This guy is an idiot, but he is right.

T2urtle

Diamond Member
Oct 18, 2004
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Annoying, yes very. He does have some points but oh so wrong.

All this faults show up on every new car I've seen with a dealer tool but nothing is ever wrong. Its those new CAN-BUS systems.

But he brings up a point. If u can truthly afford a $80k+, you shouldn't be bitching about $1000 repairs. If those people who think they got a bargain that really complains.
 

tweakmonkey

Senior member
Mar 11, 2013
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But he brings up a point. If u can truthly afford a $80k+, you shouldn't be bitching about $1000 repairs. If those people who think they got a bargain that really complains.

Yep!

I work for a specialty Porsche tuner (99+) mostly in GT3 and Turbo models. The ones that depreciate fast are the worst, 996 Turbo (2001-2005) which were over $130k new, now can be had for $40k. They are great cars, don't get me wrong (you can make 700 hp on the stock motor for 100k miles!), but they tend to have:
-Coolant leaks that cost $3000 to fix because the engine has to be removed from the car
-Mass air sensors fail every 20-50k miles or so ($800+ to replace)
-Standard things like alternators and sensors that eventually fail last as long as most cars, but cost triple the price
-Labor costs a lot more (we charge $150/hour), unless you want to take the car to a shop that's never even seen these cars before and will joy ride / beat the piss out of it and break everything they touch
-$300+ oil changes
-$600 to replace the spark plugs (recommend every 20k miles)
-$3000-$5000 clutch jobs
-$1500-2500 for tires (recommend every 20k miles for 5-years)
-When there are major engine problems it's minimum $15k, typically $25k+ to rebuild the engine.

People buy a used one expecting the maintenance of a $40k car but find out quickly it's the same as if they had bought a $130k car because despite depreciation that's what these cars and parts cost.

Porsches are a little different than some other German brands, because if you want a 700 hp / 650 tq daily driver, that can do 200 mph and still stop on a dime day after day, it's one of the only choices. But the USED car market is where the buyers don't want to pay for it. Out of warranty = :(
 
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Vdubchaos

Lifer
Nov 11, 2009
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Germans never learned from WW2 ....Tigers and their complexity was a big part of losing the war.

Rule of thumb, don't own a German car outside of warranty. Or your wallet will hate you.

I've also seen some VERY poor Engineering/designs from Germans as I work on their cars. Some things really make you scratch your head.
 

Jimzz

Diamond Member
Oct 23, 2012
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Germans never learned from WW2 ....Tigers and their complexity was a big part of losing the war.

Rule of thumb, don't own a German car outside of warranty. Or your wallet will hate you.

I've also seen some VERY poor Engineering/designs from Germans as I work on their cars. Some things really make you scratch your head.


:thumbsup:

And no I would bitch even more about a $1000 repair on my 80k car. What did I get for 80k if I have to pay even more than a "cheaper" car.
Put some of that 80k into the design/engineering and maybe it would not cost $1000 or even need any repair to begin with.
 

z1ggy

Lifer
May 17, 2008
10,010
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:thumbsup:

And no I would bitch even more about a $1000 repair on my 80k car. What did I get for 80k if I have to pay even more than a "cheaper" car.
Put some of that 80k into the design/engineering and maybe it would not cost $1000 or even need any repair to begin with.

Engineers are perfectionists...I think many suffer from the "over doing" it complex. As an engineer, I know a few people that have ruined entire projects or heavily delayed them because they over engineered. Before you know it, you're in over your head.
 

slag

Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
10,473
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I've owned a german car also, a 2000 jetta and while it was a decent car, things are just done "differently" on them and if you can't do the work yourself, be prepared to pay.
 

BlitzPuppet

Platinum Member
Feb 4, 2012
2,460
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I don't think Scotty is an idiot, he brings up some pretty good points and has some pretty good videos.

He isn't as detail oriented as EricTheCarGuy as far as videos go, but he does give a VERY general overview on a range of topics.

Most people that buy (German) cars now a days don't know shit about cars to begin with...then bitch about repair/part cost and reliability.

He's just a goofy old dude.
 
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mvbighead

Diamond Member
Apr 20, 2009
3,793
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Was he on laughing gas for this one? I've seen some of his stuff and it is generally tolerable, but this one, he was a school girl the entire time.
 

Vdubchaos

Lifer
Nov 11, 2009
10,408
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It all depends on approach. Some think making things bigger/more complex etc is "better".

To me, simple = better. Less is more.

More crap you add, more complex it gets, more moving parts and reliability goes down as maintenance goes up.

Some of the things I've seen Germans engineers do is completely insane. To a point where I simply refuse to buy any German car at this point.

This is coming from someone that was a complete German car snob 10-15 years ago.

Ohh how ignorant and stupid I was.....
 

BlitzPuppet

Platinum Member
Feb 4, 2012
2,460
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It all depends on approach. Some think making things bigger/more complex etc is "better".

To me, simple = better. Less is more.

More crap you add, more complex it gets, more moving parts and reliability goes down as maintenance goes up.

Some of the things I've seen Germans engineers do is completely insane. To a point where I simply refuse to buy any German car at this point.

This is coming from someone that was a complete German car snob 10-15 years ago.

Ohh how ignorant and stupid I was.....

I still don't get the point of them getting rid of dipsticks in some of the BMWs...it doesn't make any sense to me.

Germany has always made cool shit. Shamwow anyone? :biggrin:
 

Jimzz

Diamond Member
Oct 23, 2012
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Ha just got home, no you tube at work.

I did the same service to a S500 not to long ago. 16 f__king spark plugs, many not easy to get. I made decent money, saved my customer a lot of money, but what a pain.

My wife learned this lesson as well. Had our Mercedes E350 4matic for 1 year and shes done with European cars. Even with me doing the work something was always not working 100% and we got the car in the low 40k mileage range and sold it right after we broke 50k.
 

Aldon

Senior member
Nov 21, 2013
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He's right in many ways. If you really want that star on your hood, go ahead, and burn some money, especially if you're into the models that have started adapting more technology.

Other than all the criticism against German cars and the resell value, maintenance etc., a Toyota is plain rubbish, for the same reason that people who buy these cars simply don't see the details of quality. Besides, a Toyota and a Mercedes are different from what they want to sell. That's like comparing McDonalds to a fine burger restaurant: Yes, they sell the same product in many ways: You have your fucking bun, your meat, your cheese, your tomatoes, but the quality is very different, and it may not even be Mercedes' implication to mass-market a cheap car just for the sake of bringing you from "a to b".
 

dguy6789

Diamond Member
Dec 9, 2002
8,558
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There's no excuse for poor reliability in an expensive car, that just means the car is junk. Expensive parts I have no problem with that's to be expected in a premium car but worse overall reliability issues means the car is junk no matter what brand sticker is slapped on it. Whatever floats your boat I guess.
 

deadken

Diamond Member
Aug 8, 2004
3,199
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I didn't watch the videos, and I don't think I missed out on anything.

Frankly, I'm thinking that most of the comments on here are from people who forget that the engineers stopped running MB sometime in the late 1980's. After that, the bean counters took control and things have never been the same.

Please, someone tell me what was done wrong / over-engineered on a 1985 MB 300TD? I can't remember a single thing about that car being bad. Any of those 240 D, 300D, 300TD's, were pretty awesome.
 

MrA79

Member
Aug 11, 2012
199
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Very true - those things were WAY more advanced than the T34, but what's the use if you can't keep it running?

Germans never learned from WW2 ....Tigers and their complexity was a big part of losing the war.

Rule of thumb, don't own a German car outside of warranty. Or your wallet will hate you.

I've also seen some VERY poor Engineering/designs from Germans as I work on their cars. Some things really make you scratch your head.
 

dbk

Lifer
Apr 23, 2004
17,685
10
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All depends on the driver.. some want to show off their shiny luxury cars, let people notice them, others just want the thing to run well and not cost them a lot of money in the long run. I guess some of the most popular cars these days serve both purposes.. (depends on who you ask..LOL)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vqAbKtLfws <--- lol
 
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nerp

Diamond Member
Dec 31, 2005
9,865
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Scotty isn't dumb, he's just a personality with a lot of quirks. I like the guy and his videos a lot. He's the ideal crank to educate a total noob about car maintenance and such. His videos on "what not to do to your car" etc are great, usually.
 

nerp

Diamond Member
Dec 31, 2005
9,865
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Also, consider that a guy like Scotty fixes cars for regular people and that's who he directs his videos to. An average Joe shouldn't buy a 4-year-old Mercedes S class just because it has a good price on it. That's who he's talking to. You don't find many top executives getting their cars serviced by shade tree mechanics. I bet if his video was directed at millionaires, he wouldn't go through the myraid reasons why you shouldn't buy a Mercedes. This video is appropriate for all the 17-25 year old drivers who have a few thousand saved in the bank and want a "Benz"
 

Thump553

Lifer
Jun 2, 2000
12,839
2,625
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The German problem extends all the way down to their more mundane cars. I've owned both a 2000 and a 2002 Passat and both are relative nightmares to do simple jobs like an oil change. It takes at least an hour and is no fun at all. And don't even get me going on the Germans and electronics-reliability, which the German cars built their reputation on-is long gone. I'm in the market for a new car and something like a TDI would fit the bill perfectly-but I'm not Charlie Brown and I'm not falling into the VW trap again.

Really good design strives towards simplicity-look at what Steve Jobs did with Apple products. Like them or despise them, one must admit they are well designed.
 

T2urtle

Diamond Member
Oct 18, 2004
3,432
3
81
Also, consider that a guy like Scotty fixes cars for regular people and that's who he directs his videos to. An average Joe shouldn't buy a 4-year-old Mercedes S class just because it has a good price on it. That's who he's talking to. You don't find many top executives getting their cars serviced by shade tree mechanics. I bet if his video was directed at millionaires, he wouldn't go through the myraid reasons why you shouldn't buy a Mercedes. This video is appropriate for all the 17-25 year old drivers who have a few thousand saved in the bank and want a "Benz"

Agreed!

I'm sure all of us can afford the car itself but not many want to deal with upkeep or pay for it.

I do like the Infiniti and acura line tho. They seem to be a solid blend of both worlds. My g35 hasn't been a money pit but its not super cheap either.
 

BUTCH1

Lifer
Jul 15, 2000
20,433
1,769
126
Germans never learned from WW2 ....Tigers and their complexity was a big part of losing the war.

Rule of thumb, don't own a German car outside of warranty. Or your wallet will hate you.

I've also seen some VERY poor Engineering/designs from Germans as I work on their cars. Some things really make you scratch your head.

They only wound up building 1,347 Tigers and they did have some track-wheel issues although they had armor that could take a frontal hit from a Sherman with little or no damage and featured a very accurate gunsight they just cost too much to build and used way too much fuel which was in short supply for Germany as the war progressed.
 

BUTCH1

Lifer
Jul 15, 2000
20,433
1,769
126
WTH? See, there is nothing wrong with an electric water pump per se, but (a)it has to be able to deal with the underhood environment, and (b)half the point of going electric is that YOU CAN PUT THE PUMP SOMEWHERE THAT'S EASY TO GET TO. No reason at all to jam it under the engine like that.

Agree, I commented to Scotty that he never mentions using jackstands when working under a car, "my floor jack has been used thousands of times and has never failed me but if you want to be a safety freak, go ahead and use jackstands", sorry Scotty working without jackstands is just dumb, they cost a whopping $30/set..
 

Jimzz

Diamond Member
Oct 23, 2012
4,399
190
106
Agree, I commented to Scotty that he never mentions using jackstands when working under a car, "my floor jack has been used thousands of times and has never failed me but if you want to be a safety freak, go ahead and use jackstands", sorry Scotty working without jackstands is just dumb, they cost a whopping $30/set..

I agree!!!

That and it only takes 1 time for it to fail/slip/twist and you might never move again.