Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
It's meaningless.
Until someone actually defines "reliability" the results will always be rubbish. Ford starts first time and it's "perfect", Mercedes has a quirky menu option on the stereo and it's a "lemon".
We need a survey to work out how reliable these surveys are!
Until someone actually defines "reliability" the results will always be rubbish. Ford starts first time and it's "perfect", Mercedes has a quirky menu option on the stereo and it's a "lemon".
We need a survey to work out how reliable these surveys are!
andy_k
MB Enthusiast
many years ago a Mercedes cost the same as a house whilst a Ford was a car for the people. These days you can buy a Merc for the same money as a Mondeo, somebody has dropped their standards - why should we be surprised the cars aren't as good as they used to be. If they were most of us wouldn't be able to afford one.
Andy
Andy
PJH
MB Enthusiast
Perhaps a survey of cars that have done over 200,000 miles.
All the Fords/others would have been scrapped and the Mercs would still be having repairs 'cos their owners love them and they're still worth repairing.
All the Fords/others would have been scrapped and the Mercs would still be having repairs 'cos their owners love them and they're still worth repairing.
Last edited:
prprandall51
MB Enthusiast
Shude said:
Hear! Hear! What is so incredible is that respected organisations such as Which and JD Power base their surveys on incomparable data.
As far as I am aware, there is no official, reliable data on the subject of genuine reliability.
In the old days, we could rely on the AA or RAC for this information because they saw real reliability - or lack of it - since nobody called the RAC out if the seat massager failed to come on one morning, only if the fan belt snapped. But with manufacturers now offering their own breakdown packages with new cars, this valuable source of information has dried up.
A major, quality car manufacturer recently told me that they were "over the moon" bacause they saw only 40% of their new cars back in the service department in Year 1 - they said that was an outstanding achievement because hardly a single car had actually broken down. With such contrasting statistics (40% of cars returned but none broken down) it is impossible to compare a Kia with a Rolls Royce (no, it wasn't Rolls Royce..).
Philip
An unreliable car is one which breaks down a lot, does'nt matter who makes it. I wont repair a car past it's useful, economic life, whats the point? When people get emotional about peices of metal it costs more money then they're worth.
glojo
Hardcore MB Enthusiast
Glideman said:
That works for me, but unfortunately not for the folks that conduct these polls. Any item on the car that fails to work is classed as an unreliability issue. The courtesy light behind the sun visor or the sliding rear floor! If you have a car with a whole host of electronic options and then you have a car with practically none, what car is going to usually win the reliability poll and would you buy it? I cannot recall Trabant ever being in these lists?
John
What sort of argument is that? So because a manufacturer fills a car with gadgets and gizmos they're exempt even if they don't work?If I had bought a brand new R230 and the boot filled up with water or the Keyless Go didn't let me drive it then you can be sure I'd fill out a survey.
Fleet news survey of 600,0000 uk company cars measures such things as number of day cars are off the road for repair.The info is out there,people who say otherwise are in denial about MB performance.Dispite being hit by the ugly brush the current BMW 5 series now outsells the E-class 2 to 1.It used to be the other way round.Most new Mercs are company cars and some of the fleet managers are bailing out of troublesome Mercs.
adam
adam
prprandall51 said:
Last edited:
andyw
Active Member
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2004
- Messages
- 270
- Location
- W Yorks
- Car
- 2005 W203 C200K SE Coupe, 05 BMW X3, Kawasaki 636 Ninja
have to say I agree that many seem to think Mercedes are exempt from these surveys?? why?
As a mercedes, I love my car, but as a car - I'm not convinced it is living up to the hype that drew me to it....
I can't say I have had major issues to date (thank god) but some days it will do something like lock the key up for a second, and I'm thinking is this my turn....
As a mercedes, I love my car, but as a car - I'm not convinced it is living up to the hype that drew me to it....
I can't say I have had major issues to date (thank god) but some days it will do something like lock the key up for a second, and I'm thinking is this my turn....
bahamars
Member
I've never replied to a survey and I think my Merceds-Benz is superb. How many others like me are out there? These surveys are complete nonsense. A lot of people would fill in a survey as a protest vote especially when the company that they are trying to blacken is one of the best.
The most interesting fact that should be published is the number of owners who have completed the survey for each manufacurer expressed as a % of total ownership of that manufacturer - I expect it would be less than 0.01%.
I am one of the silent many who enjoy their Mrecedes-Benz, would recomend a Mercedes-Benz and who intends to purchase another Merceds-Benz when the the time comes.
The most interesting fact that should be published is the number of owners who have completed the survey for each manufacurer expressed as a % of total ownership of that manufacturer - I expect it would be less than 0.01%.
I am one of the silent many who enjoy their Mrecedes-Benz, would recomend a Mercedes-Benz and who intends to purchase another Merceds-Benz when the the time comes.
Last edited:
Probably lots - in the same way there are lots of people owning every type of car that dont bother to fill in surveys. I'm think my car is superb, but it's blatantly obvious MB build quality has dropped drastically - regardless of whether you believe the surveys. How many ML owners have dumped their cars outside Dealerships in protest?
Not surprised really,
The early A Class was not Mercedes finest moment.
Distinctly average and not worth the premium charged.
Fell for the branding the image and the perceived quality.
Return to garage failures, low quality components, poor service.
Built to a budget and feels like it, guess I got what I paid for.
Shame, it's my first and gonna be my last Mercedes.
The early A Class was not Mercedes finest moment.
Distinctly average and not worth the premium charged.
Fell for the branding the image and the perceived quality.
Return to garage failures, low quality components, poor service.
Built to a budget and feels like it, guess I got what I paid for.
Shame, it's my first and gonna be my last Mercedes.
I think the surveys DO reflect the reliability of Mercedes. As they do for most other brands. I'd never buy a French car or an Italian car having worked as a mechanic for 10 years, we did so many BIG repairs on French and Italian cars it amazed me. German cars do tend to be better built, but they're not perfect.
New cars do tend to have teething problems so the first few off the line are likely to be poor quality, just as new technology has problems as they try to overcome manufacturing difficulties.
The way things are going I could see Lexus becoming the brand to own as is already happening in the states.
If you wanted to build the ultimate car it would have all the electronics made in Japan, the body and design would be Italian and it would be engineered & built in Germany.
Having said all that I would never buy any new car, prefer to buy a ten year old one and use it until it falls apart then let someone else spend money on it or just scrap it. That way it doesn’t matter where I park it, don’t mind the kids eating food in it or people opening doors on it in the supermarket. Life’s too short to let a piece of metal get in the way.
Maybe they should have a motor show for people who buy ten year old cars, put them on stands and the whole shebang. That way it would stop all the snobbery about the things. If they fail so what get another one, plenty out there to choose from.
New cars do tend to have teething problems so the first few off the line are likely to be poor quality, just as new technology has problems as they try to overcome manufacturing difficulties.
The way things are going I could see Lexus becoming the brand to own as is already happening in the states.
If you wanted to build the ultimate car it would have all the electronics made in Japan, the body and design would be Italian and it would be engineered & built in Germany.
Having said all that I would never buy any new car, prefer to buy a ten year old one and use it until it falls apart then let someone else spend money on it or just scrap it. That way it doesn’t matter where I park it, don’t mind the kids eating food in it or people opening doors on it in the supermarket. Life’s too short to let a piece of metal get in the way.
Maybe they should have a motor show for people who buy ten year old cars, put them on stands and the whole shebang. That way it would stop all the snobbery about the things. If they fail so what get another one, plenty out there to choose from.
People expect Merc's to be amazing and anything proof, they expect Ford's to fall apart.
You buy a Merc and something goes wrong, you tell people, you buy a Ford and nothing goes wrong you claim its the best thing in the world.
Did you see the other link on that site? a C-Class for £1200-£1300 where's this then?
You buy a Merc and something goes wrong, you tell people, you buy a Ford and nothing goes wrong you claim its the best thing in the world.
Did you see the other link on that site? a C-Class for £1200-£1300 where's this then?
