mbbodytech

If you want rice, go right ahead. We won't miss you!!

rjm

Thank you for your kind words....it shows a great deal of maturity on your part.

CE750

In the span of 20 years, we've gone from where nobody in their right mind would swap a Mercedes Benz for a Toyota.. to a time where the majority would (this forum not being a good sample)..

I for one will stick with MB for many other reasons (safety being foremost), but as I said in my DC Merger problems thread in the W211 forum, MB needs to wake the F^%K up. They're loosing customers they should be keeping... people who spend $60K on a Toyota!

Jakpro1

Now that's a bit over the top don't ya think.

Never had a little hottie look over at me at a redlight, smile and say, "Nice car..too bad JD Powers has decreased the quality of Mercedes over the past few years, sure hope they get their act together"

Regardless of how awesome Lexus is.....put them side by side with a Benz in front of 100 average Americans and see which one they pick.

Enjoy your car RJM....I am sure you will be happy, but let's not get carried away.

lexrex

That may be true, but as your article points out, (a) the results depend on the driver demographic (and frailness), (b) not all cars were tested, particlarly large luxury cars (such as the LS430), and (c) the results should be compared alongside crash test data.

Note that the Lexus RX330 SUV and VW Passat are near the top of the list. Do you think either of those cars is safer than the LS? The LS is conspicuously asbent, I think, because it was not included in the study.

Lexus LS430 Crash Test Rating

W210 Crash Test Rating

The bottom line is that both the W210 and the Lexus LS430 are exceptionally safe cars, but I don't think the W210 is any safer.

rjm

Good Post! I agree with you 100%. Five years ago I never would have considered swapping a Mercedes for a Toyota. That is the reason I have been driving the Mercedes for the past 4 years. Sticking with MB for safety reasons is a good reason....though I have doubts that a 4-yr. old W210 is any safer than a new LS-430. MB definately needs to "wake the F^96K up." Hopefully the new CEO from Chrysler will make some positive changes regarding the quality of the current product. I thought a great deal before making the change but in the end, decided I would rather drive a Toyota with a Lexus badge than a Chrysler product with a MB star on it.

CE750

I don't doubt that one bit with regards to the W211. The passenger cage is re-inforced with Boron steel (5 times stronger than automotive steel), and the body panels outside the pax cage are aluminum.. the result is this (see attachment) when you have an accident at 100mph plus (the average cruise speed of a W211 when the engineers designed it).

The guys in the CDI walked away.. the Guys in the cop car all died.

rjm

Are you REALLY that insecure with the ladies?

phatstyles

If you get the LS. Make sure you hook it up with the WALD kit. Its phat!!

Alexbenz

lexus while being a good car is a overpriced toyota

E-Klasse

Hello... Mercedes (Daimler-Benz) bought out Chrysler, not the other way around.

The soon to be former DaimlerChrysler CEO is Juergen Schrempp.

The new CEO will be Dieter Zetsche.

Both from Germany, not the US.

mbbodytech

Personally, I detest Japanese cars, and have a low opinion of the people who buy them. So, it's nothing personal, that's just how I feel.

Vader55

Quote:
Originally Posted by rjm
I would rather drive a Toyota with a Lexus badge than a Chrysler product with a MB star on it.

rjm..... You are yellow not green Grasshopper

CE750

On your first point.. true, but it was treated more so as a merger (read all of the financial papers stories about it, and it will be clear).

On your second point, the CEO has about as much effect on how a company that size operates as the President of the US has on the economy, i.e. very little. It's more about who he deputized to do the work that matters... Here in the US, MBUSA is run be many ex-chrysler types (part of the job protection some Chrysler execs got with the DC deal).. and with the exception of the top "Bean counting" management at Chrysler, it's still American.

Bottom line... ANYONE who thinks the DC deal was good for MB is smoking crack.

E-Klasse

Chrysler was both a money drain and a managment drain for the Daimler (Mercedes) side. The CEO has a lot of effect on where the funding goes. Chrysler needed a lot of help and that put a crunch on the Mercedes line.

The point was that a Mercedes car is NOT a Chrysler with an MB star on it.

Mercedes has done more for Chrylser than the other way around. One of the problems is that they are so divided. They don't share enough part suppliers like Toyota does with Lexus. A Lexus is a Toyota while a Mercedes will never be a Chrysler and vise versa.

CE750

All true.. but we can then agree that the net result of all of this is a big (-) for MB and a big (+) for Chrysler... and possibly a (-/+) for DC.

If that makes any sense..

E-Klasse

DaimlerChrysler CEO, Juergen Schrempp wanted to make the company a bigger player in the autoworld but that didn't make it better. Like you said, it hurt Mercedes. If they would just focus on making quality high-end cars like the business plan of BMW. DaimlerChrysler went in to making ulta cheap cars like the "Smart" car to the ulta rich Maybach. Talk about a range that does nothing for your profits and causes the Luxury line to suffer.

MikeyE430

Dude, you did the right thing. I have been considering it for a while myself.

I am seriously looking at Infiniti G35 and M45 and Chrysler 300C SRT-8.

Good luck with the Lexus!

vraa

Mikey: If you're comparing the interiors of the Infiniti's to any of the cars you're looking at, you'll notice that they suck

Keep that in mind before you go and buy a car. I have one too many friends that got caught up in the G35 stuff and hate it now, just because the interior sucks.

CE750

Just look at the video of the crash tests on the G35 vs the W211..
I'll stick with the Benz, for now thank you.

Both are under lux car/suv 2003...

http://www.progressive.com/RC/VSafet...ash_videos.asp

zam2000

My next car will be a big SUV or truck. The German spent lot of money into building a crumble zone and cage structure in a car frame, so that driver & tagger will be okey when accident happen. However, the way I see it, if you truck/SUV big and tall enough, you just jump on top of other car. Save for you, (hopefully) save for them. No direct impact

rjm

The interior on the Lexus LS430 was one of the things that really sold me. I find it MUCH more comfortable and user friendly than the MB E-430 that I had. The car drives like the S-Class...very comfortable and responsive.

BlownV8

The car just looks too much like a Toyota Avalon. Though the interior is nice the seats look as if they do not have any side bolstering. The car is basically a luxo cruiser meant for heading straight down the road. If that's what you want, more power to you. There is no doubt that it will be dependable. You'll look like every other 60 something that got tired of their Cadillac's breaking down. Boring but dependable.

CE750

Sorry man, but even though I am very critical of MB for a lot of things, the interior of that Lexus looks like a Toyota or Honda... Can't escape it..

I just wish MB would return to their roots.. But even where they are now, is ahead of the Japanese cars.

rjm

I heartily agree with the 1st part of your statement...I'll be back if they return to their roots. The 2nd part of your statement is VERY much in doubt. According to the 2005 Vehicle Dependibility Study just released by J.D. Powers Lexus still ranks #1 as it has for the past 11 years. Mercedes-Benz ranks 28th, WAY BELOW Ford, Chevy, and Chrysler and down there with Daewoo, Isuzu, and Kia. As I said in my original post, if Mercedes can get back to producing a reliable, quality product, I will probably be back. I'm just not willing to drink their Kool-Aid anymore with much better products on the market. So drink up...and cheers!