Cheap clio for breaking

[lozz]

You dont actualy hit the Track-rod or ball joint,
_ just tap the part where its held,

you do more damage with the splitters imho,

[FarmerPug]

I had something slightly better than a clio sitting on axle stands outside the shed today :

It needed an indicator bulb in the back light

[lozz]

Ihate Modern mercs

the merc ihad if a bulb blown it wouid find another bulb to light up instead
eg if front indicator bulb goes the front fog will flash instead,

there certainly a car for those with very deep pockets maintance wise

[FarmerPug]

Ihate Modern mercs

the merc ihad if a bulb blown it wouid find another bulb to light up instead
eg if front indicator bulb goes the front fog will flash instead,

there certainly a car for those with very deep pockets maintance wise

This particular merc has gave its owner a bit of trouble to date with air suspension and the engine won't give out much power it has an EML light.
They aren't much to drive either, very comfy and quiet for passengers and full of toys even a tv, but for the driver there isn't much excitement or involvement.

[lozz]

Mercs are 'motorway cars mate,

round town there not up to much, idont think.

Ihad to have the ecu software updated on mine, cost me 50 quid after that it was fine for a while
and then all the Gremlins came back, in the end iended up sticking it on ebay as spares or repairs cutting my loses 2k or so loss, some old chap that bought it and sussed the problem out
it was the injectors not coded - something the Maindealer didnt do when they took it in for diagnostics,

Iwoudnt touch another Merc with Barge pole, unless it was pre 90s


peugeots are much more reliable, altho id park the 406 well away from it you dont want it catching any Merc viruses

[sirwiggum]

Mercs used to be well built until the accountants of DaimlerChrysler got involved in the 90s and told them that they were over engineered.
Since then quality and reliability took a drop. Lot of rusty shabby 90s/2000s Mercs about.

Peugeot used to be the French Mercedes (504 etc) until les beancountres did the same, and they started building small euroboxes.

[FarmerPug]

Another two problems on this merc the full/dipped beam switch is faulty so it tend to prefer full beam at night, the other thing is it has something called pre safe a radar braking system its just broken and the dash has a big message saying pre safe inoperative.

You wouldn't have the same problems in a lexus LS.

[sirwiggum]

And yet I'm still tempted by a 300C diesel, essentially an American Merc....

[FarmerPug]

a 300c wouldn't be as bad, they are an old e class so a good bit simpler than the s class, and without the massive price tag.

but what about a german merc:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1990-MERCEDES ... 579wt_1378

288k miles, no clogged particle filter, or engine management lights

[sirwiggum]

Those 300s were the last of the tanks.

Big autobox with an old school clattery bulletproof diesel.

Theres a Merc specialist out Crossnacreevy between Roselawn and Moneyrea, always has them outside his workshop.

My 406 could've done with those 2 tone door trims to hide the rust on the doors.

[Welly]

We can say the same thing here about Volvo's they used to be built as a 'machine' to do a job - which they did very well! they didn't look nice but they went on forever.....

Now though they can be chucked in the same group as all the other Euro Box rubbish i.e. buy, throw away, buy another.....

[sirwiggum]

Where it went wrong for Volvo was it was owned by Ford for too long.

Hopefully with Geely the Chinese can bring some Asian quality process into the mix.

[Welly]

Hopefully with Geely the Chinese can bring some Asian quality process into the mix.

And it's not often you see that written down probably unfair of me to judge. I bet they've got much better facilities and people than we have. I say 'we' but 'we' don't make cars anymore.....trip around Longbridge anyone?

You're right about Ford's input they definitely 'cheapened' the build and enthusiasts say it all went wrong from thereon

[sirwiggum]

I reckon the Chinese are currently where the Japanese were in the 70s or the Koreans in the 80s.

Cars that are cheap and a bit of a joke but improving in quality eventually becoming main contenders.

[FarmerPug]

Ford may not have been good for volvo, but were they good for jaguar, the reliability improved but the pushed too hard for the pipe and slippers image whereas tata seems to let jaguar modernise which has been good for it.