Other than just showing off, why would anyone own a Mercedes?

Question

Mercedes gives the idea of wealth. That is because they jack up all the prices on their cars that don't have half as much technology as modern Lexus's. Mercedes owners are rich and just have the ability to be ripped off. Mercedes' have horrible reliability. The "W" guy keeps on saying that J.D. Powers gave Mercedes a good reliability rating. AGAIN, J.D. Powers only rates cars for the first 90 days. If anyone is buying a car just to own it for 90 days, go ahead and buy a Mercedes! Consumer Reports, which rates cars for years, and gives Mercedes horrible ratings. Sad because Lexus cars that cost less actually do BETTER. Any Lexus will have more reliable and more updated technology than any Mercedes. For those who say that they own a Mercedes for its performance, that's B.S. If you are looking for performance, get a BMW. If you are looking for luxury,.value, safety, technology, and comfort, get a Lexus. There is no other reason to get a Mercedes other than to show off!

doug0102's anology is the worst I have ever seen. Hey, I wouldn't mind wearing nice and expensive jeans to show off, ONLY IF IT DIDN'T BREAK AFTER 90 DAYS OF THE PURCHASE!

doug0102's anology is the worst I have ever seen from the Mercedes' section. Hey, I wouldn't mind wearing nice and expensive jeans to show off, ONLY IF IT DIDN'T BREAK AFTER 90 DAYS OF THE PURCHASE! The correct analogy would be:

Say that there are a brand of jeans called "Mercedes" and another brand of jeans called "Lexus." Mercedes jeans will break and have quality problems within a matter of months. Lexus jeans would last you years. Which would be the better pair of jeans? Keep in mind, the pair of Mercedes jeans also cost more, and the pair of Lexus jeans are more comfortable and reliable, made with better materials.
Many Mercedes use plastic and faux leather for their interior. The Mercedes electronics are also less user friendly than any on a Lexus.
To: The Truth
Here are some real facts:
-Your E300 would be a 1995 model at the best. That was the year Mercedes' reliability hit its cusp. Ever since then, its reliability has fallen rock bottom (below Hyundai and Kia).

To: The Truth
Your Mercedes Innovations are all embarassing. Here is the real truth:

-Your pre 90's innovation's, I will give you those, but Lexus wasn't even in the U.S. at that time.
- Yeah Lexus is young, at 20 years, but its innovations are far more advanced present day. I have never said that Mercedes sucked back then, I am talking about now.(post 90's)
- You say that in 2003, Mercedes has the first seven speed transmission. Well, if you were not hiding in a closet for the past few years, Toyota and Lexus has the first eight speed transmission (note:eight is greater than seven). Toyota and Lexus has also perfected the CVT transmission with an INFINITE number of gears in their hybrids that get 60+ mpg. Mercedes diesels don't solve anything, because diesels and other fuels will eventually run out. Toyota motor corp is experimenting with electric and hydrogen vehicles.

To: The Truth
HERE IS WHEN YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY WRONG!!!!!!!!!

You actually think Mercedes' PRE SAFE system is good? You are an example of an ignorant consumer. The Lexus Advanced PreCollision system is way better. Other than cars that can automatically park itself, Lexus's also have radar cruise control. Lexus's PreCollision system has a radar millimeter camera and two cameras in the front and a camera monitoring driver fatigue also. Before a crash, the lexus system does a lot more:
-It reprograms suspension and steering ratios for optimal steering.
-It can start braking on its own.
-seatbelts tighten, headrests extend to put all occupants in an optimal position.
-Here is the best part. The two cameras and radar sensor in the front monitors and detects metal objects AND NONMETAL OBJECTS. mERCEDES' SYSTEM ONLY MONITORS METAL OBJECTS. So when Mercedes thinks its okay to crash into human beings and not into cars, Lexus' system can detect BOTH humans and cars. Haha!

Lexus also is the first to have those many technologies, including knee airbags and self parking. Everything that a Mercedes has, a Lexus also has, but better. Haha!!!!!

Also, ignorant consumer, the Mercedes SLR has never been the fastest production vehicle. Till today, the Bugatti Veyron is the fastest. And also, watch out for the knew Toyota Supra and Lexus LF-A. Before anyone says something bad about these cars, please do your research first, before you think another Mercedes product is better than a Lexus. I have lots more to say, but I have to go to dinner. Those people that think that they are getting a better car when they buy a Mercedes are the quintessential ignorant and uninformed consumer...very sad.

Mercedes owners today still think that they are getting the same quality and relibility as they were a three decades ago. Today, Lexus and other Japanese luxury brands are way more advanced and safe, if not better than a Mercedes. Just check Consumer Reports! If I were for Mercedes, I would not mention that Mercedes has ever had affiliation with the Daimler Chrysler Group, because they lost billions last year, While the Toyota Motor Corp. has profited billions and many happy customers that have better cars; and became the world's and America's largest car company, recently surpassing GM Motors.

Technology, style and looks aren't Mercedes trademarks. At least the technology part belongs to Lexus, as mentioned above. Everyone that says that their Mercedes last long are those that own old Mercedes (pre-90's). I want someone that has a mid 90's or newer Mercedes to confess, because they know they have lots of electrical, climate contol, and GPS navigation problems (from personal experience). You guys are right, I am in high school now. I don't have the money to afford a Mercedes, but when I do, I'd choose a Lexus over a Mercedes. And yes, Mercedes uses a lot of plastic, especially on newer models (the Mercedes dealership told me this one). Guess what, on CL's, SL's, and S classes, they are only ~81% German. The rest of the other parts come from else where. Yeah Lexus cars are mostly 100% Japanese (loyalty right there), with some models from America. As mentioned above, Lexus is the make with the most advanced technology, Mercedes technology is from the 90's.

Fact: Consumer Reports (expert, independent, and non-profit) reliability ratings show that a decade old 1998 Lexus LS400 has fewer problems and better reliability than a brand new 2006 Mercedes ML500.
For those who think a Mercedes is safer than a Lexus:
Even the "cheap" Toyota Camry has a five star crash rating (Lexus cars too). Well a Mercedes E and C Class only recieced a four star crash rating. This is from testing by a government agency(NHTSA). What do you think about that...I would say many pro-Mercedes people are misinformed and ignorant consumers. Lets see, Lexus and even Toyota beat the Mercedes in safety. Reliability too. Also Quality. Oh, and technology too. What's next? Are Lexus and Toyota going to be a bigger and better car company, oh sorry, they recently have become the America's largest car company (oh, and also the world's). Some would say that Mercedes is reserved for the few elites. I'd say, at least a Toyota Camry has a five star crash rating.

Answer 1

By nature humans are competetive and insecure. A mercedes gives you more of a confidence boost than does a Lexus. Yes the benz reliability is piss poor, Yes the v6 camry has a biiger engine than the v6 E class for half the price. Yes the 3 series coupe is better in every way than the clk for thousands less.

But if you have the money then it is a small price to pay for that extra boost in your confidence , self esteem, happiness, perceived social status or boost in whatever. Yes it is false fix but life is way too short to try to be working on your isssues and insecurities.

so just live, do what makes you happy. If the next man wants a benz dont hate him, everyone wants to be happy.

If I had the money I may get a benz. For the exact reasons stated above. Everyone is like that in some way Im just the one to admit it.

I do have a problem with folks who have there priorities messed up and they buy an expensive car and then they depend on others financially some how. you know the type-30 yrs still living with parents, the friend who always seems to short you on your money or needs a loan, the family baby who always runs to mommy when in a financial bind

Answer 2

Flash Toyotas, that is, the Lexus brand are where Mercedes-Benz were 20 years ago. People now buy Lexus for comfort, reliability and safety, but in fact you can get pretty much the same thing with a top of the line Toyota.

I must be a terrible show off. I have an S-class coupe and it's only 24 years old.

Up to about 1991 if you wanted comfort, reliability and safety plus continent crossing capability you bought Mercedes- Benz. It's been pretty clear that Germans don't do electronics as well as the Japanese and this is where M-B has fallen down recently. And of course the disastrous idea of assembling the M and ML class in the USA.

But who really cares about updated technology? I for one don't. I want to get in the car, start the motor and drive off and not futz around with an operating system or an i-drive every time I want the radio on or the temperature up or down a bit.

Unlike Americans, Germans and most of the rest of the world don't give a shyt about drag race performance, they are interested in ability to travel for hours at speeds that would get multiple tickets on US roads. M-B may be slow off the mark at the lights but most people outside the USA regard such competition as utterly puerile. To hell with the low ratio diff, I want an overdrive.

You may regard Mercedes-Benz as makers of luxury cars. They do make luxury cars. They also make delivery vans, trucks and taxis.

Answer 3

You've obviously never owned a Mercedes.

Mercedes only uses REAL wood in their cars - not plastic. Mercedes gives you the choice of Leather, or MBTex (pleather) that actually costs MORE than leather. My car is 10 years old, has pleather, and the interior still looks new. My wife's 3 year old Accord has REAL leather seats, and the driver seat looks VERY worn. The fake stuff is better.

A few years ago I was low on cash and in need of a car, so I was looking at used Civics and Hyundais. I was looking to pay around 10 thousand. Then came along a friend of my brother's, who was selling her Mercedes. It was a C class - the cheapest Mercedes ever made. It was 6 years old, and cost me $8,600. I couldn't afford a Civic, but I could afford the Mercedes - so I bought it. Best decision I've ever made.

Mercedes knows how to refine a car, where most other makers don't learn from their mistakes/ successes. The seats are PERFECT in my car. Not so with my wife's Accord - her car is so uncomfortable! I can drive my car on cross-country trips without my legs and butt getting tired. The car is super-easy to drive, and it has a TINY turning radius. All the switches and controls are intuitive, work well, and are easy to use. It works well in every day driving, and also for unusual driving. It has a switch on the dash for snow driving - which works well (different traction). The automatic gear selector allows you to pick any of the 5 gears...usefull when driving in extremely hilly country. Downshifting to the correct gear keeps you from burning up your brakes. Most Japanese cars don't let you pick from all the gears. Usually it's just P,R,N & D. I get P,R,N,D,4,3,2, &1, plus a snow setting.

I will agree, Mercedes prices are steep. You have to take into account that the dollar isn't worth as much as the Euro right now. The prices Americans pay for a Mercedes is relatively much higher than what Germans pay.

As for reliability... the cars holding the records for the most miles are Mercedes. There are many Mercedes still roaming the planet with more than a million miles on them.

Mercedes invented the motorcar in 1886 (true!), and knows how to do it best.

Lexus is just a dressed up Toyota. I've seen lots of Lexus cars that try really hard to look like a Mercedes. Japanese cars have generic styling - and anything creative is usually borrowed from European makes. I just can't understand paying so much money for a Toyota in disguise.

Answer 4

First, perhaps you need to take the chip off your shoulder. If you want a real answer instead of just picking a fight do to your fanatic support of Lexus, here is some information.

As to reliabilty, there is no doubt Lexus wins, hands down. No European car can compete, and if your purchasing decision is predicated solely on reliability, Lexus is the clear choice.

As to Luxury, these makes are probably equal. There are areas where Lexus is better (audio, communication), and areas where MB is superior (paint quality, vehicle solidity).

As to value, Lexus is the winner, but this gap is closing. When the LS was first introduced, Lexus was far less expensive, but it no longer a $35,000 car. Mercedes is still more expensive, but not as much.

Where Lexus falls short of MB is in driving experience and styling.
While BMW is a better drivers car than MB (although that is changing -- MB's newest E-class bests the 5 series in most automotive magazins), they are much better driver's cars than Lexus vehicles.
Mercedes cars offer better steering wheel feedback and better handling for most models. If you like driving an overstuffed couch, Lexus cars are a fine choice, but for people who enjoy driving but don't want to sacrifice ride quality, MB is a better choice.
If driving enjoyment doesn't matter, than this factor plays no role, but this difference is well established and anyone who is not biased can recognize this.

The second area that Lexus falls short is in the styling and cache' department. Mercedes Benz cars are internationally recognized for their beautiful cars. Lexus is resoundly bashed for their vanilla styling. While this is changing somewhat (the new LS is a good example), Lexus still has a ways to go. This factor is somewhat more subjective, like art, but there is a reason Mercedes has vehicles displayed in art museums while Lexus does not.

Mercedes also has cache' and status appeal that Lexus can't match. This is probably what your rant is referring to when you say "show off. Certainly, many people do buy Mercedes to show off, and that is pretty cheesy. However, Mercedes became a status symbol because they have built the world's finest cars for a long, long time.

Hope you can take these concepts to heart and relax. Both are very good cars with their pros and cons.

Answer 5

You are completely wrong. I do not have a lot of money and yet I have a Mercedes C320. I bought it for comfort reasons. My old car was painful to my legs (being over 6 feet 2 inches). My c class was luxurious and very well made. The fit and finish is unparallelled. Get into one and you will understand.

Yes every visit to the dealership is expensive but Mercedes cars do not break down as often as toyota will have you believe. If this were true, everyone will stop buying the cars. I drive 32 miles to work each day and 32 mile from work. 2 hours on the free way every day. I have only visited the dealer for oil changes and a look at the srs system.

That look was expensive though.

Answer 6

Seems to me you are here simply to argue but I will give you my personal experience and let you judge for yourself.

I have owned 5 MB's over the last 30 years. I still own a 1986 300TD wagon with the 6 cylinder turbo diesel. It has over 400000 miles on it and still runs beautifully. Cost per mile over its life, including insurance cost and deprecition has been around 86 cents per mile.

I also own a 1968 MB 280SL with just over 180000 miles on it. Wonderful little sports car and fun to drive.

Today's Mercedes have had problems -- granted. However, the jury is still out on the current 2006/7 model. The newest "E" Class models are some of the most sophisticated engineering models to have come along in a long time. The Blue Tech Diesel models especially. I recently drove one and I could not tell the difference between the gas V8 and the Blue Tech Diesel except that the Blue Tech was quieter!!!!

It is not all about wealth and prestige although many have equated MB to a status symbol. I choose them for the job they get done for me.

To answer your comment on performance you need to drive a new "C" Class C63. I just did a week ago. The new BMW M3 that I drove the same day didn't come close. The C63 kicked it in every category except price. And the newest addtion to the the MB lineup, the CL65, -- BMW doesn't even have anything in the same ballpark.

I think if you look closely at the market and evaluate it over the next 2-5 years you will find the MB line of cars will be a better long term value than most of the cars you have named.

But of course this is just my opinion. Please respect mine as I do yours.

Answer 7

Lexus is like a women wearing fancy make-up, when you strip her down, she is nothing. MB is a lady with inner beauty, do not need those fancy packages, as what she has in her heart, that 'lives forever'.
BMW，is a boy's toy, MB takes a mature man to understand and
recognize, then appreciate.
There are thousand and one thing around you can be owned for the sake of showing off.
People buying a MB, for it's safety, comfort and decades of experiences and improvement.
Showing off? Why not, but not because of owning a MB, is the ability to understand, appreciate that priceless mile-stone of achievement.
90 days falling apart? Cars are used by millions of people daily, ‘90 days falling apart’ what? You think they built those car at your back yard?
Wake up and grow up, work hard, get a MB, then come back here and talk about it.
By the way, what car are you driving? A Lexus? Maybe you are, and BMW is your dream? And sadly MB is beyond your reach?

Answer 8

Does a Lexus look like a Mercedes or a Mercedes look like a lexus? I mean Toyota?
They "Copy" Mercedes every chance they get. Technology is the same? hah! Is Toyota releasing a hybrid Hydrogen car soon? Or a diesel hybrid that gets 50 mpg?
My Benz cost me 35,000 and for that I got FREE service, a free loaner (when they changed the oil for free!) free brake pads and rotors, free wiper blades, free car washes and free key chains!
I get 28 mpg, my car is faster than any other BMW in it's class by far ( I know, I raced them and I used to own one!) with twin spark plugs and 3 valves per cylinder (on a 2002 model, stock!) with 220 horsepower. I dare you to compare a Lexus 300 to my cay any day of the week, in price, performance, fuel economy, reliability, and yes, LOOKS! Ain't no chick in Los Angeles gonna give a rats *** about your Lexus. Also, resale value on the E 350 Mercedes is one of the highest in the Country. Do your homework, cry in your beer and save your money. Maybe someday you can get one. I have owned 3 now for the last 10 years and I have not had to show off yet, but people come up to me and say "Nice car!" all the time! I don't care, it's not why I bought it. Oh, and it was ranked as one of the top 3 safest cars for the model year as well! Side air curtains in 2002, 4 wheel ABS, traction control, etc. Who do you think invents all the new technologies all the other car companies will be using in 10 years? Toyota? ha!

Answer 9

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA
I bet that u've never driven an Mercedes, or u just have too cheap of a taste that you can't really appreciate it.
You can't compare Lexux with Mercedes, Lexus might have whatever a Mercedes is to have, but the quality is so different.
oh well, I guess I won't spend anymore time on ur stupid question.
By the way, if Mercedes is reali that bad, then why it still doing so good , and rich people have a lot of money to spend , so they don't really care about Lexus.
and it reali makes me mad looking at what you wrote, such an hater...why don't u hate BMW too? it's an expensive car , and it's passenger seats are so uncomfortable.
What's is it that makes u hate an Mercedes so much?

Answer 10

So what about the Porsche drivers? The lambo the Aston the Rolls Royce? Are,nt they just showing off too?Everybody drives the car of their choice, And there it is that word "choice". People drive what they wish to drive regardless of what you feel is good or bad. Maybe you would like everyone to drive the same car a Toyota/Lexus. Then we could all dress the same and eat the same food ,Live in the same houses and have one person at the very top of the pile who thinks that just because a thing is not liked by him then it's obviously no good. Take a look at history flower it's all there.


Having read your additions and other questions it's obvious to me that my first impression of you was correct. This is getting a little obsessive. SEEK HELP SOON!