"junk" may not be the right word (except, well, in the case of MLs). consider the question in these terms. are they like the mercedes that we drive and love or are they something quite different? say you were a fairly affluent fellow in the market for a "luxury" car 35 years ago. you go to the cadillac dealer because that is where everyone goes to buy a luxury car. the salesman sees from the cut of your wash and wear leisure suit that you are a man who will settle for nothing but the best, so he busts out that brand new 1972 Fleetwood Brougham.
my, what a car! you wish your living room sectional sofa were this nice! the car is just huge, announcing your presence. it cruises the highway in serene silence and comfort, the huge massive torque motor effortlessly gliding you through any situation as the AC blows ice cold air on you and your 5 passengers. you ARE a pimp, young man! you think about checking out a rolls royce, but the price is just too high to justify for a car, so you check out mercedes. so you go down to the benz dealer and look at a 280SEL 4.5. hmmm, it's a bit more money than that cadillac and isn't quite as well equipped or appointed, but you notice something. the paint just looks better and hte body panels all seem to fit with great precision. suddenly, the cadillac's snazy interior looks flat cheap. was that plastic in the cadillac or wood like here in the mercedes? you look under the hood and you see a thorougly modern overhead cam V8 with state of the art electronic fuel injection. and then you drive and it all comes together for you. no creeks. no rattles. the steering and suspension feel much heavier than the cadillac, but it is just as comfortable. you can actually get a feel for the road as you drive and increase speed. you hit the brakes and the car actually slows raplidly in a straight line. the car is of one complete piece, a unity, a whole. it is a precision machine and you are now converted to a new way of looking the automotive world. could it happen like this today? is mercedes now a special car or just another expensive status car? is the build and materials quality really still the best? can all the advanced electronics be trusted or is bosch just flat committed to being the new lucas? will you still be driving it in 20, 30 or 40 years or do you see yourself running back to the dealer the day before the extended warranty expires? they are not "junk" in the sense of a yugo being "junk." I'd go as far as to agree that they are really, really nice cars and an absolute pleasure drive. but i'll also say that they are NOT the mercedes cars we know and love. for the sake of getting along, i'm just going to leave with some of us just prefer our mass in latin, i suppose. but there is more there to our disatisfaction. On 1/13/07, Dimitri Seretakis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
If MB is selling more cars than ever before, how can they be junk? They must be doing something right. Sure the price is right and they are loaded with features but an upwardly steep sales curve cannot be attributed to just that. A very large number of new model MB taxis cruise the streets in europe. Taxi drivers don't buy unreliable junk. Dimitri 73 220D > and yet they sell more cars then ever before. > people just like junk? > > as i have mentioned many times before, mercedes is > the new jaguar. > it's pretty much over. > > On 1/12/07, LarryT <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Yeah, I spoke with a gentleman who bought a new > S430 and within 2 years the > > paint was falling off in sheets along the lower > 1/4 of the body - doors, > > fenders and rockers - revealing corrosion beneath > - never any accidents and > > of course DC denies responsibility. He was > preparing a lawsuit last I > > heard. > > > > Larry T (67 MGB, 74 911, 78 240D, 91 300D) > > www.youroil.net for Oil Analysis and Weber Parts > > Test Results http://members.rennlist.com/oil > > PORSCHE POSTERS! youroil.net > > Weber Carb Info > http://members.rennlist.com/webercarbs > > Porsche Road Test > http://members.rennlist.com/roadtest/ > > . > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Bob Rentfro" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: "Mercedes Discussion List" > <mercedes@okiebenz.com> > > Sent: Friday, January 12, 2007 7:18 PM > > Subject: Re: [MBZ] Mercedes Quality > > > > > > > Larry T. wondered: > > > > > > "Or, perhaps after 2002 they decided the best > was too damn much trouble - > > > and > > > "good enough" is fine ?" > > > > > > I believe it may have started before '02 to > listen to some people talk > > > about > > > their cars.... > > > > > > Bob R. > > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > From: "LarryT" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > To: "Mercedes Discussion List" > <mercedes@okiebenz.com> > > > Sent: Friday, January 12, 2007 2:50 PM > > > Subject: [MBZ] Mercedes Quality > > > > > > > > >>I saw this on the MB Classic's page - I assume > it;s assume it's an early > > >> editorial comment that was never updated - see > for yourself - "From the > > >> original automobile, Karl Benz's Patent > Motorwagen in 1886, to the Model > > >> Year 2002 lineup, our products have always been > crafted in accordance > > >> with > > >> a > > >> simple rule: Die Besten oder Nichts - "the > best, or nothing." which I > > >> found > > >> at > http://www.mbusa.com/care/parts/classic-parts.do > which is a page for > > >> Classic Parts. > > >> > > >> Or, perhaps after 2002 they decided the best > was too damn much trouble - > > >> and > > >> "good enough" is fine ? > > >> ;-) > > >> > > >> Larry T (67 MGB, 74 911, 78 240D, 91 300D) > > >> www.youroil.net for Oil Analysis and Weber > Parts > > >> Test Results http://members.rennlist.com/oil > > >> PORSCHE POSTERS! youroil.net > > >> Weber Carb Info > http://members.rennlist.com/webercarbs > > >> Porsche Road Test > http://members.rennlist.com/roadtest/ > > >> . > > >> > > >> > > >> _______________________________________ > > >> http://www.okiebenz.com > > >> For new parts see official list sponsor: > http://www.buymbparts.com/ > > >> For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > >> > > >> To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go > to: > > >> > http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > > >> > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________ > > > http://www.okiebenz.com > > > For new parts see official list sponsor: > http://www.buymbparts.com/ > > > For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > > > > http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > > > > > > > > > -- > > > No virus found in this incoming message. > > > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > > > Version: 7.1.410 / Virus Database: 268.16.9/623 > - Release Date: 1/11/2007 > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________ > > http://www.okiebenz.com > > For new parts see official list sponsor: > http://www.buymbparts.com/ > > For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > > > http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > > > > _______________________________________ > http://www.okiebenz.com > For new parts see official list sponsor: > http://www.buymbparts.com/ > For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > ____________________________________________________________________________________ Looking for earth-friendly autos? Browse Top Cars by "Green Rating" at Yahoo! Autos' Green Center. http://autos.yahoo.com/green_center/ _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
