Thought I'd chimed in on this but didn't see that I had. For me, it's an easy one...
2003 Mercedes Benz C320 sedan
Bought it new (cash from mom's life insurance). It was just a bit more than the Passat's, Altima's, and GM products that I looked at. It was a nice car and I rationalized the extra because I could keep if for decades based on the 'legendary Merc reliability'. Wow was I wrong. Bought it on Valentines day, the next morning I got in and the gear shifter came of in my hand - not the knob but the entire linkage assembly. Dealer said that was 'normal' and it took them 4 months to convince them otherwise. In the eight months I owned the POS it had 5 laser key replacements. The last straw was the traction control trying to kill me every time it rained.
The service was the only thing worse. The one and only time I got the 'loaner' in all the trips in to service it was filthy and smelled horrible.
Runner up was the 2003 Chevy Trailblazer we got just before that. The trim kept falling off and it made horrible but 'normal' sounds every time we put it in 4 wheel drive.
2003 Mercedes Benz C320 sedan
Bought it new (cash from mom's life insurance). It was just a bit more than the Passat's, Altima's, and GM products that I looked at. It was a nice car and I rationalized the extra because I could keep if for decades based on the 'legendary Merc reliability'. Wow was I wrong. Bought it on Valentines day, the next morning I got in and the gear shifter came of in my hand - not the knob but the entire linkage assembly. Dealer said that was 'normal' and it took them 4 months to convince them otherwise. In the eight months I owned the POS it had 5 laser key replacements. The last straw was the traction control trying to kill me every time it rained.
The service was the only thing worse. The one and only time I got the 'loaner' in all the trips in to service it was filthy and smelled horrible.
Runner up was the 2003 Chevy Trailblazer we got just before that. The trim kept falling off and it made horrible but 'normal' sounds every time we put it in 4 wheel drive.