Matt_75

I was thinking of trading my civic up for a Mercedes C350. Can I expect any HG issues or any other issues in general with a Mercedes?

Thanks for any info.

ezone

You know why Daimler bought Chrysler?
So they could figure out how to cheapen their products.
Not kidding one bit.
Got what they wanted, then dumped Chrysler like a used car with a slipping transmission. (Ironic?)


The people that own them can scream louder than most of us Plebs. (Entitlement issues, anyone?)
A one year old, 15,000 miles, $100,000 car with the rear window stuck down in sub-zero weather: They scream like it is our fault.
You won't see them driving around with a trash bag duct taped over the hole either.



My time in the Benz dealer ended in 1997, I haven't seen much of them since then.
At that time, I thought they used far too much technology and were overcomplicated, while leaving dinosaur-era parts unrefined. Back then, they were already using fiber-optic communication between computer modules in the cars, but still having mechanical failures that some other manufacturers had resolved long ago. Their engines were still needing valve jobs on a semi-regular basis, for example. Suspension parts wearing out as if they were American cars (of that time). I was amazed at how long Asian suspension parts lasted in comparison. Camshafts with flat lobes. Flex discs. Seat motors. Etc.

Nothing like Honda.



It's just a car, it will break.
It's a luxury car, it is not cheap.
If you couldn't afford to buy one of the cars NEW, then you probably cannot afford to maintain and repair one that is USED as the second or third owner.
Unless you can DIY. And almost anything with wires is not going to be DIY, it needs a scanner ($$$$) since everything is run through computers.
Now, even the radio speakers are run on fiber optics. Go ahead. Just try to splice your head unit in there.

Matt_75

So all this is code for "You should keep your civic. High end cars are a waste of money and the people who drive them are mostly elitist snobs. They are too complicated and are probably using cheaper parts now and will break just like any other car. Besides, you already know what to expect from your civic and know what symptoms to look for if you think, for instance, the HG is bad or going bad. Save your pennies and repair the civic."

That sound about right.

ezone

Oooooh, you're good.

They broke like any other car before they cheaped out. I can only imagine what they might be like now.
I am seeing on trade-ins: Caliber/Compass are eating ball joints and tie rod ends while still in warranty. Unreal to me.



It's my opinion though.....
I wouldn't say they are a waste of money, if you have the money to waste.
I can think of better ways to waste my short stacks of money.

Matt_75

Yeah, I'm just going to keep the civic. Mass produced car. Parts are cheap and labor (me) is free for almost every problem.

The only thing I'd take it the dealership for is the f'in POS auto trans which actually improved once I drained and filled it like four times with the DW-1. I'd pay to get that replaced with a Honda reman and have a three year warranty from the dealership or whatever the warranty would be. Still way cheaper than buying a new car.

Personally, I'd never buy a used car just because you really don't know what you're getting. One of my friends thought I was dumb for buying a new car when I bought this one ten years ago. Lol, he's gone through like six used cars in that time. Who's the dummy now?

ezone

I always had used cars until I got this Civic. I finally got tired of fixing the Buick and there was a family of birds living in the right rocker panel.
I tended to run my cars until the body rotted away. 20 years old is good for a car here in the rust belt.

Matt_75

So, on another side note, was it bad of me, as I walked to and from the grocery and o'reilly parts store, to wish every 7th gen civic that passed me, and surprisingly there were a lot of them, that I wished their HG would blow soon? Is that just evil or human nature?

Matt_75

FYI I just added this photo to show why cylinder #3 is discolored/wet. This is the head side of the gasket.