What is the worst Mercedes ever made?

[KillerHERTZ]

erm, yes

 

[Shude]

erm, yes

I still say the thing would have been fine if they'd put a proper, upright bonnet ornament on it and not a sticker!

 

[glojo]

Criteria would be good idea, such as:
a) Overall Impact of model to Mercedes Image
b) Reliability impact on reputation
c) Visual impact
d) Build quality
e) Corrosion

My opinions are on looks (w140), Corrosion (w210,w211), Reliability (w168), Overall Impact (s211), Build quality (w163)

Oiii I am keeping my fingers crossed regarding corrosion on the 211. Reliability is a good one, but older Mercedes which were evidently built better and made to last, were usually serviced every 3,000 miles and the cost of servicing compared to weekly wage was horrendous.

I think the later 210 series is a winner here as the bodywork issues are going to haunt Daimler Chrysler for many a year to come.

I cannot make up my mind about all the different variations that are now being offered. I will just say they are crazy, to me Mercedes-Benz is all about the C, E, S and the SL. Hopefully that is not being snoppish as there are a number of models I have left out. CL, G\GL, R etc etc etc

Regards
John

 

[Brian WH]

And er back to the WORST mercedes.

Don't confuse the threads.

 

[Vlad]

Cant agree with the A Class being a contender.....I have found that most people who condem them haven't actually owned one!

Yes the pre-facelift A Class had poor build quality but after the facelift in 2001 (?) the quality was much much better and as far as a concept goes the design and engineering that went into it was way in advance of any other manufacturer, ie sandwich floor, interior space, versatility, crash saftey (apart from that wretched Elk )......many designers hold up the A Class as being a truely inspired bit of design

We have had three and they have all been great family cars, so much so that other friends with young families have bought them and love them to bits.

My only main complaint with them has been the ride quality which is a brittle, but if you get a Long Wheel Base version, it makes a big difference to the ride.

 

[glojo]

And er back to the WORST mercedes.

Don't confuse the threads.

Hopefully I'm not.

I consider the WORST Mercedes ever built to be the later model E-class 210, because of the reasons I have stated. This one model is costing Daimler Chrysler millions of pounds in compensation. That must surely be a significant factor. I do accept there are other models suffering from the rust bug, but the E-class has hit the jackpot.

John

 

[Seamster15]

You're saying that the latest shape CLK is the WORST MERCEDES EVER MADE because it looks girly and/or boring?

I don't think people are focusing properly on the question!

Is it not a Personal view poll ???

 

[Vlad]

Sadly I tend to agree as the rust issue is unforgiveable......shame as they are great cars to drive and the one I had was ultra reliable.

 

[neilrr]

I love the light hearted snobbery in this thread but at the risk of upsetting a lot of people I think the worst car Mercedes ever built was the 190. It was the start of a long downward slope because for the first time ever Mercedes were selling a car made down to a price and advertising it as an alternative to Cortinas!!

From that point on the cars were made to a price where they had to compete and that was where corners started being cut and the brand threw away it's "exclusive" tag.

Andy

HAHAHA! That's a joke, right?

Have you owned one?

Andy, in the next week count how many Cortinas you see driving around and how many W201s and get back to me. For that matter, count how many D, E, F, G, H, J, or K plated Saabs, Volvos, Rovers, BMWs, Audis, big Citroens & Peugeots or ANY contemporary competitor of the 190 series you see. They may have been positioned as competitors, but they were in an entirely different league to Cortinas or just about anything else from the era.

If you look you will be amazed at how many 190s are still running around, mainly because the owners like them and they were brilliantly (over) engineered, extremely well made & beautifully designed.

They are, after all, the design Bruno Sacco considers his best!
http://www.automobilemag.com/features/news/0701_mercedes_benz_bruno_sacco/

 

[fuzzer]

A class

Gave mercedes aspirations to become a volume player. Made a mercedes too accessable.

downfall of the brand and i don't really see how someone can argue with that.

Its not being snobbish , its being realistic. Otherwise we would all be driving a vauxhall or ford

 

[Vlad]

HAHAHA! That's a joke, right?

Have you owned one?

Andy, in the next week count how many Cortinas you see driving around and how many W201s and get back to me.

Neilrr..I was going to say exactly the same thing.....whilst it may have been built down to a price in Mercedes eye's, they obviously did a damn fine job judging by how many I see every day being used as daily transport....I forget the last time I saw a Cortina.

 

[grober]

I love the light hearted snobbery in this thread but at the risk of upsetting a lot of people I think the worst car Mercedes ever built was the 190. It was the start of a long downward slope because for the first time ever Mercedes were selling a car made down to a price and advertising it as an alternative to Cortinas!!
From that point on the cars were made to a price where they had to compete and that was where corners started being cut and the brand threw away it's "exclusive" tag.

Andy

The Mercedes 190 was specifically developed to compete with the BMW 3 series which were taking an increasingly larger chunk of the young executive market in Germany. The reasoning being that by starting on a 3 series BMW brand loyalty would then influence the buyers next choice of large executive saloon in favour of BMW. Some of the features first introduced with the 190 have lasted to the present day --the much copied 5 link rear suspension is just one that comes to mind and still lives on in present models. They were well built over- engineered cars in the true Mercedes tradition. Drive a 500 SEC coupe of same vintage and you will be struck by how similar they feel. The boot lid was a bit tinny, the first ones had weak timing chains and they suffer a bit from head gasket failure - a consequence of an alloy head and cast iron block and the front springs tended to corrode but otherwise bulletproof. The real rot set in after the Daimler Chrysler merger and accountants took over from the engineers IMHO.

 

[MangoMan]

Actually I was going to say 'A' Class, but that really isn't a Mercedes, is it?

So I'm just going to say anything other that a 'S', 'E', or 'C' class. And the 'C' class only just makes it......

 

[andy_k]

I wasn't saying that the 190 was a bad car but it was the very top end of a slippery slope.

One of their cars was built to a price in order compete with the opposition rather than building it properly.

The fact that it diluted the range and in a way devalued the marque was why I nominated it.

Andy

 

[glojo]

Is it not a Personal view poll ???

Although my post was not appreciated by some, it is to me a valid post. Beauty will always be in the eyes of the beholder. No matter what car is nominated, there will always someone that will disagree. I elected to nominate a model that has in my opinion done a lot of damage to the reputation of a marque that has earned a reputation that Lexus are now trying to take possession of. Perhaps the A-class developed a reputation, but again, in my own opinion that reputation was media hype and a typical piece of Daily Sport journalism .

John

 

[Apial]

Exactly. How relevant is an Elk test anyway? I've never seen one anywhere, let alone seen one cross the road.

 

[Gucci]

Mercedes-Benz as a brand is interesting as it should be the epitome of good design, build quality and image. However, anyone can experience one...on a bus, in a lorry or a van. How many Audi buses are there? or BMW lorries? Testement to the brand that people still perceive MB to be a luxury brand. In fact, it's a division of.

 

[BenzComander]

When we were in Germany, we bought a (dont know the type number! ) C Class 180 Sport (1998). My friend bought an A 160 Avantgarde and let me drive it. The difference could not be more marked.

The A was awful compared to the C, and as stated before the plastics and general feel of the car were very non benz!!

So my vote goes to the A, sorry any A owners!!

 

[BlackC55]

What is your favourite beer?

Probably the most important question in the world........

My favourite lager is Stella Artois. Its the only one with taste and you don't have to drink 15 pints to get pissed.

My favourite bitter is HSB by gales (now Fullers) The taste is very interesting and full of character.....also it was brewed 20's from my family home.
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[wallingd]

The elk test was necessary because the vehicle was to be sold in that country (?Sweden) - elks are more common there and it was a statitory requirement for any vehicle to be sold there.