Car prices

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#1991824 9-Apr-2018 09:07

I've heard nothing positive about the newer lower end mercs. Poor build quality, exorbitant (more than normal) servicing costs and general reliability issues. No first hand experience mind you, but I wouldn't touch one (even if i could afford one haha). Maybe look at a Hyundai or Subaru in that ~50k price range. The new 3.6 Legacy is very very nice.

https://www.productreview.com.au/p/mercedes-benz-dealers.html

Unsure if things a different in NZ or not.

MikeB4

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#1991854 9-Apr-2018 09:26

@kryotonjohn The Kodiaq has two major issues...

1. It is from the VW group and from their problem child.

2. DSG, these things are OK on high performance cars for which they are intended and for use on tracks and freeways. They are useless in NZ conditions. If you commute anywhere other than Utiku it will suffer clutch failure quickly.

With the exception of a few SUVs are just lifted station wagons so comparisons between SUVs and wagons is legitimate.

Geektastic

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#1991860 9-Apr-2018 09:41

Batman:
MikeB4:

@networkn it does not take much research to discover that the prize winners for bad reliability are Mercedes, Fiat/Chrysler/Jeep, the VW Group, GM and inparticular GMH and Ford.

The prize winners for reliability are Hyundai, Kia, Toyota, Suzuki and Mazda.

OP drives a Land Rover, I don't think he will mind the reliability of the Merc.

To date the Land Rover has been very reliable.

Most expensive maintenance item was replacement of suspension bushings, which is not a reliability issue.

Geektastic

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#1991862 9-Apr-2018 09:45

kryptonjohn:
MikeB4: Hyundai are very good vehicles with very dealerr backing. They are well put together and very reliable. Mercedes on the other hand has woeful reliability and terrible backing.

Hyundai are ok cars mechanically but $83k is a joke and you can expect $30k to fall off as you drive off the lot. The interiors are plastic tacky. There's little to no pleasure in driving them.

But you can't compare a 7 seat SUV to a station wagon either.

If Mrs Geektastic is looking for a 7 seater and doesn't need to tow anything heavy I'd say Kodiaq. It has all the widgets the Hyundai has but with a feeling of quality and $20k less on the sticker.

I'm going to look that up as I've never heard of it!

Totally agree about the Hyundai though. It just doesn't feel like a car that should be that expensive. For that money you could get some pretty fabulous low mileage cars.

kryptonjohn

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#1991865 9-Apr-2018 09:47

MikeB4:

@kryotonjohn The Kodiaq has two major issues...

1. It is from the VW group and from their problem child.

2. DSG, these things are OK on high performance cars for which they are intended and for use on tracks and freeways. They are useless in NZ conditions. If you commute anywhere other than Utiku it will suffer clutch failure quickly.

With the exception of a few SUVs are just lifted station wagons so comparisons between SUVs and wagons is legitimate.

Hi Mike,

1. Despite the dieselgate scandal VW have surged ahead and now are top of the heap world wide. Why is Skoda a problem child? Kodiaq is probably the most acclaimed of the group's 7 seaters.

2. DSG has been OK for quite a few years now. There are models to avoid but that's back around 2008 isn't it?

Good point about car based 'SUV's... what is the Santa Fe based on? It does seem light weight.

kryptonjohn

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#1991867 9-Apr-2018 09:50

Geektastic:
kryptonjohn:

MikeB4: Hyundai are very good vehicles with very dealerr backing. They are well put together and very reliable. Mercedes on the other hand has woeful reliability and terrible backing.

Hyundai are ok cars mechanically but $83k is a joke and you can expect $30k to fall off as you drive off the lot. The interiors are plastic tacky. There's little to no pleasure in driving them.

But you can't compare a 7 seat SUV to a station wagon either.

If Mrs Geektastic is looking for a 7 seater and doesn't need to tow anything heavy I'd say Kodiaq. It has all the widgets the Hyundai has but with a feeling of quality and $20k less on the sticker.

I'm going to look that up as I've never heard of it!

Totally agree about the Hyundai though. It just doesn't feel like a car that should be that expensive. For that money you could get some pretty fabulous low mileage cars.

It's the Skoda version of the Audi Q5.

https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/cars/735123/Skoda-Kodiaq-next-SUV-review-pictures

MikeB4

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#1991878 9-Apr-2018 10:23

kryptonjohn:

MikeB4:

@kryotonjohn The Kodiaq has two major issues...

1. It is from the VW group and from their problem child.

2. DSG, these things are OK on high performance cars for which they are intended and for use on tracks and freeways. They are useless in NZ conditions. If you commute anywhere other than Utiku it will suffer clutch failure quickly.

With the exception of a few SUVs are just lifted station wagons so comparisons between SUVs and wagons is legitimate.

Hi Mike,

1. Despite the dieselgate scandal VW have surged ahead and now are top of the heap world wide. Why is Skoda a problem child? Kodiaq is probably the most acclaimed of the group's 7 seaters.

2. DSG has been OK for quite a few years now. There are models to avoid but that's back around 2008 isn't it?

Good point about car based 'SUV's... what is the Santa Fe based on? It does seem light weight.

The concept of the DSG is still the same, two clutches trying to work out what is required of them next for the gears they are responsible for. On the track or on the freeway that is easy and predictable. In the city, in a hilly city, on a clogged urban motorway it is not and the box gets confused. Also invariably folks who drive them think they are an automatic and do things like use the transmission to hold the vehicle in hill starts or sit in queues with it in 'D' the smell of burning clutch plates is not sweet not to mention the thrusters etc.

The VW group has huge funding issues and their vehicles have suffered accordingly, eg Seat, Skoda, and some VW models reference the Golf.

As for the acclaimed status, it is very easy to full into the car reviewer trap, many of these are funded by the car companies by way of advertising, trips, gifts etc. These need to be regarded lightly when making the second most expensive purchase most folks make.

edit; to eliminate the rampant 'teh'

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#1991951 9-Apr-2018 12:51

MikeB4:

@kryotonjohn The Kodiaq has two major issues...

1. It is from the VW group and from their problem child.

2. DSG, these things are OK on high performance cars for which they are intended and for use on tracks and freeways. They are useless in NZ conditions. If you commute anywhere other than Utiku it will suffer clutch failure quickly.

With the exception of a few SUVs are just lifted station wagons so comparisons between SUVs and wagons is legitimate.

Support and service I have had so far from Skoda/Giltrap has been very good on my Octavia. Yes I have had a few minor niggles repaired under warranty, but these have been around trim/GPS/Software etc and nothing mechanical or serious.

Be interesting to see how the DSG goes - it has been great to drive so far and my understanding is that the wet clutch 6 speed has been pretty strong and reliable for a good few years now...the dry 7 speed variants less so!

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#1991954 9-Apr-2018 12:56

MikeB4:

The concept of the DSG is still the same, two clutches trying to work out what is required of them next for the gears they are responsible for. On the track or on the freeway that is easy and predictable. In the city, in a hilly city, on a clogged urban motorway it is not and the box gets confused. Also invariably folks who drive them think they are an automatic and do things like use the transmission to hold the vehicle in hill starts or sit in queues with it in 'D' the smell of burning clutch plates is not sweet not to mention the thrusters etc.

My understanding was that it was designed to manage/disengage the clutches correctly when on the brakes in "D" in traffic or stop/start and that constantly moving in and out of gear was worse overall. Not smelt any sad clutch so far and certainly never had any issues with it getting confused over what gear to be in or searching up/down when it didn't need to be.

It does say you shouldn't hold it on a hill by feathering the accelerator which is fair enough - you take your foot off and onto the brake and when you release the brake, the hill-hold does its thing and you don't roll.

1cloud

164 posts

Master Geek

#1991955 9-Apr-2018 12:56

Linux:

mp onto YouTube and search ' Auto expert John Cadogan ' and watch his reviews they are very direct

Linux

i luv this guy

1cloud

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Master Geek

#1991959 9-Apr-2018 13:03

Batman:

Half of them then no longer drive Mercs. .

what are they driving now ? perhaps not bimmer

networkn

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#1991987 9-Apr-2018 13:13

Batman:

I have friends who have bought Mercs, every one of them has had to have a repair under warranty. Half of them then no longer drive Mercs. The other half have lots of Mercs despite that, not sure why.

Take one for a drive, then you'll know.

I'd take a slightly unreliable Audi, BMW or Merc over a super reliable Ford, Mazda or Hyundai any day of the week and twice on Sundays. I've owned a lot of cars, and we have just spent 8 weeks trying a huge number of cars to find something my wife liked.

Despite seeing some amazing cars, among them the Renault Koleos which is an absolutely amazing car for the money, we settled on an 2016 Audi A4, which is just a masterpiece. My wife LOVES it, and she doesn't really like cars.

I've had 3 BMW's and 3 Subaru's and 2 Audis and a variety of others. I've never spent huge money on any, though my V8 Audi S4 cost a bit as it got older. I don't get my cars serviced my official dealers, as they are stupid expensive. For BMW I use BM Workshop who are amazing.

MikeAqua

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#1991988 9-Apr-2018 13:14

The CX-5 (diesel model) is a very nice SUV if you only need 5 seats.

Mike

MikeB4

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#1991989 9-Apr-2018 13:14

Geektastic:
Batman:

MikeB4:

@networkn it does not take much research to discover that the prize winners for bad reliability are Mercedes, Fiat/Chrysler/Jeep, the VW Group, GM and inparticular GMH and Ford.

The prize winners for reliability are Hyundai, Kia, Toyota, Suzuki and Mazda.

OP drives a Land Rover, I don't think he will mind the reliability of the Merc.

To date the Land Rover has been very reliable.

Most expensive maintenance item was replacement of suspension bushings, which is not a reliability issue.

It could be a reliability issue depending on the distance the vehicle has travelled and over what terrain

Fred99

13684 posts

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#1992008 9-Apr-2018 13:55

MikeB4:

Geektastic:
Batman:

MikeB4:

@networkn it does not take much research to discover that the prize winners for bad reliability are Mercedes, Fiat/Chrysler/Jeep, the VW Group, GM and inparticular GMH and Ford.

The prize winners for reliability are Hyundai, Kia, Toyota, Suzuki and Mazda.

OP drives a Land Rover, I don't think he will mind the reliability of the Merc.

To date the Land Rover has been very reliable.

Most expensive maintenance item was replacement of suspension bushings, which is not a reliability issue.

It could be a reliability issue depending on the distance the vehicle has travelled and over what terrain

Of course it's a reliability issue - it'll cause a WOF fail as well as causing annoying knocks/rattles and alignment/handling issues.

Very common issue on some of the "sportier" Audis etc.

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