I can tell you all from my time on the inside, working for and with R&D and quality departments for 15 years, there is still a tremendous focus on quality for the new cars. Of course I can't share any details with anyone, but their quality system is very well designed to ensure an outstanding product. And its also worth pointing out that a surprising number of people working at MB, in engineering, also own old Mercedes. Lots of guys I knew had 108s, 107s, 123s... they get it.
I own a 2011 E350 and am very impressed with it... its hard to believe its a 7-8 year old car. And thats after driving new Mercedes constantly for the last 15 years. I chose the car because it was a simple model without too many options, less to break. Much like you all would have picked a 240D years ago. If you're disappointed with the long-term quality of W220 with air suspension and loads of advanced features, you'd probably would have been disappointed with a 1972 300SEL 4.5 or a 1979 6.9 in the same way. If long life and simplicity are important to you, then shop for a car with longevity in mind and you can still buy a car you'll own for a long time and low cost of ownership. I think the current C300 and E300 (both with steel suspension) are good examples of that. They will be great used cars in a few years. But remember that the cars are not 240Ds and never will be again. Quality isn't only mechanical quality, there is also the stability of the software to be considered. Times have changed. And Mercedes has changed with the times, and led the market. The overall complexity of all modern cars is the result of the need to constantly improve efficiency, emissions, and safety. All new cars on the road are far more complex than they were 30 years ago, from every make. You have to adapt your mindset to deal with them. Just as a new skill set was required to work on fuel injected cars instead of carbureted cars. If you approach a modern car with the mindset of a mechanic from 30 years ago, you will be very frustrated. Thats what I see in all your comments... longing for the past, and not understanding how things have changed. Jaime On Sun, Jan 21, 2018 at 6:52 PM, clay monroe via Mercedes < mercedes@okiebenz.com> wrote: > All they need to do is last the lease and CPO. Screw the third driver, > let alone the fourth. If it makes it to six years without blowing up, that > is all for the good. The initial driver has moved to another lease, and > the CPO purchaser has enough loyalty to needing to be seen to be flash, > that they will either get another benz, or move to BMW, Jag, or other > aspirational CPO > > > clay > > 1974 450sl - Frosch - Two tone green > 1986 SDL - Polei > 1982 300 SD - Allen > > retired models- > 2002 s430 - Victor, a Stately & well tailored crap > 1976 300D - Blei Vanst - it looks silvery > 1972 220D - Gump - She was green, simple and ran > 1995 E300D - Gave her life to save me against a Dame in a SUV > POS 1987 SDL - Beware Nigerian Scammers > > > > > > > > > On Jan 21, 2018, at 7:29 AM, Mitch Haley via Mercedes < > mercedes@okiebenz.com> wrote: > > > > Modern car design goals: > > > > Primary concern: the vast majority have to outlive the warranty. > > Secondary concern: it's good for repeat business if the car outlasts the > lease. > > > > Reliability for the 4th owner after 250,000 miles isn't really something > they care about any more. > > Mitch. > > > > > >> On January 21, 2018 at 10:13 AM tyee165 via Mercedes < > mercedes@okiebenz.com> wrote: > >> > >> > >> The quality was built in 40 years ago. Not so sure about the new MB. > Will be many years before we will be certain, and I may be gone by then. > >> Many people who buy new do not keep a car long enough to care. They > move on. I suspect that is why car companies do not much worry about the > long term. > > > > _______________________________________ > > http://www.okiebenz.com > > > > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > > http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > > > > > _______________________________________ > http://www.okiebenz.com > > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > > -- Jaime Kopchinski http://www.jaimekop.com/ _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
