Why Mercedes??

[azs]

Hello.

I'm trying to figure out my next car move and would love some good advice from people in the know!

I have a 2003 Peugeot 307 at the moment and am looking to take the next step up the ladder.

I'm just wondering how the different luxury cars compare, and what might make me choose one make over another.

I'm looking at Mercedes, BMW, Audi, maybe Lexus and any other suggestions from anyone.

Regardless of model, I'm just trying to get an idea of what one brand can offer me over the other, and also what kind of people drive which car.

Any suggestions and comments would be great (asap)

thanks!
Ali

 

[television]

There is something very special with both driving and owning a MB. I have an SL and a Volvo V70R. Whilst there is nothing wrong with the V70R and it has not cost me one penny in 66k miles,its quick, quiet and comfortable and very well made, the MB has the edge on luxury, it is put together like no other,it drives like no other and feels like no other.
Just last night I thought that I would trickle charge the battery as it has not been used for some weeks. On removing the very well made battery cover I looked at part of the vacuam system that's used for the central locking and it reminded me that when I lock the car the action is so smooth and quiet, just the lightest touch to operate anything,and that vucuam system runs through the whole car beautifully made. that's only one tiny part, there is much more to an MB.
Some people are lucky enough to be able to use theirs everyday,I only use mine in dry weather,but that is my choice. As said in other threads they drive and feel like small a Rolls Royce.
The more you have the more to go wrong, that applies to everthing in our life Most people do not get many problems, the only ones here in this forum are a tiny percentage of the cars sold. So you pays your money and take your choice, you will love it,that I am sure.

Malcolm

I forgot to add that if ever you needed any assistance or just info, you have the best bunch of guys on the Web right here.

 

[DAD190E1990]

I own my a 1989 190E Mercedes and it's lovely, i believe the newer ones are worlds better still but my '89 model is still working just the way it should. It's smooth, quiet and above all it is built so well and solidly. It still has everything original and has only done 81,000 miles with a 100% full Mercedes History so it drives like it did in '89. The new ones i can only imagine would be excellent but i can qualify that even an older one that is properly cared for can be very, very good.
My wife drives a 1999 BMW 318i and that is a very well built car indeed. It handles and goes better than you would think for it's the base model of it's range. the features are great and i cannot fault it, it's a wonderful car built as good as it's designed. It does NOT have the 'Feel' of a Mercedes and even though the most recent MB i have been inside and driven is a 1999 model, the 'Feel' really is a big part of an MB and the more recent models still have it as much as the older ones ever did. I do not want to imply that BMW don't do luxury, far from it. I do however think that no matter what BMW, Audi or even Porsche do, they cannot escape the performance heritage and inherent designs in that respect. Although Mercedes do performance very well indeed, it isn't the dominant part of the design focus. In a Mercedes it's all about the feel and smooth operation of the entire car, performance and good handling are a by-product of smooth, comfortable efficiency. Our BMW does not do that, good as it is with it's special anti-spin control and all the other whistles and bells.

Once you have owned an MB, i don't think you'll look back.

 

[jberks]

All the makes you have listed are excellent and I know owners of each that swear by them. I'd also add Saab to the list too. There really isn't a right or wrong answer.
However, if I think that, why am I on my 3rd Merc? They are more expensive (and I'm not rich enough to ignore this) no more or less troublesome, no faster etc than the others, yet I've recently bought my 3rd anyway. My father is on his 5th and despite semi - retiring won't drive anything else.

Its the 'feel'. I really don't know what that is, but it's real and I've never found anything to come close. From the age of 12, my dad ran them. We went through a sticky patch in the mid 90's and were Merc free for around 5 years. I began to wonder why he'd run Mercs as my Ford and his Vauxhall were excellent, then one day a friend of his offered me a lift in his Merc. As soon as I got in, It all came flooding back. There is a feeling of solidity, isolation, protection and luxury that you don't find elsewhere. Nothing is there for a gimmick or show.

A while back I took a brand new, loaded 330ci out. After the test drive, I got back into my 5 year old C220. Based on logic, I should have been working out how I could swap. On paper the 330 was so far ahead there is simply no comparison. Yet I wouldn't have swapped if they'd paid me. Still don't know why.
To most of us, the Merc is special. Drive a ford and you can get a peugeot or vauxhall and be happy, but people who buy mercs generally stick. So do Jag owners. Its the character that fits their personality and self image I suppose. Everyone has their own view to put it in marketing context, to me, Merc is "nothing to prove, speak softly and carry a big stick" , Lexus "I wanted a merc but its too predictable and I'm my own man" unless its an IS200 in which case "It isn't an Avensis - Honest!! - I wish I could afford the C class..." Jag - "I'm old school" and BMW "look at me!!" Look at the people you know with each, it's amazing how we all fit the stereotype to some extent!

Drive them all and you'll just instinctively know which fits you. Don't try to work it out as at this level its an emotional decision not a mental one. If you just use your brain, you'll get another Peugeot!

 

[azs]

Hello again.

Just wondering - are these cars all bought new, or are any of them pre-owned? What reasons (other than saving money straightforwardly) are there for buying used? Is it so that you can afford a 'better' car?

Thanks,
Ali

 

[jberks]

Never bought a new one and don't imagine I ever will.
I'd turn the question around. Why buy new? All cars drop like a brick in the first 12 months and the extras cost a fortune but are worth virtually nothing on a trade in. Mine was 12 months old, cost virtually the same as the basic one next to it, despite the 4-5k of extras. I paid out the extra for an additional 12 months warranty so I still have 3 years, and there is no evidence of wear that wouldn't be there after 1 months use anyway. First question everyone asks - "is it new?".
I could have had a new c class instead so yes, I get a better car for the same money.
The thing to remember with Mercs and the like is that they don't change. A jap car is restyled every 6 months. A merc has a facelift at year 4-5 and a new model every 7 years so get a private plate and no one knows anyway.

 

[littlebrooklyn]

Before we bought our Mercedes we had always had Peugeots as my partner used to work for them, so we got them at trade price. We've had 2 l06's, a 206 and my son has had a 205GTi and a 106GTi. Out of all of them our last 206 Roland Garros was the best, was all singing all dancing, but lacked the 'wow factor for sure.

We decided to get an estate car so we could put the dog in the back and our first port of call was the local Peugeot dealership. We felt quite disappointed at the quality of the 307 to be honest, I think the 206 was the last good looking car that Peugeot made. The 307 looked tacky and for the money they were asking for a used one we were quite surprised at how bad the quality appeared.

We then looked at BMW, Lexus and Audi before venturing to the Mercedes stealership with great caution, as we didn't think we could possibly afford to buy one. We were quite surprised that we could manage to buy a 2yr old C Class Estate for less than £18,000 with a low mileage too and full leather interior. We would never buy a new one, we really can't see the point of doing that.

I agree with other comments that once you have driven a Mercedes you really won't want to drive anything else, they really are beautiful inside and the ride is amazingly smooth.

I love the little things about the Mercedes that I had never seen on other cars, like how all the interior lights up almost like a spaceship when you get in, and how they have those lovely stainless steel plates on the bottom of the door sills, the way the vanity mirror lights up every time you open it...all very small things, but I like them

 

[maddog]

I bought my E320 because i wanted a large estate car (kids and dog) and wanted something with a bit of oomph. I figured on buying the car and keeping it 6 years so to reduce the whole life costs so it had to be new imo.

Compared it to the Audi, Volvo and Saab, but the only ones that had the get up and go were thirsty petrol engines and they wernt "that" much quicker if at all.

Although my local dealership was lousy i perservered and bought the car from another dealership nearby.

Had a few minor warranty issues but intially the car was good, unfortunatly things havent remained so.

My car hasnt aged well , it looks scruffy after only 4.5years and 42,000 miles, the trim has faded, things have started to rattle and bang like a 10 yr old Ford and little but very expensive things are breaking, despite the car being very well looked after and having a very easy life, not the high quality product i thought it was.

Shame really as the engine is a pearler, lively performance and great mpg.

I feel the car is like a rock around my neck and dont even enjoy driving it anymore as its a case of whats going wrong next and how much its going to cost. Let alone the deeply unpleasant thought of visiting my dealership.


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Its in stark contrast however to my Sprinter which has 142,000 miles on it and is 7 years old, that has aged much better and has fewer rattles, certainly deserves the MB reputation and it thrives on abuse

The commercial dealers are also much better than the cars dealers as well

 

[robbi-wan]

This is a question that keeps occurring in various arena's, but also is one of the few to have no 'real' answer.

I had my previous car from new and needed to get rid of it before the finance co. wanted their final payment (which was never going to happen!!).

I too looked around at all of the various cars that fitted the bill for my needs. It had to be an estate (more practical/same dimensions as saloon/kids/dog etc) as were my first two cars, it had to be diesel like the second one, and it also had to be worth something when i had finished paying for it - after 5 years of constant use. Oh, and it also had to be reasonable to maintain in terms of cost and time off the road.
All (diesel estate) cars i could track down on What Car/Auto Trader searches fitting my requirements were assessed against each requirement in the list and allocated a score from 1-5.
I know it sounds very dull, but it is an objective method of using your head and actual data to assist in the decision making process, which often forces you to consider aspects previously not thought of.
One by one the list got shorter, and eventually ended up being 2 german diesel estates (passat/c-class) and an Alhambra!!

But when you put a nice merc up against its peer group rivals (matched on spec/price/depreciation etc etc) there is just no chance of a look in for the others.

Despite a quite rigourous selection process, the three pointed star and pedigree that comes with it is something which is very hard to match.
8 months/7k miles on and i am still very happy with my choice, which for me was the right one. It had 120k on the clock when i picked it up (not bad in 4 years!) and still drives like a peach!
I was told by several independant people not to be scared off a merc by high mileage, because they can handle it very well, and in my case this (so far) has turned out to be true.
You can take any example of car brand and you will find owners who are delighted/indifferent/mightily pi$$ed off for various reasons, but a Mercedes is a car at the end of the day and i think that the issues faced by car owners are more or less universal.

But here it is: After all of analytical stuff has been done by your head, there is just so much more to a Mercedes than being a car. For you it might turn out to be another brand. All of the best women are fairly high on maintenance but we still love them without ever questioning it

Oh and by the way: I got broadsided in birmingham by a rover 75, which ended up being written off. Mine was in the workshop for 6 weeks but i was still able to drive home!! I know i would not have escaped completely unhurt in any of my previous cars. It was not an experience i would like to re-live, but to me, it stands as testament to the strength and quality of the car.:mrgreen:

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

I bought my first Merc in 1993 (E Class 300TE estate, 4 yrs old) when they still had a peerless reputation for build quality. Since then I've never wanted to drive anything else. Every outing is an occasion to me and I always enjoy the experience.

The present generations of Merc while not being as substantially built and a little more of a mass market car (compare new prices to what they were 15 years ago to find the answer to that one) is still a very good car.

The driving experience for me is totally different in that I never feel that I need to get from A to B as quickly as possible and you get out at the other end feeling as relaxed as when you started.

I can't comment on the smaller Merc but the E class gets my vote, It does everything well providing you go for a good spec and I avoid the smaller engines.

I can honestly say that I bought the best all rounder for my lifestyle (3 kids and a dog) in the E320CDi Avantharde estate, a peach of an engine, powerful and frugal, even sounds good for a diesel when warm, and still don't mind washing it.

I have no dought that there will be ups and downs over the years to come (I tend to keep a car a long time) but overall despite the on average poor performance of the dealers I still think the alternatives don't appeal.

Hope this helps in your decision making. One thing I would say is don't compromise on spec, better a slightly older well speced car than a newer basic model.

If you have a good local garage thats competent that helps for basic servicing (I tend to buy all my spares from Euro Car Parts), I tend to keep away from the dealers as much as I can.

 

[Dan1281]

i had a j reg 190 with 150000 miles on it and it drove 10 times better than my brand new corsa company car does

 

[philharve]

Why Mercedes?

Hi All

Look at my signature and the cars I have owned. There haven't been many because I kept them a long time. That's the main reason I chose a Mercedes.

Apart from the obvious quality of engineering and construction, longevity was top of my list. Looked after, an MB is potentially a sound long term investment.

I could have chosen a BMW or a Lexus or another Toyota but it just so happened I stumbled on the Merc' first and was smitten.

After 37 years driving manuals why did I choose an automatic? Well, you might say it was an 'automatic' choice. The curious foot-operated handbrake design of MB vehicles means you need three hands if you expect to operate a gear lever too. I decided it was best not to try, hence I chose an automatic. It makes for more relaxed driving anyway. The engine and automatic gearbox are well suited to one another. Why bother with a manual?

I didn't buy a Merc' for the badge on the bonnet. Nor did I choose it to annoy or envy the neighbours who have a bashed-about Ford estate. I chose it because it was a step up the luxury ladder, the price was right but above all it should last a very long time.

A good secondhand Merc' is hard to beat and a new one is outside most peoples' budget.

REGARDS Phil

 

[PINBALL]

Television has said it all in a nutshell!

The experience is like no other.

Try the Merc LAST & experience a sales pitch from a salesman that knows he doesn't have to try & bombard you with questions & address to pester you with later to try to 'get the sale'.

The cars sell themselves.

If cars were like chocolate - the Merc would be 'Suchard' on its own.
Not a brilliant analogy, but silky smooth & not the sickly aftertaste like the others.

But I digress.

Another thing that impresses me is the dealers showrooms are always being updated / face-lifted, and spotlessly clean, and they're proud to show you around the workshop if you ask them, where you'll find the same regimental & clinical experience.

Check out the FOC fresh coffee machine that produces an excellent cup every time & help yourself to doughnuts & chocolate bars laid out for customers only, then watch some SKY TV widescreen in a comfy CLEAN chair.

See how clean the toilets are too.

And compare these with other showrooms that don't even come close.

These are nothing to do with the car, but they tell me that they are deadly serious at creating the right impression - and thats the impression I got when I bought my 1st E-class 15 years ago.

They just get better & better for me.

Just one last point is ... whenever I'm called out to a Rockstars home or huge home estate that multi-millionares have to service thier machines...

If I pull up in the Volvo, I'm usually watched over like a Hawk by the butler or house manager while in thier house.

But if I arrive in the Merc I'm left alone to wander around
un-escorted, a sense of trust is immediately apparent.

Hope it helps,

Keith.

 

[maddog]

What with MB labour rates the dealerships should be like a luxury health club

My local garage has free coffee and magazines and a nice area to sit while you have an mot done or such like and they arent trying to sell you a car plus they only charge £45ph

A "nice showroom" isnt a sound reason to buy a car imo

 

[television]

What with MB labour rates the dealerships should be like a luxury health club

My local garage has free coffee and magazines and a nice area to sit while you have an mot done or such like and they arent trying to sell you a car plus they only charge £45ph

A "nice showroom" isnt a sound reason to buy a car imo

Its a nice place to mingle with all of those folk who have so much money that they do not know (or care) that our club here exist.
When picking up parts one Sat morning the showroom was packed, I had my overall on and one of the salesman in his 50's came over to me and said, "I envy you being able to walk around in your overall, I have to wear this B!!! suit all day".
Malcolm

 

[Dr Claire]

Hi Ali,
I went from a Jag to an E Class and have regretted it every single day since I took delvery of the Merc. The reliability and poor build quality are becoming folklore. If there is any doubt then look at JD Power. Mine is so bad that MB are looking at it on Monday for the second time in 6 months with the thought they'll get me into another car. They still cannot diagnose the transmission/gearbox fault and have told me this morning that it is unsafe to drive. I drove 36K miles in the Jag and only had service and tyres. No warranty claims whatsoever. I bought my wife a Boxster last Christmas and again no warranty claims. We have four business colleagues who all have either E Class or S Class Mercs and all have had reliability issues, none of them would buy Merc again.
Sorry to be so negative but this company need to put much more effort into regaining the reliability now offered by Skoda. Maybe the way to improve is to sack the board of directors and replace thenm with Skoda quality control managers,
Regards
Claire

 

[slk280rc]

Hello.

I'm trying to figure out my next car move and would love some good advice from people in the know!

I have a 2003 Peugeot 307 at the moment and am looking to take the next step up the ladder.

I'm just wondering how the different luxury cars compare, and what might make me choose one make over another.

I'm looking at Mercedes, BMW, Audi, maybe Lexus and any other suggestions from anyone.

Regardless of model, I'm just trying to get an idea of what one brand can offer me over the other, and also what kind of people drive which car.

Any suggestions and comments would be great (asap)

thanks!
Ali

It is true that Mercedes offer lots of quality and 'specialness', for example the interior lighting and stainless steel. They were once top, but many other manufacturers have now caught up and I'm not sure Mercedes have done enough against the competition. I've never tried a BMW or Lexus so I can't comment here. I tried an Audi, it was dull, just not the same as the Merc. But I would suggest you try out each on an extended test drive, only you can make that judgement. There are also BMW, Audi and Lexus forums.

It pays to tread carefully and avoid specific models or examples of models, with known issues. Broadly speaking, the W210 suffered a rust issue and other models in the 1995-2004 era suffered electrical reliability issues with the various gizmos. Many here say that the best ever Mercedes was the W124.

One negative factor which nobody else has mentioned - other road users may not be so considerate to you. This is perhaps a factor due to it being a prestige car, not Mercedes specifically. Its worth bearing in mind.

 

[maddog]

Sorry to be so negative but this company need to put much more effort into regaining the reliability now offered by Skoda. Maybe the way to improve is to sack the board of directors and replace thenm with Skoda quality control managers,
Regards
Claire

and guess what???

skoda have cakes and biccies in their dealerships as well and decent coffee in a Skoda mug

 

[noby39]

The unknowable and unquantifiable

I'd love to be able to survey all MB owners to discover their thoughts on the brand. I imagine that for every satisfied customer you'd find a customer who, to some extent, is or was dissatisfied with the brand. But that would probably be true for all the premium car brands. I know people who wouldn't touch Jaguars with a barge pole, having come unstuck with them; and then there is Range Rover ... (a potential pit of despair). I have heard it said, though I can't believe it, that a cut-throat razor is supplied with each new Range Rover.

I regretted changing from BMW to MB about 4 years ago, though I'm now on my second MB (E 270 CDi) because I wasn't prepared to take the price hit of changing back to a BMW 5 series. Quite why I prefer BMW I can't say.

My wife swears by VW, and she has bought a new Golf every 3-4 years for many years. Our local MB dealership could certainly learn a trick or two on customer care from the VW dealership that my wife uses; and that would probably go also for the local BMW dealership that I used. Put another way, my wife seems to have a lot more sense than I do when it comes to buying cars - though she likes to use the Merc on long journeys.

 

[Myros]

My best mate's Mum had

a 450SLC when we were teenagers. My first trip in a Merc, and it must have done something to my subconscious, because we now have two. I drove BMWs for 16 years, Alfas, VWs, allsorts really, and I have to say only the BMWs and the Mercs come anything close to what real luxury and performance should look like and drive like. I zip along in our C280 on the autobahn at 110mph and faster, and don't have to raise my voice to talk to the wife. That's what it's all about. Or flooring the gas on the SL and lighting up my face with a week -long grin. Not bad for a twenty-year old car.
and they are well made, even the newer, accountant designed ones. I'd have the worst merc over the best vauxhall, any day.