I don't think Chrysler has had anything to do with Mercedes' reliability issues. Luckily, nothng with yours sounds major.

I'm working on providing more useful reliability information. I'm very interested in collecting data on Mercedes, so I can provide absolute repair rate stats (not just vague colored dots), but too few owners are signed up at this point.

Details on the research: Vehicle reliability research

 

Interesting, I feel your pain too. I would add that MB service has been terrible for years, way before they took over Chrysler, I speak from experience, I have owned 9 MBs in the last 15 years. Everyone could take a lesson from Lexus and Acura as how dealers should treat customers. MB quality has also been poor since way before the Chrysler take over, when they unload Chrysler see if anything improves. The '86-92 300E was the pinnacle of MB quality, I owned an 87 which was every bit as reliable as any Toyota or Honda over 155K miles. MB top brass is now saying that they want to get back to the quality of the 1st gen E class, I think the story appeared in Autoweek several weeks ago.

 

Extremely Disappointed Mercedes R350 owner. Owned couple of Lexus previously and worked with the same dealership companies Lexus dealership and did not have as many issues as this one. Ray your issue with tires seems to be Mecrcedes issue with putting in Cheap tires. I bought my first Mercedes for my family thinking it has one of the best handlings and would be safe in rainy weather etc. Come to find out this car has skidded several times and is scary to drive in rainy conditions. Wheel alignment off the day I drove it off the lot and went back with a few hundred miles but the steering still turned to the right and pulls to the right. Went back to the dealership for same issue later first dealership they could not do anything hence bad survey finally got a call from dealer to bring it back in.

Shop foreman sat with me and said he would align again. Wheels tires check out ok perservice person and should not skid. Well that issue has happened several times since, my tires are worn unevenly and MB service nanager mentioned, TIRES NORMAL wear is around 15K. I don't buy that, tires wear outfrom the out side only with that many miles. They have had issues and I feel like just leaving the MB at the dealership and not pickit up unless they resolvedthey fix the Alignment and Tire wear.

Has anyone else had these issues.

 

I am in Jacksonville Florida and I have not had any problems with excessive tire wear or hydroplaning. I hope you get your problem resolved just keep pressing for answers and good luck.

 

I was also told that the problem was with the tires at 20,000KMs however I tried a different set of tires and then mounted the original tires back and drove until 62000Kms when the other service place told me that tires needs to be changed. So be carefull they will blame tires since the warranty of the vehicle is seperated from the tires they always blame the tires for anything they dont know how to fix or dont want to fix. I am waiting to write about my ordeal with MB canada and i am also really disappointed.
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I have the same problem.

9 tires in 40k miles and 2 alignments.

In addition, the drivers side is several inches higher than the passenger side and the SA says it is to accomodate the weight of the driver.

They tell me wear is common because the car is heavy and I should rotate at 6k miles.

The car is a hazzard

 

I am new to this forum. I am joining in hope to get some answers to my own problems. But before that, I may have the cause and fix for your vibration problem.

I used to get sqweaking sound when the car was moving, especially during cornering, accelerating and braking. It was very annoying and embarrassing. I finally figured it out, it is a loosely mounted front passenger chair. I can replicate the problem and showed that to the technician. They then tighten a few screws at the chair's base, and the sound was gone.

Hope this help and good luck.

Victor

 

Ray,
It seems we have identical dilemmas... I have had the exact same problems with the dealer and the vibrations that you just described. And guess what... the dealer told me (almost verbatim) what they told you. Especially the part about replacing the tires. So, I figured what the heck, the tires needed replacing anyway, so I did. 1200$ later and the vibrations are still there. As I write this my R350 is in the shop (again) for the vibration. I, somewhat forcefully, told the service manager not to call me until the car is ready. So, here I sit (with a loaner) waiting for my car to be fixed for good (hopefully). When I do get it back, and if it is fixed this time, I will post the problem so that you will have some ammunition to go back to the dealer with. Hope this helps a little.

 

Ray,
My R350 is out of the shop, but still vibrates at hight speeds. However, I too was experiencing vibration at idle and while stopped. Turns out the transmission mount was broken. Have the dealer look at this! Just got the car back today, and am turning right back around to take it back to the shop. The vibrations are gone at idle, but still persist at 74mph-85mph.