http://www.topgear.com/us/features/more/10-foreign-automaker-fails

From Top Gear.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Despite its bestseller status, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class struggles to compete for enthusiast dollars. Spy shots of the current model had us hoping for Mercedes-Benz goodness in a smaller package. Sadly, that's not the case. Sure, it looks like a Benz, thanks to its shrunken S-Class styling, but what the hell happened inside? Hard, junky-feeling plastic, stiff, cheap leather and dozens of other faults made us wonder if we were driving an actual Benz or a clever Chinese counterfeit. Throw in road noise, a cramped interior and a driving experience that's only so-so and you'll wonder the same thing.

Alternatives: The Cadillac CTS is bigger (i.e., features backseats that are actually usable), has an interior that's entirely up to par, and will run circles around the C-Class. Same thing applies if you're shopping the AMG end of the spectrum: The CTS-V delivers more hurt on this German than any American effort since…well, you know. Even James May likes it. If only GM could up the reliability a touch...

lol at Honda: "The idea was that the Element would be for rugged individualists who want a hose-out interior. Turns out those people buy Jeeps, not Hondas."

Awesome.

The new Camry blows. It's an embarrassment to the Toyota lineup. The last really great Camry was the 4th Gen (1997-2001) model.

The new Camry blows. It's an embarrassment to the Toyota lineup. The last really great Camry was the 4th Gen (1997-2001) model.


LOL. :shakeshead:

-Chris

That was a fun read. I agree on pretty much all of their choices. I would add the current Accord to the fail list for it's fugly, huge-ass styling (as the previous owner of a '95 and '99 Accord coupe, I'm appalled at how ugly the current car is). Both Nissan and Honda (plus Acura) have gone off the deep end with Japanese horror-movie styling. The Camry is the automotive equivalent of white bread. Just because it's popular doesn't mean it's any good.

I just cannot understand why SOME (not all) ... SOME people cannot understand......it's not about WHERE the vehicle is made.....USA, Canada, Japan, Germany, Sweeden or wherever.....it's ABOUT what countries Corporation profits. GM, Ford & Chrysler ARE American Corporations. They employ MORE Americans than any Japanese company does. Furthermoere, the money stays HERE, in the USA.

I got a kick and a smile outta the one person's comment when they siad...."and STOP calling them Japs... they are Japanese.
I agree 110% on that comment !!!

LOL. :shakeshead:

-Chris

I had a 2000 Camry LE. Nothing wrong with that car at all; more reliable and better built than most Cadillac's I've been in (this includes newer ones), great on gas, and decently comfortable.

Fun to drive? No. Great looking? Not really. But I still loved it.

My dad's 99 Camry was crap. The interior plastics were coming apart and the transmission took a dump before 100,000 miles. It looked nice though.

This is why I buy used - I don't have to worry about where the money eventually goes, because it doesn't go any higher than the seller.

Not to mention I couldn't stand spending $X on a car, when it will only be worth $(X-D), where D = depreciation.

I agree with their judgement of the Eclipse. In it's early days it was a lean, mean fightin' machine, now it's fatter and more corpulent. And WHY in the hell did BMW come out with the X6?? That's the most useless vehicle I've ever seen...a four door off road "coupe"?? Come ON! Plus it's so goofy looking too! Ick!!

Oh and you know how us (you) Cadillac owners feel about Cimarrons? That's how us Mercedes owners feel about C Classes (aside from the AMG's). :) :D

I agree with their judgement of the Eclipse. In it's early days it was a lean, mean fightin' machine, now it's fatter and more corpulent. And WHY in the hell did BMW come out with the X6?? That's the most useless vehicle I've ever seen...a four door off road "coupe"?? Come ON! Plus it's so goofy looking too! Ick!!

Oh and you know how us (you) Cadillac owners feel about Cimarrons? That's how us Mercedes owners feel about C Classes (aside from the AMG's). :) :D

Americans always seem to forget that Mercedes Benz is really a mass marketer of trucks, buses and taxi cabs. To compare their American market entry level C Class to a Executive level S Class is like comparing GM's Chevrolet to a Cadillac. The excessive prestige that Mercedes receives from the American public seems more a product of price than of engineering and materials quality.

Speaking of this Forum's membership consensus that Mercedes quality is slipping drastically. I have heard this complaint about Mercedes Benz cars with each succeeding generation of their cars since I was seven years old and knew a Mercedes from a Rolls or a Hispano-Suiza. And I don't want to hear abpout the wonderful 60's Mercedes 600s or the 300's of the fifties, these were cars only affordable to the top 1/2 of 1% of Americans .....just as were the fifties Continental Mark II or the Eldorado Brougham.

I just cannot understand why SOME (not all) ... SOME people cannot understand......it's not about WHERE the vehicle is made.....USA, Canada, Japan, Germany, Sweeden or wherever.....it's ABOUT what countries Corporation profits. GM, Ford & Chrysler ARE American Corporations. They employ MORE Americans than any Japanese company does. Furthermoere, the money stays HERE, in the USA.

I got a kick and a smile outta the one person's comment when they siad...."and STOP calling them Japs... they are Japanese.
I agree 110% on that comment !!!

+1...someone here gets it. Thank you, Sandy!


F

I agree with their judgement of the Eclipse. In it's early days it was a lean, mean fightin' machine, now it's fatter and more corpulent. And WHY in the hell did BMW come out with the X6?? That's the most useless vehicle I've ever seen...a four door off road "coupe"?? Come ON! Plus it's so goofy looking too! Ick!!

Oh and you know how us (you) Cadillac owners feel about Cimarrons? That's how us Mercedes owners feel about C Classes (aside from the AMG's). :) :D

Why is the C-class frowned upon in the MB world?

From being on the BMW sites, it seems that many, including owners of 5 and 7-seires still apperciates the 3-series and admit it is a solid performer. At the least, it is not looked at in any way like the Cimmarion.

I have personally really liked the outside styling of the new Camry (and Lexus look-alike)

The idea was that the Element would be for rugged individualists who want a hose-out interior. Turns out those people buy Jeeps, not Hondas

lol :cool2:

Why is the C-class frowned upon in the MB world?

From being ont he BMW sites, it seems that many, including owners of 5 and 7-seires still apperciates the 3-series and admit it is a solid performer.


It's a little different between M-B and BMW when it comes to their entry level sedan. The 3 Series is an excellent car in all respects. It drives great, it looks great, it's engineered great, it's a constant winner of Car and Driver's annual "ten best" comparisons. It's a benchmark sport sedan and a benchmark entry level luxury sedan. It's BMW's bread and butter car, and the one they sell the most of, and their most loved. You love yours right? :) It personifies what BMW is....small, sporty, massively FUN to drive, luxurious and comfortable for all. And lastly, the 3 Series is the car that made BMW...it was their starting point. They had the 3 (or it's predecessor, the 2002, long before they had a 5,7 or 6 series)

Mercedes on the other hand was always regarded for their bigger luxury cars. They weren't as involving as a BMW to drive, so many would say that they were cars to be driven in, not to drive. M-B got their start in the US with large luxury saloons and convertibles. They were more of a luxury brand and BMW was more sport in the beginning, but now we see BMW becoming luxurious like M-B and M-B being sporty like BMW.

So anyways, back to the point. The C Class wasn't ever Mercedes most popular or well known product. Their most popular car (by volume) is probably the E Class, which ties into my point earlier about them being known for large(r) luxury saloons. Plus with the way that a 3 Series feels compared to a C Class, with much better materials, design and engineering overall, you can tell who really went the extra mile in R&D.

It's a little different between M-B and BMW when it comes to their entry level sedan. The 3 Series is an excellent car in all respects. It drives great, it looks great, it's engineered great, it's a constant winner of Car and Driver's annual "ten best" comparisons. It's a benchmark sport sedan and a benchmark entry level luxury sedan. It's BMW's bread and butter car, and the one they sell the most of, and their most loved. You love yours right? :) It personifies what BMW is....small, sporty, massively FUN to drive, luxurious and comfortable for all. And lastly, the 3 Series is the car that made BMW...it was their starting point. They had the 3 (or it's predecessor, the 2002, long before they had a 5,7 or 6 series)

Mercedes on the other hand was always regarded for their bigger luxury cars. They weren't as involving as a BMW to drive, so many would say that they were cars to be driven in, not to drive. M-B got their start in the US with large luxury saloons and convertibles. They were more of a luxury brand and BMW was more sport in the beginning, but now we see BMW becoming luxurious like M-B and M-B being sporty like BMW.

So anyways, back to the point. The C Class wasn't ever Mercedes most popular or well known product. Their most popular car (by volume) is probably the E Class, which ties into my point earlier about them being known for large(r) luxury saloons. Plus with the way that a 3 Series feels compared to a C Class, with much better materials, design and engineering overall, you can tell who really went the extra mile in R&D.
A 3 series is a highly sought after sports sedan. The C-class is a poseur mobile for poor yuppies...

Yeah, Mercedes hasn't made a solid entry level car since the 190E. The c-class has always felt like a cheap knock off of an e-class, with hard plastics, cheap leather(or vinyl), and knock off s-class styling.

Ah gotcha.... makes sense :)

you drive a 3 series. go drive a c-class. then you'll really see.



A friend of mine has a last gen C230(?) with the supercharged engine. It's got the star people swoon. But it's tiny, even for smaller people. I doesn't have that many options. And people are shocked when they hear how little power it makes...