Let's reverse it a little bit.
When you go to buy OEM sheetmetal for the Kia, you'll think you said "Mercedes".
When you go to buy OEM sheetmetal for the Kia, you'll think you said "Mercedes".
Is it a Mercedes or a Kia?
- Thread starter BBDartCA
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The issue is the B series econobox dragging down the US image. Its a different perception / reality in the US than Euro (and the wanabe Euros the Canadians). That the reason MB and BMW have resisted bringing their "budget" cars here as the snobby US MB drivers do not want to be in a brand with cheap cars. Kinda similar reasoning why there is an Acura and Infinity instead of a real nice Honda and Nissan. Similar phenomena that drove the VW Phaeton out - who in their right mind in this country spends 100K on a VW? Of course this is the inverse of the MB situation but the consumer psychology is the same.
Mercedes makes everything from cheap cars, trucks, off road equipment, and luxury cars.
The E class in most of the rest of the world is a taxi and can be ordered pretty stripped with small motors. Just in the US we get the highly optioned ones.
Proper Mercedes luxury cars really don't start to $90k and up anyway, with the S class, the SL and the G wagon. Its impossible to build a proper high end car for much less than that.
I wish they imported their cheaper cars. I'd love a stripped out C class diesel wagon, with the small motor, manual gear box, no climate control, cloth seats etc. Probably could get it in the high $20ks, a lot of car for the money and very use full.
The E class in most of the rest of the world is a taxi and can be ordered pretty stripped with small motors. Just in the US we get the highly optioned ones.
Proper Mercedes luxury cars really don't start to $90k and up anyway, with the S class, the SL and the G wagon. Its impossible to build a proper high end car for much less than that.
I wish they imported their cheaper cars. I'd love a stripped out C class diesel wagon, with the small motor, manual gear box, no climate control, cloth seats etc. Probably could get it in the high $20ks, a lot of car for the money and very use full.
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Back in the early 80s was real popular to buy a Mercedes in Europe, drive it around, and import it into the US yourself as a "used" car. One still had to americanize the headlights, catalytlic, speedometer etc but still came out ahead. Wonder if MBUSA lobbied to put the keibosh on that.
Originally Posted By: Spazdog
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Most all MBs had hubcaps..
But they were tasteful. Chromed and beautifully enameled quality steel.
The hubcaps on my '75 and '80 were polished aluminum, and yes, top quality.
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Most all MBs had hubcaps..
But they were tasteful. Chromed and beautifully enameled quality steel.
The hubcaps on my '75 and '80 were polished aluminum, and yes, top quality.
My Grandpa had a W115 he bought brand new in 1974, way before I was born. It's been passed down the family after he past away in 2007, and I really wish I got that car. In 2007, it only had something close to 72,000 km (45,000 miles) on the clock and was still smooth as butter.
New Mercedes products are nice, but given the option, I'd take a 70s/80s Mercedes over a new one (unless its a G-Klasse). I'm a big fan of the W116 and W126 in particular.
New Mercedes products are nice, but given the option, I'd take a 70s/80s Mercedes over a new one (unless its a G-Klasse). I'm a big fan of the W116 and W126 in particular.
I'm normally a big fan of 5-doors, but not the B-Class or R-Class.
Sorry. When I look at an R-class, all I can see is [illegitimate] child of an E-class and a '96 Grand Caravan.
I haven't seen a B-class in person, but I'm forced to wonder if they copied the Daewoo Kalos (aka: Chevy Aveo) or if Daewoo copied them
I understand why they look like that. Better forward visibility and maximized interior space. But they look like they were designed by early '90s Suzuki engineers. Great mechanically/horrible visually. I honestly wouldn't be suprised to see a circa '93 Suzuki "nuclear tiger vomit" stripe job on a B-Class.
Sorry. When I look at an R-class, all I can see is [illegitimate] child of an E-class and a '96 Grand Caravan.
I haven't seen a B-class in person, but I'm forced to wonder if they copied the Daewoo Kalos (aka: Chevy Aveo) or if Daewoo copied them
I understand why they look like that. Better forward visibility and maximized interior space. But they look like they were designed by early '90s Suzuki engineers. Great mechanically/horrible visually. I honestly wouldn't be suprised to see a circa '93 Suzuki "nuclear tiger vomit" stripe job on a B-Class.
R class must have been a copy & paste job from the Chrysler Pacifica. Weren't Chrysler & MB under the same ownership at one point . . .
Daimler AG bought Chrysler in 1998 to serve as the dumping ground of their outdated technology, hence the 300C's which ride on mid 90's W210 under pinnings, or the Crossfire which was an old SLK in different sheet metal.
Mercedes stuff is so advanced over regular cars that they thought they could offer their old designs as new Chrysler designs when they were replaced in the MB lineup. This way they could earn money for another 6-8 years on the old design.
It didn't work but wasn't a bad idea.
Mercedes stuff is so advanced over regular cars that they thought they could offer their old designs as new Chrysler designs when they were replaced in the MB lineup. This way they could earn money for another 6-8 years on the old design.
It didn't work but wasn't a bad idea.
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Originally Posted By: Spazdog
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Most all MBs had hubcaps here in the US until the late 1970s.
But they were tasteful. Chromed and beautifully enameled quality steel. Not silver metal flake painted plastic frisbees.
That was the style, those were not meant to be cheap or mounted on cheap cars.
They came off one of the most expensive, and probably one of the best cars ever made, the 600. They were built for heads of state and Royalty.
Exposed rims were for sports cars or cheap cars at the time, fancy aluminum wheels didn't come into style until the 90's.
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Most all MBs had hubcaps here in the US until the late 1970s.
But they were tasteful. Chromed and beautifully enameled quality steel. Not silver metal flake painted plastic frisbees.
That was the style, those were not meant to be cheap or mounted on cheap cars.
They came off one of the most expensive, and probably one of the best cars ever made, the 600. They were built for heads of state and Royalty.
Exposed rims were for sports cars or cheap cars at the time, fancy aluminum wheels didn't come into style until the 90's.
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B200's are very popular in my area. Many of them likely go to brand conscious and loyal owners who want a small and practical second or third car but wouldn't settle for a hatchback or small station wagon from a more plebian make.
But I suspect that many of those B200's are dealer loaners for when the big Merc is in the shop... judging by the number I see with an "F" plate (company).
But I suspect that many of those B200's are dealer loaners for when the big Merc is in the shop... judging by the number I see with an "F" plate (company).
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Yeah that was the style.
Wheels didn't really get big on Mercedes until AMG was bought by them in the late 90's. Until than (80's-90's) you got hubcaps on the base models and alloy's on the higher end ones. Some aftermarket companies did make nice alloy wheels, AMG at the time, Ronal, Brabus, and a bunch of others.
Now when you order a new Mercedes you have a ton of wheel options to chose from.
Wheels didn't really get big on Mercedes until AMG was bought by them in the late 90's. Until than (80's-90's) you got hubcaps on the base models and alloy's on the higher end ones. Some aftermarket companies did make nice alloy wheels, AMG at the time, Ronal, Brabus, and a bunch of others.
Now when you order a new Mercedes you have a ton of wheel options to chose from.
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