not only better profit but also to much better reliability. I don't think that "German" assembled MBs are significantly better than the ones assembled here since way before any Mercedes' were made here they had a spotty (being kind) reliability record. Some were good while others were pitiful. As a matter of fact, some of the most reliable MBs (of late) are the SUVS assembled in Alabama while the worst, the CLA and S class are imported; the CLA from Hungary and the S from Germany. Your perception is only that, a perception, and, a wrong one at that.
12-22-2014, 03:28 PM
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2015 C300 RWD
As Ive pointed out previously, one of the big reliability issues is the a la carte optioning strategy. One characteristic of brands that maintain very high reliability like Honda and Toyota regardless of point of manufacture is the streamlining of models into packages which include most to all of the options. That strategy reduces manufacturing costs and complexity significantly thus leading to not only better profit but also to much better reliability. I don't think that "German" assembled MBs are significantly better than the ones assembled here since way before any Mercedes' were made here they had a spotty (being kind) reliability record. Some were good while others were pitiful. As a matter of fact, some of the most reliable MBs (of late) are the SUVS assembled in Alabama while the worst, the CLA and S class are imported; the CLA from Hungary and the S from Germany. Your perception is only that, a perception, and, a wrong one at that.
No offense and not to flame c4004matic, but he historically provided the most inaccurate information on the w205 board, and is not very likable with his penchant to greatly distort based on his personal preferences/compensations. That said, the Alabama plant, and US made, and US made foreign autos have not as a whole met the build standards of plants outside US. Sure, some isolated exceptions. MB in general and this model (as the topic of discussion here) hasn't been one of them. Though I'm happy Stan likes his car, and I love the model as a whole, ZERO excuse for some of his defects reported to sustain.
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12-22-2014, 03:29 PM
#8
Senior Member
Thanks for that highly informative review. It gives me a lot to think about as I research my next vehicle. Only 15 months to go on my current lease!
That certainly is a beautiful car you've got there. Enjoy!
That certainly is a beautiful car you've got there. Enjoy!
12-22-2014, 06:59 PM
#10
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2017 E300
Always good to read an objective review. The minor issues, while not a deal breaker, certainly add up quickly and is definitely not something I would expect from recent MBs.
I would probably choose mb tex over leather but it seems like MB is getting rid of mbtex/leather as a sole option, and now is lumping leather into an interior package. MB tex is so easy to take care of and will look new for the life of the vehicle. I have already decided to get leather this time around just to have the ambient lighting and ventilated seats
I would probably choose mb tex over leather but it seems like MB is getting rid of mbtex/leather as a sole option, and now is lumping leather into an interior package. MB tex is so easy to take care of and will look new for the life of the vehicle. I have already decided to get leather this time around just to have the ambient lighting and ventilated seats
12-22-2014, 07:31 PM
#11
MBWorld Fanatic!
Always good to read an objective review. The minor issues, while not a deal breaker, certainly add up quickly and is definitely not something I would expect from recent MBs.
I would probably choose mb tex over leather but it seems like MB is getting rid of mbtex/leather as a sole option, and now is lumping leather into an interior package. MB tex is so easy to take care of and will look new for the life of the vehicle. I have already decided to get leather this time around just to have the ambient lighting and ventilated seats
I would probably choose mb tex over leather but it seems like MB is getting rid of mbtex/leather as a sole option, and now is lumping leather into an interior package. MB tex is so easy to take care of and will look new for the life of the vehicle. I have already decided to get leather this time around just to have the ambient lighting and ventilated seats
Don't give up on leather up front, remember the whole seat is different, not only the material. The leather seat has more bolstering. If I were you I would try them both and see which you prefer.
I hear a lot of complaints about leather wear, in my experience I've never had any issues whatsoever with leather seats with less than 75k miles. Yes they will show some patina or "character" but I'ven ever had one look worn out, fade or break. Heck even my dads 80's 300SD leather seats were in excellent condition way after 100000 miles and more 10 years of serviceman the scorching heat and humidity of the tropics. Heck the seats were probably the most reliable part of the whole car!
BTW, the best maintenance you can give your leather seats is none at all wipe them with a damp cloth and that's it. Don't use any "protectants" or harsh soaps.
12-22-2014, 09:34 PM
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2014 E63S; AMS 100 octane ecu tune; edok tcu tune; BB intakes; dyno tuned
Nice candid review. See, you can like your car without claiming it's perfect.
It also takes an open minded, realistic customer like the op to accept these issues and understand there are some growing pains with any new vehicle particularly brand new models
It also takes an open minded, realistic customer like the op to accept these issues and understand there are some growing pains with any new vehicle particularly brand new models
12-22-2014, 10:18 PM
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12-23-2014, 02:24 AM
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Great review! I love the size of the car, but the issues w/ initial quality are troubling (not just your car). The car fundamentally seems to have been very well-engineered, though.
The M- and GL-class have always been among MB's most unreliable cars, I think, so I worry about the US plant ever getting it together. Still, time will tell.
The M- and GL-class have always been among MB's most unreliable cars, I think, so I worry about the US plant ever getting it together. Still, time will tell.
12-23-2014, 06:44 AM
#18
Super Moderator
No offense and not to flame c4004matic, but he historically provided the most inaccurate information on the w205 board, and is not very likable with his penchant to greatly distort based on his personal preferences/compensations. That said, the Alabama plant, and US made, and US made foreign autos have not as a whole met the build standards of plants outside US. Sure, some isolated exceptions. MB in general and this model (as the topic of discussion here) hasn't been one of them. Though I'm happy Stan likes his car, and I love the model as a whole, ZERO excuse for some of his defects reported to sustain.
A friend has an Austrian assembled Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo ~ Black Pearl Edition with 150,000 Km on it & it is tight as a drum. Not a rattle or squeek. US equivalents are absolute rattletraps at that mileage. We have both here.
12-23-2014, 06:55 AM
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US Auto plants & component suppliers are notorious for crap QC. That's why Honda had such a battle to get US quality up to scratch. That's why Caddy has been withdrawn from SA. They were falling apart on showroom floors. ML from Tuscaloosa was crap but is now improved but not great.
A friend has an Austrian assembled Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo ~ Black Pearl Edition with 150,000 Km on it & it is tight as a drum. Not a rattle or squeek. US equivalents are absolute rattletraps at that mileage. We have both here.
A friend has an Austrian assembled Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo ~ Black Pearl Edition with 150,000 Km on it & it is tight as a drum. Not a rattle or squeek. US equivalents are absolute rattletraps at that mileage. We have both here.
Last edited by floridadriver; 12-23-2014 at 07:02 AM.
12-23-2014, 07:11 AM
#20
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I have replied on the other thread. There is no good reason why Tuscaloosa can't improve. I would call in one of the Asian QA teams.
12-23-2014, 08:21 AM
#21
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Regarding build quality, which has become the main topic of discussion, it is not really that bad. I would certainly not call it poor, just below my expectations in some areas. Let me be more specific.
"Eilers" is right in that the panel seams are consistent. Still, that front gap behind the grill is big and obvious. That's not a QC issue, just the way it's designed and has nothing to do with where the car was built.
The overall fit and finish is good ... the paint looks good in spite of the all too common orange peel. That horrible fitting fuel door should never have left the plant looking like that ... it was an obvious flaw that went right through their final inspection and was either not seen or simply ignored. But, realistically, that's the only flaw that I feel was missed.
The sag in the sunroof screen is a very minor issue and one I did not notice before. It draws taut as soon as the screen moves back, so it appears to be a slight adjustment issue. This is a very small thing and one that I'll have adjusted later.
On the interior, I did notice that the spots where the headliner meets the windshield posts did not line up perfectly. A little pressure was all that was needed to get it lined up.
The alignment issue is one I have seen in other cars. My Porsche came in the same way and had to have an alignment done the first month I owned it. I don't know if this is a plant issue or a problem with how the cars are secured during transport, but it's a common problem with new cars. The headlight alignment should have been checked during the dealer prep, and apparently wasn't.
The two recalls were more of an inconvenience than anything else. The steering column inspection showed no problems, and the problem being checked was found in German production cars, not the US ones. The tire recall was initiated by Continental, not Mercedes. That had nothing to do with the Alabama plant.
The failure of the door LED's has been happening with some frequency. I believe, but I'm not sure about this, that the affected cars are all US builds. The Alabama cars use 40% German components, mainly the running gear, and 60% US and/or Canadian parts. That's where some of the problems may come from. On a new build, poor quality parts may not become apparent until the cars are actually out on the road and accumulating time and miles in diverse driving conditions.
So, to be fair, the US built W205 is not a "bucket of bolts" that has been haphazardly slapped together with no QC. My car is tight as a drum, with no rattles, no squeaks, no wind noise, and no major issues. It's the number of small things cropping up, and the need to keep returning the car to the dealer to address these issues, that has been annoying.
This is a first year car here, and I have rarely owned a first year car that didn't have at least some issues. I consider the problems I've had with this car to be very minor. I would have preferred no problems at all, but that's not going to happen and probably was never a realistic goal. So far nothing has in any way affected the driveability of the car.
For those waiting for their US built cars ... the recalls are done and won't affect you at all. By now, I'm sure the factory knows about their fuel door fitment issues and won't let any badly fit doors out of the plant. The door LED problems are just surfacing, and are probably related to a specific supplier here. The car will only improve as more are produced, and the likelihood of seeing the same defects should decrease as the factory responds to trouble reports from the field.
Again, overall this is a solid and well engineered car. It looks like the US built ones may have their own unique set of minor issues, but none appear to be very serious and all are easily fixed under warranty.
"Eilers" is right in that the panel seams are consistent. Still, that front gap behind the grill is big and obvious. That's not a QC issue, just the way it's designed and has nothing to do with where the car was built.
The overall fit and finish is good ... the paint looks good in spite of the all too common orange peel. That horrible fitting fuel door should never have left the plant looking like that ... it was an obvious flaw that went right through their final inspection and was either not seen or simply ignored. But, realistically, that's the only flaw that I feel was missed.
The sag in the sunroof screen is a very minor issue and one I did not notice before. It draws taut as soon as the screen moves back, so it appears to be a slight adjustment issue. This is a very small thing and one that I'll have adjusted later.
On the interior, I did notice that the spots where the headliner meets the windshield posts did not line up perfectly. A little pressure was all that was needed to get it lined up.
The alignment issue is one I have seen in other cars. My Porsche came in the same way and had to have an alignment done the first month I owned it. I don't know if this is a plant issue or a problem with how the cars are secured during transport, but it's a common problem with new cars. The headlight alignment should have been checked during the dealer prep, and apparently wasn't.
The two recalls were more of an inconvenience than anything else. The steering column inspection showed no problems, and the problem being checked was found in German production cars, not the US ones. The tire recall was initiated by Continental, not Mercedes. That had nothing to do with the Alabama plant.
The failure of the door LED's has been happening with some frequency. I believe, but I'm not sure about this, that the affected cars are all US builds. The Alabama cars use 40% German components, mainly the running gear, and 60% US and/or Canadian parts. That's where some of the problems may come from. On a new build, poor quality parts may not become apparent until the cars are actually out on the road and accumulating time and miles in diverse driving conditions.
So, to be fair, the US built W205 is not a "bucket of bolts" that has been haphazardly slapped together with no QC. My car is tight as a drum, with no rattles, no squeaks, no wind noise, and no major issues. It's the number of small things cropping up, and the need to keep returning the car to the dealer to address these issues, that has been annoying.
This is a first year car here, and I have rarely owned a first year car that didn't have at least some issues. I consider the problems I've had with this car to be very minor. I would have preferred no problems at all, but that's not going to happen and probably was never a realistic goal. So far nothing has in any way affected the driveability of the car.
For those waiting for their US built cars ... the recalls are done and won't affect you at all. By now, I'm sure the factory knows about their fuel door fitment issues and won't let any badly fit doors out of the plant. The door LED problems are just surfacing, and are probably related to a specific supplier here. The car will only improve as more are produced, and the likelihood of seeing the same defects should decrease as the factory responds to trouble reports from the field.
Again, overall this is a solid and well engineered car. It looks like the US built ones may have their own unique set of minor issues, but none appear to be very serious and all are easily fixed under warranty.
Last edited by StanNH; 12-23-2014 at 10:27 AM.
12-23-2014, 08:38 AM
#22
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Thank you very much for the well written review. Sums up pretty much everything I have read about the w205. Hopefully reliability and fit will be improved in the second build year. When I test drove the 4 cylinder and found it lacked power in the higher RPM but the fuel economy seems nice.
12-23-2014, 09:49 AM
#23
I would expect the fuel door to sit flush and neatly. It is important. (I am lucky that it does on my car) So I would not give up on that one Stan..
Looking at this video 0.52 and 3.16 mark. Fuel Door does not appear to sit flush either. This is a review from Malaysia, so the car would be put together in Vietnam?
Looking at this video 0.52 and 3.16 mark. Fuel Door does not appear to sit flush either. This is a review from Malaysia, so the car would be put together in Vietnam?
Last edited by Eilers; 12-23-2014 at 09:59 AM.
12-23-2014, 10:25 AM
#24
MBWorld Fanatic!
Thread Starter
I would expect the fuel door to sit flush and neatly. It is important. (I am lucky that it does on my car) So I would not give up on that one Stan..
Looking at this video 0.52 and 3.16 mark. Fuel Door does not appear to sit flush either. This is a review from Malaysia, so the car would be put together in Vietnam?
Looking at this video 0.52 and 3.16 mark. Fuel Door does not appear to sit flush either. This is a review from Malaysia, so the car would be put together in Vietnam?
12-23-2014, 10:56 AM
#25
Super Moderator
As I said in another thread. The W204 fuel door originally had moulding defects. Benz first plastic door. All initial mouldings for the world were made in Poland. SA soon moulded it here & fixed it. The fuel doors on SA W205's are perfect. Ever since Stan made me aware of the issue I can't stop looking at every one I see & there are plenty on the roads here.
I sincerely think Tuscaloosa has improved but further improvement is required. People have high expectations of Benz & rightly so. Tuscaloosa seems to have an attitude that Americans are less fussy about their cars. I don't buy that. The US has a very strong auto culture.
Where Honda had major issues was with US component suppliers. They had to tell them bluntly that they could supply crap to the US Big 3 but not to Honda & that Japanese standards would apply.
I sincerely think Tuscaloosa has improved but further improvement is required. People have high expectations of Benz & rightly so. Tuscaloosa seems to have an attitude that Americans are less fussy about their cars. I don't buy that. The US has a very strong auto culture.
Where Honda had major issues was with US component suppliers. They had to tell them bluntly that they could supply crap to the US Big 3 but not to Honda & that Japanese standards would apply.
