noka

I think that is precisely the general trend with most cars in these and similar stats. The real question is how well they hold up after several years and then you can also spot problem years, given a large enough sample size.

mkaresh

Since 2006 or so the German brands have all greatly improved the reliability of their cars during the first few years, and perhaps as far out as four or even six years (when the CPO warranties end). But they still have work to do after that point.

When recommending cars, I have few qualms about recommending a Mercedes for people unlikely to keep it more than 3-4 years. But for people who say they'll keep a car over six years, not so much, at least not yet. The latest cars could prove reliable for 8-10 years, there's just no way to know at this point.

Alex.currie44

I think one of the big issue of the early 2000's cars was tied into the brake by wire system. My dealer kept me out of trouble with regular updates but I know a number of folks who had issues. A lot of people never got used to it.
Also, my 2008 W211 had significant differences in toys vs. the 2003. There were fewer gadgets which makes me wonder if they just didn't really clean up the electrics.
BMW I am told still today has electrical issues.

Cocca

Signed up. It's free. What's all the hubbub, bubb?

If you don't want to participate, then do not participate.

mkaresh

I've often wondered the same thing. Thanks for signing up!

mkaresh

New stuff this time. We've updated our reliability stats for the E-Class to include owner experiences through the end of 2014. Plus we've added reliability trends graphs. These indicate how a model's reliability has changed as it has aged, and how different model years performed when the same age.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2014 E-Class: 20, low (my mother's red wagon has been flawless)
2012 E-Class: 36, moderate, small sample size
2011 E-Class: 45, moderate
2010 E-Class: 44, moderate

We'll have further updates in May and in August. The more owners participate, the more comprehensive and precise these will be. Especially need more 2012s, 2013s, and 2015s.

To see how competitors compare, and to sign up to help improve this information:

Mercedes-Benz E-Class reliability ratings and comparisons

To view the new graphs, select "reliability trends" in the breadcrumbs at the top of the page. Or check out the attachment. German cars often have a bump around the 4-year mark, I suspect because that's when the original warranty ends.

Johnny Rad

Today I remembered why I haven't joined your site as a contributor already.

I tried to join today, bur your "join" page doesn't like my email address ... says it looks like it's designed to "shunt" emails and wants a different email address. Same thing happened the last time I tried to join, so what am I to do?

mkaresh

Sorry for the trouble. Two options:

1. Join with a different address, then change it.

2. Email me (michael@) and I can manually set up the account.

mkaresh

We've had great participation by owners of the 2014 E-Class (thanks, mom!--she's one of them). But far fewer owners have enrolled a 2015 so far. We need more of them to provide stats on the second model year.

Same for the 2013--many people appear to have waited for the updated car.

So if you have a 2015 or 2013, I especially hope you'll join. (If you have a 2010-2012 or 2014, more of those is also always helpful--you can't have too large a sample size.)

As stated in the OP, participants receive free access to all of the resulting information, for all cars, not just the Focus.

www.truedelta.com/join

unr1

Recently got a 2015 E350 RWD and added it. But it's leased.

mkaresh

Thanks, leased is fine.

El Cid

I highly recommend this site. One advantage is that you can the actual comments of the participants as to what was wrong and what was done to fix it.
I wonder if there is a point where cars get better as they get older. For instance, the 2010 models may be improving because all the "new" model problems have been fixed? Of course, one thing that improved the 2011-2014 models was all the problems that surfaced in the 2010's and that MB fixed at the factory.

mkaresh

So, how have these cars been doing lately?

Our reliability stats for the E-Class now include owner experiences through March 31, 2015. (Others are nearly a year behind.)

In terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2014 E-Class: 24, low
2012 E-Class: 35, low, small sample size
2011 E-Class: 58, moderate
2010 E-Class: 28, low

We have two additional statistics, "Nada-odds" and "Lemon-odds", to indicate the percentage of cars with no repairs in the past year and those that required 3+ trips to the repair shop:

2014 E-Class: 75, 4

Next updates in August and in November. The more owners participate, the more comprehensive and precise these will be.

For repair descriptions, the stats for other cars, and to sign up to help improve this information:

Mercedes-Benz E-Class reliability

1scE350

Bump to the top, as this is great information!!

I'm a big data guy! so of course more data points mean more reliable information!

mkaresh

Thanks for the earlier bump!

Our reliability stats for the E-Class now cover the year ending June 30, 2015. (Others are over a year behind, and so report how these cars were doing when a year younger.)

Repair trips per 100 cars:

2014 E-Class: 26, low
2012 E-Class: 45, moderate
2011 E-Class: 52, moderate
2010 E-Class: 19, low

We have two additional statistics, "Nada-odds" and "Lemon-odds", to indicate the percentage of cars with no repairs in the past year and those that required 3+ trips to the repair shop:

2014 E-Class: 74, 4

If a model year isn't listed, then we especially need more owners involved.

For the descriptions of all reported repairs, results for other models, and to sign up to help improve this information:

Mercedes-Benz E-Class reliability ratings and comparisons

mkaresh

We've updated our reliability stats for the E-Class to include owner experiences through September 30, 2015.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2014 E-Class: 25, low
2012 E-Class: 56, moderate
2011 E-Class: 52, moderate
2010 E-Class: 19, low

We have two additional statistics, "Nada-odds" and "Lemon-odds", to indicate the percentage of cars with no repairs in the past year and those that required 3+ trips to the repair shop:

2014 E-Class: 85, < 1

We'll have further updates in February and in May. The more owners participate, the more comprehensive and precise these will be.

To see how competitors compare, and to sign up to help improve this information:

Mercedes-Benz E-Class reliability ratings and comparisons

jahquan3

Looks like the 2010 E Class is doing very well based on your sites data collection.

El Cid

After six years, all the problems have probably been fixed. Hopefully.

megasaurus

My 2010 nothin at 34k miles. It's a Bull.

mkaresh

Sometimes the repair frequency declines after the warranty ends because people opt to live with problems instead of fixing them. This could explain the peak with the 2011s and 2012s, as those were in the last year of the warranty.

We've updated our reliability stats for the E-Class to include owner experiences through the end of 2015, about eight months ahead of other sources. In terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year--lower is better:

2014 E-Class: 21, low
2013 E-Class: 14, low, small sample size
2012 E-Class: 58, moderate
2011 E-Class: 46, moderate
2010 E-Class: 29, low

We have two additional statistics, "Nada-odds" and "Lemon-odds", to indicate the percentage of cars with no repairs in the past year and those that required 3+ trips to the repair shop:

2014 E-Class: 86, < 1

We'll have further updates in May and in August. The more owners participate, the more comprehensive and precise these will be.

For the repairs behind these stats, reliability information on other models, and to sign up to help improve this information:

Mercedes-Benz E-Class reliability ratings and comparisons

El Cid

[QUOTE=mkaresh;6727821]Sometimes the repair frequency declines after the warranty ends because people opt to live with problems instead of fixing them.

Or it could mean that the problems have been fixed and earlier models are in really good shape now.

mkaresh

[QUOTE=El Cid;6728276]Yes, this is also a possibility. Sometimes problems mostly appear early in a model's life, sometimes late, and sometimes consistently all the way through. The last should be assumed to always be the case.

More data certainly helps in identifying such patterns. For those who aren't already participants, I hope you'll consider it:

www.truedelta.com/join

mkaresh

We've updated our reliability stats for the E-Class to include owner experiences through March 31, 2016, making them nearly a year ahead of other sources.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2015 E-Class: 32, moderate, very small sample size
2014 E-Class: 24, low
2013 E-Class: 20, low, small sample size
2012 E-Class: 70, high
2011 E-Class: 34, low
2010 E-Class: 50, moderate

We have two additional statistics, "Nada-odds" and "Lemon-odds", to indicate the percentage of cars with no repairs in the past year and those that required 3+ trips to the repair shop:

2014 E-Class: 86, < 1

Thank you, once again, everyone who has been helping. Next update in August.

For a deeper dive, including the stats for other cars and repair descriptions, and to sign up to help improve this information:

Mercedes-Benz E-Class reliability ratings and comparisons

screw991le

Been a member for years on my last 3 cars. I like the access to the info. So join if you have not, they are pretty good about not bothering you all the time for info.

sunnySD

I agree with screw9991le. Only emails once in awhile to remind me to update my repairs. Good resource with info on all cars out there.