MBZowner

Hi currently counting the days to the end of my Mercedes E320 lease.
Talk about MBZ quality going downhill! But I'll save the horror stories for another post.

Any former/current MBZ owners out there who can share their ups and downs on the E320/350 versus the RL?

Thanks!

michaelbmenaker

I drove a 2001 320 4Matic and switched to the RL. Worlds of difference, all in the RL's favor. Reliability is much, much better (and you won't have to deal with the TSBs we first-year buyers did). SHAWD is as good as 4Matic in the snow and much better in the dry. RL stereo is amazing!

Bluetooth, nav, XM, etc. all worth having.

In the Benz's favor: prestige, styling, a better "manumatic" system, and more torque.
Also a bit bigger trunk.

All in all, the RL is a superior car, and a much better value. I have 16,000 miles on my RL which is just over one-year old.

MBZowner

Am gogin to look at it at the Car show in L.A. just after the first.

Among the many problems I had with my MBZ....
Engine replaced @ 9,000 miles.


Service and follow up was great but for $53k I kinda like a car
that I can actually drive once in a while

JSakaBuck

After being a member here for the past 5 months, I feel better and better about my RL purchase after owning a '99 E320 4-Matic for 2 years and 37,000 miles. The Benz was a solid, comfortable car. But, the problems soon began shortly after my purchase. Replaced two defective wheels at 5,000; replaced the entire power steering rack at 11,000, numerous issues with the transmission. Although I loved driving the Benz, I just feel the RL handles better, rides better, has more toys and is a "younger" ride than a Benz. Just my

1HOT NSX

I would be really interested in hearing the horror stories. I'm trying to talk my wife out of getting another Benz because of all the reliability issues I've heard. She currently drives a '98 which has been quite reliable with the exception of a couple of sensors that were expensive to replace. I'm recommending another RL but she does not want to drive the same car I have. I'll use this thread as more ammunition to convince her to give up the idea of getting another Benz.

catpat8000

I'd like to hear about them also. I'm looking pretty hard at an Acura RL
but recently there have been some pretty good leasing deals advertized
for the 2006 E350. I'm predisposed to Acura but feel like I need to consider
all options.

Pat

gbriank

Pat, how many Mercedes Benz dealers are close to you?

MBZowner

SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ASKED HERE IS MY MBZ E320 war stories.
In defense of them they did everything they could to make this right including a credit for 3 months lease (about $2,300)

Ordered the car with Nav system was told it was not ready and would be delivered in 6 months and installed. They discounted unit by 25%. 6 months comes and goes and bottom line is that they had to replace the entire car since the new NAV system was not compatible with the new car. This is a long story and ultimatley cost MBZ about $28 million to replace cars for about 2,100 owners who were in the same boat.

Okay so last year it was the NAV replacement odyssey. Now I figure it's time to sit back and really enjoy this fine piece of German engineering. Until about two months ago when I start hearing a subtle noise that sounds like engine knocking, around the same time that I notice that I seem to be going through a bunch of oil

http://forums.mbworld.org/forums/sh...&threadid=71630

So the shop says nothing wrong with the oil sensors and can't find the source of the noise. (Truth be told it was not acting up the day I brought it in)

Well two weeks later, same thing. This time they heard the subtle noise.

So after changing the hydraulic lifters, and the engine mounts they open the engine up and lo and behold the engine is SCORED!

Factory rep was immediately called and bottom line.....
I am in a 2004 E-Class loaner while they, sit down for this,
REPLACE THE ENTIRE ENGINE !

Now I have nothing but absolute raves for the Beverly Hills Ltd Mercedes Service Department for identifying the probelm and getting this kind of major repair done.

But as far as Quality from Mercedes, a new engine at 9,000 miles ?????!!!!

The good news is that between the NAV replacement and the new engine it will be about 2 1/2 years before I have my first scheduled maintenance!


NOW HERE'S WHERE IT GET'S REALLY FUN:



Ok I give up. I REALLY want to love my E320 but here is the final straw in the "Quality Ownership" experience.

10/02 Take delivery
4/03 Nav Fiasco
6/04 Entire Engine replaced
See this thread for that story...

http://forums.mbworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=72372

This week. Out to Dinner with my wife for our anniversary, go to
park the car and IT WILL NOT SHIFT INTO REVERSE!!!

Turned the car off to see if that helps. Car will NOT START AT ALL,
called the help line, Car Towed, dinner ruined, cab home.

Cause? Missing or broken clip on the transmission that engages the gears.

Dealer is meeting with Factory rep. tomorrow.

Call me fussy, but is demanding that your car start, shift into gear and be available to drive on a regualr basis a bit too demanding for a $55k car?


And you wonder why MBZ is getting hammered in the quality polls?

Zanello

We own a '95 E320 and love it. Bought it new and it was as reliable as my fondest dreams. I gave it to my wife last year when I bought an '01 Audi A6 2.7T (turbo and Quatro). The Audi was quick but I didn't like how it handled or rode and it just wasn't all that well made. So, business was good so I sold it to my mother-in-law. The wisdom of that move is yet to be seen. Took delivery of an '05 RL on November 11th. I really like the car. I love how it looks. It is comfortable, quite, and handles well. Much better than the Audi in all respects. I wish it had more low-end torque, but I guess that would take a V8. My biggest complaint about the RL is the gas mileage sucks--I get 12mpg when driving to and from work in LA street traffic. The Audi was about 14mpg. The E320 about 17mpg. I have a lot of small complaints about the RL but they are very minor in the scheme of things. Things like the DRL message that looks important and means nothing, or the stupid auto headlight system, or the way it displays the names of MP3's, or the balky keyless door unlocking, or the poor rearward visibility when parking, etc. Most of the RL's quicks you can see in posts from other members on the "RL quirks and known problems" thread, but all-in-all it is a very nice car. For the price of a nicely equiped BMW 330i I have a much better car that is only a bit less fun to drive and way quieter, way smoother, way more comfortable and I'm guessing more reliable.
Z

fuckleberry

what exactly is "MB Factory Rep" ?
sounds like the dealer service has to like consult the "factory rep" for technical assistance

gbriank

I think its a rep that comes out from MB USA Corporate to look over the car before any "major" work is done. Guess this would be equivalent to a Regional Rep from Honda/Acura.

bluemule

Can someone inform me how to contact my Honda/Acura "regional rep" for Missisisppi? I've looked in the manual, but may have overlooked the information.

ACS told me that I had no recourse for getting help to fix my dead door handle and front end rattles other than ACS.

ACS has offered no assistance other than tell me to take the car to a dealer. The 2 dealers I've contacted "have never heard of these problems" and so far, at the levels I've interfaced with them, don't seem to be too interested in working with me to make the repairs on the day I bring in the car. To my knowledge, the fix for these problems is to replace the door handle and install new brake pads, clips and perhaps holders on the front brakes (assuming that's what is causing the rattle). Neither dealer admits to ever hearing of either the problem or of the fix. BTW, I'm 300 miles from my purchasing dealer and 200 miles from the other dealer I've spoken with.

Fred

AcuraRLBlue

Fred:

The dealers you go to are morons or liers. How could they not know of the problems?

I got a call from the regional rep after I opened a case with ACS, and ACS was only willing to open up a case after I went to the dealer. The tech at my dealer did his homework and offered me an explaination for a SH-AWD warning message, but I was not satisfied and pressed ACS further. A rep then called me back and essentially offered the same possible reasons.

gbriank

Fred:

Do a search on the brake issue or ask Vik to help you track down the TSB (print it out and take it to the dealer). That should be sufficient to solve that issue. Second, approach the dealership and have them document the issue with the door handle. If they are unwilling to fix it then, then fax the worksheet (from the dealer) in to ACS and ask for their assistance.