Yeah, not only do I know friends who actually have a Mercedes and have problems, but just look up JD Powers ratings and reports (their new site is a bitch though) or other reports.
There still is no proof the new Mercedes' line up is improving, I say a consumer survey here in the Netherlands a while back, and the current E-class is still not doing well.
Mercedes' is attacked by many because they once were the epitome of automotive engineering. They were among the best in quality. And they lost that lead and became one of the under-performers...
http://money.cnn.com/2003/07/08/pf/a...ility/?cnn=yes
http://www.forbesautos.com/reviews/2...testdrive.html
http://www.time.com/time/europe/maga...118309,00.html
CNN - 2003
Perhaps the study's most shocking results involve DaimlerChrysler. Since the 1998 merger, Daimler executives have contended that Mercedes-Benz's knowledge of how to build quality vehicles would be used to improve the Chrysler brands.
But Chrysler, Dodge and the now-defunct Plymouth brand all outranked Mercedes, which had 318 problems per 100 vehicles. Ivers said Mercedes' troubles were concentrated in its M-Class sport utility vehicle and its E-Class sedans, which accounted for roughly half its sales.
"The M-Class has had a lot of problems since its launch," Ivers said. "The rate of deterioration on the E-Class is greater than on any other vehicle in the industry."
Mercedes also had the largest gap between initial quality (the number of problems found when a vehicle is brand-new) and long-term quality.
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Forbes article
But sagging quality and reliability have damaged Mercedes' reputation in recent years. The 2000 and 2002 models of the S-Class, for instance, have been rated as worse-than-average in J.D. Power's Vehicle Dependability Study, which is based on three years of ownership. Consumer Reports rates the S-Class as having far-below-average reliability on 2000 through 2003 models, with electrical components and power equipment as Achilles' heels.
Part of the problem is that Mercedes' strategy has been to infuse its vehicles — especially the flagship S-Class — with newfangled high-tech features — not because the market demands them, but in order to stay ahead of the curve and to be known as a technological innovator. The electronic braking system found in the latest generation E-Class is an example.
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This is not something I'm making up.