What would you do to restore Mercedes reputation as a ‘Premium’ manufacturer?

[noogieman]

Then I would also sack all middle bosses, they cost way too much on payroll!
It's way too many co(o)(c)ks stirring the same bouillabaisse, it's bound to be a disaster tasting foul, Ramsay would flip and go bananas in hell's kitchen.
This is what happened with the premium brand Mercedes.
They F@cked Up big times!

BMW feels more luxurious and premium.

 

[Deleted member 159894]

Then I would also sack all middle bosses, they cost way too much on payroll!
It's way too many co(o)(c)ks stirring the same bouillabaisse, it's bound to be a disaster tasting foul, Ramsay would flip and go bananas in hell's kitchen.
This is what happened with the premium brand Mercedes.
They F@cked Up big times!

BMW feels more luxurious and premium.

Are you a senior manager in a multi-national company?

 

[grober]

I think they should go back to making W123s, W126s & R107s only.

Ah - the days Mercedes designed the car- then worked out the price not vice versa!

 

[190]

Much as I like the old W201 and W124's I don't agree they were better than the modern equivalents. They did use quality materials and were vastly simpler, therefore reliable and easily fixed if necessary.. The modern equivalent cars drive much nicer are faster, safer and much more economical. Subframes aside they have better rust protection. The downside of poorer reliability is mostly to do with toys and complexity.

So what I would do to restore MB's premium reputation is prioritise function over form. Rather than compromise on quality I'd leave out most of the the unnecessary toys and other unreliable nonsense like electronic steering locks. That would in fact be partially harking back to the W201's and W124's as I don't think they left the factory with even a radio as standard.

 

[johnsco]

The complexity of emission control and fuel efficiency systems on modern diesels provides a whole host of minor things to go wrong - and also considerable difficulty of fault finding when they do.
The unreliability of other crazy ideas like electronic parking brakes, steering locks, etc .... Who asked for all this ?
Keep it simple - - - Keep it reliable - was always one of my guiding principles of designing and maintaining industrial systems.
BUT
It's not only vehicles.
Our recent new gas cooker wouldn't regulate the oven temperatures in either of the two ovens.
I watched the engineer changing the two thermostat/regulators (under guarantee).
He described it as a nightmare.
I couldn't agree more.

 

[markjay]

The EQA, EQB, and EQC are very ordinary-looking cars compared to the plethora of new funky EVs on sale today. This is a missed opportunity for MB to try and have the upper hand in an emerging market. How will MB restore their reputation? Well not by building more average-looking cars with mediocre tech.

 

[whitenemesis]

Conversely one could argue EVs should look no different from 'normal' cars.
Or they should be a complete departure from the norm..
The second option takes time for the customer to catch up..

 

[markjay]

Conversely one could argue EVs should look no different from 'normal' cars.
Or they should be a complete departure from the norm..
The second option takes time for the customer to catch up..

Where I live there are dozens of Jaguars I-Pace parked in the street, in addition to the multitude of Model 3s. I've only ever seen one EQC, it was there for a couple of months, then disappeared, no idea if the owner moved house or got rid of the car. The e-Tron isn't fairing very well around here either, being built around a standard Audi. There also a few ID.3/ID.4. And I envision that the IONIQ 5, EV6, and Bz will take the EV market by a storm.

EDIT: and Jaguar and Tesla are at the bottom of the list in almost every reliability survey. But they make funky cars, and EV buyers clearly want fresh, innovative, and different design.

 

[Deleted member 126251]

You're splitting hairs.

The use of 'AMG line' and also at BMW the 'MSport' is worse than Ford's use of Ghia and .... even BL/Rover's use of Vanden Plas.

Was simply correcting your error (or perhaps, misconception) that "AMG Line” models have an AMG badge. Unlike the others you refer to, the “AMG LINE is different and not badged as such.

 

[Deleted member 126251]

Speaking as an engineer (Sadly - Now retired) ... I agree.
I've owned a number of MBs:
1. A 1980 W126 - 380SE ... A magnificently-engineered car - Built regardless of cost
2. Two 1997/8 W210s - E300TDs ... Mechanically good (bomb-proof engine) - But utter rot-boxes
3. A 20021 W210-Facelift - E430 ... Mechanically good (Impressive engine and transmission) - Another rot-box
4. A 2009 W211 - E280 (3 litre CDi Sports Estate) ... Mechanically good - although suffers from some recurring niggling faults like oil seals that contaminate
the turbo - Certainly NOT a rot-box - Build quality generally good - Facilities good - BUT - Let down by an unimpressive transmission
[It's still my daily driver and has worked hard for me for about 8 years]
5. A 2005 W203 C200 Kompressor SE auto Coupe [Recently bought for my partner] - I bought it cheaply knowing that there were quite a few things to put right.
Many of the engine compartment items are poorly-engineered ... Ill-fitting and broken pollen-filter housing ... shredded air intake flexi-pipe (Only £20 to replace)
Oil leaks round front of cam shafts (Apparently very common).
Bouncing lock (Apparently common but I can fix it) ... Two broken door restraints !!! ( Now fixed --- They are heavy doors on the Coupe).
I'm still finding out about the car ... I've been warned about timing chain and sprocket disasters - That's a question I have to face.
Some threads here warn about electrical parasitic drain problems - That's another area I need to check out.
SRS restraint warning - This may be expensive.
It's by-far the lowest milage MB I have bought (only 94,000 miles).
Goes like a train !
So far ...... only 7 out of 10.

All cars have their problems.
You

Not surprised you've have issues with MBs if all your cars have all had >94,000 miles on the odometer when purchased. Surely you weren’t expecting trouble free motoring?

 

[Deleted member 126251]

.................
It's way too many co(o)(c)ks stirring the same bouillabaisse, ..........

Did you mean, Pichelsteiner...........

​

 

[Deleted member 126251]

If we had to go back to old assembly methods, quality & materials, the price of our cars would probably double.

In the mid 90s I purchased a BMW 325 (new). It was the first model line made on a new assembly line. Lots of clips and press fit instead of screws.

9 months later and 6 weeks in the workshop trying to get rid of rattles, they offered me a replacement new 3 series which I refused, so they offered me a new 525. I contributed to the mileage I’d had done on the 3 series and they gave me the 5 series (which is a separate story as that car got replaced) for free.

I’ve long said that a modern MB is not a premium brand & has not been for a while. I grew up with them (my dad drove them) and in the 60s & 70s there was a certain status if you drove a Mercedes.

These days every Tom, **** and Harry has a mass produced MB.

 

[Dryce]

Was simply correcting your error (or perhaps, misconception) that "AMG Line” models have an AMG badge. Unlike the others you refer to, the “AMG LINE is different and not badged as such.

I'm aware of the technical branding difference between 'AMG' and 'AMG Line'. My grief is that the term 'AMG line' is a bit of marketo-wa**ko-cr*p-speak that diishes AMG.

I think the very presence of any discussion of 'AMG Line' and 'AMG' demonstrates just how cheap and silly it was to take the branding 'AMG' and apply it in this way to mainstream models augmented with some extra trim.

If I had been senior in MB I would have been very precious about the use of AMG. (Similarly at BMW I would have been precious about the use of MSport).

 

[johnsco]

Not surprised you've have issues with MBs if all your cars have all had >94,000 miles on the odometer when purchased. Surely you weren’t expecting trouble free motoring?

Re-reading my post - I don't really think that's what I said.
The post was a fair summary of my experience of a range of MBs.
Myself and partner currently run two MBs - - - - I think that speaks for itself

 

[CoopsSA]

I'm aware of the technical branding difference between 'AMG' and 'AMG Line'. My grief is that the term 'AMG line' is a bit of marketo-wa**ko-cr*p-speak that diishes AMG.

I think the very presence of any discussion of 'AMG Line' and 'AMG' demonstrates just how cheap and silly it was to take the branding 'AMG' and apply it in this way to mainstream models augmented with some extra trim.

If I had been senior in MB I would have been very precious about the use of AMG. (Similarly at BMW I would have been precious about the use of MSport).

Neither brands are clearly precious about the "proper" use of AMG or M Sport; as it brings owners closer to the real AMG or M Sport with the hope of them moving from the pretend version to the real one!

 

[markjay]

Neither brands are clearly precious about the "proper" use of AMG or M Sport; as it brings owners closer to the real AMG or M Sport with the hope of them moving from the pretend version to the real one!

And also Audi..... they all do that.

 

[l5foye]

Many years ago when after-market sunroofs were all the rage, it was easy to tell what metal cut out came from a Mercedes. It was so much thicker ( therefore stronger) than any other make of car.

 

[Bellow]

Conversely one could argue EVs should look no different from 'normal' cars.
Or they should be a complete departure from the norm..
The second option takes time for the customer to catch up..

Option #1 for the conservative - and reading this forum, no surprise MB have chosen that route. Option # 2 makes sense for the still developing brands (eg, Korean) and, by being obviously electric contributes to breaking down the resistance to EVs (in a country of keeping-up-with-the -Joneses). The more radical styling merely takes a little longer to be accepted.

 

[Bellow]

I'm aware of the technical branding difference between 'AMG' and 'AMG Line'. My grief is that the term 'AMG line' is a bit of marketo-wa**ko-cr*p-speak that diishes AMG.

I think the very presence of any discussion of 'AMG Line' and 'AMG' demonstrates just how cheap and silly it was to take the branding 'AMG' and apply it in this way to mainstream models augmented with some extra trim.

If I had been senior in MB I would have been very precious about the use of AMG. (Similarly at BMW I would have been precious about the use of MSport).

Doesn't MB have Brabus in the wings for when the AMG tag has lost its potency in the high performance sector?

 

[Deleted member 126251]

I'm aware of the technical branding difference between 'AMG' and 'AMG Line'. My grief is that the term 'AMG line' is a bit of marketo-wa**ko-cr*p-speak that diishes AMG.

I think the very presence of any discussion of 'AMG Line' and 'AMG' demonstrates just how cheap and silly it was to take the branding 'AMG' and apply it in this way to mainstream models augmented with some extra trim.

If I had been senior in MB I would have been very precious about the use of AMG. (Similarly at BMW I would have been precious about the use of MSport).

You said:

"Dump 'AMG Line' and make anything with an AMG badge be a 'real' AMG.” Hence my confusion as to your understanding of the badging & then, you seemed to take offence and accused me of “splitting hairs”.

However, while I do understand your point, MB (like the rest) are moving with the times & it must be working for them. Forum members post their car details with every marketing slogan attached.

"XYZ200 CLI AMG line, Adblue, premium plus, executive with go faster stripes......."