Throwing in the towel on my Mercedes ?

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SteveW124 said:
Guys



Perhaps the message is just starting to trickle in though, as I read on the Car keys web site that MB are starting to acknowledge the quality gap.

Started some time ago. They joined the Brown Trouser brigade after the terrible JD Power surveys & the normally secret EuroCar reliability results being leaked. Following comes from a press article last September.


"Top executives at Mercedes-Benz admit that a wave of increasingly complex electronic products proved so difficult to debug that the German automaker is modifying its first-at-all-costs approach to technology. Quality glitches caused by Mercedes' Comand system proved maddeningly difficult to fix two years ago, forcing the automaker to boost product testing by 50 percent. Problems with Comand, which integrates the onboard navigator, entertainment system and phone, forced Mercedes to buy back 2,000 E-class sedans from U.S. customers. The quality glitches also created tensions with Robert Bosch GmbH, a key Mercedes supplier.

This is the first time Mercedes-Benz has acknowledged the widespread quality problems. During an interview with Automotive News at the Frankfurt auto show, a top company executive said Mercedes is working hard to improve its ranking on consumer quality surveys. "We have a problem because we are the technology leader," said Juergen Hubbert, the DaimlerChrysler board member responsible for Mercedes cars. "We were not talking about (the improvement) because you have to see it. On the next survey you will see we are on our way."

Hubbert was referring to J.D. Power's most recent Initial Quality Survey, which measures a vehicle's quality three months after it is purchased. The survey, which was released in spring, ranked Mercedes 15th among brands, barely above the industry average.

Problems began to crop up two years ago, when Mercedes-Benz had trouble integrating Comand's features. Bosch supplied the system's navigator. When Mercedes-Benz connected Comand's electronic systems, the screen would go blank and systems would malfunction. The system created other glitches. For example, the system inadvertently would activate the electric seats and drain the battery.

A Bosch source says Mercedes asked the supplier to integrate Comand's features after Mercedes had trouble doing so. But the effort to debug Comand strained Bosch's engineering resources. According to a Mercedes executive, Bosch placated its angry customer by firing a top executive in its Blaupunkt unit, which produces navigators, radios and other electronics. The Mercedes source did not name the executive, and the Bosch spokesman declined to comment."
 
…steady!

SteveW124 said:
Perhaps the 2nd best thing would be to then head hunt someone from Honda to beef up electrical reliability. (Yep shames me to have to say the H**d* word)

Steady! a couple of us here on the forum have Hondas as wifeys cars and I can assure you whilst the 'build' is not a heavy and durable as a Mercedes the standard of engineering is brilliant… everything fits and they are as reliable as a Mercedes should be.

But you are spot on about getting the Japanese involved, and MB obviously agree as they have bought Mitsubishi! Who are apparently lead players in the new 4 door smart.

Andy
 
Too true!

Satch said:
SteveW124 said:
Problems began to crop up two years ago, when Mercedes-Benz had trouble integrating Comand's features. Bosch supplied the system's navigator. When Mercedes-Benz connected Comand's electronic systems, the screen would go blank and systems would malfunction. The system created other glitches. For example, the system inadvertently would activate the electric seats and drain the battery.

Too true! My V class electronic gearbox had a bug in its electronics from day one. It would go into emergency mode for no reason, it even did it at the stealers when the diagnostic laptop was plugged in and no fault showed!. They gave up trying to sort it after a couple of years and I now regard it as a 'feature'!!! To 'solve' the problem they had to design a completely new gearbox for later models!

Andy
 
Have had 3 Alfas before my 1993 E class estate, 1998 2 litre GTV, 2000 3 litre GTV and a 156 2.4 JTD sportwagen.

Looking at JD Power (Alfa nearly at the bottom)Must have got lucky, cos only had 2 minor probs with each GTV that dealer fixed swiftly and nothing on the 156. My pet theory is that after years of the Italians getting their electrics (well just about everything)wrong, they are suitably careful these days, beleive the opposite is true with Merc and others with a great history of reliability.

We needed more space so read about w124s being 250k easy blah blah, bought E220 must admit I love the car, also v glad reading the above didn't buy a newer one.

VW the same as Merc - my wifes 2000 Golf is very rattly.
 
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mb faults

Looking at most of the comments they appear to be about c or e class, my slk (now over 5 years old) has had numerous little niggles:-
Week 1 - boot lid would not close
Week 2 - bonnet would not cose
Week 10 - horn would not work
other - Friends telling me that my exhaust rattles like hell when I pull away, the stealership says it doesnt (still rattles)
The roof works when it wants to (now finally fixed)
Driver side window will not completly close without helping hand.

I have had 6 beemers, the first 2 (late 80s) were good, each one since has got steadly worse, my 4th the dealer wanted to respray it on day 2 of ownership to solve crap paint finish.

Back to the slk, I read some reports from a USA owners site, there are many that think its crap - would I change, not on your life, my next one has been on order since mar 2001.
 
gary leask said:
my next one has been on order since mar 2001.

Must be something wrong with your stealers then :confused:
Seems like a LOOOOOOOOOONG time to wait. ;)
 
Having had 2 Alfas and 2 Hondas - I have to confess I've never ever had a problem with any of them.

The Hondas in particular were a dream - Civic VTi and Accord Type V.

In fact the only problem I've had is currently with the Alfa .... due to a "design feature" the ignition relay is rotting away - which needs replacement/re-wiring. Other than that ..... an absolute dream and I'd happily/easily get another one no problems. In fact I'm on the constant lookout for an Accord Type R to come up at the right price .....

Even the old Lancia was a dream - other than a leaky engine. Now replaced with a newer model (1 year younger) with a tuned fuel injected unleaded engine!

Rust? PAH.

K
 
Ian B Walker said:
Kinky, take a note of his address and send the boys round tonight, ok?
Address noted ..... and the boyz were on the way.

However - they've run into a technical hitch. One of them got a brand new Silver C-class - and it's broken down on the M1 - electrical problems (plus it's silver).

So they won't be round tonight unfortunately ....

K
 
Irony.

Does anyone remember irony?

K

P.S. - SPAMMY - I said IRONY not IRONING :p .... must be all those train journeys
 
Kinky said:
In fact I'm on the constant lookout for an Accord Type R to come up at the right price ....K
K..... damn shame you weren't looking this time last year . . . u could have had mine . . . and it wasn't silver either !!!!

atr.jpg
 
Sigh .......
driving.gif


Sigh .........
bow.gif


Sigh ...........
cloud9.gif


I'm off to the loo ... back in 5
nono.gif


K

P.S. ..... sigh .....
 
… answers please Mr K?

Ian B Walker said:
Depends on if he is looking at the left or right hand side of the page :D

Well, if it's the left side he's beyond help and definately needs therapy!

Andy
 
Kinky said:
Irony.

Does anyone remember irony?

K

P.S. - SPAMMY - I said IRONY not IRONING :p .... must be all those train journeys
Ironininggn - can't even spell it:D
 
Change to a low mileage W124, they never go wrong (??) It'll be 10 years old but feels like it will last for ever.
 
vito113 said:
Well, if it's the left side he's beyond help and definately needs therapy!
Andy - sorry to say - the left-hand side would get it every time .... ooooer!

As for it not being an auto - not a bother at all - much prefer the manuals - ESPECIALLY on a Type R.

As for what Dale says above - could not agree more.

K
 
… but I can't do manuals

Kinky said:
As for it not being an auto - not a bother at all - much prefer the manuals - ESPECIALLY on a Type R.

Me too, but I can't do manuals anymore, leg trouble. :-(

Andy
 
vito113 said:
Me too, but I can't do manuals anymore, leg trouble. :-(

Andy
Andy - that's ok ....

You get a Type R and I'll be your chauffeur :bannana:

K
 

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