MB's too fragile???

[Deutsch]

Are MB's more of cars that you'd only want to drive on occasion after while or more like cars you can beat into the ground? It's kind of hard for me to see W221's driving around 10 yrs from now, being it that the tech on these cars is so advanced, and in the long run would be costly? Who knows, could be misplaced concern.

 

[LaArtist]

I think they are far from fragile.. but if its the techs and the electronics that haunt you.. then all cars are fragile.. besides low budget cars ... all cars are very advanced now

 

[Deutsch]

I think they are far from fragile.. but if its the techs and the electronics that haunt you.. then all cars are fragile.. besides low budget cars ... all cars are very advanced now

That's very true. Though some cars have more complex systems than others, I think it's more the quality of the components used to operate these systems. A family freind of mine who's an avid and long time BMW enthusiast/owner told me that his local independent BMW shop is debating wether or not to service newer BMW's(all new models from the E65/66 7 series on), because the complexity of operating systems, etc. At first I was taken back by what he said(partly because he hates BMW so much now), but upon further thought I realized that if they can't update their machinery and tools, it's not BMW's fault they can't keep up w/ the times, and it speaks nothing bad on the behalf of BMW. I guess it's ok to have complex operating systems, so as long as they aren't [/B]overly complex and the quality of the components is top notch. LoL, t I've read several places @ swedespeed about S60R's leaving their owners stranded on the side of the road. These are the times.

 

[LaArtist]

Well thats left to see.. meantime.. just pray to god that you have enough money for the rest of your life to buy a new car and sell it when the warranty goes out..

 

[Merc1]

This complexity question applies to all luxury cars today, Mercedes is no different. Any of these electronic systems can cost huge money to fix, and will 10 years from now.

M

 

[Mr. Chigga_Chan]

MB's are fragile POS Cars. BMW and Audi is better....

I wouldn't trust an MB for more than 5 years....

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End sarcasm.

 

[warot]

Are MB's more of cars that you'd only want to drive on occasion after while or more like cars you can beat into the ground? It's kind of hard for me to see W221's driving around 10 yrs from now, being it that the tech on these cars is so advanced, and in the long run would be costly? Who knows, could be misplaced concern.

What is the main difference between cars nowadays and let's say cars from 95? I'd have to go with electronics. Cars like the BMW E36 are over 10 years old and I still see plenty of them on the road. The mechanical parts of the new cars won't be a problem I don't think... but things like electric seats, idrive and things like that will be eventually.

 

[Alx]

key part is warranty, MB's are not fragile, but they aren't made for abuse either... so long as your covered go crazy, but once thats up.... you better hope nothing goes wrong.

 

[yomomwhat]

well with MB's you do get the 30 year mobilio rust guarantee....
as for stuff like the screens lcd screens can apparently last for 8 hours a day for 20 years......not baddd!! thinking of what top gear said about the new s class when they had a pic of it on tv "everything you see on this car will be availble on your average family car in 10 years time" or something along them lines...so in 10 years time you might as well take it back to MB (the s class that is - let them recycle the worlds first car with an environmental certificate lol and get a new one!!

 

[warot]

well with MB's you do get the 30 year mobilio rust guarantee....
as for stuff like the screens lcd screens can apparently last for 8 hours a day for 20 years......not baddd!! thinking of what top gear said about the new s class when they had a pic of it on tv "everything you see on this car will be availble on your average family car in 10 years time" or something along them lines...so in 10 years time you might as well take it back to MB (the s class that is - let them recycle the worlds first car with an environmental certificate lol and get a new one!!

Rust is the least of your problem if your car can't start. I have total faith when it comes to bodywork and things like that. What I don't trust on the other hand are software and electrical components. Once they stop working, your car like just be a hunk of metal.
And when 5th gear (I don't think Top gear tested the new S class yet) was talking about the distronic and how it would make it to every day cars. I don't think it'll take 10 years though, they aren't that far ahead.

 

[Deutsch]

I think my question for this thread could have been slightly better, but out of all reasonably priced luxury cars, and german cars in general, MB by far probably costs the most to maintain.

For the future I'm more worried about the complexity of systems used to operate cars, because if one tiny little hair is out of place in the scalp of the computer eveyrthing else could go bald and you won't be able to drive the car. It's happend more recently in some BMW's equipped w/ I drive as well as some MB's w/ command, and others. I wish there was a way to offer intuitive technology in cars w/ out having to go overly complex by reducing many major functions and basic operations to electronics and micro/macro computers.

 

[warot]

I think my quesition for this thread could have been slightly better, but out of all reasonably priced luxury cars, and german cars in general, MB by far probably costs the most to maintain.

For the future I'm more worried about the complexity of systems used to operate cars, because if one tiny little hair is out of place in the scalp of the computer eveyrthing else could go bald and you won't be able to drive the car. It's happend more recently in some BMW's equipped w/ I drive as well as some MB's w/ command, and others. I wish there was a way to offer intuitive technology in cars w/ out having to go overly complex by reducing many major functions and basic operations to electronics and micro/macro computers.

Want to hear a good example of that? On the BMW E90, we all know that the car has "smart" brakes. It holds the brakes if you are on an incline until you get forward momentum, closes the brakes together if you lift off the pedal fast and it dries the brakes when they are wet.

Want to know how the car knows that the brakes are wet? The rainsensor... that's right, the little chip near the rear view mirror. If that things brakes, I have no idea what would happen because I've never heard it before, but there would be no way for the car to properly know if it's raining or not. All that, from a simple little chip.

 

[SDNR]

I certainly don't think todays luxury cars are too fragile. but perhaps (just perhaps) there is a bit too much emphasis placed on gadgets and new technology - for example, nobody can tell me that the LCD screen that replaced the analogue display in the new W221 was entirely necessary - it is impressive though. It seems that a lot of this new technology is there to serve the buying public's insatiable appetite for new technology - a love affair with gadgets and technology - but is all this technology actually making the driving experience better?. I would argue that driving around in a 1960's Ferrari 250GT would still be an infinitely more enjoyable and memorable experience than driving the Mercedes W221.

Now tell me, given the choice, you would rather spend a day with the W221 than one of these.

To hell with all the high-tech, this is all about the joie de vie.

 

[warot]

The W221 was not designed to have joy of driving... unless of course if you consider the straightline performance. What the S class is king at is luxury. And to do that, you do need electronics and new technology. Luxury is imposssible without the two. Electric, ventilated, heated and massaging seats... that's a recipe for something to go wrong in the long run. I remember reading somewhere, I think it was from GCF that one of those electric seats (this one was from the 7er) has 120 motors .

If you want driving experience, Ferraris are up there, as well as Porsche. An example I have is the M3 CSL. That car doesn't have anything to distract you.

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

I certainly don't think todays luxury cars are too fragile. but perhaps (just perhaps) there is a bit too much emphasis placed on gadgets and new technology - for example, nobody can tell me that the LCD screen that replaced the analogue display in the new W221 was entirely necessary - it is impressive though.[/i]

Then where would they have put the nightvision?

It would seem the Germans interpret luxury leadership through technological advancment, which some see as excess.

 

[warot]

Then where would they have put the nightvision?

It would seem the Germans interpret luxury leadership through technological advancment, which some see as excess.

On the nav screen?

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

On the nav screen?

But thats not as well positioned. The LCD on the s-class is simply a stepping stone. In the future this will most probably be a highly customisable interface.

 

[SDNR]

The W221 was not designed to have joy of driving... unless of course if you consider the straightline performance. What the S class is king at is luxury. And to do that, you do need electronics and new technology. Luxury is imposssible without the two. Electric, ventilated, heated and massaging seats... that's a recipe for something to go wrong in the long run. I remember reading somewhere, I think it was from GCF that one of those electric seats (this one was from the 7er) has 120 motors .

If you want driving experience, Ferraris are up there, as well as Porsche. An example I have is the M3 CSL. That car doesn't have anything to distract you.

Interesting warot, you are probably right, the contemporary interpretation of luxury does tend to be a more physical one (ie: Electric, ventilated, heated and massaging seats) than an aesthetic one. For me personally, a sense of style and elegance is always infinately more important than lots of gadgets. I would much rather own a 1970's Mercedes than a new Lexus for example - I couldn't care less about all the high-tech "luxuries" - they just don't impress me at all. For me luxury is less physical and more metaphysical. No matter how comfortable the interior might be, I just could never love many of todays luxury cars simply because they feel mass-produced and not very special - the only interior I like in the W221 is the Designo interior - the standard interior is just dull and mass-produced feeling (regardless of all the electrical toys) - luxury to me is all about a sense of made-to-measure rarity and aesthetcism.

 

[SDNR]

But thats not as well positioned. The LCD on the s-class is simply a stepping stone. In the future this will most probably be a highly customisable interface.

Yes and that all sounds great Mr. Mercedes - but is that really at all necessary? - once again it just seems like a rather self-indulgent obsession with high-tech toys.

 

[warot]

Interesting warot, you are probably right, the contemporary interpretation of luxury does tend to be a more physical one (ie: Electric, ventilated, heated and massaging seats) than an aesthetic one. For me personally, a sense of style and elegance is always infinately more important than lots of gadgets. I would much rather own a 1970's Mercedes than a new Lexus for example - I couldn't care less about all the high-tech "luxuries" - they just don't impress me at all. For me luxury is less physical and more metaphysical. No matter how comfortable the interior might be, I just could never love many of todays luxury cars simply because they feel mass-produced and not very special - the only interior I like in the W221 is the Designo interior - the standard interior is just dull and mass-produced feeling (regardless of all the electrical toys) - luxury to me is all about a sense of made-to-measure rarity and aesthetcism.

Ah now that you put it that way, I see what you mean. So rather than a Maybach interior (oozing technology), you are leaning more towards the Phantom (craftsmenship) in that sense. You like cars from the 70's because they were made to feel special. Nowadays, the luxury car's point is rather to get you from A to B in total comfort and with no noise at all.

The thing is though, back a few decades ago, Mercedes Benz were the only ones that could come up with that kind of luxury back when they ruled supreme (not counting RR and Bentley's). The thing is though, now with all the technology (which counts as luxury), any car manufacturer can reproduce that. Seats with 120 motors, that can be done to anything. But style, now that is much harder to reproduce. Very good point.