Mercedes-Benz awful reliability

Mercedes-Benz awful reliability

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SteveNottm

Original Poster:

6 posts

92 months

Wednesday 27th July 2016
quotequote all
Hi, I'm a new poster but a long time lurker.

Just feel the need to rant a bit about Mercedes-Benz and reliability. I have a brand new E class company car, delivered 2 weeks ago. It's lovely, but in that two weeks it's now broken down twice. Once on the way to work where it left me stranded in the middle of the road, and after I only got it back on Monday it's now failed again today, leaving me stuck at home and unable to visit my son who's in hospital.

Awful reliability from a 40k car that's less than a fortnight old!

the dealership that "fixed" the first problem were rubbish. Never returned calls, never kept me informed. MB say their policy is to send it back to the same dealership but I'm now really concerned that I'll have a car I don't trust.

Well done Mercedes. I'm unlikely get another one ever again and will clearly be telling everyone I know about this. That's how to build brand loyalty...

PoleDriver

28,614 posts

193 months

Wednesday 27th July 2016
quotequote all
What were the faults?

dub16v

1,115 posts

140 months

Wednesday 27th July 2016
quotequote all
Sounds like you got a lemon (not that this makes the pill any easier to swallow).

MB E-Class reliability is good: http://www.reliabilityindex.com/reliability/search...

Contrastingly, MB overall scores at the lower end: http://www.reliabilityindex.com/manufacturer

Ninja59

3,691 posts

111 months

Wednesday 27th July 2016
quotequote all
If you fancy rejecting it get it in soon they have had an opportunity to repair it.

Jim AK

4,029 posts

123 months

Wednesday 27th July 2016
quotequote all
My 2011 E class is 800 miles short of 100k. MOT last week with no advisories.

Absolutely no problems & only had services & consumables as required.

Do you have the new model OP?

Alex_225

6,233 posts

200 months

Wednesday 27th July 2016
quotequote all
Real shame to see posts like this and gutting for the OP getting a new car that you totally lose faith in. You'd expect an expensive car to be pretty much perfect from the off.

Although what can be a kick in the plums is the way the dealership handle it. If they're attentive and helpful you at least feel a little at ease that things will get sorted.

By contrast, my daily car is a 2003 E320 and it's been perfect. No advisories on the last MOT, everything works and it drives brilliantly. Has 104k on the clock and apart from a bit of rust to keep an eye on creeping in from the arches, it's mint.

Dave Hedgehog

14,541 posts

203 months

Wednesday 27th July 2016
quotequote all
the Germans do appear to make the odd lemon car from time to time, my mate calls them friday afternoon cars on the grounds of how much beer they are allowed to drink smile

my first RS3 was plagued with problems, wouldn't start, perpetual trim squeaks / rattles, steering vibration and eventually the engine lunched itself, its replacement was faultless for 4 years


SteveNottm

Original Poster:

6 posts

92 months

Wednesday 27th July 2016
quotequote all
Problem was apparently starter motor and looks identical this time so either it's another bad one, or that wasn't the problem.

Not sure about how to reject as its a company car. I'm going to speak to the fleet management team and possibly try that.

I figured a one off that was handled well would be ok. Twice in a week isn't.

SteveNottm

Original Poster:

6 posts

92 months

Wednesday 27th July 2016
quotequote all
And yes, it's the brand new 2916 midel

SteveNottm

Original Poster:

6 posts

92 months

Wednesday 27th July 2016
quotequote all
2016
Clearly

ModernAndy

2,094 posts

134 months

Wednesday 27th July 2016
quotequote all
SteveNottm said:
And yes, it's the brand new 2916 model
perhaps the anti-gravity shift inverter has blown?

R E S T E C P

660 posts

104 months

Wednesday 27th July 2016
quotequote all
We bought a new Audi TT last year that had quite a bad gearbox fault. Needed parts from Germany, so it took a while.
Part of the warranty is a breakdown service (which we didn't need, but was available). Also they offered to collect the car and drop off the courtesy car (which was a nearly identical TT) - again we didn't need this service, but it was available.
The car was eventually fixed and cleaned inside and out, and it has been smooth running since then.

Surely MB have similar breakdown/courtesy car/pickup&drop-off services? You shouldn't be left stranded for too long.

I would say to them that they've already had an attempt so this is their last shot, if they can't fix it you'll return/reject the car.

JonnyTenny

64 posts

112 months

Wednesday 27th July 2016
quotequote all
ModernAndy said:
SteveNottm said:
And yes, it's the brand new 2916 model
perhaps the anti-gravity shift inverter has blown?
This made me chuckle.

mcflurry

9,079 posts

252 months

Wednesday 27th July 2016
quotequote all
Mercedes - where you pay an extra £50 to wait in the shiny office drinking coffee whilst your car is serviced...

Davey S2

13,073 posts

253 months

Wednesday 27th July 2016
quotequote all
SteveNottm said:
Well done Mercedes. I'm unlikely get another one ever again and will clearly be telling everyone I know about this. That's how to build brand loyalty...
Somewhat OTT don't you think?

Even in this day and age its unrealistic to expect a car to have no niggles whatsoever. Cars are increasingly complex and these things happen.

Sounds like the issue is more with the dealer.

spookly

4,009 posts

94 months

Wednesday 27th July 2016
quotequote all
You'll always get the odd lemon no matter the brand, no manufacturer will ever have a 0% failure rate. Dealers fixing it will be the same. You probably just got unlucky.

What isn't acceptable is poor service/communication from the dealers.


I had a 2012 E Class on a 3 year lease. Other than consumables the only fault was the bonnet release surround fell off, replaced under warranty at 1st service. It got regularly driven hard and not treated sympathetically but never missed a beat. First MOT passed with no bother, but a load of advisories for brake pads, discs and tyres all round showing just how hard a life it had... discs worn to requiring change in less than 30k miles, 3rd set of tyres almost done :-)

Can't comment on the dealer as had no major issues. But they were very helpful with servicing and reasonably priced so long as you didn't book through MBUK and used their own franchise website to book.

SWoll

18,206 posts

257 months

Wednesday 27th July 2016
quotequote all
Often teething problems with brand new models, especially electrical. All manufacturers seem to have them.

We've had 3 BMW's and 3 MB's over the past 10 years, all either new or < a year old and never had an issue with any of the Mercedes (2 x E class, 1 x C Class). The BMW's on the other hand...

Benbay001

5,794 posts

156 months

Wednesday 27th July 2016
quotequote all
Davey S2 said:
Even in this day and age its unrealistic to expect a car to have no niggles whatsoever. Cars are increasingly complex and these things happen.
Yet plenty of manufacturers manage it regularly.

For some reason team Germany are forgiven because they used soft touch plastics or something.

Dave Hedgehog

14,541 posts

203 months

Wednesday 27th July 2016
quotequote all
mcflurry said:
Mercedes - where you pay an extra £50 to wait in the shiny office drinking coffee whilst your car is serviced...
that applies to most premium and semi premium brands, even VW

Timbola

1,956 posts

139 months

Wednesday 27th July 2016
quotequote all
SWoll said:
We've had 3 BMW's and 3 MB's over the past 10 years, all either new or < a year old and never had an issue with any of the Mercedes (2 x E class, 1 x C Class). The BMW's on the other hand...
Yet I've had new BMWs which have run for years without issue.

Everyone has their anecdotal evidence.