Overview & Reviews

"Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes-Benz?" That's the opening line of "Mercedes-Benz," a song most famously recorded by singer Janis Joplin in the early 1970s. The tune gently poked fun at materialism and our desire for the finer things in life. It's fitting that the renowned German marque figures prominently in the lyric. Mercedes-Benz has long been known for crafting vehicles that emphasize luxury and refinement. For many, its vehicles are sleek symbols of status, success and good taste.

In January of 1886, Karl Benz unveiled the world's first automobile, a three-wheeled vehicle dubbed the Benz Patent Motor Car. A few months later, Gottlieb Daimler and his chief engineer Wilhelm Maybach rolled out a four-wheeled vehicle powered by his Daimler engine. The first Mercedes was crafted in 1901, shortly after Daimler's death. Built by Maybach, the car was commissioned by Emil Jellinek, one of Daimler's primary distributors, and was ultimately named after Jellinek's daughter, Mercedes.

In 1926, the companies founded by Daimler and Benz merged to form Daimler-Benz AG, and the Mercedes-Benz brand was born. The company's insignia was a three-pointed star wreathed in a laurel; the star was dreamed up by Daimler years earlier, and its three points signified the fact that his engines were used in vehicles that traveled land, air and sea.

Right from the start, the Mercedes-Benz name was synonymous with automotive excellence. One of the automaker's earliest vehicles, the 1931 Mercedes-Benz 170, distinguished itself as the world's first production car to offer a technology that was nothing short of extraordinary for the day: four-wheel independent suspension. The '30s and '40s saw Mercedes establishing itself as the brand of choice for car buyers seeking the ultimate in luxury, thanks to coveted cruisers like the 380 and 540K.

The 1950s witnessed the introduction of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL "Gullwing," a sports car that has been described as being the world's first supercar. With its dramatic styling and race-bred technology, the 300 SL reigns today as a classic coveted by collectors worldwide. The decade also saw Daimler-Benz making strides in the area of safety technology. The company's Mercedes-Benz 220 sedans were the first vehicles to incorporate its patented "crumple zone" body design, created to absorb impact in the event of a crash.

In 1963, the company cemented its reputation as the home of automotive luxury with the launch of the Mercedes-Benz 600. The elegant, luxurious sedan was also available as a limousine and featured an ahead-of-its-time air suspension system and a V8 engine that boasted 300 horsepower. The decade also saw the launch of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3. This full-size sedan went from zero to 60 in under seven seconds, distinguishing itself as the quickest luxury car is its day.

The 1970s saw the birth of the brand's storied S-Class line of vehicles, opulent sedans and coupes that coddled passengers with powerful engines and a long list of luxury features. The decade also saw Mercedes continuing on the cutting edge of safety technology, by being the first to offer antilock brakes in its vehicles.

Daimler-Benz's safety advancements continued in the 1980s. Its cars were the first to offer airbags and traction control. The manufacturer also raised the bar in terms of ride comfort and handling when it introduced multilink rear suspension. The technology debuted on the compact Mercedes-Benz 190 E, and it remains a vital component of the company's chassis engineering to this day.

Mercedes-Benz vehicles got an extra dose of power and performance in the 1990s, thanks to the manufacturer's partnership with AMG, a performance and tuning shop that was eventually purchased by the company to help produce ultra-high-performance versions of some of its vehicles. The first AMG model offered in the U.S. was the sporty C36 AMG in 1995; since then, Mercedes has gone on to offer an AMG-tuned version of almost all of its vehicles.

The company's current lineup is the most comprehensive in its history. With a variety of sedans, coupes, SUVs and roadsters filling Mercedes showrooms, it seems like the only thing missing is a pickup truck. Surely, the fact that Janis Joplin's song holds as much relevance today as it did four decades ago is a strong indicator that the brand's premier status is still very much intact.

User Reviews:

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  MY MISTAKE - 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
  By Melamik - March 7 - 4:46 pm

  I purchased the GLK 350 4matic 3 weeks ago and traded in my Lexus RX330 fromo 2004. That was the biggest mistake I could have made. My Lexus never needed to go into the shop for repairs beside the regular maintenance. My GLK has already been iin the service dept 3 times in 3 weeks. Maybe I bought a lemon and if the problems persist I will be filing for lemon law. I have had instrument problems, electrical issues and some of the fit and finish has not been up to par. I just wish I could turn back time so I didnt trade in my other car.

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  Dissapointed - 1997 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By George - February 26 - 12:50 pm

  I am very dissapointed with Mercedes and will no longer ever look to buy one in the future. I purchased my 1997 E420 from a reputable local dealer in 2005 with 54,000 original miles.My vehicle only has 66,000 miles to date and I have been forced to make costle repairs the last six months in excess of $4,000. As the vehicle is only worth $7,000 I feel I have been cheated by chosing such an unreliable hunk of junk. If you are looking for reliability and affordability, this is not the car for you! I have had to replace my lifters,a/c blower,seat motor,ignition, and lastly the radiator cracked. This car is easy to fall in love with its looks but has proven to be venomnous to my bank account!

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  The worest Mercedes-Benz I ever had - 1998 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By voice1 - November 8 - 9:46 am

  This car I bought new 1998 , as soon as it went over 95000 Km the oil add oil started , in a 300 miles trip I would have to add at least two quarts . Then the electronics started to fall , the headlight the tail light light bulbs almost every two to three week. Rust in the trunk around the key lock . I would say my 230 1988 or my 200 D 1973 were million time better built cars . I lost intrest in buying another Mercedes .

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  Overpaid, Underachieved! Dont Buy - 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By alleers - October 29 - 1:30 am

  I purchased my GL 320 with 115 miles in May. During the 14 months it was in the shop 25 times for repairs. I had the following items fixed or repaired, DVD, parktronic sensors, new struts, mystery oil lights, battery, computer upgrades, air temp sensor, hatch corrected, would not come out of gear, sideview mirror pivet replaced and this is only part of the list.I called MB to file a complaint for buy back or compensation with NO LUCK.Several attorneys said they will not deal with MB because they dont recognize they make lemons. We took a loss to get out of this car and avoid lawsuit. BTW, maintenance is $450 and tires are $1200. Tires last 15,000 miles. Look around at other cars before buying

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  No Quality Check for ML320 - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By WSG - October 22 - 7:53 pm

  All of these problems occurred in the first year: -Navigation systems sends out wrong location -Windshield wipers fail to function -Kick skirt falls off the seat -Drivers window loose in track fails to close (in winter) -Parking brake release comes off in your hand -Power window button snaps off -Computer brain needs replacement -Computer brain needs reprogramming since replaced with wrong version of software

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  sick of it - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By sick of it - September 14 - 2:00 am

  at first I was in love with it but after about 5/6 months things started to go wrong..the window switch broke twice,the sunroof would not close, the tires were losing air ALL the time,the driver seat became uncomfortable,the sound system would crap out,the lights would dim,the glove compartment door latch broke twice,the cup holders are a joke, and when it comes down to performance, I always feel "uneasy" when driving on a parkway at high speeds and turning..fells like it might tip..handles GREAT in the snow though, but crappy in the rain..seems very "delicate" and minor repairs are very expensive.I simply can not wait to get rid of it.

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  Dont Buy the Star - 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By German Unengineering - September 3 - 10:00 am

  Bought a used ML 320 in good condition. First thing I noticed was the rough ride for a "Luxury SUV." Averaged 12 miles a day since I owned it. The next day after bringing it home had to have the gas gauge fixed. It never read accurately afterwards. Then with less than 29000 miles had to have smog components replaced. Final straw was a "computer module" failure that left me stranded. Wrote to MB, U.S.A and they failed to take accountability for the product they market and sell. Traded it in for a Japanese luxury SUV and will never have anything to do with German engineering built in the U.S.A. MB reputation at an all-time low with this one.

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  Not worth it - 2004 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By jonnie - August 5 - 6:50 am

  This car is very unreliable. Something is always breaking down. The electric wiring is messed up. First the car shut off on the freeway-no reason. Then the trunk broke and would not lock, speakers went out, then the lighter went out so I cant charge my phone during driving. Then the brake lights have been going out on & off since Ive had it. Finally my drivers side lock went out -causing the alarm to go off while driving and while parked. Ive been a fool and taken it in to the Arcadia dealership to be fixed which has only cost thousands of dollars. This last estimate ~$700 for a $125 part. They told me their technicians are trained thats why they charge so much. please! Never buy Mercedes. :(

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  My Mercedes nightmare!! - 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Frank - July 31 - 10:36 am

  Im the second owner of this amazing e550, let me say its a head turner. However after months after buying the car I started to notice a "malfunction" light indicating a car with a lift symbol. Never thought much seeing how it came on and went away. After a few weeks it started to come on daily. I then noticed the car dropped about an inch!! The airmatic was broken!! The rear was on the ground! I brought it to Mercedes they told me over 3800.00 to repair the rear airbags and compressor!!! What a joke. Who builds a car on air suspension?!?!? It will always fail. Mercedes needs to recall this! Beware buyers. After 40k you will have to replace this! Go buy a c class youll be better off.....

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  CLK 500 Convertible - 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By Mike Parker - July 26 - 9:13 am

  Of the 35 cars that I have bought new in 6 countries and on 4 continents this is by far the worst experience that I have ever had. I strongly suggest that you keep away from the CLK 500 as I have had nothing but problems in too many respects that there is space to advise. The car is an absolute lemon and is being returned to Mercedes Benz. Be warned, the looks are good and that is where it all ends.