Want to tell Mercedes how you feel about their cars and maybe win a grand?

Dear 001,

Look what Mercedes sent to me today...Thought your readers would love this!

A chance to win $1000 for your opinions

We are currently gathering information about vehicles, and would like to include your opinions in our research.

We know that your time is very valuable, and as an encouragement for you to participate, we have a $1000 prize to give away through
a drawing.

Please click here to begin the survey: (make sure your pop-up blocker is turned off if you have one)

Please rest assured that your responses would be held as confidential,
we would not supply your name or information to any third parties.

Thank you in advance for your help.

VISO - 7/31/2004 7:27:47 PM

+1 Boost

So much for Lexus quality (See Below):

Owners of 13,000 2004-model Lexus LS 430 sedans are entitled to new transmissions, says Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc.

Toyota said a part in the planetary gear assembly can break during acceleration and disable the parking gear.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the defect creates a risk of rollaway crashes.

That was one of two newly announced recalls for the top-of-the-line Lexus sedan, NHTSA records show.

Lexus dealers also will replace fuel pumps in about 14,000 2004-model LS 430s. Alcohol in some fuels - such as an ethanol additive - can cause a pump impeller to deform and contact the pump body. This leads to pump failure, the company says.

Another luxury automaker is conducting a pair of recalls of 2004 models. BMW of North America Inc. is telling owners of some 5-series, 6-series and 7-series cars and X5 SUVs not to drive the vehicles until defective engine control units can be replaced.

The company says the V-8 or V-12 engines may stop running without warning. Motorists would lose the power assist for steering and braking.

NHTSA says the recall affects about 6,500 vehicles. BMW says it has delivered 2,000 of them to customers.

BMW also is recalling 7,500 5-series and 6-series cars with V-8s. The cars need a retention clip on a fuel line coupling to keep it from separating during a crash and spilling gasoline

AWD: AWD=Quattro (there is no substitute).

MercBasher - 8/4/2004 10:41:37 PM

+1 Boost

M-B disgusts me. Its management/leadership, both in Germany and in the US, is chaotic and unresponsive, its products proliferate like a bad virus, its claims to value reliability appear disingenuous.

To summarize - M-B: your products are ****ing ****, and you're too ****ing arrogant to care, so why should the customer.

I am not surprised that BMW, Cadillac, Infiniti, and Lexus are gaining ground in the US market - while M-B sales are flat this year.