rjm

Another indication that German imports are losing to the Japanese imports:

http://autos.msn.com/advice/CRArt.as...c=LP+Passenger

vraa

It's only been a few months since Mercedes got an engineer at the reigns. Still some time to go until a full turn around is complete.

PHXATC

Just think...less people will buy them and we'll all have collector's editions on our hands!

Consumer Reports is pathetic...it rated Dyson vacuums as sucking (no pun intended), yet I continue to think my Dyson kicks major league butt over any other pathetic vacuum out there. ...and yes, I do the vacuuming in my house.

BudC

Have they even tested the good stuff like Lindhaus or Miele?

PHXATC

Can't say as if I've ever seen them test the biggies. Funny, I never see them testing beer.......

It's easy to appeal to the masses by testing everything under the sun. Kinda like a jack of all trades and master of none. I'm not saying their testing or revelations they print are all out of whack, but sometimes you have to take a walk on your own to figure out what is "best" for your individual life.

Some people quote this thing like the Bible and when their products breaks and they turn into a malcontent, then what?

Quality and reliability are such subjective things.

HELL ONA HARLEY

Still trolling?????? Damn bro your a real ***...... Like were going to hurry and sell our MB's.... Just think what a boring world this would be if everyone was so smart as to by MB. I love being the minority... or should I say smarter

cyclerider

I second that!

mick1

yeah but people don't buy German cars because they want to own the best built car or the most reliable car or a low maintenance car

BudC

Well, that's exactly why I buy Mercedes and after more than 30 years of total ownership they haven't disappointed, not even the E320.

The problems that CU said I'd have with my 190D never showed up in 17 years of ownership. The problems that CU said I'd have with my 300E haven't showed up in 14 years and counting. The problems CU said I'd have with my 2004 E320 haven't shown up yet.

Of course I've been accused of being in denial by a poster on this forum so maybe I'll live long enough to finally realize that Mercedes products truly are crap

JWS3

I would think that quality, reliability and maintenance are all major factors in the buying decision. Imagine what would happen if the germans had driving dynamics and all of these things as well!

CE750

hey RJM... what was that you were saying about the reliability of the new CDI's?

https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...86#post1353586

Barry45RPM

You will find that the Editors' opinions of cars Consumers Reports tests is almost always the opposite of what the actual owners of these same vehicles report in THEIR OWN experience. In other words the OWNERS of these cars like them after living with the in daily driving, the Editors dislike them after test driving them for a short while.

Also bear in mind that the owners are paying for their use of the cars, so we should be even more "picky" than someone who gets the car for a couple of weeks to drive.

CE750

I just browsed a Consumer Reports magazine and the E did quite well in it... I saw MANY cars with worse ratings.. Some Japanese.

rjm

Consumer Reports on automobiles are based on OWNER'S experiences with their cars...the Editor merely compiles the results and reports them. They send out surveys to new car owners and ask them for their experiences with their new cars. These ratings are NOT based on the Editor's opinions....they are based soley on the OWNER'S reports.


"we've gathered responses on more than 1 million vehicles from Consumer Reports and ConsumerReports.org subscribers, the most we've ever received. These results underpin the most comprehensive reliability data you will find anywhere."

mick1

Well, if that is so, everyone in the world would drive a Honda Civic. They don't even need to the spend extra bucks to get a Lexus because i don't think even a refined Lexus could outlast a Civic and a Civic would get better gas mileage and its maintenance cost is much lower.

But some people would drive German cars, British cars, Italian cars, etc... that cost more than a Lexus and have higher operating costs.

Proof that quality, reliability, and low maintenance cost are not the deciding factors to some people when buying car, especially a German car.

Vader55

LOL .. You hit d'nail on d'head HELL ONA HARLEY ! I remember when the so called troll left us for riceus He is trying to make himself feel better now buy bomb-throwing (maybe buyers remorse rjm)

Here is thread from a an actual benz and lexus owner, notice he liked the leather better(which he said himself would probably be bad long term) in the lexus but the Benz has where it counts like the smooth ride ! Have fun in your bouncy riceus !

https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w210/126976-compare-2002-e320-2002-lexus-gs300.html

CE750

rjm... I don't think anyone is going to debate with you whether a MB is as reliable as a Lexus (Toyota) or other Japanese cars.. that's not the issue.. it's whether it's as nice of a car.

I suspect if you did a poll on a non-biased website (as I did on one of my Apple message boards) you'll find the Germans are king still..

JWS3

however, that the mere fact Lexus has gained the market share it has, never mind the sheer scope of debate we see right here, is indicative of a seriouos issue. MB has been withdrawing from its credibility account for too long. Time to make a few deposits.

CE750

I made this point a while back, and it's valid..

The fact that today, we are discussing whether a Toyota product is as good or "better" than a Mercedes Benz is disgraceful. 20 years ago the idea of making such a comparison would have been laughable!

rjm

Yea....right! Like when I log in to see if there is possibly any indication that Mercedes might be trying to improve their product, and I read on the 1st few (most recent) pages complaints from owners regarding:

Transmissions failing to shift properly and are balky...

Air conditioning systems that won't blow cold air and MB can't fix the problem...

When a MB dealer refuses to do a TSB for a car that clearly has a "twitching steering wheel" because the Service Advisor says that is "normal."

When MB puts vinyl seats in cars and calls it "leather"...

When keyless entry systems fail to work...

When there are multiple complaints of transmissions lurching at 50-60 mph because of possible "torque converters locking up"...

"Leather" seats picking up dye from passenger's clothing...

CDI owners reporting diesel fumes inside the car and the dealer tells them this is normal...

Multiple owners reporting Power Loss and Limp-Home Mode...

Owners complaining of ultra-high depreciation of their cars after a couple of years...


Yea, benzondubz, when I read about these experiences from owners on the first few pages of threads, I really starting feeling that remorse. Is it really any surprise to you that the Japaneese cars are being rated higher in consumer polls????

CE750

rjm we may complain but we're still here...

HELL ONA HARLEY

Your over-analizing..... rjm is a troll and a **** disturber and this thread like most others from him are his handy work.... Nothing more nothing less.
Let me go to a lexus forum and post how good a MB is and I'll be respected as much there too...

rjm

You are absolutely right....20 years ago Mercedes built the finest automobiles in the world. In the 1980's, several of my friends were flying over to Germany, picking up a 300 diesel, driving it for 2 years, and selling it for MORE than they had paid for it in Germany. They were tremendous cars and had a worldwide reputation for excellence. Sadly, they have really dropped the ball in the past 20 years....being rated 28 out of 38 in the JD Powers Dependibility and Reliability ratings is disgraceful for MB. They need to address the problems they face, and return to those "wonderful days of yesteryear."

rjm

HELL ONA HARLEY:
If you can't make an intelligent response without name-calling and profanity, why even bother to post?

"It's better to remain quiet and be thought ignorant, than to open your mouth, and remove all doubt."

Spartan

Consumers Report has the "cars as appliances" mentality. To them, the greatest car would be a stainless steel Camry that cost $1000 bucks.

Having said that, I think that car companies SHOULD BE PUNISHED and EXPOSED for creating unsafe or unreliable cars.