Akademiks

More then likely, my next car will not be a Mercedes, breaking my Benz streak. I have never had cars with more problems then the last 3 Mercedes I have owned. Let's start with the E55...

After about a week of owning it or so, I realize my brothers stock 6.0 GTO shouldn't be kicking my ***, and took it to the dealer. Along with a faulty IC pump, and a cracked supercharger, it also had an oil leak-- among other things, that needed to be fixed. At first, I brushed it off as just bad luck, fixed it under warranty and moved along... perhaps because it was an AMG, I showed leniency.

Next, I purchased my SL55. Dropped it on some wheels (which were built just as well as the SL55) and proceeded to floss around town. Short lived that was, the problems of this car can not be understated: first came the sagging to side, which lead me to spend over 4K of my own money on this problem alone doing "rodeos" and crap that never worked (the car was in fact sold with the suspension never being fixed). The brakes downright failed at one point, the top got stuck in the trunk another time, and the rear license plate light failed-- twice. Among other things, the "pulsating" seats (which by the way, are epically useless) failed, the speedometer cluster was starting to fall off it's hinges, and well, what's an AMG if the IC pump works eh? The car was a money pit.

Then came the day I got rid of the E55 and purchased the SL600 alongside the SL55. Surely, I thought, my bad luck streak will end with the 600. I'll use the SL55 as my daily, and the 600 as my weekend cruiser... yeah, that way neither car gets excessive wear and tear. Yeah...yeah... idiot.

Where to start... faulty IC pump (*yawn*, expected), brakes also failed at one point, the rear left license plate light failed, the top also got stuck (though this was while it was up), it pulled to the right, it refuses to catch traction at any speed these days (courtesy of the ABC malfunctioning), after parking it "relaxes" and eventually will look slammed, if it doesn't feel like it, it wont start and if I want to go fast, it's on it's own agenda-- ie: I floor it and 4-5 seconds later-- no exaggeration-- it finally decides to go froggy. Too continue this lovely review, at times the gear will not cooperate it's way out of "P", something or other was replaced a la fuel pump/filter, and just for kicks at times, the "SRS" light turns itself on and off like I'm at a disco. I'm convinced this car is PMS'ing... 24/7.

So I'm at the crossroads. Sooner or later, perhaps within the following year, I will be getting a new car and I truly cringe at the thought of getting another Mercedes. Reflecting on the situation now, I can say the only reason any of these cars got a pass is the same reason they never should have to begin with: because they were top-end cars on the MB food-chain. Logic clouded by their straight-line potential and the novelty of the sheer thrust from virtually any speed, I turned a blind eye... and financially, it bite me in the ***.

To be fair, the times any of the trio worked properly, it was (and still is) fun. I love the convertible glass roof on the 600, I loved the E55 for the four door monster it was, and the SL55 was unbelievably enjoyable-- in some ways, more so then the 600. I remember racing the owner of European Touch (located in HB) with his Murciealgo in my SL55, up the winding road leading to the Pelican Hill Resort in Newport Beach-- an absolute blast putting that Murcielago in my rear view; it's events such as these that made me overlook the cars problems. Honestly, nothing makes me happier then taking out the 600 on weekends after a long week at work/school, just drop the top and hop right into pimp mode without a care in the world... that is excluding the constant fear that at any given moment, it just might quite literally fall apart.

What gives? You figure paying 6 figures for top-end Mercedes vehicles would mean it would actually be built properly.

For comparison, my dad has had his fair share of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, and he has had virtually no major problems. His E55 (he had the first of the first in late 2002/2003) worked beautifully without a problem in the world, either of his SL600s worked flawlessly and his CL65 is still kicking *** with just regular scheduled maintenances being performed.

So, what is this, like a hit or miss with Mercedes? Do you have to "get lucky" to enjoy one? Reading around the forums, I've noticed a lot of Benzes share similar problems and this thread prompted me to start my review simply because I've had enough. With the amount I've spent on repairs between the 3, I could have easily purchased me another B7 A4; a properly built automobile.

So for my next car, I don't know what it will be-- but I know what I'm moving away from: Mercedes. Maybe a Murcielago or GT3... Lamborghini is owned by Audi, so I trust them and Porsche... well, I've yet to hear any horror stories.

Please feel free to comment or post a testament to the quality of your Mercedes vehicle(s). I need more then straight-line speed to keep me coming back... any positive experiences? Negative? What keeps you coming back, or what made you get one to begin with?

Discuss.

LOVEMYBS

Sorry to hear about your problems! You didn't mention what year the cars were, if they were professionally inspected before you bought them, if you pulled the previous service histories, their mileage and etc. If they are early models with high miles I can certainly understand your frustration.

Akademiks

You're right, my fault... the information for the cars are as follows:

2004 E55 AMG (roughly 18k miles), 2003 SL55 (roughly 30k miles), 2004 SL600 (roughly 14k miles). I started with the E55 in 2006, if I recall correctly same year got both SLs. All were one owner cars, passed 100-point inspections, I took it upon myself to pull up service histories, everything was on point.

FLSL55

SO I take it your not going to try to sell the SL600 on this forum. LOL

Akademiks

Who said I'm going to sell it?

I'm keeping the car when I get a new one.

BeltFedBob

I just bought a Chev Silverado and am shocked with the quality, power and ride of this 4x4 extended cab 3/4 ton truck. No comparison to my old Ford 3/4ton. Now I'm stuck with which one to drive to SoCal next week, the big boy or the SL55?

FormulaZR

Bad IC pumps, ABC issues, and problems with the seats seem to be the norm. I'm not to Mercedes...but as I look around this forum and others it appears that in the 6+ years of FI the IC pump are only starting to get better...and the seats seem to have the issues up till 06 at least. But...what car out there does everything your E and SL will do (not counting the 2nd gen CTS-V)?

BTW, Porsche owns Audi/VW also...along with Bentley and Bugatti. Porsche owns just over 50% of the VAG.

cal1

I refuse to drive my SL more than about 150 miles from home. I’m not worried about putting on the miles just breaking down too far away. When the SL is running well, I couldn’t love it more. Unfortunately, every time I hit the start button, I wonder what failure warning will pop up.

Viet_Amg408

every car tend to have few issue.. i think you got the bad one out of a bunch..

in my opinion, mercedes are more reliable and strong compare to other brand..

Benz-O-Rama

Definitely stinks that you've had such back luck with your MBs. But to be fair, the model years you've listed for each have historically been the most problematic for their respective chassis line. No excuse, as I think if they're gonna charge that much for them, they should withstand the test of time. But from 2005+, for both the W211 AMG and the R230 in AMG or V12TT configuration, have been more reliable. I think......and hope.

platinumsc

Every car does not tend to have issues.

I owned a Benz once and also swore them off.....until Mercedes improves them. I still remember the feeling, the ride, just unlike any other car. I used to call it butter. Once that warranty expired and I was pumping out $400-1000 every other month, the love affair wore off.
One day I'll come back. After Mercedes gets off their duffs.

It's going to be hard going elsewhere. I like the reliability of my Lexus cars but wouldn't recommend them to people who want drivers' cars....unless you want to mod the suspensions extensively. The ISF is the best performance car from Lexus but it is on the small side.
BMW also has issues so that's not the way to go. Porsche seems to be 50-50. The Jaguar XK is interesting but I don't know. Lot's of mechanics have advised me to stay away from them. Audi seems to be doing a lot better than in the past but there are still a ways to go. I would still recommend the R8 though. It's just a good driver with sexy looks.
For my next car I'm going down-market. I'm looking at the Infiniti G37. It has decent power and handling that can easily be improved. It has good looks that can easilty be improved. It has a price that is very affordable, maybe low enough to get 2 of them. But it is very reliable. Reliable and sporty at a low price. Not bad...but it ain't no Benz....or Lexus for that matter. Buying cars is tough.
What about a Corvette?

Viet_Amg408

So you're saying mercedes have bad quality..so why they still in bussiness?


yes mercedes have more issue and expensive to fix considering all the gadget/electrical on the car compare to other makes.


the bottome line is when someone buy a mercedes should expect it to have issue every now and then.. because it's a high-maint car..

Fantasm

Every car marker and model has its quirks. All the problems you had were all the typical problems that SOME of the cars experience, and due you buying them used / high miles you experienced them sooner.
The suspension issue on SL55 - known problem on certain cars at that mileage level and higher.
The IC Pump failure - known problem on all Supercharged engines.
Mercedes is usually on the cutting edge of technology, so its going to have quirks and no VERY long term testing.

The last owners may have driven them too hard, may not have driven them enough, may have been late with some maintenance or it could simply be the case of many years age + high mileage.

It comes with that territory. Just think of the cost of repairs, a small cost in getting the big discount from original MSRP of when it was new.

My SL63 had problems with the transmission shifting, I ended up losing $31,000+ on that car to get rid of it and had to fight Mercedes with a lawyer to do it.

Akademiks

Wrong. Not every car has it's quirks: I've owned two Audis as well, both modded-- neither any major problems. The S4 had more miles on it than all 3 Benzes combined and it ran nearly perfect, minus a busted CV boot which was a fault of my own. The A4, also, ran perfectly. In synopsis I think what I've been hearing lately is true: Mercedes is simply not the car manufacturer it used to be.

Also, I highly doubt a E55 @ 18K is considered "high-mileage". Or the 600 for that matter. Simply, I just think if you pay this much for a vehicle it should be able to hold out I don't know at least past 20K miles without ****ting a brick-- or am I asking too much? My A4 cost a third of the 600, yet never had any problems.

New cutting edge technology? I don't care what I have on the car if it can't go a week without breaking or needing replacement. If you can't get it right, don't release the product, it's quite simple.

Audis build quality really has got me looking at the Murcielago. I highly doubt the Lamborghini is going to have useless busted pulsating seats or a top that wont work.

EDIT: And to seemingly add insult to injury, they can't hold value worth a damn. You lost 31K on a brand new car (assuming your "delivery miles" weren't chalked up as "high-mileage") that had problems shifting. So, you charge a premium, your product is a failure, new buyers take a huge hit, and the cycle continues?

Akademiks

Wrong again. The bottom line couldn't be quite the opposite from what you just posted. If you buy a Mercedes, you should expect to be in one of the most well built vehicles on the planet-- not an expensive ornament in your garage because you're afraid to drive more then 100 miles from your house because it might break down.

Make no mistake, Mercedes is in business because they have made a reputable name for themselves in the past-- a name which resonates reliability, luxury and performance... all in a nice bundle. If Mercedes came out as a brand new car company today, they'd fail.

Akademiks

Good post.

I'm really not into American muscle, or Imports. It's why my next car will be either a P or L-car.

Akademiks

LOL, time will tell. It's a shame you have to "hope", as it were. As I have said, I'm not really sure what my next car will be (just the I'm looking at a P or L-car), but if Mercedes can turn around by the time I'm on the market again, I just might get another Benz. But they have a lot of making up to do in my book. A lot. Hope your 600 treats you better then mine.

Fantasm

YOUR SPECIFIC A4 never had problems, you think that is true across EVERY A4 ever sold??
You think all the A4's were perfect with no problems?

This is a niche forum, and when someone posts its most likely about a problem -- thus a lot of the posts here will show problems. People don't post random threads saying how happy they are their car has never had a problem.

LOVEMYBS

You vetted the cars correctly and performed the required checks and balances. It's too bad MB couldn't do the same when the manufactured your cars.

bigben320e

Very good post and thought. In bold, there is no dispute and that is a profound and true statement.

I have not many issues at all with my cars so far but what Akademics and many others on this forum and beyond are going through with MB's under 100K miles should not be happening. The customer service, and attitudes of several dealers is horrible.

Some really off the wall stuff:

• Engines blowing out?
  
• Airmatic pump failing under 30K? (Happened to my R500)
  
• Failing of the SBC system, which from varied responses you can't hardly stop. That's a death trap and there is no excuse for that period. MB should have never put a system out that upon failure, your safety and others is out the window.
  
  
• 120K spent, and about a month in your car stops cranking. Come back 10 minutes later it does. WTF? Wiring harness, etc.
  

I love my MB experience, my E320 @ 198K has not had any major failures at all. The R and CLS are still under warranty, no major issues thus far, but my CLS with the SBC system does make me wonder at times.

Overall, MB builds quality cars, but that 99-03(04?) period put a lot of dogs out in the market and has tarnished MB's name. Sure other car manufacturers have issues, but for the price paid for MB's you expect much better performance and reliability. That is what MB stands on correct? That is the reason we buy MB right? They have suffered greatly, and have had to make major changes. However, once a bad rep is out, it is very hard to get that stink off. Real hard, it is what it is.

Perception. It rules.

Quadcammer

Akademiks

I was merely drawing a conclusion based on my experiences. The S4 worked fine, and so did the A4. I also have a few friends that have an Audi or two, and we seem to be in agreement, Audis are properly built.

That said, I do see your point.

Akademiks

That's an insane amount of mileage on that E320. I'm fairly certain the 600 would never make it past 100 lol I do agree it's all about perception, but I'm talking about three different cars here, how many more do I have to buy before I get one that works? It's not like I formed my opinion after owning just one Mercedes, and it seems a lot of people have adopted this "well, they are common problems," excuse, like the owners should somehow become lenient because it's "common".

user z478747

Sorry to hear about your troubles! Fingers crossed quality improved by 2005 model year...

Not true. Actually Porsche tried to buy VW/Audi but couldn't make the interest payments so VW ended up owning Porsche. First order of biz, give Wendelin Wiedeking and his super large ego the boot! FAIL!

Akademiks

Fingers crossed lol