repair costs on lexus vs. mercedes

Self-respecting Brits haven't been buying Rollers in years! Now that it's a BMW it may change, though the problem may be that BMW management in Munich may not have a clear idea of what a "British/English" car is supposed to be like. Depends on who they have recruited and how much autonomy they get.

I remember reading comments about the BMW Rovers. On the interior they were something like "a German's idea of what an English car is supposed to look like"...

DAS

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Reply to
Dori Schmetterling
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I never said that BMW or MB weren't old people brands, but BMW is marketing their brand (especially the 3 series here) to younger people (older then I but younger then say people in their late 30's). And while people may not like it, those 2 brands are here to stay. They're now cultural icons about the American life. And for every brand that our family has had none has been perfect, there were cars that were better then others some that were worse. I've had the pleasure of being able to drive a Consumers Digest Best Buy car for a few years, a new Buick LeSabre. The first time it rained one windshield wiper wouldn't work. Later the intake manifold broke. I'm not saying that people shouldn't believe them, but would you take advice from a stranger about how to spend your money ? All in all, if I buy a car I'll go with ones that I want, not what others say to get. I also agree that Toyotas are extremely reliable, my neighbor has a 96 Camry and nothing's gone wrong while I have another neighbor that has a Lexus LS200 (or something like that) and he has over 250,000 miles without any major problems. Like this quote says best "Jim Press the chief operating officer of Toyota Motor Sales USA, points out that "people don't want to buy the products their parents drive."".

Reply to
Phillip Schmid

I highly doubt that the salesman would say that, especially since it means less possible income for the salesman.

Reply to
Phillip Schmid

Raleigh NC. I once saw a web site where folks added recommended MB shops, but no longer have the URL. I'll search again.

Reply to
Scott D

His words exactly. The dealer was Bölle Autohaus in Konstanz. I'll give you the name of the dealer if you like and you can ring him.

Reply to
Ric

Funny you should say that. My family had a Buick Park ave somewhere around

1986.... ranked high in JD surveys. Needed a new front axle, tranny and i can't remember what else.... all before 50k. I drive whats good to methrough my experience, regardless of JD Power. I've had ridiculously reliable saabs that JD said were horrible too. Bottom line is, some people take their car to the dealer because a brake light bulb has burnt out, and they report that as a problem the same as if the head gasket went....
Reply to
Chris O'Malley

No thanks on the number, I think I'll pass. My family would get kind of mad if I called there from here in the US of A. I said I doubted it, never said it was impossible. Here at the dealership that I went to they were nothing but courteous with me even though I didn't have a car of my own and I looked like I couldn't afford a MB.

Reply to
Phillip Schmid

Yes, now that BMW have full control over Rolls-Royce Brits may start buying them again. I agree about the appearance of the new BMW R-R. I have only seen photos, but they looked awful. VW seems to have made a much better job of continuing Bentley. I have no insight into the economics of the 'new' Bentley and R-R companies, but my opinion is that, so far, VW got the far better deal and has done a much better job (so why are they wasting time and resources on the Phaeton???).

This leather and wood thing that the English seem to do so well is a tricky thing. It's probably a good thing that Ford did not actually move Jaguar production out of the UK, as was seriously considered. I have a 2001 Merc with leather seats and some wood, and the wood looks fairly fake and the interior is nothing like a Jag, but I don't care because my decision to buy was not based on such considerations. I had never had leather seats before and, while I like them, I am still not convinced they are obviously so superior as many people seem to think. The main reasons I spent the extra money was that I was advised by dealers and others that (a) they are more robust and easier to keep clean in a cabrio and (b) not having them, especially in the UK, will significantly affect the resale value.

I have never felt that the wood finish of any Merc, whether new or W123 is anything other than contrived or fake-looking and many British auto journalists have commented likewise but it really doesn't matter to me.

DAS

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Reply to
Dori Schmetterling

Why should anyone get "mad" if you call abroad from the USA?

It's not another planet, you know, and pretty cheap to call.

Have you ever, deep breath, called abroad?

DAS

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Reply to
Dori Schmetterling

Well, I don't think that they'd get mad. But when asked who I called and why it may get weird. "Yes, I called over there...I wanted to see if this guy on the newsgroup was right...". With our plan a call to Hawaii for an hour and a half cost ~$75 (but then again I was also upnorth at our farm so I don't know the other prices up there). I know that dealers aren't the quickest answering the phone. BTW, yes I have called abroad to Poland, France, Britain, and Germany. The first three for family and the last one to talk with my father who was there on business. And I'll be calling all over Europe to get hotel reservations (can't get car reservations as I'm only

18...maybe I'll use my dad's company car while he's there) for when I go this winter (at least that's a decent reason, unlike calling to ask if someone really said what was claimed). Ceci est la vie.
Reply to
Phillip Schmid

Hmmm.

I would guess (in the USA at least) the repair costs would be less for a Jap car then an MB. Many shops might see you driving an MB and might try and rip you off. And many shops don't care what you drive and might try and rip you off.

It would be better to ask the same question to a mechanic that you trust to do work on your ride(s)

Overall, old Jap cars are cheaper to take care of and fix.

Having nice stuff cost money (can be applied to cars and women)...even the parts are expensive, lol.

SW

Reply to
Steve

Sales people of expensive stuff can be remarkably candid if the mood strikes them. I recall a salesman/audiophile in a high end store I was in who bemoaned the death of high-end audio and the fact that the only really profitable part of their business was selling big bucks home theater installations to doctors and other professionals who were building expensive new houses and who only really cared that the audio system blended into the decor and was assembled from pricey brand components, but cared little about how the system actually sounded. I think this description captures the sentiments of the typical (not all) BMW/MB customer in this country quite well.

Reply to
GRL

Grl,

If I were you, I would ride on a MB before you make a comment. It's something not pen + words can tell how safe and proud you feel when you are riding on MB. You will find that Japanese cars are just the toys comparing to a real solid car.

Casper

GRL wrote:

Reply to
Conte Ng

reliability is

Reply to
Steve Malcom

I agree. As I said before, if you can't tell the difference between the ride of an eclass and a low end lexus, you should buy a lexus, and you should probably be on a different board.

The Lexus LS cars are no doubt comparable, but at least give me at least some styling if you want me to plunk down that much cash....

Some of us like cars for the way they ride/handle AND the way they look. We appreciate the classic design, and I don't think there's anything timless about a Lexus........

Of course some might disagree....

reliability is

Reply to
Chris O'Malley

The price for the 124.133 is about $8000 pending condition. It is the most reliable 124 one could own. No tune ups, wires, plugs, etc. and great mileage. It is also a tank which would save your life even if you were hit broadside by a car going 50mph! It will go 400,000 miles before major expense (replacing the head).Parts are not expensive (from Rusty Cullen at

800-741-5252) and the car is easy to work on unless you deal with mechanics who only fix American cars. It can be kept almost new in terms of ride if o.e. shocks are replaced with new Bilsteins. It rides better and shifts better if the "H" fitting at the end of the hose coming off the vacuum pump (front of engine) is replaced with an "F" fitting (part#601-078-06-45) and the two left vacuum tube are deleted. This will increase the vacuum substantially. Both cars require minimal maintenance but the turbo gets better mileage is more durable. I would keep the Mercedes. Why buy acopy when you own an original? P.

Reply to
pkmaven

I think they're comparing Lexus to modern gasoline Mercedes cars.

You can't compare ANYTHING to the older diesel cars.

Reply to
Elmo P. Shagnasty

The problem is that, OK, maybe SOME Mercedes engines are still bulletproof....but all of the electronics are still temperamental and costly to maintain/repair while that engines supposedly goes 400,000 miles.

Reply to
D.D. Palmer

At 65,000 miles, that was what was happening on my 99 S420. The engine and drive train were bulletproof, but the heater/air conditioning had to be replaced, the hydraulic vacuums for the doors had to be replaced, and the trunk had stopped functioning again, the S.R.S. light had come on and the quote was $140 to diagnose, and repairs possibly in the thousands.

All stuff that could be fixed, but if you have to pay a mechanic (as I do) then it is thousands of dollars. I turned mine into an Audi S8 with an extended warrranty, and got a much faster, much better handling, more comfortable, better appointed car (2002 model). Quite happy with the changeover.

We then got a Lexus RX330 for my wife, and she couldn't be happier. Intellichoice, Consumer Reports, and so on, give Lexus very high marks for reliability. Much better than modern Mercedes.

I don't think I'll be back to a Mercedes. We'll see how the Audi holds up. Since it is an S8, which was the top of their line in 2002 it might do better than other Audis, which have about the same reputation as modern Mercedes, except that Audi seems to be on its way "up" and Mercedes seems to be on its way "down" the reliability scales.

Lexus remains very solid.

Reply to
LIW

um, you'll see that your evaluation isn't quite on the mark.

Audi HAS BEEN worse than MB, for a long time. And remains so.

Reply to
Elmo P. Shagnasty

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