Consumer Reports 2023 least reliable Brand Mercedes

[zoegrlh]

Bottom line to this subject is that we Pagoda owners are a lucky bunch because our SLs were manufactured in the days where DB took extra scrutiny in building their cars. And yes no computers on board.

[MikeSimon]

Orange peel all over the paint. 

Exactly! Terrible. Like an "Earl Scheib" paint job

[Pinder]

450 GLS update.   So still less than 10K miles on it. Now the Navigation system no longer starts up and is throwing erors whilst driving (basically) not working and distracting the driver. And the Traffic signal inoperative warning keeps popping up. This time I will have my wife take it in to the dealership. Tired of wasting hours on this. Can't wait for the lease to end on this one. will not recommend anyone get one of these. 

[johnk]

I have 10k on my 2022 gls 450 and no problems yet other than a weak signal pick up from the keys. I hope to get that addresses when I take it in for the 10k service soon.

[DaveB]

This time I will have my wife take it in to the dealership. Tired of wasting hours on this.

[ejboyd5]

My newest M-B is an '85.  I don't see that changing. It's interesting that my other 5 M-B cars ranging from '55 to '72 start and run perfectly with very little maintenance required.  Mercedes has abandoned it's traditional strengths and is coasting on "empty."

[PeterW113]

I also have an ML and a SL55. One has been wonderful and one has been a very expensive mistake, despite its wonderful engine.

Ignoring this predicament, what I find really inexcusable about current Mercedes cars is styling.

Mercedes styling used to be elegant, now it’s AGGRESSIVE.

Perhaps because I am of a certain age, I do not like aggressive styling.

[John Betsch - "SADIE"]

This has been an interesting post and interaction.  Joe Alexander is spot on with "The amount of problems increases with complexity."  However why is it that companies like BMW are not on the list?

 I believe that Mercedes is targeting a different market judging by its "intended to the younger market" styling and included innovations and  trying to adapt to the new market make-up.  Good idea? Not sure

Gimmick innovation and ideas seem to be the new norm

jb

[rwmastel]

Gimmick innovation and ideas seem to be the new norm

It's the new definition of luxury and prestige.

These days, a car is special and highly valued because of what the electrical engineers are doing.  And yes, some manufacturers seem to be managing complexity better than others.  I just got a 2017 C43 in May, and my wife got a 2022 Volvo XC60 in late 2021.  We'll see how those get along over the years.

[bracurrie]

The car business in this era of complexity and supply chain challenges is hard getting harder. Competition from Korea is the vector that I'll bet keeps the Board of Mercedes Benz up at night.
The cars that defined the Mercedes Benz brand came from the generation that came out of WW II. The Daimler Benz board allowed, somewhat reluctantly, those product development engineers to create a product that was ahead of its time. The innovations of the 1960's were state of the art for 20 years and had allowed the company to absorb the forced changes from emissions, safety and recycling regulations while retaining its stature and expanding the business. Then because the game changed with digital technology and brutal competition Mercedes Benz no longer had an advantage. The company is very large now and isn't meeting the challenge of making a superior product that people want while making a profit.   

[Pinder]

What's most disturbing about new cars in general is that software updates can disable your car or make working things like navigation stop working with an automatic update. Having your car be totally unable to start or  possibly stop while driving is just not a good way to go. Not to mention the fact you can be tracked where every you  are.  No little lies to tell when you make a detour. Completely taken the joys out of life.

[Cees Klumper]

That's why the last thing I would want is for my 2013 GLK to be connected to the mothership - when I bought it a few months ago the subscription to the internet-or-whatever-based link had expired and that's exactly how it's going to stay. And the car will never see a Mercedes dealership if at all possible.