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Actually there are a lot of news about the very poor build quality of the W206 in general and also a lot of reliability issues with the C43.
What is your experience?
I am close to sell it after 4 months of usage because of the very poor interior build quality (noises are comming from everywhere, etc..) and the huge number of electronical issues (ventilation stops to work, mirrors are not closing, etc...)
Extremely dissatisfied and disappointed. Bought car with 32 miles Jan 8 2023. I got notifications on the app that the battery was low while in make ready, didn’t think much of it, drove it home (50 miles). Next day drive to our nieces gymnastics and when we left, the seat settings wouldn’t adjust and main screen was not reactive. Turned off and back on, then drive home (50 miles). Next day we took it to get the windows tinted. On the way turning out of the drive way we heard a loud grinding noise on front right. That evening after getting diner alarms came on the driver screen that said rear steering inactive, active brake assist function limited, traction control inoperative and of course check engine light was on. 152 miles on car. Called dealership that I bought car from they couldn’t get us in a loaner until Feb 2 2033. Opted for another dealership that could get us in. Car was towed to alternate dealership and I was set up with an Uber to pick up loaner car. Uber would only take me 50 miles, I was 56 miles from dealership. Got a ride to a gas station 6 miles from my house. Dealership had car from Jan 17 2023 until Jan 26 2023. We noticed that the dealership had put on 100+ miles on the car while it was in their possession. Car was okay (still jerky between 1,2 gear) until Jan 31 2023 when an alarm came up that said “transmission malfunctioning park position cannot be selected”, luckily we still had the appointment Feb 2 2023. Took car in, notified them of issues. Notified on Feb 7 2023 that one of our complaints of abnormal noise was coming from the transmission and they will be dropping the transmission to replace something. It is currently Feb 11. Who knows when the work will be completed and if the car will ever perform as it should.
Sadly, Tesla has set a precedent and shown that enough people are willing to pay large amounts of money for terrible build and material quality as long as the car has superficial software features that they can show off to their friends and claim that they are doing something for the environment. German car manufacturers thought they could get away with the same, but it's starting to backfire. Herbert Diess thought he could turn VW into the next Tesla by following Musk's playbook, but instead customer satisfaction dropped by an unprecedented 70% and VW is now backpedaling touchscreens and adding back physical buttons etc. I had a Golf 8 rental in Europe last year. I love Golfs and have driven many of them over the years. The Golf 8 still drove like a Golf, but the interior and Infotainment system was gawdawful. It ruined the whole car.
I wouldnt say the value of the tesla car is just the software. The raw acceleration of the EVs is simply incomparable to the ICE cars within the same price range. They are on another planet. Combined with the infotainment features its hard to compare unless you just have a bias and simply do not want a full fledged EV, which is understandable.
I had alot of cars before these 2 teslas. Ranging from 5 series to S classes, AMG's, non-AMGs, Half-AMGs. So far, my Tesla ownership experience has been pretty good. Also the build quality issues arent that bad. Most of the stuff that people complain about has absolutely nothing to do with driving and its not even something you would ever see on a daily or even monthly basis. Lets not kid ourselves, The C-Class, GLC and E/GLE all have the same creaky interior plasticy sound problems.
I still love ICE engines, but the value of a 5 year bumper-bumper 8yr battery warranty model S is hard to beat at 120k or a model 3/Y at 40k.
That being said, Im looking to trade my Tesla Model S P100D for a E63s wagon in 1.5 years. Not because the Tesla is bad, far from it. But my country is going to make it very expensive to own EVs in 2 years. Expensive the point that I might as well not drive an EV. Previously I didnt have to pay any road tax, engine displacement tax, fuel tax. But starting in 2 years, I will have to pay an EV tax that is based on horsepower. So the half of the value proposition is gone.
Additionally, even though I have life time free super charging, I dont plan to own the vehicle past the warranty period, and new Teslas do not offer free supercharging anymore on new vehicles. so that part of the value proposition is also gone.
Outside of that, the cars have been phenomenal
Last edited by waisoserious; 02-15-2024 at 01:26 AM.
Glad you enjoy your Tesla, but that's not the topic of this thread and you missed the point. I wasn't talking about what you get for the money, but what you don't get for the money.
From low battery warning to a traditional that shifts like a 16 year old learning to drive a car with a manual transmission. This car sucks. It had been to the dealer over 10 times for the same issues they claim to fix but still isn't when I get it home.
From low battery warning to a traditional that shifts like a 16 year old learning to drive a car with a manual transmission. This car sucks. It had been to the dealer over 10 times for the same issues they claim to fix but still isn't when I get it home.
I've had ongoing issues with my 23 C43. Purchased new end of June last year, and I have only 4.1k miles on it and at this point, I would like the dealer to buy it back.
-Harsh transmission so much jerking back and forth. the dealer had to reprogram the transmission
-The command center glitches and the screen turns fuzzy red. the dealer updated the software
-Steering wheel AMG buttons stopped working. the dealer had to order new buttons
-The rear steering differential malfunctioned and the car stopped moving, check engine light. dealer said it was because the steering wheel column buttons stopped working
-The check engine started flashing car stopped and started shaking, The dealer is pending another investigation
I've had ongoing issues with my 23 C43. Purchased new end of June last year, and I have only 4.1k miles on it and at this point, I would like the dealer to buy it back.
-Harsh transmission so much jerking back and forth. the dealer had to reprogram the transmission
-The command center glitches and the screen turns fuzzy red. the dealer updated the software
-Steering wheel AMG buttons stopped working. the dealer had to order new buttons
-The rear steering differential malfunctioned and the car stopped moving, check engine light. dealer said it was because the steering wheel column buttons stopped working
-The check engine started flashing car stopped and started shaking, The dealer is pending another investigation
The new tech is so flawed .. jusr purchased a new GLC43 and a week later it was back in rhe shop ans still there for similar electronic issues... mercedes has went to $ H I T
My 24 GLE53 is my 10th Benz this century and is clearly the best. The interior leather is quite nice feeling Napa and shifts almost unnoticeably (unless I tromp it), much better than any of my previous dozen or so models of various makes. Except my wife’s 21 Volvo XC60 which is so much a better value than my 21 GLC300, which cost more but less features. The XC60 too has nice Napa leather, smooth transmission and flawless HUD standard (though I hear 2022 are problematic). As a 60-yr car fanatic, I too am frustrated by what seems to be an all too often hit or miss car-owning experience. At 77 yo, it almost makes me glad that I will likely not be around for the complete demise of ICE!!
If you want to lemon law your car. Get in touch with a lawyer who specializes in it.
If you want a buy back, work with the dealer directly.
Calling MBUSA is probably one of the worst gaslighting experiences I've ever had. They are rude, have terrible response/processing times and will hardly ever do anything for you that the local dealer manager does not have power of authority to grant you.
I have a fleet of Mercedes vehicles, 2m+ in inventory of Mercedes vehicles. MBUSA did not budge an inch when we have had a couple of vehicles with fuel pump failures (which caused fuel contamination), blamed it on maintenance. Meanwhile the dealer came through and offered a respectable repair cost and then we sold those vehicles (they shortly after had the same issue occur again).
My 24 GLE53 is my 10th Benz this century and is clearly the best. The interior leather is quite nice feeling Napa and shifts almost unnoticeably (unless I tromp it), much better than any of my previous dozen or so models of various makes. Except my wife’s 21 Volvo XC60 which is so much a better value than my 21 GLC300, which cost more but less features. The XC60 too has nice Napa leather, smooth transmission and flawless HUD standard (though I hear 2022 are problematic). As a 60-yr car fanatic, I too am frustrated by what seems to be an all too often hit or miss car-owning experience. At 77 yo, it almost makes me glad that I will likely not be around for the complete demise of ICE!!
First time Mercedes owner here. I own the C43 estate.
Overall I'm happy with my C43. I did have the dreaded CEL light at 150 miles. I'm in the UK, I called out the (included) road side assistance who arrived in less than 2 hours with £10k of diagnostics equipment (I was at home). They flashed the ECU and it's been fine ever since. The reported error was "Coolant temperature too low".
I've now covered 690 miles without any issues. As of writing, I love this car!!!
I owned the first Porsche Cayman S (2005) and the first Audi S4 (B8 - 2009). Both came with faults, but I loved them dearly. I then moved to a BMW 335i and then 330i M-sport touring (wife, kids and doggo dictated my car choice).
I remember asking my wife to drive the Cayman whilst I was in the passenger seat leaning over the engine (with the cover off) trying to diagnose the cause of a rattle! Good times looking back now . The point being, new models have teething faults. My 2009 S4 had an oil temperature issue and the build quality was terrible.
Both my BMW's were reliable but boring AF. I could not imagine getting in a third one.. the interior was dated and lacked the most basic of equipment without extra expense.
If Mercedes happen to read my comments:
The accelerator pedal feels like it's vibrating at around 80 mph.
There is a judder between second and first gear (for example when approaching a roundabout/junction). It's very rare, but noticeable when it happens. I have adhered to my break in period. Numerous reviews have mentioned this. Personally, I don't think it's too bad, but it's worth mentioning here.
I have a "Check low beam setting (left/right-side traffic)" warning that comes on intermittently. Setting it to Automatic (via Settings > Lights) clears the error for a short time. I am in the UK. I should be able to set it to "Automatic" or "right-side traffic", neither of these stop the warning long term. I will be raising this on my first service (or sooner if it becomes more frequent).
The MBUX message when starting the car is annoying ("Don't let MBUX distract you from driving"). The message appears for ~5 seconds. It should clear after 1 or 2 second as it's a distraction..
Good points.. too many to mention.
* The steering is amazing. I can't explain it.. Check out the "Grip" Youtube comparison to the M340i (1.5m subscribers, so no joke), it's in German, but you can set the subtitles to English in Youtube settings. Spoiler alert the C43 wins.
* The breaks feel like they could stop a train, but also wouldn't wake a baby in the back seat. There is a slight over compensation at low speeds. But I quickly adjusted to this.
* The driver/car connection is next level Avatar "Tree of Souls". I am one with the car. I don't remember taking my BMW's out for sheer enjoyment. They were purposeful, not enjoyable.
* The voice assistance is amazing. Mercedes should be marketing this. I had to actually buy the car before I realised how good it was. For this reason the lack of physical buttons does not matter to me.
* I have the 20" wheels and the ride is smooth. Statistically, Britain has more pot holes than Craters on the moon..
* The climate control is soo good. All previous cars required constant adjustments. My C43 regulates the temperature without human intervention.
At this price there is not much to separate the top 3 luxury brands. I thought I'd try Mercedes and I'm happy so far.
First time Mercedes owner here. I own the C43 estate.
Overall I'm happy with my C43. I did have the dreaded CEL light at 150 miles. I'm in the UK, I called out the (included) road side assistance who arrived in less than 2 hours with £10k of diagnostics equipment (I was at home). They flashed the ECU and it's been fine ever since. The reported error was "Coolant temperature too low".
I've now covered 690 miles without any issues. As of writing, I love this car!!!
I owned the first Porsche Cayman S (2005) and the first Audi S4 (B8 - 2009). Both came with faults, but I loved them dearly. I then moved to a BMW 335i and then 330i M-sport touring (wife, kids and doggo dictated my car choice).
I remember asking my wife to drive the Cayman whilst I was in the passenger seat leaning over the engine (with the cover off) trying to diagnose the cause of a rattle! Good times looking back now . The point being, new models have teething faults. My 2009 S4 had an oil temperature issue and the build quality was terrible.
Both my BMW's were reliable but boring AF. I could not imagine getting in a third one.. the interior was dated and lacked the most basic of equipment without extra expense.
If Mercedes happen to read my comments:
The accelerator pedal feels like it's vibrating at around 80 mph.
There is a judder between second and first gear (for example when approaching a roundabout/junction). It's very rare, but noticeable when it happens. I have adhered to my break in period. Numerous reviews have mentioned this. Personally, I don't think it's too bad, but it's worth mentioning here.
I have a "Check low beam setting (left/right-side traffic)" warning that comes on intermittently. Setting it to Automatic (via Settings > Lights) clears the error for a short time. I am in the UK. I should be able to set it to "Automatic" or "right-side traffic", neither of these stop the warning long term. I will be raising this on my first service (or sooner if it becomes more frequent).
The MBUX message when starting the car is annoying ("Don't let MBUX distract you from driving"). The message appears for ~5 seconds. It should clear after 1 or 2 second as it's a distraction..
Good points.. too many to mention.
* The steering is amazing. I can't explain it.. Check out the "Grip" Youtube comparison to the M340i (1.5m subscribers, so no joke), it's in German, but you can set the subtitles to English in Youtube settings. Spoiler alert the C43 wins.
* The breaks feel like they could stop a train, but also wouldn't wake a baby in the back seat. There is a slight over compensation at low speeds. But I quickly adjusted to this.
* The driver/car connection is next level Avatar "Tree of Souls". I am one with the car. I don't remember taking my BMW's out for sheer enjoyment. They were purposeful, not enjoyable.
* The voice assistance is amazing. Mercedes should be marketing this. I had to actually buy the car before I realised how good it was. For this reason the lack of physical buttons does not matter to me.
* I have the 20" wheels and the ride is smooth. Statistically, Britain has more pot holes than Craters on the moon..
* The climate control is soo good. All previous cars required constant adjustments. My C43 regulates the temperature without human intervention.
At this price there is not much to separate the top 3 luxury brands. I thought I'd try Mercedes and I'm happy so far.
I agree with almost all that was said above. I also posted the transcript of that video somewhere here.
Try to take it to the track, you will really feel how good it handles.
-Harsh transmission so much jerking back and forth. the dealer had to reprogram the transmission
-The command center glitches and the screen turns fuzzy red. the dealer updated the software
-Steering wheel AMG buttons stopped working. the dealer had to order new buttons
-The rear steering differential malfunctioned and the car stopped moving, check engine light. dealer said it was because the steering wheel column buttons stopped working
-The check engine started flashing car stopped and started shaking, The dealer is pending another investigation
Hmmm the shaking might have something to do with the molding sand problem although that was probably on the earlier builds if I read it correctly, the latter builds in the same model year didn't have that problem. Other MBs have issues with leaking injectors specifically the V8, the W206 C 43 shouldn't have that issue so it is possible it is the molding sand issue.
The buttons stopped working should be resolved with the latest update.
02-11-2024, 03:26 PM
. The point being, new models have teething faults. My 2009 S4 had an oil temperature issue and the build quality was terrible.
