My friend has a '04 E500, and for a few months, everytime i visted him (every weekend or so) his car would be at the dealership for one reason or another.

Sometimes he got the same loaner twice.

 

http://www.mercedes-benz-usa.com/mbusa_complaints.php

Good information located here. Not a bashing website, more to assist others with the issues they may be experiencing.

 

no issues or problems with 05 e350 4matic

 

All Germans suck electrically. They alway have and they always will because if they haven't worked it out in the last 20 yrs of "newer" electronics, as quick as they change things it is not gonna get any better.

Ask any German owner from Porsche, to BMW, to Mercedes to VW and on and on everyone of them will tell you Germans completely suck electrically. Random codes that go away, random wiring issues and replaced connectors.

The fact of the matter is that Germans build the best non-exotic cars in the world when it comes to driving excitement, but if it has more than an ignition switch, brake lights and head lights it's gonna screw up and it's gonna have to go in the shop. What YOU have to decide is do you want the German driving experience or not.

If so, it's gonna cost you....... pay to play. There's nothing that drives like a German. The reality of the issue is that if by some crazy chance the germans figure out how to make a solid electrical connection and do some quality control overall they'll easily bypass everyone else IMO.

I have a CLK430 and had done the "usual" minor stuff like brake switch and MAF replacement. (equal to the Lexus version of dead needles, climates, alternator and PS pumps)

 

my old man has a 1994 E320
it is old but mechanically it has been top notch
its only the electricals and the rubber hoses that fail due to age and the heat in the summer in Taipei

 

99 E320, brand new...
3 months, car randomly dies in the middle of the hwy, towed to dealer..
6 months later, random oil spill in the garage about the size of two sheets of paper <letter>, car towed out of the garage to the dealer..
1.5 yrs into it..with the child window lock ON, kid on the rear seat actually rolls down the window, went and turned window lock off, try to roll window up, nothing happens, you are able to pick the glass up with your fingers and raise it but won't stay up.. interior is Grey, dealership changes all of the upper plastic parts with black ones since they don't have any more Grey after fixing the window.. two tone interior color?
2 months later.. randomly dies when backing up a driveway..
1yr later <whenever lease was up> hello GS300.

Did I mention that the car has to be taken to a dealer 1hr away b/c the closest dealer <5min> won't do warranty maintenance since it wasn't purchased there?

 

So many hit or misses it seems with experiences. Hmmm.

 

I just love how the current one looks....inside and out....but in driving it, I found it to be no better than a GS and its priced like a LS!

 

I have an IS350 and have a loaner vehicle in my driveway atleast as often due to routine maintainance. It's entirely possible that is also the reason why your neighbors have a loaner vehicle too.