Alabama vs. Germany...
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Alabama vs. Germany...
I've heard and even by dealership personnel that the quality control in Alabama is atrocious. I've had three problem cars from Alabama out of three, and one was lemon lawed. Quality from Germany is much better. Why? Does it come down to the local help? Entitled Americans thinking they need more money and benefits therefore they don't give a rat's *** about their job. No pride in workmanship. I'm not speaking everyone but enough to tip the scales towards a discussion about it.
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I've heard and even by dealership personnel that the quality control in Alabama is atrocious. I've had three problem cars from Alabama out of three, and one was lemon lawed. Quality from Germany is much better. Why? Does it come down to the local help? Entitled Americans thinking they need more money and benefits therefore they don't give a rat's *** about their job. No pride in workmanship. I'm not speaking everyone but enough to tip the scales towards a discussion about it.
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From: Colorado
'21 AMG53 wDPP & ARC, 19 GLC300 - Former-03 C240,2 ML BlueTecs,20 GLE450 E-ABC,15 Cayenne D,17 Macan
I was a UAW worker in the '60s, and was never so embarrassed about my pay, for as little work THAT THEY ALLOWED ME TO DO. 9 bucks an hour as trainee, 1965! I quit after 4 months. Yes there were Friday and Monday cars. (Rant over.)
But I think that's changed, being non union and highly robotic.
I've had a Finnish GLC and a Bremen C-Class W203. Both well-crafted, excellent fit and finish. Bought new.
Four Alabama cars, a 164 (perfect, kept til 95k), a CPO 166 (fine but nothing special, vinyl seats, 95k), a CPO 167 (perfect, BUT an electronic disaster, owned 7k to 9k), and a new 167 (exemplary, now 55k)
My rankings: 1-new current AL 167, 2-Finnish GLC, 3 (tie) AL 164 & German C240, 4- AL 166. COVID car omitted since it was not assembly-related.
I'll say this about dealership technicians. As a whole, they generally don't like the brand they're working on. I attribute it to the fact that most of what they see is broken cars.
Drive around to wherever the techs park their cars. Even with the likelihood that they get good deals on the brand, odds are that you won't see many owned by techs.
I take their ratings with a grain of salt.
But I think that's changed, being non union and highly robotic.
I've had a Finnish GLC and a Bremen C-Class W203. Both well-crafted, excellent fit and finish. Bought new.
Four Alabama cars, a 164 (perfect, kept til 95k), a CPO 166 (fine but nothing special, vinyl seats, 95k), a CPO 167 (perfect, BUT an electronic disaster, owned 7k to 9k), and a new 167 (exemplary, now 55k)
My rankings: 1-new current AL 167, 2-Finnish GLC, 3 (tie) AL 164 & German C240, 4- AL 166. COVID car omitted since it was not assembly-related.
I'll say this about dealership technicians. As a whole, they generally don't like the brand they're working on. I attribute it to the fact that most of what they see is broken cars.
Drive around to wherever the techs park their cars. Even with the likelihood that they get good deals on the brand, odds are that you won't see many owned by techs.
I take their ratings with a grain of salt.
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E55, GLS450, GL63, GLE350
I've had 1 - 164 GL, 2 - 166 GLE's. 1 - 166 GL, and 1 - 166 GLS. The X164 GL450 suffered water intrusion problems that totaled the vehicle around $300k but still ran great up to that point. All the others X166's have been fantastic and super cheap to operate if you DIY your basic maintenance.
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From: South Georgia USA
2012 GL450, 1998 E300, 2014 GLK350, 2004 Ram 2500 with the Cummins
Wife drives a 2012 GL450 with 240k miles on it. I bought it cheap at 180k miles. Got rid of airmatic struts and I haven't looked back. It is reliable and as already stated ez to maintain.
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From: Colorado
G550
I worked in a union shop during one summer break when in college. My job was in industrial x-ray, photographing weld seams. Some exposures took as long as an hour to complete, during which I was supposed to sit on a chair and do nothing. Once I erred in picking up a broom to sweep up while an x-ray was being shot. Immediately, I was surrounded by four union goons who ordered me back to my chair. I lasted the rest of the summer as I needed the money, but I never went back.
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2022 GLE 450
One thing to note is German vehicles often have state of the art tech first. Direct injection is an example. So being pioneers in the market makes them susceptible to more issues. It's easy for carmakers to use 40+ year tech today that is bulletproof. Not to say old tech is bad.
On another note, a vehicles safety and weight is an inherent sign of quality. To me, safety is the most important. The IIHS ratings don't mean much to me as carmakers just design for those tests. Real world accident stats would make likeminded people buy Merc exclusively.
On another note, a vehicles safety and weight is an inherent sign of quality. To me, safety is the most important. The IIHS ratings don't mean much to me as carmakers just design for those tests. Real world accident stats would make likeminded people buy Merc exclusively.
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From: South Georgia USA
2012 GL450, 1998 E300, 2014 GLK350, 2004 Ram 2500 with the Cummins
"It's easy for carmakers to use 40+ year tech today that is bulletproof"
Like the oil and transmission fluid dipstick. Why they felt the need to get rid of them I'll never know.
Like the oil and transmission fluid dipstick. Why they felt the need to get rid of them I'll never know.
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From: Colorado
G550
I don't think it was as much a matter of Germans being particularly prescient about the potential of electronics as it has been U.S. manufacturers being Luddites. The Big 3 adopted fuel injection only because carburetion systems could not meet government fuel economy and emission standards. The funnier story is about an inventor who took his design for an electronic wiper interval device into Chrysler (I think it was). Chrysler knew nothing, and wanted to know nothing, about transistors, so they showed the inventor the door, and then got busy designing an interval wiper system powered from the engine vacuum system. It never worked. My '95 Jeep, while having fuel injection and electronic ignition, still used a vacuum actuated 4WD engagement, involving rubber hoses connected to the transfer case and a "vacuum motor" to engage an axle collar. It rusted out in 2 years, and I replaced it with a cable engagement device.
Now, they all have overdosed on the KoolAid, and they can't get enough of microcontrollers and CAN buses. How else can self driving technology be explained? Cars are being loaded up with all kinds of quasi-reliable technology capable of bricking your car on the expressway during rush hour. They think consumers prefer pretty colors on an instrument cluster over the simplicity and proven reliability of a dumb dipstick. It's especially the software that concerns me, and all the software updates that hopefully will make glitches and inexplicable intermittent malfunctions disappear. It's all a gigantic crap shoot.
Now, they all have overdosed on the KoolAid, and they can't get enough of microcontrollers and CAN buses. How else can self driving technology be explained? Cars are being loaded up with all kinds of quasi-reliable technology capable of bricking your car on the expressway during rush hour. They think consumers prefer pretty colors on an instrument cluster over the simplicity and proven reliability of a dumb dipstick. It's especially the software that concerns me, and all the software updates that hopefully will make glitches and inexplicable intermittent malfunctions disappear. It's all a gigantic crap shoot.
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From: Colorado
'21 AMG53 wDPP & ARC, 19 GLC300 - Former-03 C240,2 ML BlueTecs,20 GLE450 E-ABC,15 Cayenne D,17 Macan
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From: Colorado
G550
My X7 has a well concealed oil dipstick (no yellow pull ring) and an o-ring seal that makes it nearly impossible to remove. Seems this type of design would prevent any emissions. I think cost is as much a factor. Hard to believe but an electronic sensor -- an integrated circuit housed in plastic with a couple small metal contacts -- is cheaper to manufacture than a metal tube and dipstick assembly.
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From: Suburban Maryland
2023 E 450 Sedan. 2018 GLC 300. 2013 E 350 Coupe (retired)
Ford and Chrysler were sued for 28 million for stealing the intermittent wiper. Not sure why I had to share that here! lol
Last edited by smiles201; Apr 15, 2026 at 01:40 PM.
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From: Colorado
'21 AMG53 wDPP & ARC, 19 GLC300 - Former-03 C240,2 ML BlueTecs,20 GLE450 E-ABC,15 Cayenne D,17 Macan
My X7 has a well concealed oil dipstick (no yellow pull ring) and an o-ring seal that makes it nearly impossible to remove. Seems this type of design would prevent any emissions. I think cost is as much a factor. Hard to believe but an electronic sensor -- an integrated circuit housed in plastic with a couple small metal contacts -- is cheaper to manufacture than a metal tube and dipstick assembly.
There's also a concern by manufacturers about Under-hood aerodynamics. Cooling of components is an issue, with all the heat produced by hot V's & catalytic converters in the engine compartment instead of under the car.
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From: South Georgia USA
2012 GL450, 1998 E300, 2014 GLK350, 2004 Ram 2500 with the Cummins
It is unfortunate they went after the dipsticks, especially on the transmission. Wonder what kind of fumes you get out of a transmission dipstick hole? Anyway I'd pay $50 extra to get a dipstick if I ever buy anything newer than about 2015/2016.
Wait till you service a 725 transmission. Whoever came up with the procedure for setting fluid level should be run off. The 722 is simple compared to the 725.
Wait till you service a 725 transmission. Whoever came up with the procedure for setting fluid level should be run off. The 722 is simple compared to the 725.
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I think we can all agree the quality control process has definitely improved since 2021 in Germany, but I've still seen some minor cosmetic issues in Alabama-built MBs. My local dealer's been very transparent about where the vehicles are built and I've been lucky so far with only a small paint imperfection on my 2022 GLC.
