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redeye
Date registered: Jun 2006
Location: Calgary
Vehicle(s):
| Daimler to equal Lexus quality; narrow product line.
From Businessweek.com, an interview with Dieter Zetsche:
http://www.businessweek.com/autos/content/jun2006/bw20060628_925618...
The interview basically focussed on Mercedes getting back to the top in quality surveys in 2 years time, and re-focussing it's model lineup. Major highlights are:
1) Zetsche opted to run the brand (Mercedes) himself and says he is pushing the organization to run faster when it comes to quality. Mercedes can only be in one spot when it comes to quality, and that is number one, says Zetsche who says he plans to match or beat luxury leader Lexus in Power's influential Initial Quality Study ranking in just two years. The Power IQS Study was just overhauled so that things gone wrong are measured separately from design quality, or how well a car is designed and packaged. Mercedes, which has suffered quality setbacks in recent years, where it came in tenth behind Lexus in 2004, bounced back to third place last year. But the complexity of Mercedes in-cabin electronics, under the new study formula, set the venerable brand plummeting back to 26th in the 2006 ranking released earlier this month.
2) Besides driving the organization on quality, Zetsche says he is moving to better focus Mercedes-Benz's image and product portfolio. Under Schrempp, the division expanded into entry-level cars like the A-Class in Europe, Smart, and SUVs and crossovers in the U.S. We're going to narrow the portfolio a bit and concentrate on what we are, says Zetsche. He singled out the recently launched R-Class crossover, which looks somewhat like a large station-wagon, as a model that is far afield of where Mercedes is going.
This is an interesting comment from the CEO: "He singled out the recently launched R-Class crossover, which looks somewhat like a large station-wagon, as a model that is far afield of where Mercedes is going". Wonder what this implies for the R's future....
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Darkmann
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| All I can say is that talk is cheap. MB is just a very stubborn company.
If they'd only listened to their cuatomers and taken their complaints seriously, they'g not have been in this mess. To think that Lexus will just sit there and not do anything is a fairy tale. MB has a very long hill to climb and if they don't consider customer service as part of that road, 2 years will not get them there. Afterall, the Power survey only goes to customers not to Mb execs!!! |
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Marsden
Classic MB
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Capital City USA
Vehicle(s): Mercedes-Benz
| RE: Daimler to equal Lexus quality; narrow product line.
It's good talk, particularly the part about focus, but we've been listening to the constant jawboning about quality from DCAG for six years now. The Power IQS is probably less meaningful than ever now, since most reporters are conflating the 'quality' results with the 'design' assessments..
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cmitch
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Ala-Tenn
Vehicle(s): 2002 ML320, 2005 S430 4Matic, 2010 F150 Super Crew
Posts: 3412
| RE: Daimler to equal Lexus quality; narrow product line.
If they want to ensure a jump in quality, maybe they should address the electronics parts problems supplied by BOSCH. About half of all warranty and non-warranty repairs made on my M-Class has been failure of BOSCH parts.
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AndrewAZ
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| RE: Daimler to equal Lexus quality; narrow product line.
cmitch - 6/29/2006 10:51 AM
If they want to ensure a jump in quality, maybe they should address the electronics parts problems supplied by BOSCH. About half of all warranty and non-warranty repairs made on my M-Class has been failure of BOSCH parts.
I wish they would give all MLs a extra one year warranty so they could fix all the defects and crappy build quality. I seems like after that 4 year 50,000 mile warranty just about everything is going to hell in my ML, my A pillar is falling apart 3/4 of my doors rattle like no other and my list going on and on. |
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jdc1244
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| RE: Daimler to equal Lexus quality; narrow product line.
redeye - 6/29/2006 1:26 AM
Under Schrempp, the division expanded into entry-level cars like the A-Class in Europe, Smart, and SUVs and crossovers in the U.S. We're going to narrow the portfolio a bit and concentrate on what we are, says Zetsche. He singled out the recently launched R-Class crossover, which looks somewhat like a large station-wagon, as a model that is far afield of where Mercedes is going.
Amen.
That's a step in the right direction - get back to basics and get rid of this entry level 'crossover' crap.
I"ve stopped buying Bosch replacement parts. The quality is very hit or miss. I buy Beru when I can. Indeed, much of the problems have been with the quality of parts and outsourcing |
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Marsden
Classic MB
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Capital City USA
Vehicle(s): Mercedes-Benz
| RE: Daimler to equal Lexus quality; narrow product line.
cmitch - 6/29/2006 1:51 PM If they want to ensure a jump in quality, maybe they should address the electronics parts problems supplied by BOSCH. About half of all warranty and non-warranty repairs made on my M-Class has been failure of BOSCH parts.
Do you know if these failing BOSCH parts are typically made in Germany as in days of yore or are they now made in China for instance?? |
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cmitch
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Ala-Tenn
Vehicle(s): 2002 ML320, 2005 S430 4Matic, 2010 F150 Super Crew
Posts: 3412
| RE: Daimler to equal Lexus quality; narrow product line.
Marsden - 6/29/2006 8:29 PM cmitch - 6/29/2006 1:51 PM If they want to ensure a jump in quality, maybe they should address the electronics parts problems supplied by BOSCH. About half of all warranty and non-warranty repairs made on my M-Class has been failure of BOSCH parts.
Do you know if these failing BOSCH parts are typically made in Germany as in days of yore or are they now made in China for instance?? Who knows? Some of them may be but the EGR valve and the Mass Air Flow sensor said 'Made In Germany'. But even China can stamp made in Germany tags on them. |
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Roch207
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Palmetto State
Vehicle(s): 2005 E320 CDI, 2010 Silverado 2500HD
Posts: 3749
| RE: Daimler to equal Lexus quality; narrow product line.
Future of the R classe? A short trip in one of these:
 (leiche.jpg)
Attachments
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 leiche.jpg (108KB - 2 downloads)
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markcedes
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| Re: Daimler to equal Lexus quality; narrow product line.
i dont know my local benz "supplier" has 3 new on the lot at all times and they are flying of it ya know.... i can see about three from outside of my window now.... |
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iNeon
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| Re: Daimler to equal Lexus quality; narrow product line.
It was a bad idea to rebadge/massage a Pacifica into a Benz, huh?
I was behind a pair, a black Pacifica and a black R350, and honestly-- I see no difference. The R *is* trimmed better, but it is really no different than a Taurus/Sable comparison.
The quality of all parts is declining, not just electronic ones-- Go buy new rear swaybar links for a w123 and compare them to the originals, you'll see.
I don't think that it's smart to pretend that the build quality and mechanical quality is as it has always been, and that it is ONLY electronics that are the problem. Modern cars suck. The steel is thinner, the plastics are layered and glued to squishy substrates and my biggest beef with ALL modern cars--
WHERE THE HELL DID THE TRUNK AND PASSENGER'S DOOR LOCKS GO?!?!
cheap shit.
Period; Audi to VW-- They're ALL disposable, just some have a 15-year lifespan. |
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