Mercedes cars - what a disappointment!
- Thread starter Globalti
- Start date
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OP
OP
Globalti
Legendary Member
If you go anywhere in Africa, where people will run a car until it actually breaks apart and where the terrible roads and lack of maintenance destroy everything, there's only one name: Toyota. Many trucks are very old Bedfords because they can be fixed by the roadside by a bush mechanic.
Jimidh
Veteran
- Location
- Midlothian
I used to have a CX-5 and it was a great car. I would thoroughly recommend one.
Joey Shabadoo
My pronouns are "He", "Him" and "buggerlugs"
Friends came to a barbecue this summer in their Alfasud, but there was a shower and we didn't get it under cover in time.
You've answered your own question.
gavroche
Getting old but not past it
- Location
- North Wales
My wife has had her 4 year old Nissan Juke for a month now and I must say it has been reliable so far after driving it about 400 miles. No problems.
On the other hand , my also 4 year old now Renault Captur which has done 46000 miles has been faultless and 100% reliable too.
You are welcome to your expensive Mercs and BMWs, not for me.
On the other hand , my also 4 year old now Renault Captur which has done 46000 miles has been faultless and 100% reliable too.
You are welcome to your expensive Mercs and BMWs, not for me.
biggs682
Touch it up and ride it
- Location
- Northamptonshire
I use to work at an Alfa dealership and believe you me that was enough to kill the itch for sure
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
I have to say the Smart has been great!
The bodywork is plastic, won't rust. The metal structure (AKA the Tridion) is made from steel with a very high Boron content (higher than Volvo use in the rollover structures of their cars) and is powder coated, so won't rust unless you actually damage it.
The weak link on the original 450 Smarts like mine is...the Mercedes engine! Well known for hand grenading at about 60,000 miles, and while it's an easy rebuild it's a ballache. Clued up owners fit bigger radiators and oil coolers to prevent this (a previous owner has already done this to mine, so I'm lucky) but it's interesting that the bits designed by a Swiss watch manufacturer with no previous experience of car design are absolutely top drawer, but the bit designed and manufactured by a so called "prestige" car maker is the bit liable to explode at any given moment.
The bodywork is plastic, won't rust. The metal structure (AKA the Tridion) is made from steel with a very high Boron content (higher than Volvo use in the rollover structures of their cars) and is powder coated, so won't rust unless you actually damage it.
The weak link on the original 450 Smarts like mine is...the Mercedes engine! Well known for hand grenading at about 60,000 miles, and while it's an easy rebuild it's a ballache. Clued up owners fit bigger radiators and oil coolers to prevent this (a previous owner has already done this to mine, so I'm lucky) but it's interesting that the bits designed by a Swiss watch manufacturer with no previous experience of car design are absolutely top drawer, but the bit designed and manufactured by a so called "prestige" car maker is the bit liable to explode at any given moment.
gbb
Legendary Member
- Location
- Peterborough
Strangely entertained..I like that, I kinda feel the same, hes mildly annoying but his videos are for the most part based on long term experience and common sense.
gbb
Legendary Member
- Location
- Peterborough
Some years ago (mid 1990s say) I worked for a company with the biggest fleet of Mercedes HGVs in the country at that time. Inevitably some became shunters as their working life came to an end then if something big went, clutch, gearbox etc, they were sold at auction and usually went to Africa. They sold for £6k each which seemed preposterous given the state of them but the fleet manager explained, they will be stripped to the last nut and bolt, everything is used in Africa to keep vehicles on the road.
OP
OP
Globalti
Legendary Member
You'll see guys swarming over an old truck right in the road where it stopped, causing traffic mayhem for several days. They'll drop the sump and the crankshaft onto the road then somebody will head off on the back of a motorbike with the crankshaft on his head - yes! - then they'll rebuild it and drive off.
gbb
Legendary Member
- Location
- Peterborough
Off topic a bit...forgive me...
It's a reminder we throw stuff away far too quickly in the west.
I had a working trip to Uruguay 2007. During an installation they blew an expensive, complicated PCB on our machine. Back home this would have meant sending it back to Spain and getting it repaired. But no problem the Uruguayans said, we'll send it to Montevideo and get it repaired....and 2 days later it reappeared, working.
I took that mentality back with me and we started investigating what components were being damaged on other boards we regularly used to have fail...and usually it was a two quid component, saving hundreds of pounds compared to the way we were doing it.
- Location
- Somewhere wet & hilly in NW England.
My only new car, ever, was an AlfaSud bought in Cape Town. It had started off as a standard model when half down the line some GL extras were fitted. As it was neither fish nor fowl, they were selling it really cheaply. Many years of enjoyment. Only thing wrong was the the engine smoking when new. Eventually the factory took it back and re-bored the oil passages which solved the problem. It never rusted, really, and was a joy to drive. A true story!
gavroche
Getting old but not past it
- Location
- North Wales
I just want to go back to why Japanese cars are so reliable. I think it is part of their culture. Japanese people are very proud and honour is high on their list so making cars that are not reliable would be a big black stain on their beliefs and unforgivable. Maybe we lack a bit of that in the west and focus too much on profitability rather than pride in what we produce .
