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My first Mercedes was a 1984 E300 Turbo Diesel: Absolutely no repairs for the first 6 years and 65,000 miles. Shocks, suspension, transmission solid as the day I bought it. Only had to change the oil every 3,000 miles and brake pads every 10/15,000 miles (black brake dust all over the wheels) Sold it to a neighbor who drove it another 65,000 miles with virtually no repairs.
Back then Mercedes cost more, were highly over engineered and lasted so in the long run not so expensive to own: PLUS: they held their value not like today where 50% depreciation after 4 years is normal: Substance over form:
2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
Unbelievable, simply unbelievable. However, considering where MB is right now, I could certainly see it. They are running around like a chicken with its head cut off. They simply don’t know what to do. They need some billionaire to buy the Mercedes-Benz division and to get rid of the crummy, little cars & SUV’s and to concentrate completely on building the finest luxury vehicles on the planet, PERIOD!
MB tried to be everything to everybody and lost their soul in the process. I’ve watched it happen and personally experienced the results first hand. The marque is a shadow of its former self. Heads need to roll in Stuttgart—lots of them.
Personally I have no issue with this. BMW's 4s and 6s are superior to MBs, and MB's V8 is superior to BMWs. The reality is they invested a ton in EV and now they are walking that back and the engine development has completely stalled, so they have to do something. Buying a MB with a BMW engine in it wouldn't bother me one bit.
BMW latest 4 and 6 cylinder engines are probably the best engines for any luxury car on the planet today. The 2L B48 and 3L B58 are literally one of the best engines BMW ever made, and likely the best two engines that any German company engineered in the last decade or two.
Mbenz made the right decision, and they are not the first to acquire a BMW engine.... Toyota (Supra A90) as well as Land Rover a few years ago, and Opel about 20 years ago, and then of course Mini and Rolls-Royce naturally, all use/used BMW engines.
What Mbenz desperately needs though, is a ZF Transmission... They don't need BMW for that, they can collaborate directly with ZF. Am hoping that the Mbenz cars that will get the BMW engine will also get ZF coupled to that engine.
2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
The issue, at least the way I see it, is that this is just another embarrassment for MB—a HUGE one. Mercedes-Benz is the resultant company that takes its heritage all the way back to 1885. This is the EVER so proud and trusted company that I believe still uses the slogan “The Best or Nothing.” For them to say “we need to buy engines from our main competitor,” is tantamount to throwing in the towel and ceding victory to the folks in Munich. Of course, I agree that both BMW engines and ZF transmissions would be a huge improvement over current MB drivetrains, but oh, how embarrassing for MB, their employees, their dealers and their reputation. “The Best or Nothing” is alive & well, but these days it just happens to refer to vehicles sporting a roundel, not a 3-pointed star and that is a crying shame, at least to my way of thinking. Oh how the mighty have fallen!
Personally I have no issue with this. BMW's 4s and 6s are superior to MBs, and MB's V8 is superior to BMWs. The reality is they invested a ton in EV and now they are walking that back and the engine development has completely stalled, so they have to do something. Buying a MB with a BMW engine in it wouldn't bother me one bit.
Aston also used to source MB's AMG V8 engines, nothing new but MB sourcing other manufacturers' engine is interesting to say the least.
The issue, at least the way I see it, is that this is just another embarrassment for MB—a HUGE one. Mercedes-Benz is the resultant company that takes its heritage all the way back to 1885. This is the EVER so proud and trusted company that I believe still uses the slogan “The Best or Nothing.” For them to say “we need to buy engines from our main competitor,” is tantamount to throwing in the towel and ceding victory to the folks in Munich. Of course, I agree that both BMW engines and ZF transmissions would be a huge improvement over current MB drivetrains, but oh, how embarrassing for MB, their employees, their dealers and their reputation. “The Best or Nothing” is alive & well, but these days it just happens to refer to vehicles sporting a roundel, not a 3-pointed star and that is a crying shame, at least to my way of thinking. Oh how the mighty have fallen!
Ah yes MB invented the first modern automobile, I think Mercedes-AMG also supplied engines to Pagani.
In regards to the best or nothing, I regrettably can't see that mentioned anywhere nowdays.
At the end of the day though, what percentage of MB customers do you all really think would be phased by a BMW engine in their Mercedes? Certainly, some of us purists would take issue with that, but I submit to you most MB owners wouldn't know, or care. Especially if Mercedes stepped up the quality of the cars, as well as use "upscale" materials again, instead of cheap plastic.
At the end of the day though, what percentage of MB customers do you all really think would be phased by a BMW engine in their Mercedes? Certainly, some of us purists would take issue with that, but I submit to you most MB owners wouldn't know, or care. Especially if Mercedes stepped up the quality of the cars, as well as use "upscale" materials again, instead of cheap plastic.
If they really cared about the purist, Mercedes-AMG wouldn't have called an A 35 an amg, A 45 an amg, C 43 an amg, E 43 an amg and E 53 an amg.
Anyways, as you know, amg was acquired by MB and originally did not belong to MB.
Unbelievable, simply unbelievable. However, considering where MB is right now, I could certainly see it. They are running around like a chicken with its head cut off. They simply don’t know what to do. They need some billionaire to buy the Mercedes-Benz division and to get rid of the crummy, little cars & SUV’s and to concentrate completely on building the finest luxury vehicles on the planet, PERIOD!
MB tried to be everything to everybody and lost their soul in the process. I’ve watched it happen and personally experienced the results first hand. The marque is a shadow of its former self. Heads need to roll in Stuttgart—lots of them.
Although as another forum member pointed out, maybe if they are profitable again, they can use that profit to improve the use of materials and quality. Fingers crossed.
If they really cared about the purist, Mercedes-AMG wouldn't have called an A 35 an amg, A 45 an amg, C 43 an amg, E 43 an amg and E 53 an amg.
Anyways, as you know, amg was acquired by MB and originally did not belong to MB.
Actually, in the case of the C 43, W202 C 43, one of the first V8 AMG with the 4.3L makes sense, it was unnecessary and uncalled for, for MB to reuse the C 43 name in the form of the W205.
Oh you also mentioned Aston, I heard they might not be using AMG engines on their recent lineup anymore, is that true as well as COMAND. Does MB own any shares?
Our great great great grandfather I mean... brand, MB has a few shares acquired by a chinese company called geely or was it the chairman that owned shares of MB individually? I wonder how that affected the operation of MB?
If they really cared about the purist, Mercedes-AMG wouldn't have called an A 35 an amg, A 45 an amg, C 43 an amg, E 43 an amg and E 53 an amg.
Anyways, as you know, amg was acquired by MB and originally did not belong to MB.
Indeed, no argument there. Mercedes cheapened the AMG brand with the aforementioned vehicles. Hell, I thought it was bad enough ~15 years ago when I started seeing "AMG Packages" on three number Mercedes cars.
Yes sir, familiar with the story of Aufrecht, Melcher and the town of Großaspach as well as their beginnings.
I wonder if this is a result of Mercedes shedding their gasoline-powered engine development and engineering group, or at least gutting it in anticipation of electrification. I know VAG and Porsche has reversed course and is committed to developing gasoline, gasoline-hybrid and electric propulsion systems going forward, which to me is a better strategy. The transition to EV isn’t as abrupt as many in the industry believed and it will take time to adopt. Range anxiety and charging infrastructure is still trying to catch up and lags the development of EVs itself imo.
2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
Originally Posted by Sathinas
Indeed, no argument there. Mercedes cheapened the AMG brand with the aforementioned vehicles. Hell, I thought it was bad enough ~15 years ago when I started seeing "AMG Packages" on three number Mercedes cars.
Yes sir, familiar with the story of Aufrecht, Melcher and the town of Großaspach as well as their beginnings.
Yes. It used to be that seeing the AMG moniker was a sign that “something wicked this way comes.” Not anymore. The AMG badge has been diluted down to the point where it is virtually meaningless. Perhaps, with their “new & improved” way of thinking, MB will come out with a new badge that says “REAL AMG” which, of course, will also end up being meaningless.
I wonder if this is a result of Mercedes shedding their gasoline-powered engine development and engineering group, or at least gutting it in anticipation of electrification. I know VAG and Porsche has reversed course and is committed to developing gasoline, gasoline-hybrid and electric propulsion systems going forward, which to me is a better strategy. The transition to EV isn’t as abrupt as many in the industry believed and it will take time to adopt. Range anxiety and charging infrastructure is still trying to catch up and lags the development of EVs itself imo.
That sounds most plausible. The Electrify America rollout was a disaster, especially when Tesla and Ionity (Europe) had already shown that well-designed systems could be extremely reliable.
It is apparently a lot better now, but the damage has been done. Maybe if they rolled out a competent network to start hybridization wouldn't seem as attractive as it does now?
If Electrify America had come out of the gate with Ionity level reliability, the US market might look vastly different right now. We're shopping for a secondary car right now, and even with lightly used EQS models in the mid $30k range, we're not even considering them.
Last edited by Quietride; Aug 30, 2025 at 01:51 PM.
You guys have to understand the realities specifically German automakers are dealing with. You’re going to see more and more collaboration like this and they need to do these sorts of things to survive.
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Slideshow: A one-of-one U.S.-spec Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster became even rarer after a factory-backed transformation at McLaren's headquarters.
