Is Mercedes losing its edge? Jane (whoever she may be) won’t appreciate this analysis – her apparent mission is to shield the Mercedes brand from critics like us. Let’s dive in anyway.
YouTube mechanic Car Care Nut, an engineer by training, has gained traction by tearing down vehicles with clinical precision: inspecting engine bays, examining chassis components, and exposing engineering compromises. His verdict? Mercedes’ build quality is deteriorating.
The alarming shift? Metal components are increasingly replaced with plastic – a material notorious for brittleness, cracking, and eventual failure. In automotive applications where parts constantly heat, expand, and contract, plastic’s limitations become glaring liabilities.
The new Mercedes W223 S-Class exemplifies this trend. Under-hood plastic parts now infiltrate critical chassis components too. While comprehensive reliability data remains scarce, this materials downgrade almost guarantees higher failure rates as these vehicles age.
The interior tells the same story of decline. Once the undisputed luxury benchmark, the S-Class cabin now reveals cost-cutting compromises. This quality erosion began subtly with earlier models (W221), but the W223 makes it undeniable.
Mercedes appears to have crossed a critical threshold. When even the flagship S-Class endures cost-slashing measures, it signals either financial distress or a corporate shift prioritizing shareholder returns over engineering integrity.
The stakes couldn’t be higher: If the S-Class forfeits its class-leading status, Mercedes risks squandering the prestige cultivated over generations. Should that happen, the brand’s decline will be entirely self-inflicted.
