Not so happy with the build quality. :(

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SmartMAC

Active Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2012
Messages
389
Location
Madrid, Spain
Car
C250 CDI Sport Coupe AMG
Few things popping up at the moment. Most annoying thing if the rattle I am getting from somewhere in the center console which makes me feel like I am driving a £600 car. It only happens at around 70mph at low revs. It comes from around the climate control. Very disappointing.

On top of that, the passenger seat has developed a creek any time I pull away from a junction as the weight of the passenger rests on the seat. Drivers leather is wearing of badly in places too.

Car has less than 10k miles. Not impressed with Mercedes built quality at the moment. most of this it's going to be a nightmare to replicate at the dealers so not expecting a quick fix unless I get more info from people here.

Car is a c250cdi coupe.
 
I remember speaking Merc about this when the W211 came out.

The problem isn't that build quality has got worse, it's always been as bad - it's the lack of noise that now enters the cabin, which means you can now hear every creak and rattle!
 
The problem isn't that build quality has got worse, it's always been as bad - it's the lack of noise that now enters the cabin, which means you can now hear every creak and rattle!

Arguably, form the 'Gobsmacked' post, it seems it has.

Someone was complaining today about how his 09 plate Alfa had numerous rattles.

He bet it was not the same in Mercedes - he lost...

Mine doesn't have any rattles but I put that down to the fact it was once a £75,000 car with appropriate materials - which is ludicrous just to avoid rattles.
 
I remember speaking Merc about this when the W211 came out.

The problem isn't that build quality has got worse, it's always been as bad - it's the lack of noise that now enters the cabin, which means you can now hear every creak and rattle!

Mercedes build quality deserves a web site in itself. I am not sure whether they are less well built or whether other manufacturers' build quality has improved so much that they have narrowed the gap. Certainly you hear of more people who's perception of fantastic Mercedes quality and reliability have been shattered in the last 10 years. Perhaps you can blame the fact that manufacturers like Mercedes have to cater now for so many segments and hence have to build so many different models in different quantities and manufactured in different countries. Whereas 30 years ago you had probably half a dozen different segments like the S, SL, SLC, E and CE made in Germany, now you have the A, B, C, CL, CLK, E, G, GL, GLK, ML, SL, SLK, SLS etc, etc, etc made in different regions. Trying to upkeep the quality ethic at 100% all the time must be nigh on impossible.
Having said that, my father bought a 2009 SL (his fourth starting from a new 1979 R107) and loves it - no quality issues either!
 
Few things popping up at the moment. Most annoying thing if the rattle I am getting from somewhere in the center console which makes me feel like I am driving a £600 car.

Oi , i take offence at that! My £600 12 year old W202 doesnt rattle ;)
 
Few things popping up at the moment. Most annoying thing if the rattle I am getting from somewhere in the center console which makes me feel like I am driving a £600 car. It only happens at around 70mph at low revs. It comes from around the climate control. Very disappointing.

On top of that, the passenger seat has developed a creek any time I pull away from a junction as the weight of the passenger rests on the seat. Drivers leather is wearing of badly in places too.

Car has less than 10k miles. Not impressed with Mercedes built quality at the moment. most of this it's going to be a nightmare to replicate at the dealers so not expecting a quick fix unless I get more info from people here.

Car is a c250cdi coupe.

Welcome to my world.

I am pretty sure I now know the source of all these rattles that come from behind the dash and if I am right then they are unfixable.

My car has been into the garage many times now (often for weeks at a time) as they have stripped down the dash and rebuilt it. Indeed it is there right now as they have "one last try" but I think we are about to reach the point where somebody has to admit the obvious.

The problem is I don't know where I go from here (but am probably about to find out).

Over the next few days I will no doubt be posting what the permanent fix to the problem was which may not have a star on the bonnet!
 
Welcome to my world.

I am pretty sure I now know the source of all these rattles that come from behind the dash and if I am right then they are unfixable.

My car has been into the garage many times now (often for weeks at a time) as they have stripped down the dash and rebuilt it. Indeed it is there right now as they have "one last try" but I think we are about to reach the point where somebody has to admit the obvious.

The problem is I don't know where I go from here (but am probably about to find out).

Over the next few days I will no doubt be posting what the permanent fix to the problem was which may not have a star on the bonnet!

I love the car and I think the coupe with the twin turbo engine is the car for me. Unfortunately, I come from 7 years 100k miles rattle free on a 1 series which I now miss. I thought long and hard when I decided to leave BMW but I thought life is to sort not to try different things.

I need to let the dealers try to fix this as it will cost me to much money to just change it but I will keep a detailed diary. How do you suggest I approach this? The dealer I will be taking the car to is different from the one I bought out from.

Is it worthy to contact Mercedes at this point, maybe talk to the dealers manager?
 
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MBUK always push back to the dealer in my experience

Yes keep a diary but make this the dealers problem not yours.

I spent far too much time going backwards and forwards because the rattle would not manifest itself when the mechanic was in the car so they claimed without hearing the noise, how could they fix it.

I thought i was going mad. The onus was always on me.

So I decided to make it there problem

So eventually they I gave them the car for 2 weeks and told them to drive it, take it home, go on holiday, use it because sooner or later they would hear the rattle. Sure enough that did the trick.

So be firm (but polite) and explain to them that THEY need to find a solution. Keep a diary just in case. And explain to them that if they CAN'T or WON'T fix it then you will reject the car but do give them the chance to try and sort it first
 
Sounds like I need to do that and see how it goes.
 
I've been quietly reading threads relating to rattles, particularly in new the C-class and firstly I want to say how I feel for you guys.
Unidentifyable rattles would drive me insane and I'm really sorry to hear you guys are suffering with all this.

It may well have been mentioned before by others, but I'm getting the feeling that these rattles and creaks are being caused by friction, where 2 or more components are rubbing against each other while the car flexes slightly during driving.

If this is the case, then I am wondering whether they can ever be cured :(

As for rattles at low revs at motorway speeds, these sound like possible vibration-generated rattles.

I really hope you guys manage to get these issues sorted.

:thumb:
 
This is going to be near impossible to replicate at the dealers. Yesterday I went for a drive to see some friends (still in Spain) and temperature was 10 degrees below temperature last week. I did note hear the rattle all day so it looks it might be heat related.
If it only manifests itself when is really warm, I will be fine in the UK when I get back. If it is that intermittent, then I don't think I will ever be able to replicate this at the dealers.
Might have to see how it goes once back in the UK before letting the dealer loose in the dashboard to possibly make it worse.
 
By the sounds of it (no pun intended :rolleyes:)..if these build quality issues are going to vex you to the point of loosing you ardour for the merc'...(your posts indicate a level of discontent)

..Sell it and either get an older model Mercedes or look for a high end Jap' offering or possibly go back to BMW...no absolute guarantees they wont have the same affliction but based on mine and other peoples experiences, they are screwed together better than the Merc's !!
 
Infuriating isn't it? My Volvo V50 has developed a front end rattle (probably bushes need replacing). It's only done 35k miles considerate driving. Seems to be luck of the draw. I had two years with a solid feeling car, now feel a little short changed.

Not acceptable with today's technology and knowledge of materials. They spend oodles of time and money on lane assist, mood lighting, touchscreen ashtrays and auto dimming seat belts but seem unable to screw them down sufficiently.
 
By the sounds of it (no pun intended :rolleyes:)..if these build quality issues are going to vex you to the point of loosing you ardour for the merc'...(your posts indicate a level of discontent)

..Sell it and either get an older model Mercedes or look for a high end Jap' offering or possibly go back to BMW...no absolute guarantees they wont have the same affliction but based on mine and other peoples experiences, they are screwed together better than the Merc's !!

The problem is that selling a new car in the first year of ownership is financial suicide and you are left out of pocket to the tune of thousands of pounds.

Whilst I am far from being on the breadline, I don't have thousands of pounds just laying around that I am happy to just throw away because Mercedes Benz can't get their quality control sorted.
 
Just been reading through your Blog Mark......sounds like the all to common 'Customer is always wrong' situation......seems you are determined and i can't fault you for that but it does strike me that this is all going to be rather arbitrary and it will no doubt end in a compromise!...which lets face it, is not what you want at the moment (these things can drag on for months without a satisfactory conclusion)

Lets hope it works out for you and your faith is restored.

PS. Have you looked at the sublime new Lexus GS range?....top of the shop when it comes to customer care as well!
 
Volvo have definitely gone down hill. My S40 is very poor when compared to my S60 that I had earlier.
 
Cheap parts replaced at premium prices. The lure of new marques with 7 year warranty looks more sensible today.
 
The Fact is, Mercedes are not the best car manufacturer in the world anymore, they are not even the 2nd best!!!!!
 

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