Are recent 'high end' Mercedes cars poorly put together?

[KPB1973]

2013 SL63 here. Bar a bit of an intermittent creak from the steering column, and dragging wipers that I haven't got around to sorting - it's apparently hewn from granite. Mind you, it should be given what it cost the first owner to buy.

Selling it today due to lockdown. Absolutely gutted!

[Ari]

Mosdef said:

No question, for years now, MB has offered products that nearly get to Honda build quality, but at 2-3x the price. I used to rate Audi, BMW and MB but the days of them offering high quality products are 10+years ago. I went over to Porsche a few years ago to have Panameras instead of A8s, 7 series S Class and again, they have also lost their way since their 2016/17 facelift. Doesn’t leave many places to go!

I guess we reap the rewards of a society that prizes aspiration and image over quality. It's just ironic that Mercedes got that image in the first place by being an expensive high quality car that people aspired to...

You're right though, where do you go next? I can't believe that BMW or Audi (both once quality cars) are any better, or indeed even as good.

Lexus maybe..? Perhaps an LC Convertible. I wonder what the depreciation is like on them. It's pretty bad from new on the Mercedes SL, which is how I could afford one!

[Ari]

KPB1973 said:

2013 SL63 here. Bar a bit of an intermittent creak from the steering column, and dragging wipers that I haven't got around to sorting - it's apparently hewn from granite. Mind you, it should be given what it cost the first owner to buy.

Selling it today due to lockdown. Absolutely gutted!

Sorry to hear that.

[Sheepshanks]

Mosdef said:

No question, for years now, MB has offered products that nearly get to Honda build quality, but at 2-3x the price.

I wouldn't use Honda as a reference point these days - got a couple in the family and they're not without issues. At one time Honda would look after you, but not any more. Also same problem as a lot of marques - they got rid of many of the well regarded old dealers and replaced them with the same useless dealer groups as others use.


And re. Lexus - brother-in-law has a new one with a few issues that never seemed to be resolved by the dealer first time.

[anonymous-user]

Ari said:

I guess we reap the rewards of a society that prizes aspiration and image over quality. It's just ironic that Mercedes got that image in the first place by being an expensive high quality car that people aspired to...

You're right though, where do you go next? I can't believe that BMW or Audi (both once quality cars) are any better, or indeed even as good.

Lexus maybe..? Perhaps an LC Convertible. I wonder what the depreciation is like on them. It's pretty bad from new on the Mercedes SL, which is how I could afford one!

If anything BMW and VAG are worse, and their repairs always seem to take three times longer; I'm running a 13 year old V12 Mercedes and have run ropey old Jaguars of all sorts, but I wouldn't dream of running a 6 year old 760Li without an absolutely iron clad warranty. For all MB might have issues outside of a few well known issues they historically haven't been nearly as bad for engines that completely st themselves or spray oil and coolant over all creation.

Lexus seem to depreciate a lot less than anything European, and certainly seem to have a lot less problems if you avoid the little ones with diesel engines. I'd certainly expect an LC to be a whole lot less trouble than an SL or 8 series!!

[Ari]

Had a little look online - they're a bit shouty on the outside and a bit Amstrad on the inside. And used start at £53K for one over 3 years old (so about £20K more than a similar age SL!)

Not feeling the love for it...

[anonymous-user]

Ari said:

Had a little look online - they're a bit shouty on the outside and a bit Amstrad on the inside. And used start at £53K for one over 3 years old (so about £20K more than a similar age SL!)

Not feeling the love for it...

They cost more than a used SL for a good reason I suspect.

If Lexus could get the styling right for European tastes I don't think there would be any reason to buy anything else, 30 years and waiting on that one though. Possibly worth seeing one in person, they don't seem to photograph well, and while not as pretty the interior is far higher quality (real quality, not rubber buttons that go nasty after 5 years) than anything from the Fatherland and everything will be working (along with the rest of the car) when an SL is resting on it's bump stops outside an ex council house somewhere sporting 22" rims, gangsta tints, wind deflectors, and in need of £16,000 in repairs to get it up to scratch

[Blue62]

I took delivery of a new S63 coupe last October and have had a very mixed experience. I really like the car but on going electrical issues, marred paintwork and an ambivalent dealer have left me wishing I’d kept my promise to never buy another MB, after a sorry time in an SL63 seventeen years ago!

I would have to say it’s the worst experience I’ve had with any new car over the last 25 years (and I’ve owned many and most), but it’s margins and as I said I like the car. To those thinking Lexus think again, awful dealers and numb, characterless cars. Audi are probably the safe bet for me, but regardless I’m still just about happy with my purchase.

[mk1coopers]

Looked a various brands to change into recently, came to the conclusion to stick with MB, I've had shocking service from some dealers (in the past this has also happened with BMW and Audi) but now I've found one MB dealer that has always helped out, so much so that I drive nearly 100 miles to get to them for the servicing and have just bought the 3rd car in 5 years from them, the local dealer group have always been pitiful, I avoid them as much as I can. I think with the current batch of MB's it's the interior that really does it for me, as long as it's a car that has the dash displays integrated (unlike the first batch of looks like an iPad stuck to the dash models)

[irish boy]

Blue62 said:

To those thinking Lexus think again, awful dealers and numb, characterless cars.

Really? Never owned a Lexus but always read their dealers were trained to offer a higher standard of service than other brands.

[Blue62]

irish boy said:

Really? Never owned a Lexus but always read their dealers were trained to offer a higher standard of service than other brands.

Lovely showrooms and coffee facilities, combined with an artful dodger approach to servicing that transcends anything I’ve experienced before or since. My wife had an RX 400h, school run and shops in vicar mode but at her first service (and every subsequent one) was told she needed new discs and pads.

We leased the car for three years and 30,000 miles on its original discs with only front pads replaced by a trusted independent. At the same time we had two IS models on the company fleet, different dealer due to where the employees lived but same Shiite hawk service. I know this is not exclusive to Lexus, but they’re the most barefaced I’ve ever come across and the cars are dull to drive.

[Ari]

That's intriguing, I'd always heard that Lexus dealers were the best of the best. Maybe they were once (like Mercedes...)

[Blue62]

Ari said:

That's intriguing, I'd always heard that Lexus dealers were the best of the best. Maybe they were once (like Mercedes...)

I think the reducing margins on car sales, anti competitive rules on servicing and consolidation in the dealer networks have made the situation worse across all marques. I’ve never heard that Lexus are the best of the best, but I have a mate with a Kia who has had nothing but great service.

[Ari]

I had a mate with the metal roof convertible (LS500?) who absolutely raved about them.

[anonymous-user]

I was surprised at how poor my recent experience in a Lexus dealer was, certainly not what was expected or what it used to be like. I knew almost immediately I wouldn't be giving them my money.

Having said that, Mercedes dealers are consistantly awful.

[off_again]

Mercedes poorly put together? Take a hop over to the MBWorld forums for the W205 AMG's.... its a regular thing that pops up!

However, I have a slightly different spin on this. Creaks and rattles are one thing, but I would suggest my Alabama built W205 isnt badly built at all. Everything is even on panel gaps. Parts are clipped in well and its good. But, I would argue that clearly some corners were cut on corners and quality of the components.

I have a pretty good example - I had some small niggles with my old Cayenne and had to take some panels out etc. The interior clips and fastening are extremely similar to the W205 (a lot of shared electronics) but the Porsche had extra anti-rattle pads, more securing clips and higher quality plastics used. The Porsche simply didnt rattle at all (even after I attacked the head-unit), but clearly the W205 isnt quite as good.

Badly built? Not mine, but could it be higher quality with simple fixes that could make big improvements? Hell yes.

[Ari]

For anyone else who is baffled by what a 'W205' is, according to Google, in non geek, it's the current C Class.

[anonymous-user]

One of the problem with cars like the (proper) AMG C classes is that you're paying big money for a car built on a platform intended to be sold profitably for £30k or less - it is built very much down to a price. Bare minimum number of fasteners, less anti rattle protection, and other stuff like that iare just a few areas that'll be only just as good as it needs to be.,

I've noticed loads of extra clips, soundproofing, bolts, fasteners, and all sorts on my S-Class that you'd never find on a C or possibly even an E class car. It can make taking stuff apart hard work!

[Ari]

That's very much my thinking about cars like the BMW M3, which I also considered before buying the SL. Fast car, but ultimately, it's just a very tricked up 3 Series...

[swisstoni]

Blue62 said:

irish boy said:

Really? Never owned a Lexus but always read their dealers were trained to offer a higher standard of service than other brands.

Lovely showrooms and coffee facilities, combined with an artful dodger approach to servicing that transcends anything I’ve experienced before or since. My wife had an RX 400h, school run and shops in vicar mode but at her first service (and every subsequent one) was told she needed new discs and pads.

We leased the car for three years and 30,000 miles on its original discs with only front pads replaced by a trusted independent. At the same time we had two IS models on the company fleet, different dealer due to where the employees lived but same Shiite hawk service. I know this is not exclusive to Lexus, but they’re the most barefaced I’ve ever come across and the cars are dull to drive.

Have had a Lexus for 6 years now and that is not the experience I’ve had. In fact we’re about to get a second Lexus.