Consumer Reports - GLC Reliability Poor
#1
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Consumer Reports - GLC Reliability Poor
When I was researching the 2017 GLC, Consumer Reports had it as the #1 in it's class with an overall rating of 81 out of 100. Now I see that they rate it very low at 54 out of 100 with reliability being a 1 out of a scale of 5. Anyone know why the big change?
#2
MBWorld Fanatic!
Yes - two things - (1) early cold/reverse brake squeal issue - which took Mercedes 3-4 months to re-design new brake pads - and (2) starter fuse able link recall also affected some GLC's
#4
Super Member
So it sounds like this is a known issue; is the remedy to replace the pads only? and would that be front or rear replacement?
I was planning on reporting it next time at the dealer; my only fear is that when i get to the dealer they wouldn't be able to duplicate it. hopefully as it is a known issue it will be fixed even if they cant make it happen.
And i was also going to report at teh same time that the replacement wipers they gave me had no effect on the shuddering issue- will be interesting to see what their next step on this is.
AJM
#5
Super Member
agree seems like a big drop. how do they do the reliability ranking anyway? Via survey? i wonder if many minor issues typical of the first model year of a a new design had anything to do with it as well.
#7
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DPelletier (10-22-2017)
#9
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The Land Rover Discovery Sport is rated at 39 out of a 100. You can see all of the ratings for the various SUVs at their website, but you have to be a member or able to log in thru your local library (what I did).
#10
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Not worth reading if that's where it places the Discovery, it's build quality is rubbish, GLC is brilliant.
#11
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I may not have been clear. The rating is the Land Rover scores 39 out of a possible 100 points. The GLC scores 54 out of a possible 100 points. It still has the GLC way ahead of the Land Rover, but like you, I think it is a great SUV and I have not had any issues except a corrupt Navigation SD card which was probably my fault.
#12
Senior Member
For example, for a number of years beginning around 2002, JD Power, Strategic Vision, Maritz and others (companies that track/report vehicle reliability based on objective surveys) saw decreases in the overall quality and increases in defect counts related to Toyota products, as rated by those taking their surveys. During this same period, automotive writers were increasingly noting a drop-off in Toyota product quality. Despite this, CR continued to rate almost every Toyota product as a Best Buy, and those products often placed 1 or 2 in their tests. Only after multiple recalls and a couple of defect scandals did CR finally get on board and lower their Toyota ratings.
Keep in mind, too, that all of these ratings will change based on one single item in a car that's bad. For example, Ford's "overall quality" ratings plummeted due almost solely to problems people were having with their Sync in-car technology. The exact same car with a bad user interface saw a big drop in "overall quality". In truth, it was one system in the car that was driving the change. The same thing is going on with Cadillac due to their (awful) CUE entertainment system.
YMMV
#13
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I may not have been clear. The rating is the Land Rover scores 39 out of a possible 100 points. The GLC scores 54 out of a possible 100 points. It still has the GLC way ahead of the Land Rover, but like you, I think it is a great SUV and I have not had any issues except a corrupt Navigation SD card which was probably my fault.
#14
Some good points posted here.
Another example is the Tesla Model X...by most accounts, a great vehicle except for the back doors (the gull wings). So it gets slammed in publications. I suppose some kind of a weighting system that's not subjective would be needed, but not sure how that would be accomplished...ie, weighing the Model X's drivetrain / fit - finish multiple times higher than the cars doors.
Another example is the Tesla Model X...by most accounts, a great vehicle except for the back doors (the gull wings). So it gets slammed in publications. I suppose some kind of a weighting system that's not subjective would be needed, but not sure how that would be accomplished...ie, weighing the Model X's drivetrain / fit - finish multiple times higher than the cars doors.
#15
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2015 C300, 2015 F-350 Platinum, 1969 Mach 1 428cj, 2007 Roadking
Some good points posted here.
Another example is the Tesla Model X...by most accounts, a great vehicle except for the back doors (the gull wings). So it gets slammed in publications. I suppose some kind of a weighting system that's not subjective would be needed, but not sure how that would be accomplished...ie, weighing the Model X's drivetrain / fit - finish multiple times higher than the cars doors.
Another example is the Tesla Model X...by most accounts, a great vehicle except for the back doors (the gull wings). So it gets slammed in publications. I suppose some kind of a weighting system that's not subjective would be needed, but not sure how that would be accomplished...ie, weighing the Model X's drivetrain / fit - finish multiple times higher than the cars doors.
#16
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Which GLC aspects are poor in the CR ratings?
The CR ratings are somewhat of a riddle sometimes. Like others said here, one aspect may disproportionately affect the overall score. There are some oddities. For example: in the April 2017 CR: the C class has green in almost all areas, but overall is rated below average reliability??
The CR ratings are somewhat of a riddle sometimes. Like others said here, one aspect may disproportionately affect the overall score. There are some oddities. For example: in the April 2017 CR: the C class has green in almost all areas, but overall is rated below average reliability??
Last edited by stath; 10-24-2017 at 01:32 AM.
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2015 C300, 2015 F-350 Platinum, 1969 Mach 1 428cj, 2007 Roadking
Which GLC aspects are poor in the CR ratings?
The CR ratings are somewhat of a riddle sometimes. Like others said here, one aspect may disproportionately affect the overall score. There are some oddities. For example: in the April 2017 CR: the C class has green in almost all areas, but overall is rated below average reliability??
The CR ratings are somewhat of a riddle sometimes. Like others said here, one aspect may disproportionately affect the overall score. There are some oddities. For example: in the April 2017 CR: the C class has green in almost all areas, but overall is rated below average reliability??
#18
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C-Class was also affected by the voluntary recall on the starter/fuseable-link (in the event your car is submerged in water) - and voluntary recalls hit hard on CR scoring..
#19
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About CR - 11 days ago I bought a new 2018 GLC based on the CR online ratings from only 2 weeks ago!! - Where they had it with a score of 81 with top ratings for reliability in it's class! Now 11 days after I bring it home they have it at a 54 with a heavy weight on poor reliability! Not sure what to think of this. Not really sure how this happens or if it is from the 2017 or 16 models. The 18 just came out. Thoughts? BTW - I like the car overall but I do wish the brakes were a bit smoother and I have felt some of the vibration in the steering that others have noticed. Is this normal or are there fixes for these?
#20
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GLC43, GTI, X3, Mazda3
About CR - 11 days ago I bought a new 2018 GLC based on the CR online ratings from only 2 weeks ago!! - Where they had it with a score of 81 with top ratings for reliability in it's class! Now 11 days after I bring it home they have it at a 54 with a heavy weight on poor reliability! Not sure what to think of this. Not really sure how this happens or if it is from the 2017 or 16 models. The 18 just came out. Thoughts? BTW - I like the car overall but I do wish the brakes were a bit smoother and I have felt some of the vibration in the steering that others have noticed. Is this normal or are there fixes for these?
Well, that's my 2 cents...or maybe I'm just hoping I have little to no issues with my GLC43 when it comes next month and am poo-pooing CR.
As for the brakes, I think MB changed the brake design/compound as there was a squeak issue in the 17 GLC's. Perhaps, you got an old set or just a bum set overall. I'd probably go to the dealer asap to have them check them out. Good luck!
#21
Member
^ I agree with you on CR. This report is "Predicted Reliability" based on last 2 years models. Let's hope the bugs are worked out for the 18's. Common to have problems during first year or two. Either way I like it better overall than the 2016 X3 I traded it for. And the brakes may just still need to bed in anyway. They are not bad but just not totally smooth from a long stop from like 60 to 0.
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Chrisk03 (01-29-2018)
#22
I am not asking for full-blown peer-reviewed academic papers with footnotes, just a basic layman's level explanation of their methodologies so that we as readers can better better evaluate CR's ratings for ourselves.
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Chrisk03 (01-29-2018)
#23
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2018 GLC 43 & 2014 SLK 350, gone 2016 E63 Wagon
The CR reliability results are based on surveys from subscribers ("But our Annual Reliability Survey, in which consumers provide us with data on hundreds of thousands of cars, has consistently shown that this pioneering spirit is not without consequences. Our latest survey of about 400,000 subscribers who own 640,000 vehicles reveals that all-new or updated models are now more likely than older ones to have a wonky engine, a jerky transmission, or high-tech features that fail outright"). I have responded to their survey for many years and I have never highlighted problems with any of my vehicles (recently all MB's). Their data does not show how may people with GLC's responded to the survey so it is hard to tell - perhaps very few all with negative comments? Anyway as with others, I find it hard to believe that CR gave the GLC a high rating (based on their road testing) and then they turn around and give it a low reliability rating. If it is based on the recall type issues then that to me does not speak at all to reliability (i.e., mechanical, body, engine type problems).
#24
Thanks, everyone.
I have a 2015 GLK350 on lease that expires May and have been looking for a replacement. The CR reliability rating for the GLC300 threw me for a loop: I thought my shopping would be over quickly: just go get a new GLC300! Now, I don't know. One other issue I have, living in Georgetown, TX (30 mi. N of Austin) I cannot find a GLC 300 in-stock anywhere close to the one I'd like to have. No 4Matics in south Texas, no ventilated seats, no Premium Driver Assistance Package: You'll have to order one from Germany, which will take 3-4 MONTHS! And, Oh, if you want anything other than black, white or silver, or with a black or tan interior, you'll have to commit to purchasing the car when you order it (and make a substantial payment upon placing the order.)
I may just go next door and get a Subaru Forester XT Touring. The only thing missing is the ventilated seats, and I can get one RIGHT NOW! And spend $15,000-17,000 less.
I have a 2015 GLK350 on lease that expires May and have been looking for a replacement. The CR reliability rating for the GLC300 threw me for a loop: I thought my shopping would be over quickly: just go get a new GLC300! Now, I don't know. One other issue I have, living in Georgetown, TX (30 mi. N of Austin) I cannot find a GLC 300 in-stock anywhere close to the one I'd like to have. No 4Matics in south Texas, no ventilated seats, no Premium Driver Assistance Package: You'll have to order one from Germany, which will take 3-4 MONTHS! And, Oh, if you want anything other than black, white or silver, or with a black or tan interior, you'll have to commit to purchasing the car when you order it (and make a substantial payment upon placing the order.)
I may just go next door and get a Subaru Forester XT Touring. The only thing missing is the ventilated seats, and I can get one RIGHT NOW! And spend $15,000-17,000 less.
#25
Member
Having some experience with quality related surveys, you really have to be careful about the conclusions drawn from the data. The biggest issue is that those who have any problem are the most likely to respond, and of course that response will be negative. Without access to the raw data that CR used to draw their conclusions, there is no way to know how they try to remove this bias. I used to be a CR subscriber too, but seeing more and more real world experience and other reviewers run totally counter to them, I let them go. For autos, I personally prefer JDP.