Are you on the market for a used car and you are looking for the most reliable Mercedes? Well, if that is the case and you really want to learn more about the Mercedes reliability. Then you are at the right place because there will be a lot to cover on this topic where we are going to learn everything about it.
- Mercedes Benz?
- History
- Pros & Cons
- Things To Consider
- Overall Reliability
- Reliable Models
- Conclusion
- F.A.Q
Performing good research before you decide to go after a certain brand should be one of your top priorities. Why I’m saying this? Well, because it is true. After all, you need a good and reliable vehicle and not a basket case full of problems.
You need to enjoy the car as it was meant and not spend your weekends at the repair shop waiting for your car to get fixed. And some cars can have really hefty repairs. Especially when we are talking about brands like BMW, Mercedes, or Audi.
The German trio is one of the most expensive ones to fix. With some repairs costing thousands of dollars. We are not talking about your regular Chevy or Ford. But some highly upscale vehicles. But you shouldn’t worry because we are going to help you out.
First, we are going to learn who is Mercedes and we will cover a bit of their history. Then we will dive into the pros and cons of owning a Mercedes Benz and also the things to consider before buying a Mercedes Benz. Later on, we will focus on the reliability of this brand and learn about the most reliable Mercedes models. So, if you want to learn more, follow along.
Who Is Mercedes Benz
Now before we learn more about the most reliable Mercedes, let’s first take a look a the basics of this brand and learn a bit more about its history. We think that this would be quite useful for the beginner who is not into cars and want to learn more about this German brand. So, if you are one of them, follow along. If not, you can jump to the most reliable Mercedes models.
Nevertheless, Mercedes Benz, or simply Benz as would some people call it is a car manufacturer from Germany that specializes in high-end luxury models.
And frankly, it always has been. Even from its inception in 1926, this brand primarily focuses on producing mainly luxury automobiles. And the Mercedes name has become a staple in this segment that will last long into the future.
But this isn’t only the case because Mercedes is successful in many other fields as well. Namely, Mercedes-Benz is also highly regarded for the high-quality powertrains that they make for commercial vehicles.
As well as their commercial vehicles are one of the best-selling models out there. Especially in Europe where Mercedes trucks are one of the best and are moving whole economies forward. So, you can see that Mercedes is not only a luxury brand but a lot more than that. But how did everything start and what about the history of Mercedes? Well, more on that we are going to cover in the following chapter before we dive into the most reliable Mercedes models out there.
Mercedes Benz History
Now let’s discuss a bit of the Mercedes-Benz history before we dive into the most reliable Mercedes models. Since, why not? Everything is written in history. And this is why this brand is so popular from its inception till this day.
The early inception of the Mercedes name is a very interesting story. The company that produced the first Mercedes model was the Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft or DMG.
This nameplate started to be used when a guy known as Emil Jellinek, who was an Austrian diplomat based in Nice. He was a real car guy that loved racing some of the DMG models under the pseudonym Mercedes. Which he christened after his daughter Mercedes Jellinek.
He ordered a small batch of sports cars that wore the name Mercedes and he was in fact very successful in racing. So, this sparked a curiosity in people about these Mercedes models unknowingly that these were in fact DMG models.
So, since 1926, DMG called all their vehicles Mercedes-Benz. But why Benz? Well, DMG changed its name with Daimler-Benz AG. Because of the merger of DMG with Benz in 1926.
Nevertheless, the rest is history. The Mercedes-Benz nameplate is indeed in the history books. Their cars are beloved among wealthy individuals, politicians, and dictators, everybody just loves to drive a Benz at one point in their life.
Nowadays, Mercedes-Benz is one of the largest producers of luxury passenger vehicles globally. More precisely, they produce about 2.3 million cars each year.
Also, they are avid motorsport enthusiasts. Participating and winning many racing titles in Formula 1 (if you’re keen to learn more, do check out our guide on Indy Car vs Formula 1) and also in other competitions like the DTM series. But what about the most reliable Mercedes? Well, more on that we are going to elaborate on later.
Pros And Cons Of Owning A Mercedes Benz
Now let’s move on and before we start discussing the most reliable Mercedes, let’s take a look at the pros and cons of owning one.
As with anything in life, everything has pros and cons. And so does the ownership of one of the Mercedes models. In the following two chapters, we will cover precisely where we are going to discuss the ups and downs and having a Mercedes car. So, if you want to learn more follow along. Later on, we will cover the most reliable Mercedes models and learn more about their reliability.
Pros
Before we dive into the cons of having a Mercedes, let’s take a look at the pros of having one. This is really good to know when you are looking for the most reliable Mercedes out there. So, what are the positives of having a Benz in your garage?
Well, the first pro is probably the status that you purchase. Mercedes Benz always has been a status symbol. Even bigger than the other German carmakers such as BMW and Audi. When you own a Benz, you have to be an important person.
So, people who want to look flashy and be someone in the public eye, always opt for a Benz instead of some other brand that is below the Benz reputation. So, if you want to be the coolest guy among your friends. Going for a Benz is a good idea. Even if it’s a $3,000 Mercedes from 20 years ago.
The second pro that we would like to cover is the build quality. When you hop into a Mercedes, you notice this instantly. There are no rattles, vibrations, and other strange noises that come from the car
The car simply drives well and you experience premium stuff. And when we discuss premium, we should also mention the premium materials that Mercedes is using in their cars.
Especially more upscale models like the E-class or the S-class. These models are full of luxury features and leather. Some of them even have massaging seats. And everyone wants a massage every now and then.
So, you get the point why Mercedes Benz is the go-to car brand for people who want to experience the premium feel that a car can offer. But what are the most reliable Mercedes? Well, more on that we are going to cover in a bit.
Cons
So, we discussed the pros, now let’s cover some of the cons before we start learning more about the most reliable Mercedes. And frankly, there are a couple of them that are worth your attention because you don’t want to make a bad deal. Especially when we discuss the expensive models that cost a whole fortune. So, what are the cons? Let’s elaborate.
The first con is probably the price. Mercedes models are really expensive. So, if you can get a good value car from some carmakers like Kia or Toyota for $30,000. When it comes to Mercedes Benz, you will have to spend $5,000 to $15,000 more. That’s how things go with these car brands. They are not for everybody.
The second con is probably the depreciation. Mercedes cars depreciate like crazy. Especially the high-end models that are not collectables. Namely, the E-Class and the S-Class. For example, these cars now cost more than $120,000. And that is the base MSRP for the S-Class. And when they age, they lose a ton of their value. So, an S-Class from 2002 now costs $3,000. If that is not depreciation, I don’t know what is.
The next con that we would like to cover is the reliability. And some of the models are not as reliable as expected. They have some issues especially the models in the early 00s, like a problem with the airbags of the suspension, and other really expensive repairs.
And here we come to the next big con which is the price to repair these cars. And the cost can be rather high. It is mainly the case because everything when it comes to these cars is more expensive than on other cars. So, you need to be prepared for this.
Buying A Mercedes Benz
Now let’s learn more about the things to consider before you buy a Mercedes-Benz. Knowing the things to consider will make your purchasing process a lot easier and you will not have any doubt when it comes to getting one for yourself. So, let’s cover this quick before we dive into the most reliable Mercedes.
Well, the first thing to consider before you decide to buy this is your budget. You need to plan your budget because one thing is to purchase a car. Anyone can have $3,000 and get a used car. But the most important thing is the money that you will need to have to maintain it properly.
These cars are crazy expensive to maintain. A single bigger repair like changing the timing chain could set you back more than $3,000 or even more.
Not to mention that on old cars, things break far more often than on a new car. So, the need for spending money will increase over the time you own this car. In five years period, you can expect to pay anywhere between $5,000 and $15,000 to keep this car running if you are using it as a daily driver.
And this is a lot of money if you are asking me. That’s why we strongly advise you to plan your budget before you make a purchase. If you don’t have enough money for maintenance, go for something else. Something cheaper, like a Lexus for example. These cars are far cheaper to maintain and far more reliable if you are asking me.
But what about the most reliable Mercedes? Well, we will cover the models in a bit after we cover the Mercedes reliability in general and learn how reliable are these cars overall.
Mercedes Reliability
Another topic that we would like to cover before we dive into the most reliable Mercedes models is the overall reliability of this brand. Is it reliable as they would say?
Well, not quite. This Mercedes is a far cry from the glory days of the 80s, 90s, and early 00s. Nowadays Mercedes has so many models that are even difficult to count them all. I stopped counting at 27 models.
So, getting every model out there right can become a challenge even for a big company like them. Not that they are a bad car company. But their ratings have significantly fallen behind the ones that were back in the day.
So, according to a lot of online car reviewing websites, namely RepairPal, they rate Mercedes with 3/5 stars overall. Which is decent but not the best if we are talking seriously. Better said, their reliability is pretty much average.
Not to mention that the brand is ranked overall at 27th place out of 32 car brands. So, we can say that they are not one of the most reliable car brands out there right now.
All this information shouldn’t discourage you because according to RepairPal, BMW and Porsche are even worse in this category of reliability. Now let’s move on and discuss more the most reliable Mercedes.
Most Reliable Mercedes
Now let’s move on to the main topic and discuss which are the most reliable Mercedes cars ever produced.
We will cover a few of them. These are generally older models that have proven a lot throughout the years of use. So, we strongly hope that you enjoy our list! Now let’s get into the topic.
Most Reliable Mercedes #1: Mercedes W201 190E
Now let’s start with a classic. And for many the most reliable Mercedes ever made. This model is the legendary W201.
The W201 was the old Mercedes ancestor of the modern C-Class and basically, the model that shaped this compact executive car market.
The W201 was introduced in 1982 and was produced till 1993. With more than 1.8 million cars produced during its long production stint.
Here in the US, the most popular model was the 190E. While in Europe the 190D was the best-selling model. Both of them are bulletproof. These cars were pushed for more than a million miles as taxi vehicles. And are still used as taxis in Africa. When we are talking about the most reliable Mercedes, you can’t beat this model.
Most Reliable Mercedes #2: Mercedes E-Class W211 2008
The next on our list of most reliable Mercedes models is the E-Class. More precisely the W211. This is easily one of the most reliable cars ever put in service.
Also, a quite famous taxi. All the German taxi companies were using these cars. Pushing them to the absolute limit. And nowadays these taxis are serving in other countries. This platform was that good.
The CDI models more precisely the diesels are absolutely bulletproof. And if you can find them here in the US, excellent. But if you can’t, you will have to get a gas-powered engine. Still, there is a wide variety of engines to choose from.
But we would strongly advise going for the E55 model with the big V8 engine. Still, if you purchase a vehicle that is this old, you better get the best model possible. And you can find them for a really good deal. The engines are also pretty much bulletproof. Just watch out for the airbags for the air suspension if you have one, these can be expensive to fix.
Most Reliable Mercedes #3: Mercedes S-Class W220 2002
Now let’s move on to the next most reliable Mercedes. And that is the S-Class. More precisely the fourth generation of the S-Class is known as the W220.
These cars can be found out there for screaming deals. You can have a V8 for $3,000 to $5,000 in fair condition. And you cannot beat this price.
We would recommend you to go for the V8 since these engines are highly regarded for their reliability. Just make sure that the timing chain doesn’t rattle because this is an expensive replacement.
Also, these models have problems with the airbags of the suspension. Replacing them can be really expensive and you don’t want to spend a ton of money to replace one of them.
This is why try to find a sorted one. Don’t go for a basket case. When it comes to these cars, the fewer repairs that need to be done to them, the better will be for you and your budget. Now let’s move on and cover the last most reliable Mercedes.
Most Reliable Mercedes #4: Mercedes S-Class W221 2012
Now let’s cover the last most reliable Mercedes on our list and that is the W221. This is basically the model that was introduced after the previous S-Series that we covered.
The W221 was produced from 2007 to 2013 and as you probably are aware, this was the flagship model at the time.
And this model really stood up to that claim. This model was revolutionary in the design language approach and implemented a ton of new technology and features that Mercedes vehicles that didn’t include at the time. Including even night vision.
But why this model is so craved for is its low price. You can find these models for a really good deal and also enjoy the comfort and luxury that they can offer.
Similarly to the predecessor, we would strongly suggest you go for the V8 options. These engines are a lot smoother and run really well. Just make sure that you find a sorted model. Especially when it comes to the timing chain.
If the engine doesn’t rattle and this was serviced, then you will be good to go. And this is a modern Mercedes as reliable as it can be. You can also go for a later generation of the S-Class as well. But these are still holding their value well. So, they are not that cheap.
Facts: 5 Most Reliable Mercedes-Benz Models and Alternatives
- It is important to perform a VIN lookup before buying a used Mercedes-Benz to avoid costly problems.
- According to consumer surveys, repair shop statistics, and car history reports, Mercedes-Benz is one of the least reliable car manufacturers.
- The 5 most reliable Mercedes-Benz models are the CLS-Class 2006-2010, GLK-Class 2013-2015, E-Class 2007-2009, C-Class 2008-2014, and GLA 2014-2020.
- Mercedes-Benz maintenance costs are high and the cars are among the fastest depreciating on the market.
- Common Mercedes-Benz problems include fogging headlights, premature timing chain wear, and problematic air suspension.
- Alternatives to Mercedes-Benz include German luxury car makers BMW and Audi, as well as Japanese car manufacturers Lexus, Acura, and Infiniti, which are known for building reliable cars.
- Japanese car manufacturers also offer reliable sports cars, such as the Mazda Miata and the Toyota 86, which are affordable and require minimal maintenance.
Conclusion
In this article, we have covered quite a bit when it comes to Mercedes. First, we learned more about this nameplate and its history. Then we covered the pros and cons of owning a Mercedes as well as the Mercedes-Benz reliability and saw how reliable this brand is.
Then we covered the most reliable Mercedes models. We listed a few of the most reliable models when it comes to buying a Mercedes Benz for a really good deal on the secondhand market.
F.A.Q
Now let’s answer some frequently asked questions.
What Country Is Mercedes From
Mercedes is a luxury car brand from Germany. They are one of the oldest luxury car brands in the world with a lot of history and a lot of legendary models.
Where Are Mercedes Made
Most of the Mercedes cars for the US market are produced in Germany. Mercedes also has a factory in the US that produces the GLS, GLE, and C-Class models. They also have a lot of other factories globally.
Are Mercedes Good Cars
Yes, they are definitely good cars. At least when they are new. But as soon as they age, they start to show problems that are somewhat expensive to repair like the problem with the airbag suspension.
Are Mercedes Reliable
According to RepairPal, Mercedes gets a solid 3/5 when it comes to reliability. Also, it is a little bit better performer in this segment than Porsche and BMW.
What Is The Best Mercedes Class
The best Class is definitely the S-Class, there is hardly any better model than this. It has a ton of luxury features and it is a real pleasure to drive. So, if you want something luxurious and comfortable, this model is the right one for you.
Do Mercedes Hold Their Value
Well, we can say that they don’t. Why is this the case? Well, they are more upscale models that are rather expensive. And when a new generation of the same model appears on the market, the older generation starts to depreciate quite a lot.
