Anybody here in the US with a South African-built C43?
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'20 GLC300 SUV
Anybody here in the US with a South African-built C43?
My '18 C43 is going away (long story), and I'm trying to find a suitable replacement already built and awaiting shipment.
My dealer found one that was built in South Africa. My '18 was built in Alabama (had the worst build quality of any Benz I've ever owned, which was strange, as I've had several others from 'bama before that were fine).
If there is anyone here with a rare US-delivered, South-African built C43, how have you found the build quality and reliability?
All I've been able to find is the following:
"Industry source JD Power has awarded the East London plant numerous awards, with Mercedes-Benz vehicles coming out of South Africa even scoring higher than some of those from Germany, which Stamoulis says will mean Mercedes is “expecting similar quality [from South Africa] if not higher [than German built cars]” for C-Class."
My dealer found one that was built in South Africa. My '18 was built in Alabama (had the worst build quality of any Benz I've ever owned, which was strange, as I've had several others from 'bama before that were fine).
If there is anyone here with a rare US-delivered, South-African built C43, how have you found the build quality and reliability?
All I've been able to find is the following:
"Industry source JD Power has awarded the East London plant numerous awards, with Mercedes-Benz vehicles coming out of South Africa even scoring higher than some of those from Germany, which Stamoulis says will mean Mercedes is “expecting similar quality [from South Africa] if not higher [than German built cars]” for C-Class."
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C43
My '18 C43 is going away (long story), and I'm trying to find a suitable replacement already built and awaiting shipment.
My dealer found one that was built in South Africa. My '18 was built in Alabama (had the worst build quality of any Benz I've ever owned, which was strange, as I've had several others from 'bama before that were fine).
If there is anyone here with a rare US-delivered, South-African built C43, how have you found the build quality and reliability?
All I've been able to find is the following:
"Industry source JD Power has awarded the East London plant numerous awards, with Mercedes-Benz vehicles coming out of South Africa even scoring higher than some of those from Germany, which Stamoulis says will mean Mercedes is “expecting similar quality [from South Africa] if not higher [than German built cars]” for C-Class."
My dealer found one that was built in South Africa. My '18 was built in Alabama (had the worst build quality of any Benz I've ever owned, which was strange, as I've had several others from 'bama before that were fine).
If there is anyone here with a rare US-delivered, South-African built C43, how have you found the build quality and reliability?
All I've been able to find is the following:
"Industry source JD Power has awarded the East London plant numerous awards, with Mercedes-Benz vehicles coming out of South Africa even scoring higher than some of those from Germany, which Stamoulis says will mean Mercedes is “expecting similar quality [from South Africa] if not higher [than German built cars]” for C-Class."
don't worry - manufacturing improves over time and so does tooling and expertise of staff.
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From: penn's woods USA
2019 AMG C43 Sedan
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Joined: Feb 2008
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'20 GLC300 SUV
Outstanding issues I've left alone (just so I can keep my car in my possession for a little bit): 6) electronic trunk fails to open consistently; 7) front compartment reading light buttons don't work; 8) stains leach from leather door panels during drastic temperature changes. Car has been in the shop for a little over a month, total, since I've had it.
As I said in my OP, this is the first Alabama-born car I've had trouble with.
So nobody here has a car from the East London, S.A. plant? Seems like the S.A. cars are unicorns.
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Joined: May 2018
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20 E350, 19 E300, 18 C43, 17 E250, 14 ML350 , 13 C300 , 11 C350
Not trying to make a argument from authority, but most of my friends at MB agree.
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Out Of Control!!
Joined: Nov 2018
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From: San Francisco Bay Area
2019 C63CS
The vast majority of C-Class sedans destined for North America are built in Alabama. It's not clear why once in a blue moon the USA gets one from South Africa. They are indeed unicorns. However, we do have European members here that should chime in, because their cars are coming from South Africa, but in Europe, the wagon is more popular and as far as I know is built in Germany.
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2008
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'20 GLC300 SUV
The vast majority of C-Class sedans destined for North America are built in Alabama. It's not clear why once in a blue moon the USA gets one from South Africa. They are indeed unicorns. However, we do have European members here that should chime in, because their cars are coming from South Africa, but in Europe, the wagon is more popular and as far as I know is built in Germany.
The car I've found can be here in roughly 6 weeks, and it has all the options I want (PE, Multimedia, Parking, Iridium, Black Leather w/ Red Stitching, etc.), but after owning a car that would've qualified for the Lemon Law here in the U.S. had I actually been forced to resort to it, I want to make sure I'm not in for another 1-year hair-pulling nightmare.
Alabama plant is starting to concern me. Had a family member with a brand new 2020 GLE 450 that went into limp mode multiple times within the first month, the rear bumper trim was installed incorrectly from the factory, and the max defroster would randomly turn on in hot weather. It was bought back by MBUSA, and then there was a recall on the 2020 GLE.
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Joined: Aug 2020
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From: Palm Beach, FL
2020 C43 AMG
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2021 M550i
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2008
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'20 GLC300 SUV
Car has been at the dealer for a week because of a low voltage code that has caused a soft limp mode (no CELs, but car felt slow, and Engine Data revealed car was only making about 200 horsepower when stomping the throttle through the floor from both a dig and while rolling). Suspected it was low voltage related because no matter how much I drove the car, I kept getting "Starter Battery Partly Charged" or "Starter Battery Critical" notifications.
Battery has been replaced, ECU reset, etc., and code + soft limp mode is still there. PTSS case with Germany.
Everything else on the car - paint, body panel gaps, leather quality, switch/button quality, etc. has been flawless.
It just won't drive . . .
Battery has been replaced, ECU reset, etc., and code + soft limp mode is still there. PTSS case with Germany.
Everything else on the car - paint, body panel gaps, leather quality, switch/button quality, etc. has been flawless.
It just won't drive . . .
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Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 4
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From: Palm Beach, FL
2020 C43 AMG
first owner almost at 11k miles. Doors misaligned, trans problems, tires separating, head unit goes out, front collision warning keeps going off, front/rear headlamps tail lamps misaligned and bumpers, interior sweating, no power in either modes, sound system you have to turn the volume all the way up to hear anything. List goes on
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,829
Likes: 95
'20 GLC300 SUV
first owner almost at 11k miles. Doors misaligned, trans problems, tires separating, head unit goes out, front collision warning keeps going off, front/rear headlamps tail lamps misaligned and bumpers, interior sweating, no power in either modes, sound system you have to turn the volume all the way up to hear anything. List goes on
Had 3 BMWs before switching to my W204 C63, which was bulletproof for 5 years.
These last W205s may be my last Mercs for a while. No excuse for this lack of quality this late in the W205 life cycle.
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2008
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'20 GLC300 SUV
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Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 119
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From: Barcelona (Spain)
C43 AMG Sedan '19, Saab 9-3ss '03 Stage7, Saab 900 cabrio '92
SA East London builds majority of Sedans for EU markets, included UK. Coupe and Station wagons are build in Germany for any market.
Also the 63 AMG are build in East London.
No quality issues. Just a small rattle in the engine bay now it's gone. explained here https://mbworld.org/forums/c450-c43-...-low-revs.html
The order issue/error due the dealer that we agreed a deal, they assume it's responsability and the big delay on the delivery, I suppose due all the WLPT headaches in 2018. It took 1 year for delivery.
The cars from SA to Spain, usually arrives within 2 weeks to Vigo Harbour in the norh west.
Also the 63 AMG are build in East London.
No quality issues. Just a small rattle in the engine bay now it's gone. explained here https://mbworld.org/forums/c450-c43-...-low-revs.html
The order issue/error due the dealer that we agreed a deal, they assume it's responsability and the big delay on the delivery, I suppose due all the WLPT headaches in 2018. It took 1 year for delivery.
The cars from SA to Spain, usually arrives within 2 weeks to Vigo Harbour in the norh west.
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Joined: Oct 2017
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2021 M550i
SA build, 2020 c43. Had it for a little over a month now with less than 500 miles. Forgot to mention that my driver's seat ventilated seat doesn't work and i get this high pitch noise from the ventilated seat button area.... decided not to drop it off at service until i hit 1k miles at least.
