4 wheel drive questions/reliability of vehicles

Well, on my S-Class the self closing doors had a leak in the hydraulic system. It was fixed under warranty, but would have cost $2500 for the luxury of not closing my own doors.

There have been troubles with some of the air conditioning systems, which are automatic in two zones, and front and back. Pretty much overkill, hence complex.

I don't have the air suspension, and I can't imagine how the air suspension could be any smoother than my S.

I think he's referring to those kinds of things.

Reply to
REInvestments
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Correctomundo. My 02 Ford Explorer does anything I would want in an SUV. I actually don't NEED any other car with an S420 and a Ford Explorer. What I'd LIKE is to emulate the quality and impression value of my passenger vehicle, and have my 4 wheel drive in my passenger vehicle. Then I'd get rid of the Explorer, consolidate insurance coverage, and so on. I don't think the Subaru will work, as I want to use this for my "dress up" work car, although I think Subaru has proven itself better than anyone in the all wheel drive passenger vehicle department over the years, and you do get the most bang for the buck.

I think I'm down to the A-6 with the 4.2 liter engine, the Mercedes E 500 4 Matic as choices. The Audi appears to be wider, and seems to have more rear seat room, and a longer history in all wheel drive. Neither seem bulletproof in reliability, but I don't like the SUV platform, and I'm not seeing a sedan from the Japanese in a four wheel drive format, unless I missed something.

If I don't go with 4 wheel drive, then I can just keep my 99 S420. It does everything else I want. Although I do worry about reliability on my S Class as well, particularly since it is out of warranty.

Reply to
REInvestments

Hint: try and find a German taxi that isn't a Merc. You certainly /can/ find them, but you have to look. Quite hard.

That said (and in no way intended as an insult), according to some German friends, that reputation has taken quite a bashing since the DC merger - some of the US-derived designs and manufacturing processes don't seem to be quite a bullet-proof as Merc drivers were used to.

One, I know, was planning to go down the Audi route unless his pet salesman could lease him an AMG for the price of a diesel.

Don't know what happened in the end, though. He's driven Mercs for at least

10 years and finds BMWs too "common" around Frankfurt. A bit snobbish, methinks, but he doesn't "do" corners.. just scary speeds in scary conditions on the Autobahn. When I get a lift, I prefer to sit in the back.. can't see the road that way :o\

And just in case I'm about to be accused of marque bias.. the BMW MINI sources a GM-derived engine from (IIRC) Brazil, my TT is really built in Hungary and the (2WD) Nissan 350Z has the heart of a Renault Vel Satis.. yes, /that/ one.

HTH

Hairy One Kenobi

Disclaimer: the opinions expressed in this opinion do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the highly-opinionated person expressing the opinion in the first place. So there!

Reply to
Hairy One Kenobi

Infinity G35X new Lexus GS (not out just yet).

-

-- Curtis Newton snipped-for-privacy@remove-me.akaMail.com

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ICQ: 4899169

Reply to
Curtis Newton

your recommendations for the most reliable 4 wheel drive car

I got 220Kmiles out of my 88 80 Quattro relatively trouble free. The most I did was suspension rebuilds. Never was stranded. I like the A6 Q.

Reply to
xxx

snipped-for-privacy@aol.com (Glenflow55) wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@mb-m17.aol.com:

Basically, anything that is not required for the car to operate (mechanically) as designed.

Fortunately, the trouble laden items are optional, although you may have order your car direct from the factory.

Reply to
George Mann

Why the 4.2? Just out of curiosity. The 2.7T gives you better acceleration and gas mileage.

Reply to
Dan Manning

Weren't you looking at the Caddy CTS-V? Did you ever get to drive one?

MC

Reply to
Mark Conklin

Yes, but US market Mercedes are completely different beasts with relation to standard and optional equipment. In Europe you can get them relatively stripped of equipment, but in the Base US market Mercedes are considered Premium Optioned cars, leaving only things as Parktronic, Distronic, and climate controlled seats, etc. as electronic options. I guess my point was the US market Mercedes already comes equipped with so much equipment standard and you cant get any of it deleted (except maybe the sunroof) adding a few more electronic items isn't gonna make a big difference in overall reliability numbers.

Reply to
Glenflow55

In doing a side by side comparison, it appeared that the body is actually bigger, with more room inside, and a larger gas tank (petrol) on the 4.2, and that there were a few other items standard on the 4.2 that didn't come on the 2.7 T. No other reason, really. I like the 2.7T as well. Although I've tended to own V-8s over the years so I'm more familiar with driving a vehicle without turbo lag lifting out of the gas into corners, and dropping the hammer coming out. I would imagine that this has changed since the last time I owned a turbo charged vehicle. Any strong reasons for one over the other?

I think the 2.7 T was less expensive to purchase.

Reply to
REInvestments

I was. I sat in the CTS at the auto show (didn't drive it) and didn't like the look as much as I was expecting. I also decided that if I was going to change cars, that I want to combine my SUV and daily driver into one car, so I'm looking at doing this by getting an AWD vehicle that can also act as a dress up car for taking clients out. I still think the CTS-V is going to be a terrific car.

Reply to
REInvestments

The 4.2 is wider, but it's only because the wheel arches are more flared. The passenger compartment is exactly the same size - no more room.

Taking the difference in consumption into account, there is not that much difference in range between the two version.

The 2.7T has a little less weight hanging out over the front axle and, therefore, has a better turn in. This is compensated for, to some extent, by the wider tyre on the 4.2. The S6 and RS6 are better in this respect.

Reply to
Peter Bell

acceleration

Not really, just drive both and see which one you like. After reading some owners reviews on

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it seems like people were disappointed with the 4.2 performance, whereas the 2.7 owners ranted and raved. But as you said, it all comes down to the buyer and what they prefer.

Reply to
Dan Manning

snipped-for-privacy@aol.com (Glenflow55) wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@mb-m18.aol.com:

The options on the US market cars, such as Command, Distronic and parktronic are the items I am referring to.

Mundane items such as headlight washers and heated seats are not likely to present a drivability problem.

My '71 250 has crank windows and manual door locks. It's pretty much as simple and reliable as a car gets.

Reply to
George Mann

If you want *dead bang reliability* in an AWD car and it's not too small or 'beneath' you, I'd take a long look at the Subaru Legacy sedans (or wagons, if you don't mind a bit of boxy luggage room.). Strikes me as the Audi 4000 Quattro for the New Millennium. Another poster suggested that the smaller Impreza might be roomy enough for 6-footers. The Legacy is even bigger.

-- C.R. Krieger (and I'm a Bavarian car guy ...)

Reply to
C.R. Krieger

Heard plenty of good things about the Subaru. Haven't heard much good about Audis from people who actually have to work on them...

Reply to
Stan de SD

We've got a E46 325i and a Subaru WRX wagon. The BMW is better quality materials, but mechanically the Subaru is very well done. And the AWD is wonderful on the few times we get snow - the BMW can't even get up the driveway, the Subaru just goes. I'm thinking of trading the WRX wagon in on the new 2005 Legacy GT wagon which will have the 2.5l turbo engine with a bit more torque and power as well as another 12 inches of car which will mostly matter in the back seat. The 2005 Legay just won the Japanese car of the year award by a large margin, it's going to be much closer to the BMW in terms of quality interior, and still priced at around $28,000 which is a great deal.

Reply to
Alan Peterman

The owner of an independent garage was so impressed with my Audi 90 quattro after working on it (145,000 miles - original clutch, exhaust etc), he went out and a brand new Audi A4.

-- Doug Ramage

Reply to
Doug Ramage

Yep, I hear you on that one, your 250 makes for a more easy going automobile experience

Reply to
Glenflow55

Seems there must be something more luxurious, upscale, and relatively reliable than a Subaru. I doubt the typical buyer of Subaru was a pervious owner of a later model S-class. But hey, I went from an S500, to a Range Rover HSE 4.6, to a Suburban 4x4 Turbo Diesel, but I need something to pull a 26' SeaRay, and I have other vehicles, but even so, I prefer the Suburban on a daily basis.

Reply to
Glenflow55

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