“The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is the best car in the USA.” As Vincent Vega said to Lance his heroin dealer in Pulp Fiction, “That’s a bold statement.” Really, it’s THE best car in the USA? Out of all the cars I could get? Who says? Turns out that it’s J. D. Power APEAL study for 2009 that is saying such things about the latest Mercedes flagship.
Now, I could say that something like a Ferrari F430 is a MUCH better, and much more pure car to drive than a two-ton sedan, but J. D. Power is not using the same criteria I am in their 2009 APEAL study.
“In this exhaustive customer survey the Mercedes-Benz S-Class was awarded the highest number of overall points for the third time running, and is therefore not only the best car in its segment, but at the same time also in the entire US market,” crows Mercedes in their press release about receive yet another kudo from J. D. Power.
I could say something to them about toning down the arrogance a notch, but they are, after all, Germans, and besides, when you get down to it, Mercedes makes VERY good cars.
And the S-Class is their top of the line, the flagship. I’m not al that overjoyed about the styling of the latest generation S, especially in comparison to the generation just before this one (which was sleek and gorgeous), but I’m sure the latest S-Class has improved over the previous.
Very sure, as a matter of fact. It just so happens that a couple of days ago, I saw an ’02 or ’03 S glass go gliding by my place. Foolish car guy that I am, I asked myself, “I wonder what those go for?” And, even more foolishly, I fired up Craig’s List.
“MID-20S!! No way!” I said.
As a matter of fact, it wasn’t uncommon to see the generation before the ’02s to go for MORE money.
What gives? In a word (since I started poking around MB club message boards) it’s reliability. The one-generation-old S-Classes have a skeevy rep on that front, and if there’s one thing a German car buyer cannot abide, it’s a lack of, or even the perceived lack of reliability.
So, J. D. Power or no, the new S-Class is going to be better acknowledged.
