Carfan94

I read somewhere that Lexus forced Mercedes and BMW dealerships to up their service game in the 90s. I guess that’s no longer the case?

At least I gave you a GLE to drive and not an A class or a GLA!

Gojirra99

Depends on availability I guess, I've got anything from a GLA to a E-class/E-class wagon as loaners when I took my AMG GTS in for service, I would think it should be at least a E-class consistently ......

AJT123

MB now might be bringing V8 back for real:

https://www.thedrive.com/news/merced...n93Ir4GSrf5sfd

Now, just ax the hybrid part and it would be perfect.

Striker223

The funny part is a stage one tune totally flips the supposed power gap as well lol!

I also don't like how they call the smaller engines more powerful, they aren't. They just have a parasite helping them along

AJT123

Right.

The rest of it is self-explanatory. IDC how much faster an SL43 is than my old V8 car, it's getting there that's the fun. I am going to test drive one when they get them. I'll probably puke just hearing the starter.

Carfan94

if it’s a mildhybrid, it doesn’t have a starter noise, the engine just revs to life.

Toys4RJill

yup. V8 ‘s are essential. Too bad LX600 doesn’t have one

AJT123

Yeah I was afraid of that, figured someone would confirm it.

I literally keep my garage closed every day when I start up the V8 SL just to hear it even better, the starter and exhaust burble (then obviously I open it). The only thing better is a V12 starter.

A Mercedes 4 pot that just zings to life and buzzes off, gag.

SW17LS

Yeah I’m lucky there. That GLE was just standing there I didn’t even notice it. I asked them for a C or GLC and he goes “how about this GLE?”

48v is here to stay. They need it to run a lot of their current high end tech like eABC and a lot of their autonomous driving features.

Aside from no starter noise you would never know there was any hybrid tech.

This 4 cyl with the 48v really has plenty of power, surprisingly it moves the GLE along great. It just sounds and feels awful.

mmarshall

This is one reason (among several) why Lexus has had so much success over the years converting former M-B owners.....they have always concentrated on a high level of customer satisfaction with service and the dealerships.

SW17LS

I don’t think Lexus is converting many Mercedes buyers nowadays. In the day they did, not really anymore.

Striker223

Sucks to hear about this, that is something that would annoy me immensely. I never had issues like that with my Chryslers/trucks when I had to use the warranty, they were done quickly....

I have also heard that what you are experiencing is common since so few people are techs these days and even fewer still are able to work on the flagship tier cars.

SW17LS

I wonder if that’s the issue, that they only have so many people qualified to work on the S Class and the higher end cars?

Striker223

Probably, there is only one guy at the Audi dealer near me who knows how to work on A8s and 4.0 engines. Everything revolves around him being able to get to stuff

I have to go to Bentley if I want the W12 worked on but that's not a real concern in my case but I can see how annoying it would get

SW17LS

These guys sell a lot of high end MBs and a lot of them have this engine, I find it hard to believe thats the issue...