^^^Indeed. Lets set that up

 

devil's advocate:

lets see, the top is a hack job, 1st gen
the tranny RATTLES LIKE HELL.
engine is problamatic
suspension doesn't hold up on the track.
unibody (see above)
brakes.... suck
leather, don't even bother comparing with mercedes.
and my newest one, my lites get moisture in them.

This is one hella unreliable honda. Can i have my money back?

 

I'm not sure what these guys are so proud of. The 3 pointed star today is not what it used to be.

Case in point. I have an MB 1983 300D turbodiesel which my father bought NEW in 1983 and just turned 155,000 miles. The car has impeccable build quality and has heavy, solid feel that I have felt in no other car. We have not had a single mechanical or electrical failure in 22 years. The paint is incredible.

My sister bought a C230 kompressor last year, had about 9 different problems with it in the first year alone and got rid of it. Lots of cheaper feeling parts in the car you would think it was a completely different company than who built the 300D.

If MB's profit maximizing ways dont change soon they're in big trouble. They're ratings have plummeted and they're cars look and feel like crap compared to the older ones.

 

Who cares. You can find car bashing threads everywhere - reference: Z4's, 350Z's, & Miata's to name a few on this forum.

Some people always need to justify their purchases, and some people are just content with what they have - whether that be a Neon or a McLaren

 

Interesting...Anyone who truly loves cars loves ALL cars. I'm an automobile enthusiast and I've owned lots of different cars and have appreciated each and everyone one of them for the unique qualities that made every one of them special. I loved my 1966 Tiger Mk1 becuase it was fast, had lots of torque, and was easy to work on. I loved my 1968 Datsun 2000 (an entirely different car) because it was light, handled well (much better than the Tiger) and is a great example of the emergence of the modern Japanese performance car. I loved my 1966 Mustang convertable becuase it was so American. I loved my 2000 Mercury Sable (honestly) because it had a great automatic heating/cooling system and was dependable, cheap transportation.

Catch my drift? I don't understand why owning a car has to always turn into a dick measuring contest. I belong to the Jay Leno school of thought. Jay has a Ford GT but loves his Olds Toronodo just as much....now THAT's a car guy.

 

Again, anybody with a true interest in what is going on with Mercedes Benz these days should go the the official Mercedes Benz Club of America forum at www.mbca.org. Visitors are allowed to log on and post. It is probably the cleanest forum I've seen. Strongest word you can use is "heck" (really, it is in the rules!) Also, you can't call another poster an idiot (or worse) or your post will be deleted. But you CAN say anything good or bad about any car, dealer, etc. And no, you won't get flamed for having an s2k. I know, as I have an s2k AND an MB. They pretty much require you to stay on topic, too.

If you go to that forum, you will learn that later model MBs have had serious problems in their first one or two years after introduction. Then, the problems seem to get solved, and the cars become tough and reliable. Dealers are pretty incompetent in some areas (thank heavens not in mine), and parts and service are expensive. There is also a scarcity of dealers and independent MB shops in way too many areas. There is a significant group of MBCA members who believe "they don't build them like they used to". Many of these members proudly own older models. You'll learn that the computer driven asseccory controls are non-intuitive, and are giving some of us grief. You'll learn that ALL new MBs really need new brake pads, as the OEM ones are soft organic material that dusts all over the front wheels. You'll learn that the sensor switches on the SLK hard convertible tops are prone to failure --- leaving your top locked in a half-way position; but that these are otherwise pretty reliable.

You'll also learn that many MBCA members own several cars of different makes. Like me. My pickup is a Ford because (among other reasons) neither Honda nor MB makes one (the bed on the Ridgeline is too short for me, and costs more than I want to pay for a working truck.) My sports car is an s2k, because MB doesn't make a true sports car, and doesn't even make a "sports roadster" with an MSRP as low as around $30K. And my sedan is an MB, because (in part) Honda does not make a small, "lux" and peppy sedan with RWD.

As we all know, there are forums, and then there are different kinds of forums. The official MBCA forum is very clean and highly objective. And not full of blind praise for MB! One frequent poster has a lemon law case pending concerning his '04 SL 500 because the dealer just can't fix a number of problems with it. And that's a $100K +++ car!

Thanks,
Richard

 

I suggest that we all lighten up, and remember the two basic similarities between opinions and a**holes:

1. Everybody has one

2. They all stink

Let the Mercedes guys have their opinions. My stinkin' opnion remains that for literally half the price of a Lexus SC430, you have a car which is more challenging and more fun. For $20K less than a Porsche Boxster S, you have one which is its near-equal. Etc., etc......

 

Even though I am a member of MBCA, am a moderator on the MBCA forum (not the one quoted above), and am a director in our local MBCA Chapter, I bought an s2k for my sports car! And for the very reasons you describe. And I'd do it again! Even the MBCA regional and national officers I speak with know why I bought an s2k, and have nothing negative to say about this. Heck, some of them own s2ks as well as some model Mercedes.

So I suggest that those people posting on that "other board" cited in the first post above are far from representative of Mercedes enthusiasts. Heck, they are not even representative of "car guys!" In fact, I've noted that a greater than average number of TRUE Mercedes enthusiasts also own (or want to own) s2ks. As one who owns BOTH, I can tell you that it was many of the same qualities that attracted me to BOTH cars.

Thanks,
Richard

 

Well, my 02 cents, you gotta to drive one before you talk all the ish you can.

Different strokes for different folks, true car enthusiast loves all cars.

And +1 here, I've never seen anyone fast on a track with a MB. Let alone M3, Porsches owners (non racecars), cause they're either too precious, or won't have money to fix their car if anything happens to them.

 

Agreed! and BTW, I did not buy my Mercedes to be particularly fast. Bought it to be comfortable and REASONABLY fast (0 to 60 in 6.5; top end at 135). Didn't buy it to race or track. Bought it for everyday driving and trips. Those being the criteria for its purchase, I love it! Conversely, I bought the s2k to be fast, quick, and agile. Those being the criteria for its purchase, I love it!

These two cars sit side by side in my garage, and have never gotten into a fight! I wish some owners (who are a minority of Mercedes owners) would do the same.

Thanks,
Richard