21st Nov 2016, 21:11

It is definitely not bad luck. It is the reality. Sure, there are plenty of young Mercedes fans out there that will deny how much they spend to keep it running, and will tell you the car never needed repairs whatsoever and they have one and know someone else who has two with 300000 miles and never needed a repair. Same for BMW fans. The reality is different, don't let a brand die hard fan tell you german cars are cheap to run. These are awfully expensive to run if you have no option but the main dealer.

22nd Nov 2016, 22:12

Mercedes is nothing like it used to be pre-1990 (anvil-like, durable AND reliable, and true to their ads "Engineered like no other car in the world."). But Mercedes of those times were VERY expensive. Even the cheapest one was worth several Corollas. Money went into each component designed and built to be the best. Not anymore - in many countries, Mercedes can be bought for just a little over an equivalent non-prestige brand. It costs money to build components, right; if it's gotten cheaper, something has to give. Add to that now the complexities of legal and emissions requirements which keep getting more stringent, new untested components and software are used whose long-term dependability cannot be immediately simulated; by the time they find out how to improve them, it's already obsolete for upcoming standards. The 3-pointed star is nowhere near as hallowed as it used to be (just below a Rolls). Buy one if you like the feel of the car, but not because it's the Rolex standard. It isn't anymore.

23rd Nov 2016, 22:23

You're right, I was about to say the same thing in response to the last post. It's all about perception. It's all relevant and a sign of the times - In terms of how one views a car's value.

Any enthusiast is going to be biased in some way, (which I'm not a particular Mercedes enthusiast by the way, I actually drive a Volvo through choice as I have personally found them the least troublesome to own) but in general Mercedes are good cars and always have been, not junk as the original review said, I think that's a little unfair.

Yes there was the famous paint/rust issue on some late 90s/early 2000s Mercedes, but their engines and transmissions are as good/durable as any car, perhaps even better, but as someone already stated above, the problem nowadays with modern cars is the long term durability of complex electronics. Of course modern cars are better - but more reliable than older cars? I'd say there's little in it. Newer cars I've had spent an equal amount of time in the garage getting repairs. And cars I had from various manufacturers in the 80s and 90s were fine and didn't give any real trouble till well after 150,000 miles, usually a broken oil pump or head gasket at worst if not maintained. But here's the thing - the worst repair on even an "expensive" car I had back in the day was about maybe £300 for some engine work (about $400 US dollars), whereas modern cars can need repairs at low mileage and only a few years old that can cost thousands.

The way I see it it's all business that's ripping us off, not the cars themselves, and ALL manufacturers (whether perceived to be low budget or expensive) should do more to reduce the cost of items on modern cars that need frequent attention that are an expensive unit cost, usually to comply with environmental standards.

24th Nov 2016, 13:47

They are sharp and have class. I had 2 roadsters. But they always were expensive to maintain. My worst was a 5k repair with the air. We switched to Audi supercharged. We are not planning on keeping it real long term either before it too may have issues down the road.

25th Nov 2016, 08:35

Constant buyers of a certain brand have their bias towards it often because of the feel of the car. Some like the handling, or the compliant ride. Maybe the seats over long distances, or the lack of noise in the cabin. Whatever. But even with today's legislative demands, a car of any type owes its owner REASONABLE reliability.

I'd tend to believe older cars were better and more reliable, until I remember that older cars were usually too rusty and got junked after maybe 10-12 years on average. Cars of past decades also were prone to have starting problems especially in cold weather - Japanese included. Not uncommon to see a 1992 Corolla running around - and that's 24 years old. In 1980 that would've been a 1956 car. Very rarely do you have a car within 10-15 years old fail to start these days, and not many need piston rings replaced or heads de-coked. Cars in the old days used to break down for two reasons - it wasn't put together right (or the components were not built right), or the owner didn't maintain the car. These days, no maintenance will predict a camshaft position sensor failure, and no amount of care will prevent an expensive ABS modulator fault.

Small and inexpensive cars aren't necessarily cheaper to run either - they also have the same features and components of dearer cars, like airbag seat sensors, ABS, traction control, high-pressure direct injection, turbos, climate control, etc.

26th Nov 2016, 09:45

Stepping up to even costlier exotics like Ferraris, you have even more horrendous maintenance costs. But for brief driving moments there is nothing like it. A true piece of art. Turn the key and it's music to hear and experience. A car with an outstanding pedigree. That's one side of ownership. Then add in the depreciation factor and thousands of dollars to insure.

Comparing a Mercedes to a Corolla is not going to sway those types of drivers. It's not the same mindset. You know going in buying new that this is expected. So you buy 2 while one is serviced. I own 4 cars. Usually 1 is getting something done. So you are never without one. You have to factor in true annual running costs to budget before pulling the trigger buying new. Although some of these cars have higher maintenance costs, there is more performance out and technology improvements. More options than before.

You can drive a Corolla, but you cannot experience the handling, throttle response and the song of the engine with the top down. If you have to fret over repair costs or fuel economy, it's not for you.

Where people get into trouble is buying used without extra funds for expected annual maintenance. Or very high mileage, buying a nameplate only. They buy into a champagne image with a beer budget. Then neglect to do reasonable maintenance. I have one car I drive very little and it is expensive to maintain. Mainly emissions and lines that deteriorate. You can start a Corolla and it will get you there with little fanfare or fun. Is that all that life is all about?