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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  CL 55 review by an owner - 2006 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By CL55 owner - September 7 - 10:06 am

  I fell in love with this car, the handling, and the wonderfully powerful and smooth engine. I continue to enjoy the well-crafted and reliable engine (each engine is hand crafted by one person, and signed by him/her) and the excellent ride. And the car looks sharp, inside and out. But I will bot purchase another Mercedes. The "cons" are just far too many for a car that is $140K+. I average 13mpg (city driving), premium gas only. I have had to buy new tires on three occasions now (with less than 15,000 miles) They are fat tires and pick up all nails and cannot be patched. And tires are $500+ each. And reliability of non-engine components (electrical system especially) is awful.

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  Like a rock. - 2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Senior happy ownwr - September 7 - 9:50 am

  Second buy of E320 series. This one the best, Love dealership and have been careful to adhere to maintenance schedule. Drive long distances and car is quiet and powerful. Ride is stable and responsive. Small electrical problems, radio ect but not a bother. No major repairs, highly recommend. Car is safe in my opinion. I have an extended warranty issued direct by Mercedes and it does provide comfort that if the day comes for some serious trouble that it will be taken care of, at no cost.

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  Great but not perfectly reliable - 1998 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By MLPerson - September 7 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle is great with the exception of subpar reliability. I bought it new after being on a list for a while, instead of an Expedition (~ same price). I cant think of an SUV currently on sale that I would rather own. It drives wonderfully, has an exceptionally smooth and quick shifting transmission, returns 18-24 mpg in varying conditions...Interior is very spacious and it tows a 4000 lb. boat without breaking a sweat while getting 16 or 17 mpg in the process!! The closest M-B dealership is fantastic.

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  Would Buy Again! - 2000 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By auntgranny - September 7 - 2:00 am

  Purchased used private party 9 mos ago w/30,000 miles;now 46,500. Replaced the brakes & driver window switch. Dealer service outstanding. Car is fab-more comfortable & better gas milage than my old Grand Cherokee. Average 20-22 mpg which I think is great for SUV.

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  Love the car - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By sreeni - September 7 - 2:00 am

  In terms of performance, the car is very enjoyable to drive. Its handling is excellent, and the seat comfort cannot be beat. The interior dashboard and controls are far more appealing than the S class, Lexus, and Infinity. Only BMW and Audi come close. I hope its reliability is as good as my first impression.

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  Not worth the money... - 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Rob-Puyallup - September 6 - 11:13 am

  I was a big fan of Mercedes prior to owning my 2009 SL-63. After having it in the shop for now the 4th time in 5 months, they still cant fix the transmission and excessive oil burn. The new transmission slips like youve lost gears until the car is completely warmed up. Try pulling out into traffic, stepping on the gas and the engine revs, but the car goes nowhere. Then out of no-where, 3-5 sec later the car catapults you into traffic. I was finally told that this is a race- car. You cant expect it to drive like a luxury car. How about that? In addition to having to add a quart of oil every 100 miles Mercedes has some work to do before I would ever recommend this car. Spend elsewhere!

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  A Tour DeForce - 2006 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
  By Kirk Bryan - September 4 - 9:50 pm

  I bought this with 70,000 miles and it drives like new. The comfort is incredible. The multicontour seats fit like a glove. The armrests and steering wheel are in the perfect position. The head rest doesnt push my head down to my chest like all the new cars do. The sound system is the best I have ever heard. I keep finding more features to use. The mileage better than most smaller v6 SUVs. None of the problems some people talk about. Too bad the economy forces me to sell it.

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  Great to buy used - 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By rlovelace1 - September 3 - 5:30 am

  I purchased my SL55 AMG in Feb of 2010. The bad... had to repair air suspension on front and back. The good... MB significantly reduced the cost of the repair. The excitement of most new car purchases ware off in a month or so. Not this car. I look forward to driving this car every day. Performance is very good, looks are great with top up or down. I cant belive how well it handles based on the weight being over 4,300 lbs. It goes where ever you point it with plenty of power on tap. It is a shame this care does not come with a license to speed. Pay the extra cost for the AMG. It is definately worth it.

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  Poor quality - 2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By teener - September 2 - 10:00 am

  I purchased this car for my daughter to take to college. The intention was to get her a sporty fun car that would have the vaulted Mercedes quality and safety. I was convinced that Mercedes would not fall victum to the dreaded first production year quality issues tha other brands have been plagued by. Unfortunately the car has been a resounding disapointment. In the shop for repairs 7 times in 15 months is rediculous. The fact that the car can not be trusted has forced me to look into replacing it. This is not a car that I would trust with my daughters safety as she travels back and forth to college. I would not recomend this car to anyone.

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  acceptable-? - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By deedles - September 2 - 10:00 am

  i have had the car for 9 months and now have 7000 miles. i really like the solid feeling that this mercedes provides but i have had it in the shop 4-5 times already for a vibration in the steering wheel at 36mph.the dealer exchanged the oem continentals for michelins and have rebalanced the wheels 3 times...still have the vibration. i also had a spring in the emergency replaced for being too loose and now 2 of my window sometimes loose their one touch feature.i still like driving this car but i am not sure if i will buy another... great design but i am not sure about the execution.