When bad design costs thousands! Not so convertible 2011 Mercedes E350 can no longer rise on demand

The CAR WIZARD 🧙‍♂️ hates when poor design costs people tons of money. The convertible top on this 2011 Mercedes Benz E350 is going to cost a fortune to fix just because of a poorly designed system.
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[@juncho1977]

"What happens when an accountant builds a car, and not the engineer?" GM:Plays Montell Jordan's "This is how we do it!"

[@edwardoutthere3189]

Accountants give budgets now to build cars so then all is down cheap design and parts as for high ends cars not components been made out side the brand car ie audio mercedes BMW etc

[@MarcMercier1971]

Oh man... beat me. Was going to write: Chrysler, GM & Ford "Hold my beer".

[@kobra6660]

I'm surprised a recall wasn't issued this could be a serious health hazard and possible lawsuit

[@curtknight1021]

The German engineering department says ; Never use a simple part when a 10 piece electro-mechanical assembly will work just as well !

[@CalebD413]

LOL

[@lukemartin2476]

I was literally thinking to myself, “they still can’t get this right,” before he even mentioned the R129. The first Mercedes I ever drove was a 95 SL500 for sale on my grandfather’s lot. My dad was with me. Had the top down and once we got up to speed we were doused in fluid from around the sun visors. Looking straight on and deadpan as could be my dad said “This is not enjoyable.” 😆

[@laurat1129]

Your dad 😂

[@Mike-zf4ev]

I owned the same car. A 1995 SL500 and had to rebuild every hydraulic cylinder in the roof. There are 11 of them. What a pain in the butt that was. I sold the car right after the rebuilding .

[@brianjames5685]

Maybe they aren't to concerned about Americans being attacked by their convertible roofs? Just saying lol!!

[@hereward1971]

@@brianjames5685 You had to mention the war.........basil faulty is distraught LOL

[@lukemartin2476]

@@Mike-zf4ev that sounds like a wallet drainer for sure

[@andreyd8116]

Wizard: Why does Mercedes continue to design cars that spray their customers in the face? Mercedes: This is our refreshing way of telling the customer it’s time for a brand-new Mercedes.

[@eemo2093]

Also germans. They get exited over that.

[@lilibethdoherty295]

@@eemo2093 Nein, Kopfe werden rollen!

[@trainmanbob]

They will until a few folk get sprayed in the face, crash their cars and die....then everyone will take notice and the problem will be addressed.

[@ozarkliving7263]

Time for a Lexus

[@minorityofone1510]

I was once a huge fan of mercedes. Now their cars are low quality and look like insects. These days I drive a Lexus GS300. Its great quality and built to the same robust standards my 90s mercedes used to be built to

[@miketeeveedub5779]

There is a great scene in the movie "Fight Club" where the main character/narrator played by Ed Norton explains car manufacturers reluctance to fix known issues with vehicles. It explains the issue perfectly: Narrator: "A new car built by my company leaves somewhere traveling at 60 mph. The rear differential locks up. The car crashes and burns with everyone trapped inside. Now, should we initiate a recall? Take the number of vehicles in the field, A, multiply by the probable rate of failure, B, multiply by the average out-of-court settlement, C. A times B times C equals X. If X is less than the cost of a recall, we don't do one."

[@YodaPala]

Zero f*cks given, and it’s just going to get worse, EVERYTHING is getting so damn cheap

[@IhateYoutube]

And for the most part it's absolutely correct. They run risk analysis software and the calculate what will cost more the recall or the law suits from death or injury. They don't actually care if anyone dies, just which ever cost is less. Remember the C5 Corvette Colum lock issue? GM "Well it can't happen while driving" then it started happening to people while driving and the lawsuits started adding up. GM's fix? Well if you had a Stick C5 like I did.. They just removed the column lock ring and boom you no longer had any lock and GM was like "There, fixed it!"

[@roydrink]

Ford Motor Company: “Hold my beer”

[@holicanoli123]

That scene is based a real Ford memo saying not to recall the Pinto for exploding because it was cheaper to settle all death suits, past and future. Very illegal today, but who knows 😬

[@thelastmemphian]

Well luckily nowadays we have laws against this for egregious safety concerns but yeah that wont stop the germans from putting this shit in their cars

[@oswaldjh]

I guess owning a Mercedes isn't a status symbol anymore. The real flex is casually tossing your American Express to the service rep at your dealer and say "just fix it".

[@user-tb7rn1il3q]

No, you don’t do anything but oil changes. When it breaks completely pull the plate.

[@kuebby]

Mercedes has turned into a ghetto fabulous brand.

[@mikeb1039]

That happened when you could buy a new Mercedes for $30,000.....

[@LnDSuv]

Engineer: use this 5$ part and charge 5$ more. Accountant: thanks, we won't use it and charge 10$ extra!

[@TheShakir98]

I am a owner of a 2002 Lexus SC430 with almost 210k miles now. Convertible hard top still opens and closes within 25 seconds. Mind you it was Toyota's first ever convertible car and it's the first year production and still with that, the hard top motor functions properly (just knocked on the wood), I highly doubt if it was ever changed by the previous owners. I always try to maintain and lube the rubbers, spray lubricant where there's a metal on metal contact and so on. My point is that if the company tries to make it reliable and work, they absolutely can do so, especially firms like Benz but as Wizard said that is what happens when an accountant builds a car and not so much the engineer (metaphorically). They also know building the cars TOO reliable would slow the manufacturers' profit margin a bit

[@Commentator541]

But in case of a Meecedes it wouldn’t because people replace them when the new model makes the old one look outdated, not because the old one starts to break. These problems are something a second or third owner will experience.

[@kfm908]

I have a 2004 toyota solara.The top works perfectly every time!

[@davidm4099]

European quality can’t compare to any Japanese car:/ as no Benz , Audi, BMW , Jaguar , Land Rover are more like made in China level of quality

[@CaptainFeathersword]

It actually takes ingenious and somewhat insidious engineering to design a car so that it needs to be replaced soon after the warranty expires.

[@julioblanco]

And it takes a mechanic expert in hindsight to criticize it...

[@bngr_bngr]

I had a BMW M3 like that.

[@taunuslunatic404]

Engineers say it's not hard to make something last long; what is really hard is to make it break when you want it to.

[@JStryker7]

German engineering at its finest

[@Isaki138]

If you study mechanics/Maschinenbau in German uni, there's often a special class just how to design things to break at fixed points.

[@C.Fecteau-AU-MJ13]

Mercedes Benz... Engineered to last. Until the warranty runs out

[@JarnoKilian]

just like every other vehicle....

[@vintage76vipergreenBeetle]

😆👍

[@vintage76vipergreenBeetle]

Engineered to last,ended in 1995.

[@Loujr2250]

@@vintage76vipergreenBeetle I feel the same way lol. As a r129 owner, after this one, quality went to shit.

[@z.bongerman1062]

zero sympathy for people who buy convertibles other than jeeps.

[@bragadeeshbalakrishnan]

These things are beautiful. The leak is a real shame.

[@mattewsoutha1337]

I agree with you on that.

[@thelastmemphian]

I’m in the market for one of these and this video hurt lol. I really hate Mercedes for all of their hydraulic bullshit

[@larsbambi1575]

The rest of the car is beautiful and very reliable...

[@jamesbambury]

The CLK before it had the same issue. It goes back to 1998!

[@richardsgarage6697]

They really are pretty cars

[@bobbates6642]

Mazda got it right when they went with a manual top. They sure were not the first but wow that is simple and it works so very well

[@davidjacobs8558]

convertible tops were all manual, before they came up with powered system.

[@hereward1971]

Then mazda dropped the ball with the rotary seals on the RX-8.been there got the hat and the tshirt LOL

[@bindingcurve]

@@davidjacobs8558 Manual tops on 4 seat cars are a disaster no one wants to deal with. A 2 door Miata is NOT the same (I own one)

[@smartman123]

no German they have to make every thing complicated

[@davidstorm4015]

Mazda also have powered tops, I have one on my 2010 MX5. Not sure if it is hydraulic or just electric. EDIT: just checked, it has no hydraulics, just 4 electric motors. These are not known to fail.

[@tetchuma]

Accountants also designed the 737 Max… And we all know how that turned out.

[@ogalief]

MCAS: Money Comes Above Safety

[@AlessandroGenTLe]

I thought exactly the same and posted a twin comment :)

[@darrellsaunders4267]

Plus GE imported mgmt.

[@mbmann3892]

6:13 to 7:54 Nailed it. I been a Mercedes enthusiast since I was a kid . And their old cars lasted . Now it’s all about Sales they don’t care about quality or longevity

[@TheShakir98]

As simple as that. Building cars reliable is not profitable for the car companies

[@deliriousgastronomy]

I remember walking into a stealership to ask the sales manager to sign off on a 300k mile Pride of Ownership Award for my mint 95 E300 D. Icehole carried on and on why my car was just a piece of shit and had no value; I just snickered to myself the whole time. Drove it too for several many years after and sold it on for well more than I paid for it. Wasn't without its problems but I Loved that car.

[@mbmann3892]

@@deliriousgastronomy yeah it’s a sad thing. Like car shows. The people at the manufactures booths are just paid their . They don’t know nor have any enthusiasm of the product they sell. It’s just a paycheck for them . Same with the way the current manufacturer make cars now. My 2011 C-300 has a ripped seat. The buttons are worn off and the clear coat on my roof racks are peeling away. Would never of send that in the 80’s from a Mercedes . All they cars about is volume of sales instead of quality of product.

[@tjnucnuc]

As long as stupid people keep leasing their junk SUVs that’s all they care about. Once the lease ends that car is worthless to them.

[@youdontknowme5969]

Disposable luxury 😕

[@zsonohanz]

The corp meeting was amazing. This is becoming my fav channel and i didnt even know i was curious about car mechanics

[@danr1920]

My '65 Corvair convertible has a power top. Has worked fine since I've owned it, almost 40 years. No hydraulics, just an electric motor and two cables going to two big gears. Two manual latches to unhook form the windshield header. No fancy cover, but it still works and looks great when down. It would take ten minutes to replace the motor it it failed. Didn't the Wizard just the other day he liked Mercedes because they were easy to work on?

[@stansmith4054]

I was just wondering about the Corvair! I saw one for sale last summer here in Michigan. My wife said I could buy it if I got rid of my 1986 Fiero GT. Sometimes I wonder if I can trade my wife in for a car. LOL.

[@willb1242]

Much better setup!

[@user-hc9qv9yb9m]

Easy to get paid to work on.

[@braxtonnelson7422]

I'm sure my wife could tell you how many times she has checked on me when I'm doing a car repair, and upon being asked "How's it going?" I respond with "Why do they build it this way?" Of course I'm omitting the cursing that goes along with it for our family-friendly audience.

[@mattmalenda6585]

That's why I love my 97' miata, it has a manual top.

[@willemkaret1568]

Exactly, I can have the entire top replaced for less than the cost of the Mercedes hose. Every work day it gets opened and closed twice. That adds up as wear and tear but I couldn't care less.

[@chrisdupont1195]

Same thought here. I have a 2000' Fiat Barchetta and I actually need to step out of the car to open or close the top, but at least the mechanism will never break down.

[@bindingcurve]

A manual top will never be acceptable for a BIG convertible. How would you feel about the Miata top if it was 3 times bigger and 4 times heavier.

[@mattmalenda6585]

@@bindingcurve fair point, but I’d still rather struggle with a manual one than get sprayed in the face with hydraulic fluid!

[@twentyrothmans7308]

Triumph Stag has entered the room. Absolute swine but better than this.

[@johnwick7175]

I've been at a company where higher ups wanted us to specifically engineer the product to fail "randomly" after a set amount of runtime..

[@theshadowman1398]

Accountants seem to be building a lot of cars these days.

[@nickmalone3143]

Direct crap from china supply lines.... which are now all off shote waiting waiting and waiting

[@user-hc9qv9yb9m]

80s GM

[@antonfloor344]

All TFSI engine’s

[@ranig2848]

Car manufacturers and dealers realized they can make more money on service than selling the car. It’s an art. You need the car to break out of warranty but still be worth enough to fix. That’s why luxury cars break more often and are more expensive to fix. The manufacturer and dealer know the customer really doesn’t have much choice.

[@PatrickAndrewsMacphee]

Is there a car brand that still delivers engineering quality?

[@guzziwheeler]

@@PatrickAndrewsMacphee Yes, there is. Morgan!

[@comaca]

Happens in construction as well. Witnessed many a tussle between Engineers, Architects, Constructors, Owners and Building Inspectors. Thank goodness for inspectors -as long as they are not corrupt. Here that is not an issue but in many other places I've visited it absolutely is. Thanks for such an informative video!

[@TheK24Kyle]

As someone who is on their second W212 E class, these really are beautiful cars. My first 2010 ran me 140k miles flawlessly and I sold it still running flawlessly to a friend of mine, and replaced it with a 16 E400 that just checked out at the shop in flying colors. Like anything else budget for proper maintenance and any kind of complicated potential repair down the line (for convertible models) and you’ll never be surprised with bills.

[@thatmatty231guy]

That’s exactly right

[@user-pe8ir4iy1e]

you mean budget for things breaking because of bad design. sure.

[@Van_Liberty]

It's well known that the service side of vehicle manufacturing is the second form of profit for them. Just imagine when all these Uber high tech vehicles being blown out the door start having component failure....Look out!! Buy reliable brands and buy low tech as possible. Truly half of some vehicle costs are the built in tech...

[@lukewalker1051]

Maybe your best video ever. Shows you have great insight into cost based decisions that go into car design. Exactly right. Automotive engineers responsible for a specific mechanism in fact, over time aka years of production, it is the engineer's charter to 'remove cost from the product' and try to maintain comparable performance and reliability which of course is a great challenge. That pivot you mention would add fractional weight to the vehicle as well. The engineers that designed that mechanism knew precisely how many cycles that hose would fail at the pivot point. This is tested in the laboratory during development. Its a calculation. How many times will the top go up and down per year X's no. of years of car ownership. The hose articulating at an acute angle has to have that degree of fatigue life. But there is more. Design evolution can become more precarious. The purchasing department gets a quote from XYZ company to supply hoses at 1/2 the price of the original hose that was tested in development. The engineer is asked to revalidate the design based upon this supplier change because it will save MB thousands. Many times lower cost...not always portents more marginal material properties of constituent materials that make up the hose. For example if the metal fails that protects the rubber hose it will puncture the rubber hose. Metal fatigue life is based upon material properties and section modulus aka design of the metal sheathing which influences cost like the heat treat of the metal to anneal it to increase bending fatigue. The engineer will build a few up and put it through its repeated stroking in the lab and determine, gee, this hose isn't as robust as the original hose. The director of engineering wants his annual bonus for reducing product cost....which is called value analysis that is based upon competitive analysis and a dedicated department within engineering... and approves the supplier change knowing it isn't as good. But the chief engineer has data like Mrs. Wizard said, X no. of strokes and no failure = out of warranty. Its the customer's problem which of course is accurate as we see in this instance. So, its a very tangled web of how designs are not only developed to replicate the experience of the automobile in the field but the evolution of the design over time to reduce cost. Car companies aren't in the business of making the best cars. They exist for profit. Your skit and video was excellent. PS. Magic Mike is to be credited for his talent to perform this job. It is much easier to build the car than it is to repair it.

[@AJGreen-cn8kk]

Went to look at a CLK convertible recently. When the seller told me he just spent $6000 fixing the top I said "thanks for your time" and got the hell out of there. I missed the chance to be the next sucker.

[@TJDunaway]

Clk550s are 💩💩..

[@littlechicago7482]

Mine's been great. (well except for the common transmission problems) :-)

[@TJDunaway]

@@littlechicago7482 they had COMMON transmission issues?? Mercedes isn't Mercedes anymore huh

[@robbybeauchamp]

@@TJDunaway You can figure on a 722.9 transmission to last ~150k miles before you're replacing it. At a bare minimum you'll be doing a valve body at that point.

[@TJDunaway]

@@robbybeauchamp I dealt with a clk550 as a passenger for a few years, I hate them with a passion, a gmc envoy was better appointed & more reliable, and didn't have electronic gremlins nearly as soon

[@frasermitchell9183]

And there's me with a 2015 SLK with the origami-like folding roof, and yes, it's hydraulically powered !! I hope it holds up for a bit longer, I've only had the car for a year. The Jaguar XK8 cars in the 90s also used hydraulics but with these the fluid converted itself into a thick jelly and the whole system had to be flushed out to remove it! A different spec of fluid cured the problem. I believe, though, people still get 'hosed' from time to time. Maybe my MGTF which has a manually raised and lowered hood is the best option !

[@HNRichard]

Mine is a 2012 and it still works well! even though it's a garage queen, barely used the car.

[@onetwo12onetwo526]

99 xk8 650$

[@aaronfrahm9375]

don't worry the locking cylinder will start leaking, because the proper seal material is $0.03 more expensive for the oring.

[@CaptainFeathersword]

Mrs Wizard is awesome, however her title is either CEO or EVP, Engineering. The accountants are miles down the totem pole.

[@wdc9633]

This is one of those comments that reminds me to just enjoy the video and not read the comments. We know. Just relax dude.

[@Dakiraun]

Accountants and Management tend to ruin things by cost-cutting in pretty much *_every_* business. In my field (IT), numerous upgrades and security choices are routinely shot down because of cost. Then what would have been a preventable compromise happens, and Management goes "WHY DIDN'T WE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS?!" I think it's a much _worse_ problem in the automotive industry for exactly what Mrs. Wizard acted out - they just don't care beyond the warranty. :/

[@AlessandroGenTLe]

Backups? Who need expensive backups when we have Raid disks? And then they cry...

[@youdontknowme5969]

everything is always the "techs in the trenches" fault 😕

[@Dakiraun]

@@AlessandroGenTLe OH how many times that has been true in my 20+ years in the field so far...

[@mattfarahsmillionmilelexus]

Lovely. The top on my '65 Falcon convertible still works fine after 56 years. I suppose you could disconnect the hydraulics and convert it to a manual top.

[@michaeldierks3708]

This is why I buy Toyotas. They might not be perfect, but they’re built way better than the German and American cars.

[@BruceCultureAllen]

One is every comment section. No they aren't. In fact, Toyota had the same issue with the SC430. Lexus has gotten stupid over the last few years. Prices are comparable or more than Mercedes. Yes, a Mercedes will cost more to maintenance than a Lexus but they will last if taken care of correctly.

[@davepaturno4290]

@@BruceCultureAllen According to Consumer Reports and its reams of reliability data, Mercedes Benz came in 20th out of 26 car manufacturers in CR's 2021 most to least reliability list. The top three are: 1. Mazda 2. Toyota 3. Lexus Sine note: My 2008 Mazda MX5 with power retracting hard top has never had any issues with this top, and I've raised and lowered it many, many times. Stay away from German vehicles.

[@computerstuff8352]

@@BruceCultureAllen "but they will last if taken care of correctly. " laughs in german.

[@BruceCultureAllen]

@@computerstuff8352 Just speaking from experience. I've owned 2 Mercedes' and they were/are both great. Are they as reliable as Toyota or Honda? No but they aren't nearly as bad as people make it out. Just don't cut corners or skip maintenance (like any car).

[@larsbambi1575]

I have both...Lexus ES 330 and Mercedes E550 . I do most of my own maintenance. They are both great cars but the Mercedes is built with better parts.. Everything is heavy duty. Also the Mercedes-Benz doesn't rust like the Lexus. Then again the Mercedes cost almost double 🤷‍♂️

[@dansummers5646]

Wiiizard. Have to say I’ve been watching you and Tyler since the beginnings and so far you two have only cost me money. (Audi TT and an Equus). But this week you saved me a bunch. My ‘08 CLK top stopped and I honestly had no idea it has an easily accessible reservoir. $20 and the top works again. My leak is in the rear quarter area. But happy to let it leak vs. fixing. So pleased my “coupe” is a convertible again!

[@jacobstark5311]

I have a 2011 e350 coupe and it really is an amazing car. Super reliable, especially compared to other luxury cars I’ve owned. I previously had an A4 quattro(biggest pos ever) and a 128i and a grand Cherokee and genesis and I have to say the Benz was definitely one of the best. Has 140k miles and only big repair was replacing ac compressor

[@thatmatty231guy]

Yes! People keep trashing them but they are actually really good cars

[@bobbycooks8965]

@jacobstark5311 hey can you give an update on your ownership of your 2011 e350 coupe I’m looking at picking one up, thanks!

[@jacobstark5311]

@@bobbycooks8965 someone smashed into and totaled my car at 160k miles. Shit was still going strong but my transmission definitely needed some work. I got a 2010 e550 now lol

[@jacobstark5311]

@@bobbycooks8965 also was terrible with maintenance on the thing

[@ErichMoraga]

In the skit... "You're the boss." Car Wizard wasn't acting there 😊

[@tamarab8972]

That skit sounds about right in MB They no longer follow best or nothing like they used to when MB was elegant

[@tony45682]

OMG, the skit cracked me up! You guys were great; please do that again on future episodes! Very sad these car makers cheap out on designing for longevity.

[@Billhatestheinternet]

The most famous example of this was the Ford Pinto (US version). It ended with tragic results. Of course more recently was the Boeing 737 Max.

[@ATi1300Ramiro]

There it is! I scrolled through for someone to mention Boeing so I wouldn’t have to🤣

[@michaelbaka4777]

Now you've got me thinking, Wizard. I'm wondering if I have a similar system in my '05 SL500. My retractable hardtop has been working flawlessly since I got it about 6 years ago. BUT!!! Is it a ticking timebomb of hydraulic fluid, waiting to face-spray me the next time I put the top down??? Maybe they used the pillow-block system in mine?? Not sure, but I think its time for a bit of research...... I use that top all the time, weather permitting. It's one of the main reasons I bought this car! Well, that and that V-8....oh, boy that V-8.... [drooling]

[@bobflinn7529]

Going the cheap route on auto design, how did that work out for Ford and their Pinto fuel tank protection?? Keep up the great videos and we can only hope someone's listening in the Auto design shops.

[@12namleht]

As well as the Ignition switch fiasco at GM...where the switch turned off the air bags while the car was in motion. Designed by actual engineers.

[@cousinjohncarstuff4568]

Don't forget the fiasco with the Crown Vic gas tanks as well!

[@marcvalme7732]

Mechanical engineer here, I can confirm. It's always a fight with the bean counters.

[@davepaturno4290]

Sometimes it's about what the market will bear; higher quality and cost doesn't always mean there will be sufficient sales and profit.

[@bobmcl2406]

Once upon a time, Germans were good at engineering. Now they seem to think that complexity is a virtue. Always dump a German car before the warranty is up.

[@b4804514]

MB is using mechanics from 1980 in new cars. They do not improve know issues and are all about making money and destroying the legacy. Buy a Lexus for a great all around car

[@BillofRights1951]

@@b4804514 Completely agree, and I've had both Mercedes and Lexus...my favorite car was a '90 LS 400 i bought used in 2000 with 165K miles. most reliable car I've ever owned, and I firmly believe that 4 litre V8 was the best engine ever designed....turbine smooth and zero problems ditto for the transmission. The LS was cruising to 400K miles when a millennial twit rammed our son, who was stopped at a signal. She was clearly texting. The car protected him but was totalled. I was SOOOO MAD. Toyota products are the world's best.

[@ericfleetwood6744]

@@BillofRights1951 Yes. The Japanese companies try to compete by making a better one. Others try to make a cheaper one.

[@lukewalker1051]

Actually complexity is a double win for German cars. Let's call it a calculated fleecing of the world by German's: 1. Proprietary complexity creates market diversification and marketing niche to upsell their product to the public. 2. Complex mechanisms fail more based upon statistics and when they do they cost more to repair and higher profit for the manufacturer. Win/win for mfr and lose/lose for the consumer. Car companies now design radio knobs with the complexity of a Rolex mechanical watch. And they get paid handsomely for it. A little secret is, the average person knows nothing about automobiles but consumers sure do love all those bells and whistles they don't understand. Its like magic.

[@machtschnell7452]

It actually goes back to the Grosser 600 in the 60s. Door locks, windows, everything was hydraulicly powered.

[@davidjacobs8558]

I think those were pneumatically powered.

[@guzziwheeler]

@@davidjacobs8558 This is right. By vacuum, to be exact.

[@timothyharrison8953]

Welcome to my world of aircraft engineering. If its something that will be serviced, it's guaranteed to be made as difficult to access as possible!

[@gravestone9831]

Ya trying to do ELT batteries on c130s is kind of annoying they put it so far in the access panel in the vertical stab you basically go in there blind, it not the worst job tho

[@kattcasel9730]

Hey you must be familiar with the LEARJET 60!!!

[@akpanekpo6025]

This guy never ceases to amaze me. If he only knew so much about one or two makes of car, that would be impressive enough. How does he know so much about so many types of cars (and apparently heavy-duty trucks too - from his army days)? Nor does he only know about the engines and breaks: few mechanics would even touch the convertible bit of a car, and yet here he is. A literal car wizard, surely!

[@rowen211]

I cannot describe the dread I felt when I saw the thumbnail of this video roasting the very car I own and my favorite feature of it. Then the dread got so much worse when he described how much of the car I have to pull apart to fix it. Feels bad man.

[@paulshannon4576]

Could they have used air instead of hydraulics to open the top. When engineers go rogue and you have $640.00 toilet seats.

[@aygwm]

Or even cables, like so many other cars.

[@royster3345]

Now you're going down the engineering route.....

[@OPENXAIMER]

"Can no longer rise on demand" Ah yes the car now is a man past his prime

[@youdontknowme5969]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 yay! impotence!

[@christophercribbs5618]

Great video. Videos like this it shows why your channel has grown so much

[@Brett7777]

Mercedes: We have been giving it to our customers over the hood for years. Now we will give it to them in their face. Mwahaa!

[@DavidJackson-fb4ix]

There’s the money shot lol

[@wurly164]

I will keep my 85 380SL with a manual top

[@winterburden]

The leak is intentional, it's a form of performance art. You need to understand, this isn't a regular car - this is high-end driving artistic perfection.

[@JohnSmith-yv6eq]

I'll just take the Merc for a squirt up the road....

[@georgekaplan6451]

Cost cutting happens in telecommunications too. Periodically we get notified of a stop sale on a particular circuit card because a problem has been identified presumably due to cheapening components.

[@erniemathews5085]

Mechanics like you are a treasure. I learned decades ago if a mechanic says "while we got it apart we should..." I always do, and never regret it. I also know I would never get a new car. Sheesh, gimme simple and old.

[@6mtzhp55]

I realize it can't be a manual top at this price point, but I just can't understand what is wrong with electrical actuation? They must have thought this was less noisy than an electric actuator with similar torque, but there's nothing luxurious about the inevitable leaks. Reliability is a luxury too. Imagine this happening after your date dressed up in their best formal wear for a reservation at a fancy restaurant.

[@michaelplunkett8059]

When Ford designed their 1950's retractable hardtop Skyliner, they knew spraying hydraulic fluid on customers would be a bad idea and made it all electric motor mechanical.

[@MarcMercier1971]

This is like my 2008 Buick LaCrosse Super. Has an LS4 w/4T65E-HD transmission. Should have used the 4T80E instead... but nope. Get it off the showroom floor and past warranty... that's what matters. Thankfully there's a guy that makes a 4T80E installation kit for when the 4T65E fails (it will, most definitely).

[@atx-cvpi_99]

The Ford 3.5 and 3.7 V6 transverse is another example of bad engineering with the timing chain driven water pump, the 4.6 and 5.4 3 valve Triton, and the Ford Fiesta, Focus, and outside North America: the Ford EcoSport equipped with the DPS6 PowerShift 6 speed dual clutch transmission fiasco that cost Ford a lot of money along with failing electric steering racks in the same time period. The Chrysler 2.7 V6 had so many corners cut that they had to hire a third party company to handle warranty claims and many owners got screwed over them and that's one of the leading causes for Chrysler's bankruptcy in 2008 along with GM's not so legendary Delta platform ignition switches and major electrical problems including power steering failure. The Chrysler 2.7 V6 had all kinds of problems including oil contamination (sludge), water pumps similar to the Ford 3.5/3.7 transverse V6, and catastrophic engine failure all occurring less than 100,000 miles at an extremely high failure rate. Even well maintained 2.7 liter V6 engines failed prematurely. Today, many Chrysler and Dodge cars equipped with the 2.7 liter V6 are being scrapped at your local junkyard near you and most of them have no body damage or airbags blown so finding a good used 2.7 V6 is hard to find and it's not worth buying another 2.7 V6 engine.

[@dtzchar]

I have a 2006 Grand Prix Gxp, I still daily it and it still has the original transmission! It’s not the fastest shifting trans but with proper service and fluid changes it’s lasted 15 years and 150k miles. I’ve already saved up 3 grand cash to get a full tranny rebuild when it finally fails cause the Ls4 still runs amazing!

[@wolfman9999999]

LOL It makes a case for our Allantes semi manual roof. The lever that broke when we were losing the war with an intimate object the day we bought it was something along the lines of $17 for a used replacement. A few chants later, the top was functional. BTW Wizard we have plans for Mrs. Wizard's former Allante. By the time we're done, it'll be a bullet proofed Northstar powered excellent example of a driver classic car. We still love it.

[@alexsamson9942]

The skit was very funny! We love you Mr and Mrs Wizard!

[@CreationsVibration]

Red solo cups are more reliable than modern vehicles

[@wst8340]

Blue ones look better and have more HRP.

[@youdontknowme5969]

and Solo cups are made of thin flimsy plastic too! 🤣

[@griffinreitz7041]

Had a friend that had several Mercedes . After watching all her problems, I wouldn't take one for a gift.

[@melvynwoodman5787]

After a lifetime in the automotive design industry I can absolutely confirm that this is exactly how it operates. It’s only a problem if the manufacturer has to pay. As long as it’s the customer no problem.

[@Iconoclasher]

Your "accountant" says $1.6m will be saved but she didn't mention the company is gonna receive $14,000,000,000 for the cars that will be sold. ($70,000x200,000) A friend purchased a new MB eight years ago (not sure of the model) and after a week it spontaneous combusted. Fortunately it was in the driveway and in the garage. Soon as the insurance paid it off he ran out and bought another identical one. Nice!

[@1SaG]

Just imagine a convertible top that doesn't need a hydraulic line running to its leading edge. But I guess that would mean you'd have to unlock/lock the top from/to the windshield manually. Oh, the horror! :D

[@2JZDestroyer]

mrs.wizard is a very convincing company accountant, wizard did pretty well too. Sad truths were delivered this video. Basically no company in the modern era is going to build a car with the intent of it lasting more than the warranty.

[@quixomega]

Nah, some brands actually do trade on their reputation for reliability and cheap repair. That's why people buy Toyotas.

[@davidhutchison3343]

A car with a V6 engine from the 90's had 3 Platinum sparkplugs at the rear and 3 standard sparkplugs at the front. The reason was because it was impossible to get to the rear sparkplugs with the engine in the car, so they fitted Platinum plugs which would last for the warranty period of the car (plugs were good for 90 000 km). You still had to replace the the front plugs every 20 000 km. Platinum plugs were $20 each compared with $2 for standard plugs which is why only the 3 inaccessible plugs were Platinum.

[@Mladjasmilic]

This is why I drive Fiat Punto. It was designed to have ventilation drain drip water to rear bearing of alternator. So it fails slowly, but when it does, it locks up, destroys rotor and driving belt, maybe some of wire harness with it.

[@JayLopiccolo]

The hose on that car lasted 10 years. Any type of swivel fitting will also wear and eventually leak, probably not as a stream of fluid, but as a slow drip. That drip then gets everywhere in the top before the owner notices. Probably very similar failure period, but potentially higher repair cost. Not to mention that a swivel is much larger than a flexing hose, adding further complication to an already ridiculously complicated top mechanism. I am not saying that there aren't better designs, but I am trying to point out that every design has a weak point. Trying to engineer away every failure point is a fools game - you never finish. Sometimes you have to accept that there will be a failure point, and you move on. (Of course, you should also try to make that failure point easily repairable, which is the bigger sin here than having a failure point at all.)

[@MCRIchy]

Wow, a Mercedes bens. Ya" your right wizard, why? Or are they trying to get people to return to the dealer, and we know darn well, they rip you off it's a planed rip off by the dealership. I'm sure wizard you will be a lot cheaper and do a better job. That's the way it is! The solution is keep your car and hopefully the people are doing the own work ,, because after the warranty you are screwed if you can't. Thanks wizard. Buying a good new one is not cheap anymore. Those design engineers know what the company's want !!

[@raybyrnes3516]

Brings back bad memories of fixing Jaguar's... The XK8 used to have this exact problem too. The map lights would fill up with green Pentosin CHF-11S and then rain down onto the J gate shifter. They had a hydraulic powered latch in the center of the windscreen and the lines that fed that would fail just like this. The pump was in the right rear of the boot and the lines would run unbroken from there, through the rear bulkhead, under the back seat and across the car to the left side. Down the sill and up beside the dash and up the A pillar. Had to gut the trunk, gut the whole interior and the carpeting to replace this one failed line. I think it used to pay 19 hours.

[@bdhaliwal24]

Great video, keep making these videos until the manufacturers start noticing. I will stay away from MB and BMW thanks to what I’ve learned on your channel

[@macstone9719]

I work in a very different line of job, but over the years I have developed a sixth sense for "problematic customers" . If they don't want it done the right way, I regretfully (not!) pass on that one. They will never stop complaining later, although it was all their own fault.

[@JohnSmith-yv6eq]

"Ever since you worked on it....."

[@edlingja1]

I had the same experiences with construction/renovation; so I refuse any band-aid fixes and you can get it fixed properly instead. Otherwise call another joe off the street and get what you want. The worst was a kitchen floor system that had rotted out and the “handy neighbour” suggested extending the floor joists by sistering them only 12” each, so I said no either you replace it all the way or you go 7’ or more past the affected area. We ended up getting a dozen or so 10’ 2x10’s and doing it properly with a new rim board & exterior stone work. Looks beautiful and will stand the test of time. Also not a single screw was used in that repair, just ardox.

[@yoranw4608]

Wizard should have said in the end: *“Buy a Toyota”* (or a Lexus). You wont have a 1/10 of the headaches and whenever you do, it will cost you millions less. LOL.

[@hoodoo2001]

Everyone that watches this show owns a Toyota. We love to laugh at everyone else.

[@BmwMe-uh9sy]

thing is no1 wants a toyota

[@carstenweiland7896]

You won't look so loaded to your neighbour!

[@yoranw4608]

@@carstenweiland7896 Indeed

[@yoranw4608]

@@BmwMe-uh9sy controversial. LOL

[@Guns_Freedom_Military]

Nice video i really enjoy your vids

[@bad05ford]

When an accountant builds it vs an engineer you get the oil pickup and pan design on the trailblazer ss. Many engines have failed due to oil starvation.

[@dandeclerck6742]

Nah, with the Diamler Benz, it was probably a decision made a decade ago, so therefore will never get revisited.. The first hose design was probably good, and eventually they squeeze the supplier, who does a "cost reduction".. the real crime? the non standard hose connectors.. which makes it hard for the aftermarket to build a better hose.. BTW: I highly doubt they made 200K E series Cabriolets (convertibles), so I doubt the poor quality of this design is on their radar. With German engineering, many times it's "we do things this way because we can, not because we should".. Remember the 90's M-B electric brakes? How many did they buy back under lemon law?

[@Wbfuhn]

When someone with money thinks they can design something as good as an engineer with years of experience, it never ends well. I'm no engineer but I know that an engineer with years of experience will do it better.

[@hinnerkbosmuckel767]

I really had to laugh at the scene with the cost manager - this is the truth! I worked for them as an engineering consultant and their main target was always to save money. It was my target to get the best engineered solution but cost was always most important. Well, I am happy now to work for a different customer.

[@matthewflakes1481]

I’ve always liked these cars, I would opt for the 550 though! I live in Huntsville, AL and there is one that is a light blue color and has a navy top, it is very striking to see.

[@tommyolsen8224]

Love that car! Just stunning design 😍

[@manofsheerawsomness]

When someone tells me German cars are well made I show them this.

[@larsbambi1575]

This is an exception🇩🇪 😁 everything on a Ford is engineered by morons. Absolutely the worst engineering ever!! Or maybe the best...depends on who you ask.. the dealer or the customer..

[@lawrencefearon6830]

Some are made well. It's the research that reveals which are the best engineered.

[@cabbagekitten]

You say you’re powerless Wizard, but Jaguar and Land Rover really appreciate any feedback for engineering improvements especially thru social media. Yeah, ironic but true

[@craigtiano3455]

I gave up on Mercedes after the early 1990's, because it was obvious that the design methodology changed from "Made up to a standard" to "Made down to a price". It's sad, really, considering the huge numbers of sales they made in the 1980's on the quality of the 116 and 123 series cars.

[@TheTarrMan]

I'm surprised you can't get the proper fittings (or make them) and then use a type of hose that you can splice so next time it leaks you just have to replace that one little section. You could perhaps even splice in a piece of steel braided hose for that hinge point.

[@hotpuppy1]

very tight space

[@corgiowner436]

I’ve always said whoever designs the car should have to service it.

[@arnaldofettuccine5227]

I never had that problem in my 68 Caddy Coupe DeVille even when it was 15 years old 👍💗😁

[@Rockinrn]

Thanks for the video. I was going to buy an E350 cabriolet, but not now!

[@khunchai43]

Mercedes-Benz: “Engineered like no other car in the world.” Those days are gone.

[@geirkarlsen3461]

Buy a traditional Morgan, everything is manual, no hydraulics to leak in your face

[@atx-cvpi_99]

How about buy a Miata instead. Those old British two seat roadsters were junk and that's why Mazda wanted the best of both worlds, a British style sports car with legendary Japanese reliability.

[@AlessandroGenTLe]

Until your wood frame rots away... ;)

[@geekfreak618]

I had an IT gig at a defense contractor for a while and worked with a bunch of mechanical and electrical engineers who developed big expensive adult toys. They usually had the same opinion as you do Mr Wizard about letting any bean counters into the development labs. LOL Love Mrs Wizard playing a bad girl.

[@John_spartan]

So true.. you are spot on 👍🏼 and this was an excellent vlog 👏🏻

[@seandillon3340]

Hey Wizard, what is your experience with Mitsubishi?

[@md2k8]

I am still waiting for a buy this, not that video regarding Mitsubishi's.

[@atx-cvpi_99]

Mitsubishis aren't as reliable as a Honda or a Toyota. There are Mitsubishis that are reliable like the Lancer and the Eclipse. There are also unreliable models like the Outlander and Outlander Sport especially those with a CVT transmission also made by JATCO, a subsidiarity of Nissan. In fact I don't recommend any Mitsubishi with a CVT because they have similar problems with Nissan. Another thing is to avoid the earlier 3.0 V6 models because of valve seal issues and on occasion, head gasket issues.

[@md2k8]

@@atx-cvpi_99 The later, 3 L V6 models are still in great shape for reliability (2014 and newer Outlander's). My father just kept his 2018 model, I believe.

[@seandillon3340]

@@md2k8 Chill man, i do not want a mitsubishi video just a little comment.

[@seandillon3340]

@@atx-cvpi_99 I was thinking about older models like the pajero with the v6 3.8 or models before 2012...

[@williamosgood3565]

German engineering: finding the most complicated, most expensive and least reliable way to do the simplest thing.

[@ThePman1234]

As an owner of a 2003 Mercedes CLK430 convertible, I can tell you how I "solved" this problem. Open your trunk and locate the pressure release screw on the hydraulic pump and turn it counter clockwise, to release the hydraulic pressure off the pump. I then raise and lower my convertible top MANUALLY. I can have top up or down within 30 seconds. Problem solved! :)

[@bizzarros]

a video to that would be great, especially on how you then lock down (or unlock) the top on the front and back.

[@spirosk7984]

The last generation of proper and reliable Mercedes Benz cars was W124 and W140..lucky to own both of them (E230 and an S320)..then I bought myself a W210 and later drove for some time a '05 SLK...huge difference in terms of reliability and mechanical issues compared to pre 2000 models...Never bought or drove a Mercedes again in my life. Same applies to Audi...Got a Lexus SUV which I have recently replaced with a Volvo...both superb cars, super reliable and awesome to drive and above all 5 star safety for driver and passengers. Unfortunately marketing gurus have made Mercedes a status symbol car despite the fact that are way better cars in the market with much less money

[@Blue-moon12]

Auto Bukkake 🤣🤣

[@mikebryant5223]

Interesting video, but badly lacking in perspective. Yes, technicians may see a large number of any particular problem, but they never see the thousands of cars that don't exhibit the problem - so their frame of reference is understandably skewed. 10 or 11 R129s with leaking cylinders? Over what period of time? Yes, leaking hydraulics are a known issue with the R129 top but keep in mind the number of R129s which were built between 1990 and 2002 (over 175,000), and that the newest one is now approaching 20 years old. Not to mention that MB freely admits that replacing the cylinders can be expected about every 10 years. And this particular 2011 A212 is now 10 years old - which sort of dismisses your "3 to 5 year" life estimate, wouldn't you say? The same question could be asked: Given the number of units produced, what does the failure incident rate calculate out to? And might the longevity history with the R129 be an indicator of what to expect with the A212? Certainly, a potential buyer should consider the possibilities of expensive repairs if they're looking to buy any used car. A potential BMW buyer would certainly look seriously at the cost to address any number of potential trouble areas on late model BMWs, or a classic Mercedes buyer might be legitimately concerned about the potential for hidden rust damage. No car design is perfect. I'd happily tell you about a big design annoyance on my 2011 E550, but I had it addressed and moved forward. I'll not likely ever have to pay to have it done again, unless the firmware is flashed back to factory settings. If that happens, I'll deal with it then. Meanwhile, I'll continue to drive and love the car, much as I expect the owner of this black beauty will. Sorry to be long winded.

[@JonathanMoosey]

Building cars to constantly break on purpose don’t get repeat customers every 3 to 5 years. Building cars to break on purpose guarantees business for their competition later on down the road.

[@rofra11]

youre so god da...... RIGHT with that bean counter thing. I am from Germany and trying to figure out what the EXACT problem is . Asking after market companys which are fixing MB convertible roof´s if this is a known problem ....no response yet. And what would be the 5,60Dollar action look like ? BUT you ( or i ) missed the actuall design of your proposal !? Where and why exactly get that hose pinched or does it simple break due to age and or often usage? Wizard thanks again for your great work.

[@garycurry4600]

As an accountant, I got a good laugh 😂

[@ssj4david]

I'm a designated CPA, and a car enthusiast. I wouldn't say it's fair or funny to point us out as amateur black/white number crunchers. I take my job very seriously to identify future opportunities and underserved areas for my employer (a major Hospital in Canada). Mind you, I've never worked for Mercedes. The Hydraulic fluid spraying into someone's face is a Senior Management/ Board of Directors decision. Not an Accountant or CFO choice.

[@adoreslaurel]

In my 20's in the 60's, a taxi driver friend picked up a fare, a guy wearing oil stained trousers, he had a Grosser Mecedes with hydraulic everything and a pipe under the dash let go and he copped a decent spray. Nothing has changed.

[@droma2366]

Thank you for your honesty.