# An open letter to Mercedes drivers **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 13, 2002, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-mercedes-drivers/98045 "2002-03-13T13:07:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-mercedes-drivers/98045/21 "2002-03-14T10:25:05Z")
Phew, I was starting to get worried about the SDMB demographic, as there didn’t seem to be anyone rushing in to defend Merc drivers for quite a while. Of course, not all Merc drivers are the same - it’s just an assinine observation of a trend. Anyway, a big Merc drove past me this morning, not letting me out of a turning, and while I was saying to Mrs. Jjimm: “look, see what I mean?” another Merc driver stopped and waved me out. Just goes to show. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-mercedes-drivers/98045/22 "2002-03-14T14:36:00Z")
Back to your OP, I will say that the turn signal on a Mercedes is about as useful as an oblong hockey puck. It’s funny that such a well-engineered car overall has their indicator blueprint drawn with a crayola. Admittedly, my use of said device has been abbreviated since I’ve often caught myself miles after a turn still flashing yesterday’s intentions. Next time you see one of us doing that, just yell. We’ll have the top down and will be cutting deals over the phone but we’d be happy to move the cigar to the other hand and turn that damn thing off. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Macro\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Macro\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Macro_Man)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-mercedes-drivers/98045/23 "2002-03-14T14:41:28Z")
Yeah, I was just thinking the same thing about chick drivers… and old people… and Yugoslavians. :rolleyes: Ya know, for a diverse, open-minded bunch of people, you sure don’t mind stereotyping people when it doesn’t apply to you. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-mercedes-drivers/98045/24 "2002-03-14T16:34:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Macro Man \* > \*\*Ya know, for a diverse, open-minded bunch of people, you sure don’t mind stereotyping people when it doesn’t apply to you. \*\* He’s having a go at stereotypers now! What a bigot. ---
**Author:** ![Macro\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Macro\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Macro_Man)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-mercedes-drivers/98045/25 "2002-03-14T16:54:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jjimm \* > \*\*He’s having a go at stereotypers now! What a bigot. \*\* What a typical response for a guy named Jim. Figures. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-mercedes-drivers/98045/26 "2002-03-14T21:14:22Z")
Touché. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![5-HT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/f19dbf/32.png) [@5-HT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5-HT)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2002, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-mercedes-drivers/98045/27 "2002-03-15T03:06:33Z")
I know what you mean, I hate it when people spend their hard earned cash on nice things. obviously the desire for a high quality luxury car indicates a lack of character. those successful types are all the same. you never see people with cheap cars driving like assholes. ---
**Author:** ![Sue\_Duhnym](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@Sue\_Duhnym](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sue_Duhnym)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2002, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-mercedes-drivers/98045/28 "2002-03-15T05:36:07Z")
Well, well, well. With my last car I got shit on for having an SUV. Now I get shit on for having a Benz. What a treat! I like my car. No, I _love_ my car. It’s a station wagon and not only terribly practical, but very well designed. It’s got all the bells and whistles and has the most power of any station wagon out there. I looked at other cars, truly I did, but I had a laundry list of features I wanted and the Benz was the only one that met (and exceeded) my expectations. Plus, the service is awesome. When I got my first brand new car (A Honda Accord) I took delivery with the gas light on. They told me to go fill it up and bring them a receipt. When I picked up this car they rewashed it because it rained when they were filling the tank. I also got a full tutorial on the workings, settings and every damn button in the thing, a visit to my house to set the garage door button, and multiple phone calls to see how I was liking it. Regular service (including oil changes) is free as are the loaner cars I drive while the service is performed. If I need it washed, I can take it to the dealership for a free wash. Roadside service is included, and if I get a flat, they’ll come change it. Do you pay for AAA? I don’t. Do I drive too fast? Sure. I drove like a lunatic in my SUV, my Honda and my rusted out Isuzu I-Mark, but I still use my turn signal and let people in. And I certainly don’t flip people off, not on the road at least. Oh, and just for Jar…jeans, white t-shirt and sneakers…pretty much every day. And sunglasses with rose colored lenses. ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2002, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-mercedes-drivers/98045/29 "2002-03-15T10:21:31Z")
Uhhm **Sue** , not to burst your bubble or anything, but I bought a new Hyundai Accent this fall and also got a full tutorial and calls to see how I like it. I was also introduced to one of the mechanics and this dealerships offers free shuttle service to the mall. I’m hoping it will be a few years before I need to worry about arranging a rental. I’ve also got 5 years roadside assistance. CJ ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2002, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-mercedes-drivers/98045/30 "2002-03-15T11:27:36Z")
**Sue** , read the OP - I _like_ the cars. I think they’re fantastic. Unfortunately (and maybe it’s just a Dublin, Ireland thing), in this city, the majority of road-hogging pricks seem to be behind the wheel of this particular marque. For the record, I also dislike the driving style of most Hiace vans, anything driven by little old men/women, and small Japanese vehicles driven by spotty teenagers with wispy moustaches. ---
**Author:** ![Macro\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Macro\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Macro_Man)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2002, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-mercedes-drivers/98045/31 "2002-03-15T14:10:52Z")
CJ, I’d like to point out that “free shuttle service to the mall” ain’t quite the same thing as a free loaner car. No offense. It’s incredibly convenient to drop the car off at 7:00am, have another one just like it valeted to the door, and drive yourself to work. ---
**Author:** ![Dilbert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58f4c7/32.png) [@Dilbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dilbert)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2002, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-mercedes-drivers/98045/32 "2002-03-15T14:31:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sue Duhnym \* > \*\*With my last car I got shit on for having an SUV. Now I get shit on for having a Benz. \*\* I realize cars are a very personal thing. If you like your car, who cares what other people stereotype about the driver? > [@](#): > > \*\*Plus, the service is awesome. When I got my first brand new car (A Honda Accord) I took delivery with the gas light on. They told me to go fill it up and bring them a receipt. When I picked up this car they rewashed it because it rained when they were filling the tank. I also got a full tutorial on the workings, settings and every damn button in the thing, a visit to my house to set the garage door button, and multiple phone calls to see how I was liking it. \*\* Well, for the price you should expect that type of service. However that Honda dealership seemed like they were below standard with their service. Out of curiousity, are these oil changes, etc only while the car is still under warranty, or is it a life time thing? Same question on the loaner car and roadside service. Did this set of features cost you extra (other than the price of a Benz)? Although it sounds like the treatment you got with you picked up your car is the same treatment you _should_ have gotten when you picked up your Honda. ---
**Author:** ![Macro\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Macro\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Macro_Man)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2002, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-mercedes-drivers/98045/33 "2002-03-15T15:35:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dilbert \* > \*\* > Same question on the loaner car and roadside service. Did this set of features cost you extra (other than the price of a Benz)? Although it sounds like the treatment you got with you picked \*\* Can’t speak for Benz, but the Roadside Assistance and Loaner Car Service on my Infiniti are lifetime and built into the cost of the car/service center. I think it depends on the dealership. And yes, if you pay more for your car, you are entitled to better/more service. Maintaining a loan fleet is really quite expensive and time consuming. It’s just business. When I go to Taco Bell, I expect prompt and courteous service at a reasonable price. When I go to Three Forks steakhouse, I expect excellent service, high-caliber waitstaff, and free bread. It helps differentiate your product in the competitive environment. As you cross the $25,000 price threshold, you start getting less and less car for more and more money. A $20,000 Honda Accord has many of the features as a $50,000 Mercedes, and each will get you back and forth with a high degree of comfort and reliability. They have to do something to justify the diminishing value-add of a luxury automobile. Macro Man- currently driving an Infiniti loaner car while mine’s getting serviced. ---
**Author:** ![Necros](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/necros/32/11086_2.png) [@Necros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Necros)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2002, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-mercedes-drivers/98045/34 "2002-03-15T16:34:37Z")
**cjhoworth** said: > [@](#): > > Actually, I’ve felt the same thing about Cadillac drivers due to 2 incidents early in my driving career. Let me tell you, folks, there’s nothing like driving down the Pennsylvania Turnpike in a Geo convertible, with the top down, a Jersey barrier on the left, 2 trucks on the right, a truck ahead of you, and an _idiot_ in a Cadillac behind you who wants to go faster! That’s interesting. Most of us Cadillac drivers are oblivious, leave our turn signals on for miles, and can’t see over the steering wheel because of all the blue hair in our eyes. You must have gotten one of the strange ones. The truth of the matter is, our Caddies are hungry, and a Geo convertible with a tiny-tiny little engine is just about the right-sized lunch. Sorry you had to be a casualty. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2002, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-mercedes-drivers/98045/35 "2002-03-15T16:55:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by cjhoworth \* > Let me tell you, folks, there’s nothing like driving down the Pennsylvania Turnpike in a Geo convertible, with the top down, a Jersey barrier on the left, 2 trucks on the right, a truck ahead of you, and an _idiot_ in a Cadillac behind you who wants to go faster! You’re working on your tan in the fast lane of an expressway in a Geo and someone wants to pass? Will wonders never cease. ---
**Author:** ![Macro\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Macro\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Macro_Man)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2002, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-mercedes-drivers/98045/36 "2002-03-15T19:24:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lieu \* > \*\* > > You’re working on your tan in the fast lane of an expressway in a Geo and someone wants to pass? > > Will wonders never cease. \*\* Hehehehe. That just slays me! You bring up a good point, though. Pretty sure that Geo Convertible won’t go much faster than 60, especially with the top down (wind noise must be unbearable). Like George Carlin once said (paraphrasing): “Anyone driving faster than me is a maniac, and anyone driving slower than me is a moron”. Pile one a heaping helping of vehicular envy, mix in some socioeconomic bias, and serve it hot with an activity that, at any point, could kill you, and you have all the fixin’s for a nice little pit rant. ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2002, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-mercedes-drivers/98045/37 "2002-03-16T12:30:05Z")
Here in the Bay Area, _everyone_ on the road is an asshole. It doesn’t matter if they drive a Mercedes or a piece of shit 8-color Rabbit with plastic taped into the window frames, they still swoop across 20 lanes at the Bay Bridge toll plaza and cut off semis. And crash a lot, especially in the rain. ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2002, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-mercedes-drivers/98045/38 "2002-03-16T15:08:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Macro Man \* > \*\* > …a heaping helping of vehicular envy, mix in some socioeconomic bias, and serve it hot with an activity that, at any point, could kill you, and you have all the fixin’s for a nice little pit rant. \*\* We have a winner! Macro Man, dude, you have cut right to the black little heart of the matter. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Chrome ---
**Author:** ![Jurhael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@Jurhael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurhael)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2002, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-mercedes-drivers/98045/39 "2002-03-16T17:43:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Macro Man \* > \*\*Pile one a heaping helping of vehicular envy, mix in some socioeconomic bias, and serve it hot with an activity that, at any point, could kill you, and you have all the fixin’s for a nice little pit rant. \*\* Vehicular envy? Socioeconomic bias!? Bah! That’s nothing more than knee jerk reactions to any critizism. It’s possible for people to bitch and be VERY critical without feeling ANY hint of bias or any envy what so ever. That said, there’s assholes everywhere, no matter what car they drive. ---
**Author:** ![Billy\_Rubin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billy_rubin/32/3622_2.png) [@Billy\_Rubin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billy_Rubin)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2002, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-mercedes-drivers/98045/40 "2002-03-16T18:42:16Z")
Was it a [560 SEL fuckbucketmobile?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=73723) if so I think I know the guy. b. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-mercedes-drivers/98045.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-open-letter-to-mercedes-drivers/98045.md?page=3)