chassis

https://www.consumerreports.org/cars...best-vehicles/

BMW and Porsche earned high rankings in the review.

ygmn

interesting but I could not find how they weighted their test parameters are each of the 4 equal or one more important to score?

Having GREEN as one of the parameters is not for me in buying a car. Should be a side bar.
"Green Choices reflect how many tested vehicles from a brand earned the Green Choice designation for being among the cleanest, lowest-emitting passenger vehicles."

But the rest sure...
I mean they have ALFA and Land Rover last... LOL

PS MB was 20th last time.

hyperion667

Not shocking.

places

No surprise. As many stated before, the addition of entry and mid level crap that MB produces in an effort to have their brand in every driveway in the world has diluted the quality. So has their attempt to jam in as much tech and green as possible in the shortest amount of time. A shell of what they once were. Look at the 167's, absolute mess of a launch.

E55Greasemonkey

....And I was attacked by the buyers remorse gang in the one-sixty-lemon forum. Denial isn't a river in Egypt! 😀

places

Yeah, they're a defensive bunch for sure. 1-6-lemon is right.

hyperion667

the BRG!

TEAsE550

I wonder how much of it has to do where the vehicles are being built? I've been told now by 3 independent Mercedes garage owners to NOT buy anything that wasn't made in Stuttgart. A few years back I almost talked my wife out of her C280 because she thought she wanted a SUV. We went looking @ ML's and drove a couple. The interiors and sheetmetal were, lets say a disappointment. You could see and feel the Chysler influence. Hmmmmm.

places

Maybe, arguments can be made both ways I suppose. Personally I stand by my opinion in that once MB decided to go down market and broaden their base it all changed. The Chrysler merger was a disaster, then all the green initiatives mandating changes along with turning the car into an iPhone just became too much I think. Now they simply leverage the three pointed star and legacy to maximize market share. Overall some may argue the cars are better than most however the tolerance and acceptance of this sub standard quality by the modern MB customer isn't likely to change anything. Mercedes will keep producing these standards. People are hell bent on buying the star so they will put up with anything it seems.

chassis

I see the timeline of downward spiral along these lines:

- Shrempp stripping cost and quality out of the product
- Zetsche stripping more cost and quality out and distracted by Chrysler acquisition
- downmarket models (A, CLA, GLA, GLB) draining R&D resources
- too much tech draining R&D resources
- EV platforms draining R&D resource and capital investment

places

Also to add, stiffening penalties for not adhering to CAFE standards which forces quicker development to avoid fines. Hence poor quality.

Mr. Toad

Consumer Reports did a companion piece a couple of years ago, researching why Mercedes-Benz cars had become so unreliable while those produced by Lexus were comparatively much more dependable. The conclusion was that MB wants to be first to market with new, whiz-bang technology to appeal to those who are constantly seeking "the latest thing", while Lexus/Toyota is inclined to test technology for a while to iron out the kinks before adding it to the production line.

places

Makes sense. MB has always been considered the best so there is (and was) pressure to remain at the forefront of not just safety and engineering but yes, this much desired technology which IMO is the main culprit in this decline. Now MB has become so hell bent on not just engineering the best cars, but having the best whiz-bang tech with the greenest cars that it's simply too much.

hyperion667

Makes me wonder how much 'tech' is being recycled from the 90's, maybe even 80's EV technology haha! EV have been around a while but not accepted by BIG auto.
Clip from the film:
BEST part is at the end!!

places

Very insightful, I had forgotten those cars. IMO had it not been for government mandates they probably would never accept EV's. Tremendous costs, generational.

gfmohn

My 2015 C300 sedan had the wrist pin problem. Total cost to repair was over $11,000 (zeroed out under warranty). My car was assembled in Ala., but the engine/transmission were built in Stuttgart.
That was my 2nd MB. The 2007 C280 pictured below was my 1st. MB. That MB had only the Dreaded Balance Shaft Pinion Problem! That defect threatened possible destruction of the engine -- well after the warranty expired! (I had traded it before I found this out for sure.) MBUSA would do nothing for most of the victims (except occasionally, on an individual basis). The photos below show me taking delivery of that car at the factory, in Sindelfingen.2nd MB

Williemv

I am very disillusioned at MB which has been in my family since 1977 240 d. And I'll wait another month for delivery (7 months) before I demand my deposit back and move on.

classic_m

I do think there was a old guard at Mercedes that cared most about quality and tradition. There seem to have been a shift toward diversifying the products, advancing product quickly and some of the focus on quality was lost. This comes through. On the other hand sales are strong and so is profit so it's hard to argue. They used to be made to last forever now they are meant to be replaced after warranty IMO...

Mr. Toad

This.

Also, the extent of the model lineup has reached the point of absurdity. I wish they'd cut back to just a few models and properly engineer/test them.

places

Yes, MB wants to be the leader in tech and safety but unfortunately not in quality and reliability.

OnlyGerman

They don't make them like they used to!

hyperion667

Remember when door jambs were chrome??

Mr. Toad

Are you referring to the sill (which you step over to enter the car), or the large plate at the rear end of the door that surrounds the lock latching mechanism? If the latter, mine is very thick, shiny chrome.

Bryce1023

Just purchased our family’s 5th MB. Overall quality has been excellent especially with the GLK, two GLCs. We now have a GLB , which needed the charcoal canister and purge valve replaced. Which was a 2 day stay at the dealership. I also have a new GLE with under 800 miles on it which I am really enjoying. I did notice a whistling noise from near the driver’s side mirror, and the gas filler door does not seem to be perfectly flush with the body. I’m going to live with these two annoyances for now especially since the whistling noise is inconsistent. I am also concerned that since there is no official service bulletin from MB the technician attempting to fix the problem may do more harm than good. When others speak about Lexus being head and shoulders above MB in terms of build quality and fit and finish, there is very little to argue with, I wish it wasn’t so however it is. I test drove an RX 350 and an X5 before deciding on the GLE 350. The Lexus was old looking and tired , my wife and I quickly eliminated that. The X5 was much more comparable to the GLE, however there too it appeared a generation behind. I realize that aesthetics is completely subjective, however the interior of the GLE blew us away, and my wife is not a car person in the least.
I am somewhat concerned about the negative comments regarding the launch of the GLE, although out for over a year I am hopeful that the kinks have been worked out of the early production vehicles. I hope that opting for the GLE over the other two vehicles purely on aesthetics was not a mistake. BTW, the Lexus would have probably cost nearly $15k less, and after 4 years, which is the longest I would keep the GLE, will most likely have similar resale values. I am not a fancy guy, however driving the GLE made me just feel better than the Lexus RX.

cbebmb1

Wheels were too.