ua549

Spending $60k is NOT a lot of money when one considers that many General Motors vehicles top $100k. The average cost of 2021 cars (including low end) in the US is over $40k. Stellantis > $45k, Ford > $47k, GM > $45k to name just a few. Back in the day, an E Class cost about 2 times a typical US brand ($5k vs $3k). That is still the case today.

JTK44

Perhaps you think that $60,000 plus is not a lot of money for a car:

• Median household income (family of four) is $67,521 in 2020: see https://www.census.gov/library/publi...o/p60-273.html
• Average income in 2019 was $31,133: see https://www.google.com/search?q=what...client=gws-wiz

Try telling all but a small percentage of Americans that a Mercedes E Class that cost more than double the average salary and as you stated "Back in the day, an E Class cost about 2 times a typical US brand ($5k vs $3k). That is still the case today. is not "a lot of money"!

A car like a E Class that cost close to $70,000, "cost 2 times a typical US Brand" is not only a lot of money but a luxury item.

e55phil

Bottom Line, I would buy my car again even though I have had problems.

I do not want to over analyze this report or give it more credit than it deserves. I do agree that people complain more than praise and that CR is not the last word. I am still disappointed that some 213 drivers are having issues. I hope MB resolves any issues with our car. I have had 48 V problems twice. I hope for no more issues.

Hundens

I was interested in buying an extremely rare automobile in the early nineties and so had a conversation with the head of CU's automobile testing unit about it. He was not well informed and clearly was not an enthusiast. To CU automobiles are toasters with wheels, and so I place little credence in their judgment. However I think they are pretty good bean counters and I am sure their tabulation of problems and the ranking of results are absolutely accurate. Mercedes are complicated vehicles. Utilizing and maintaining the functions is a challenge for owner and dealer alike. I am not surprised with this poor showing. I expect that if one drilled down a lot of the problems had to do with the 48 volt system. I expect the CU readership will stroke out over the EQS.

JTK44

Dear US549:

This was the post by 1guitar in the thread: "2019 E300-4matic Battery"



Originally Posted by JTK44 View Post
There is a post in a different thread that when you disconnect the battery to change you lose setting including, seat, radio and few others.

Is that accurate?


MB cars don’t lose their electrical settings when you change batteries. I asked my service advisor. Other cars like BMW’s and Audi’s do.

ua549

If the car is fully disconnected from power including the battery and the super capacitor some settings may be lost. I have a 2018 E300.

I have experienced COMAND setting losses when power was interrupted for a software flash. The settings that were lost included volume, equalizer and station presets.

DFWdude

That's odd... MotorTrend named the 2021 E-Class "Car of the Year"... https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...-car-year.html

I know you can't believe everything you read on the internet. I guess this follows from printed magazine precursors, too.

e55phil

This played a role in why I bought my car. As cars go, the All Terrain offers a lot. I do not think Motor Trend did a lot of testing. Someone above said most problems can be traced back to the 48V I think that may be the issue. I hope they work out the problem. I want to keep my car

Diesel Benz

Are you sure the settings were not lost because of a SW flash? Usually the devices is reset to factory settings and user settings should have been saved and restored afterwards.

Bloom_Phaze

Actually I’m rather shocked. Audi for me is least reliable brand of the main German automakers. All of my mates and myself who’ve had Audi’s have spent more time in the workshop having various things repaired via warranty and otherwise due to poor quality and fit’n’finish. So many rattles that my Alfa Brera seemed to be better than the RS6 wagoooon. This was a pity because I loved the car and love wagons.

However this is a small sample so what do I know…

shekmark

The auto magazines raving about the E Cabriolet is what led me to buy my CPO E53. This has the 48 V system and the new I 6. I checked CarFax and it never had but regular service intervals. No separate visits for any other problem. Maybe I got a good one. 21K miles on it. I traded my 2018 JLU Rubicon for it. Never had a problem with it , but check out the Jeep forums. There is no love for Stallantis. I bought the extended warranty on my MB. Will see. Great car so far.

coolcamden

CR took a break from reviewing toasters and washer/dryer? Stick to appliances bruh!

places

CR might not be the most accurate but even if one factors in a significant margin for error, Mercedes still way off in ratings. All the forced and fast tech to market along with trying to be everything to every segment has caught up with the brand. Massed producing entry level crap along with the failed 167's has taken the focus off from commitment to higher standards. Now all about leasing and trading in three years. So much for the 100K mile break-in period that was the MB standard for decades.

Higher line MB cars still solid but I'd stay away from entry level and mass produced SUV's.

bluegene

Agree with the sentiment that I'd still buy my MB again regardless of what a CR survey said given the rest of the field is not something I'd want to daily drive (Lexus, Acura, Hyundai, Fiat) or even less mechanically reliable long-term (VAG, BMW).

MB has definitely made a few turds though as of late. I think for a >70K+ vehicle you have to expect maintenance and repairs not to be cheap, but invasive engine work as with some M272, M274, M278 is just ridiculous.

As for country of origin, it is and will be a global economy. At the end of the day it's up to the manufacturer to keep their suppliers (and dealers) in check. The hope is that these reviews and the competition gives them some much needed impetus to improve, especially the dealerships which are awful.

Hundens

Indeed I deal with two MB dealerships and they both suck. I find people moving up to Bentleys and such in order to avoid the MB dealer experience. At one time I dealt with a Ferrari dealership and they treated me better than my relatives did.

ua549

I tried that, but the Bentley dealer here also sells Toyota and give their customers the Toyota treatment. My MB dealer is top notch when it comes to customer service!

dudley07726

My wife’s 18 E400 coupe w/ 19k miles has been a disappointing vehicle. Dash rattles, broken powered truck opener, seatbelt retractors replaced to name a few. My 16 Audi A6 hasn’t been too great either. 2 water pumps replaced in under 25k miles. Most reliable vehicle I had were the Lexus’s (92 E300, 98 GS 300, 06 SC430). Too bad they weren’t that fun to drive. Reliability kills the 2 brands above.
Both out of warranty.