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How bad is Mercedes reliability, really?

5336 Views 66 Replies 13 Participants Last post by  ccmbduong
I've heard so many horror stories about Mercedes reliability, and CR has of course not been kind.

But how large is the difference between Mercedes and competing vehicles, really?

I suspect that the difference, on average, is less than many people think. There's not much distance between CR's dots--about 0.03 problems per car for a 2006 model--and forums like this one make problems seem much more common than they actually are.

In late 2005 I started conducting my own reliability research. I'm reporting absolute stats like "times in the shop" that will make the differences between cars much clearer. Relative ratings obscure too much--how large is the difference between "better than average" and "worse than average"? I’ll also be updating results four times a year, so there will be information on new models sooner.

I'd like to provide this information on Mercedes models, but so far too few owners have signed up. I have far more owners for competing makes.

To encourage participation, panel members will receive full access to the results free of charge.

Details: Vehicle reliability research

Comments, questions, and suggestions welcome.
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To help you.
My 85 300TDT gave me the least problems
My 89 560 SEConly gave me problems wih the the injectors and rough idling, never could fix it
MY 89 ha an AC issue they could never fixit, the sales manager took it home, and had it happend, the teutonic broad at MB aid it was 3 months beyond waranty, altho they worked on it during warranty
MY 92 500 SEL has had evey isue but a fun ride, avaporator , Bose, close pumps etc. I dont know why my wife loves it.
My 98 ML was the worst piece of crap I ever purchased, locks belts, fuel pump, squekks,
My 01 E wagon has been respectable, minor issues but good
MY dealer experiences continue to be downgraded, the mechanics find things to replace to supplement their income.
I will probably not purchase another MB product because the ROI is not worth the investment.
I have driven multiple Grand Marquis as my company cars, and my wife had had multiple El Dorados, I have real problems with $100K for a new S. The dealers have an attitude, I really like the new Lexus. When you exmine the options, buy a high line american car and get rid of it when the warranty expires, unless you buy an extended, and then get rid of it. My 01 wagon has a 8 year 100 K if it gives me issues I will dump it, loyalty means nothing.
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