That's great, thanks. Took me a bit of time to find your pics (it's a long thread !), but can see what you mean. It swallows your bikes. The Volvo really lacks in height, so much so that I've put flourescent stickers inside at the top of the rear hatch as the 1st day I had it I leaned into the car and very nearly knocked myself out as I cracked my head against the metalwork. It scores well though for the load length it can take. The B Class looks to beat it easily on load height so I think I could stack things up more.
Might get myself to my local dealer this weekend and have a closer look. If I can get a test drive then I'll take it home and load my band gear into it to see if it will all fit.
Cheers
David
In Canada we only have the B200 or B200Turbo so far. For me it's a solid tight ride and I've only ever owned manuals and love that feel and control of clutching and shifting, but I'm of the old school and I know that the newer trans and automatics and CTV are also great. The only negatives I've had are that the brakes were a little grabby at first and there is a' growly 'sound from the engine when accelerating.(probably due to it's design) All in all, very satisfied. Cheers, Derek
No A class available in Canada so can't compare it with the B vehice. I was original skeptical about a front wheel drive MB, but after the test drive I am convinced that this is a well put together vehicle which is designed and built in Germany.
My daily ride is a 96-E320 and the weekend ride 99-S500, my expectation is high from MB. When we decided on the B200T for my wife. Its love at first sight for her, she even pick the sport package as I am always adding things to my vehicles to make it resembles AMG style. I told her she just want to be a bad girl with a fast Turbo weapon on the freeway ;-) I have to say the B200T grows on me and I felt that it is a unique vehicle that has all the right focus put into the design, in particular the 'sandwich' design for the safety concerns. I have a mishap with a C-280 and got the car total but walk away without a scratch. Thats amazing and a blessing for me.
Just wish the American can build the M and R class as precise as the B, then they have a mean to capture market share. The M and R quality is pitiful and no advance German design can compensate the quality difference. Maybe if MB moves the North America plant to Canada, quality will be better. So sad.
Philip
I'm surprised about what you've said about the M and R class quality. Do you have facts we could look at, because these are much more expensive than the B class and I'd expect at least the same great quality from MB no matter where it's made. Derek
All one has to do is rent a M or R class for a weekend to feel the difference. I have done rental with a M class, its is so crappy. I have test drive the R twice, its size is unnatural vast in length, width and height. The only reason that I think MB make the R is to compete with the Honda Pilot type of seven seater. I first saw the B and R in Detroit Car show and the comments from the audience was that the R looks like the B using a magnifyng glass. However, one can say the B looks like the A using a magnifying glass as well.
I have relatives and friends who are owners of M and R class and they sweared no more MB after all the quality problems they have encountered. They are owners of multiple MB, Bimmers and Porche. If you give me money to buy the M or R, I will definite choose from the Japanese competitors instead. The only MB 4*4 that is worth buying is the G class which is out of my price range.
The B class is well position in Canada. Too bad the diesel version is not a choice in our Canadian market. A class is more suitable for Europe and Asia. Saw A class the first time in Paris car show and really like it. A class is popular in Hong Kong and we have friends who drove us around last year using that. btw A class came from the same manufacturing site that assembled all B class.
I don't have to own an American build MB to prove my point. One should check out the M and R class forum to see for yourself how dissatisfied those owners are with the M and R class. Ever wonder why no B class in US, ah ... they are afraid that it may put the M and R class in shame on the quality side.
I started owning MB since the late 70s, model range included 450SE, 380SE, 300E, C280, E320,S500 & B200T. All are Germany manufactured. Car manufacturing process in Germany is more superb, and quality wise is a lot better than those vehicles which are assembled in the States. However, the Japanese manufacturers managed to make break through and able to assemble equilvant or better quality vehicle in Canada than from their homeland. Thus I think this is a MB-Chrysler disease.
This is my personal opinion and I do not expect concensus from all. I am just expressing facts that I am certain of. One more thing to consider, price and quality is not always directly proportional, one sure hope thats should not be the case.
I always read from other forums that MB is Daimler Chrysler. Are they partner/owner? Germany brand vs Canadian/US brand. What is the history between these two?
Mercedes-Benz was a brand of Daimler-Benz AG for about 95 years. Then Daimler-Benz bought Chrysler in 1998, and as a pretense that it was a merger and not a takeover of the US company, they changed their name to DaimlerChrysler AG.
Now Chrysler is sold and it'll be renamed back to something entirely German. I am hoping for Daimler-Benz, because they were the founders of the company in the 1880s: Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz.
So they are entirely two company now? I don't like people compare a benz to a Chrysler.
Do you know FastEddy? It is one of the many pic I saved when MBCANADA.COM was still running. I wonder where all former members have gone to. Are you one of them?
I don't have to own an American build MB to prove my point. One should check out the M and R class forum to see for yourself how dissatisfied those owners are with the M and R class. Ever wonder why no B class in US, ah ... they are afraid that it may put the M and R class in shame on the quality side.
Philip
In 2006 MB North America told us that the reason we could not get a B Class in the US is because it competed price wise with the C Class and since the C is a big money maker for Mercedes in the US they were not even going to consider bringing it in. The value of the Euro to the dollar made the B far to expensive.
The B will be redesigned in 2011 and if they are able to set the MSRP low enough they may bring it in to the US if they think that US drivers are ready for such a car.
I’ve got a B200 turbo (one of the best cars we have ever had – interior room, styling, mileage, safety features, comfort and just plain old fun to drive) and considering the responses I get when I take it out for a drive I think it would do quite well in certain markets.
Consumer Reports magazine here in the US test drove a B for a few months and gave it praise except for the price, its need for premium fuel and ‘high-step in’. I disagree with the high-step in...I had a Ford F150 4x4, now that had a high-step in. We looked at the cars they compared the B to and they are not even in the same league.
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