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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  Very disappoited. - 2000 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By DiasppointedEddie - July 7 - 10:00 am

  Im very disappointed of the quality of the car and the dealer service. The dealer has been incompetent in fixing the noisy problem when the wheels are being turned, for 3 times over 10-month period. How much more headache do I have to endure? Who hired all those skilled mechanics? Lexus, I bet.

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  Extremely disappointed - 2006 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By Verydisappointed - June 26 - 12:56 pm

  I bought the first car of this new Model in 2005 and it has been hell ever since. At some point the dealership offered to give me a new car for additional 15k -- I bought the car cash hoping not to worry about buying a car for a long while. I have the ML320, 99 and it has worked very well for us, so I assumed this would be the same. To start, when the roads are wet or there is a little wind the car feels like it is being blown off the road and I have had this since day one, initially they told me that it might be the tires, but that wasnt it. The car has had so many problems that, at one point it spent 36 days at the dealership and they still couldnt figure out what was wrong with it.

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  Leaky bucket - 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By R.Scott - June 18 - 7:03 am

  Repair costs are high. the turbocharger went out before 75K and at a cost of 5,000 to replace. At the time there were no rebuild kits available. Had to replace the oil cooler from leaking, the manifolds seem to clog early. The after market warranty policies are not worth the paper, but that is another story.

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  Disappointed. Wish I hadnt bought it. - 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Disappointed! - June 9 - 2:00 am

  Check engine light came on after 20 miles. Struts had to be replaced after 3,000 miles. Suspension still a problem. Navigation system is a disaster. Seat controls not working properly. After 6 months and 3,000 miles, I am considering getting a new car. I wish I had not bought this car!

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  All Wheel Drive Eats Tires in 10,000 mi - 2005 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By BEB - May 11 - 6:43 am

  My ML350 ruined a set of tires in 10,000 mile. The dealer says I didnt rotate enough. They were rotated and balanced at 5,000 at 10,000 at 15,000 at 20,000. I think the all wheel drive is eating the tires. My dealer wont do anything, no other dealer will do anything. So, at 30,000 miles, Im losing $7,000.00 just to get rid of this lemon. Pretty sad. Ive had other Mercedes, but this piece of junk is my last. This vehicle vibrates like a piece of junk. Im embarrased for M.B. They should be ashamed.

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  Over rated - 2005 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By RWM - April 26 - 4:50 am

  I purchased the C230 Sport Coupe to replace a 2000 Mitsu Eclipse. Big mistake. The Benz has a pretty face, but is a dog to drive. With a slow- shifting transmission and poor cornering,the fun-to-drive factor is on a par with an inexpensive Japanese or Korean car. Quality is a concern also, with problems with the SRS system; alignment; rattles etc. Last week I cut my losses and traded for a 2005 Honda S2000, which is getting about the same mileage. With the car being over-rated and over-priced, I wouldnt recommend a Benz to anyone at this point!

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  Continuous Costly Maintenance - 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
  By Ken - April 24 - 10:47 am

  Here is a list of repairs on our GL350, 2011: 1. Fuel system changed, fuel rail, high pressure fuel pump, all 6 fuel injectors $600 each in part, total cost > $5000. 2. AdBlue preheater, $1300 part, total $2100 3. Pending issues, oil cooler seal leak, estimate $2800, part and labor 4. Pending issues, cold start rattling noise; most likely due to timing chain stretch MUST buy extended warranty if you still want this car. Highly recommend to wait until next business management change at corporate level to bring back their quality products. Currently, its way below acceptable standard of practicing good business.

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  Dont Bother - 2003 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Rick Marques - April 19 - 10:00 am

  After waiting over twenty years to buy my first Benz - finally getting one was an underwhelming exercise in futility. This is a TERRIBLE car, built like any other Pinto, Gremlin or Vega - HONESTLY. Bad build quality, rattles, squeaks, LOUD when driving it, alignment that cant be fixed, a transmission that cant be diagnosed, and a Corporate Office that refuses to deal with customers on ANY level whatsoever. I was told their Director of Customer Assistance does NOT read, or answer his mail, nor will he contact any customers. THIS is Mercedes Benz? THINK TWICE IF YOU ARE IN THE MARKET FOR A BENZ.....

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  Biggest pile of crap I have owned! - 2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By Tim - April 6 - 2:44 am

  Had the car coming up on 1 year. I have 6400 miles. The 1st week I owned the car driving 80mph down the expressway the power steering went out. The car had to be towed to the MB Dealer. A month later the sunroof would not close (it started to rain) again back to the dealer. 5 months in the sunroof broke again. This time I told the dealer last straw fix this thing or take the car back. Tomorrow I take it in again for a knocking sound when you turn. Also the sunroof is now once again broke. Previous I had a E-350 and had no problems. This 2015 C-300 has been a huge disappointment. For the money MB commands this is just unacceptable.

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  The Worst - 1997 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Laurie Forbes - March 7 - 2:00 am

  My husband and I purchased this car from our niece, who was transferred to Hong Kong. We didnt even get it home before we started having problems. The front end needed repairs twice, electrical and wiring several times, 2 batteries, the alternator, the air conditioning. For the three years we have owned this vehicle, we have paid out nearly $10,000 for repairs. It is by far the worst car we have ever owned.