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:

• 

  Big, But Refined - 2013 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By scottque - June 4 - 7:09 pm

  Ordered the 450 in February and took delivery in April, convenience 2 and heavily optioned but skipped the off-road stuff, automatic cruise, panoramic roof, and lane-assist. Would have ordered the diesel but dealers steered me clear given biodiesel content in Illinois - no complaints with the V-8; sounds great. This is not, however, a car that cries to be driven fast - big (which is why I bought it), heavy vehicle. Awesome for interstate cruising or tooling around town. Very quiet; smooth ride, although I hate the numb electronic steering. Great styling inside and out. Command system works fine for me, extremely comfortable, lots of convenience features. As good as advertised.

• 

  C Coupe after a year - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By The Phoenix - June 4 - 10:00 am

  I waited a year before writing a review. Purchased the C Coupe over BMW 3 and Acura CL. Car came loaded except for navigation system. 18,000 miles later, it is still a lot of fun. Extremely solid for a small car. Performance is wonderfully tight. I love the gas milage (18K per year adds up). The supercharged engine is provides more than sufficient power while saving MPG. The steering wheel controls are very convienient. Plenty of cargo room. I fit 2 patio chairs and a table in the hatch. The Bose stereo is a must. It can handle a Doors CD turned up to an 11. A great coupe for the price point.

• 

  My Baby Got Back - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By TMac - June 4 - 10:00 am

  Was pretty sceptical about buying this baby at first, but I just couldnt pass off on owning a benz at such a low-low price.

• 

  Fix the breaks! - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By kingw - June 4 - 10:00 am

  the cars interior and exterior are very stylish and impressive. the car rides smoothly and feels heavy on the road. its definitely an eye turner with the new re-design. however, it lacks the over quality of mercedes due to many of the "electronic sensing" functions in the car. the brakes are the biggest disappointment along with the lack of acceleration when turning the car and depressing the accelerator at speeds of around 30mph

• 

  One of the Best - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By kesean70 - June 4 - 2:46 am

  I must say this one of the best cars I have driven in awhile. Ive had several cars over the years and this one is in the top 3 that Ive owned.

• 

  Superlative car but real mileage is poor - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By mstrebe - June 3 - 10:20 pm

  The CLK500 cabrio is a fantastic car. No compromises with this car--it doesnt even really need four doors because you can drop to top with the keyfob so backseat passengers can comfortably enter standing up. I use it to get my kids and their carseats in more easily than seating them in our SUV. Performance is fantastic. 0-60 in under 6. Ive done 135 in it and theres litterally no difference in handling between that and 65. Braking is astonishingly short. Great car for family guys who want a sports car or tall people--drivers up to 67". One warning though: The real mileage youll get in this car is about 16.5 mpg.

• 

  Back in a Benz - 2011 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By abofla1 - June 3 - 7:53 am

  After leaving the silver star in 2007, I went to a BMW 528I and then a Cadillac SRX. I have owned and leased 5 Mercedes since 1997 and I missed not just the brand but the service from the dealership. My 2011 C300 Sport Sedan is fun to drive, comfortable and quite good on gas averaging about 27 on the highway. Ive had it 3 weeks and after comparing it to a few vehicles like the BMW,Lexus, Infiniti and Cadillac, I decided to go back to Mercedes. The japanese manufacturers offer a little more bang for your buck, but I have all the features that I need in the P1 package. Its sharp,nimble and so far, an all around great vehicle.

• 

  Poorly design and manufactured vehicle - 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By duel1013 - June 2 - 7:01 pm

  Nothing but failures, suspension, AC/Heat, computer, sensors, on and on. When running the car is a joy to drive. However, the maintenance expense before and after the warranty is the worst I have ever experienced in all my years of owning cars. The experienced has been nothing but a let down of my expectations of owning a certified pre-owned vehicle with less than 20,000 miles when I purchased it. Definitely has lowered my opinion of the franchise.

• 

  BENZIE 210 - 1996 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By dalworth55cars - June 1 - 11:33 pm

  I really enjoy this superb and silky smooth car. All aspects of the car has been positive. The car handles nicely and feels quite substancial. My only complaints are typical to many other Benzs of similar years both earlier and later. This car turns heads and is deserving of all the attention that it recieves. Mercedes really stepped up the look on the car. To date this is the best looking E-Class. The 2003 chassis doesnt look as beefy, beefy looks good for a mans car. The 1996 is a heavy and stiff car. This tank is built for the road and it superbly holds the road in all weather conditions. This is close to car heaven. That is so far.

• 

  Its Been a Great Car to Own - 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
  By Vincenzo - June 1 - 8:21 pm

  I have owned this car for almost a year now, and I was expecting it to cost 3-5k a year to maintain. I had an emergency fund in place fully funded and so far its been in the shop for some ball joints in the suspension, an intercooler pump (which is upgraded so it shouldnt break for a while) and couple of new rims because the 2 left got bent. Ive replaced the alternator, crank shaft position sensor, engine and cabin air filters, a few pulleys and a valve cover gasket. Its going to need trunk struts, accumulator spheres, engine/transmission mounts and a few cosmetic touch ups (but overall my car is in really good shape). This car has costed me $2,000 in the first year to get caught up on maintenance which is cheap for a car like this at 14 years old. The engine was shutting off on it when it got warmed up not too long ago. I was able to diagnose the problem in less then 15 minutes at a cost of less then $28. It was the CPS and it was a breeze to install once I got it (took 10 minutes) and every local auto part shop had it in stock. I replaced the alternator myself on it as well and once you know the procedure its easy to replace. You need to remove the fan shroud and it will make it easier but it was a breeze as well. This is a very easy car to work on. The hood opens 90 degrees and theres a lot of room to work almost like an old muscle car. The struts and brakes cost a lot retail but you can find them so cheap to nothing if you shop around so the parts are usually very cheap and sometimes free in my experience if you send the old ones in. The engine parts are almost all metal and you dont have to worry about anything breaking unless you over tighten stuff. The car gets terrible overall fuel economy but its very fast and the acceleration is brutal in a way. There are a few quality problems but theyre very small and the average person wouldnt be able to find them. The quality of materials and build quality is overall extremely high for this vehicle especially when you consider its from the DaimlerChrysler era. Its got a tank like Mercedes-Benz build quality to it. It feels very solid and heavy and the doors are very heavy. The transmissions in these vehicles shift very slow and are a bit cumbersome but are basically the same as youd find in a Sprinter van or almost any other Mercedes in this time period and is found in almost every V12 Mercedes until 2014 or so. You can also find it in many Chrysler vehicles like V8 Grand Cherokees, 300s, Chargers, Challengers, Durangos, you name it. Its even in some Jaguars and 911s. Its a very heavy duty unit and can run for 100s of thousands of miles. When you need to replace it just make sure it has the correct torque converter and youre golden. The unit should be pretty cheap. This is a very intuitive car. I am not a technician or expert and I can easily diagnose anything in this car in 15 minutes or less. Make sure the hydraulic fluid has been getting changed though before you buy one because the car rides on a fully active hydraulic suspension and one pump runs the suspension and steering. If the fluid is not changed before 50k miles at least, the pump will fail, the lines will get clogged and it can ruin your struts. It can total out your car if someone is careless about this and should be done every 30k along with the transmission fluid or even 20k if you can. This is the only thing you have to worry about. The engine mounts go out early because theyre filled with fluid and are soft to make the car ride and settle better so thats normal. Supercharger oil should be done every 20-30k as well and make sure you lubricate the seals and the top. Overall if you listen to what Mercedes tells you to do and do more than what is expected and are good to your car you will be rewarded with one of the most reliable vehicles on the market. 1,000,000 miles on one of these is not uncommon and can go possibly 2,000,000 miles between rebuilds. Its a very solid and simple single overhead cam engine. Its not hard to maintain. Make sure you have an emergency fund in place though. You should have one anyways and it should have at least $12,000 in it.