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Runtime: 10:42
0:00 Trump Tariffs Could Cut Production By 20,000 Units/Day
1:26 BMW’s Profits Plunge 37% In 2024
3:23 UAW Files Unfair Labor Charges Against Volkswagen
5:19 Mercedes-Benz Reveals All-New CLA
6:56 Stellantis To Build Two EV Vans for Iveco
7:44 Tesla Developing Stripped-Down Model Y in China
8:18 Skoda Surges To #3 Car Brand in Europe
8:54 CATL’s Profits Slow In 2024
9:22 Autoline Poll on Touchscreens vs. Buttons
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This is Autoline Daily, the show dedicated to enthusiasts of the global automotive industry.
TRUMP TARIFFS COULD CUT PRODUCTION BY 20,000 UNITS/DAY
According to a study by S&P Global, within a week of President Trump imposing 25% tariffs on vehicles imported from Canada and Mexico, car and truck production in North America could drop by 20,000 vehicles a day. That would translate to nearly 4.8 million vehicles a year. However, while the President threatened to impose those tariffs, they’re currently under a 1-month reprieve until April 2nd. In one scenario, S&P Global gives a 30% chance for a quick resolution that would avoid the tariffs. But that reprieve only applies to vehicles that are compliant with the USMCA free trade agreement. In a second scenario, S&P gives a 50% probability for an extended period of turmoil that would last 4-5 months. It says production of vehicles that are not compliant would be slashed, or stopped altogether. In a third scenario, with a 20% probability, and what it calls a “tariff winter,” automakers and suppliers would be forced to move production to the U.S., which would result in sub-optimal sourcing. It predicts new car and truck sales in the U.S. would drop by 10%, or by about 1.5 million vehicles.
BMW’S PROFITS PLUNGE 37% IN 2024
In other tariff news, as we reported yesterday, BMW said it would eat the tariff costs on some of its Mexican-made models. And now we have an idea of how much that is. The automaker expects to spend about 1 billion euros on tariffs this year, which also includes European taxes on its China-made EVs. This and a number of new model ramp ups will have an impact on BMW’s financial performance, but it’s still forecasting a similar profit before taxes as last year because the company hit its highest investment level ever, roughly 18 billion euros, in 2024. However, having a similar performance is not really great news for BMW. Sales across the entire Group fell 4% to just over 2.45 million units. That helped drag revenue down by nearly 8.5% to roughly 142 billion euros. Its EBIT came in at 11.5 billion euros, a drop of about 38%, which was almost the same as its net profit, which hit nearly 7.7 billion euros in 2024. I mentioned that BMW is working on a number of new model ramp ups, which include ICE, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, BEV and fuel cell. The first model from its Neue Klasse family of EVs, the iX3, hits the market later this year and will be followed next year by a sedan that is likely the next-gen 3 Series. BMW’s fuel cell vehicle won’t be out until 2028, but it will probably be a high-volume SUV like the X5 that it’s already started testing in and it’s jointly developing the drive system with Toyota. And to handle all these new product launches, the company announced that it promoted its board member in charge of purchasing and supply to take over the role of Development. Joachim Post will take over from Frank Weber on June 1st.
UAW FILES UNFAIR LABOR CHARGES AGAINST VOLKSWAGEN
The United Auto Workers filed unfair labor charges against Volkswagen accusing the automaker of trying to cut jobs. VW is cutting production at its plant in Tennessee by moving it to a two-shift model because of weak EV demand. The plant builds the ID.4 electric. VW says it’s offering workers a voluntary severance package, retirement options and benefits. But UAW President Shawn Fain blasted the buyouts and said that the union “has notified the Trump Administration of Volkswagen’s unacceptable, anti-union, anti-worker and anti-American conduct.” The UAW and VW are currently negotiating their first contract after the union won its first election at the Tennessee plant last year.
MERCEDES-BENZ REVEALS ALL-NEW CLA
Mercedes revealed the all-new CLA, which rides on the automaker’s next-gen platform. The all-electric version will launch first, followed by a hybrid later this year. The EV will come in RWD with a 200 kW or roughly 270 horsepower electric motor or AWD with 260 kW or about 350 horsepower. Both feature a 2-speed transmission and an 85-kWh battery pack that provides nearly 800 kilometers or almost 500 miles of range on the WLTP test cycle. And thanks to an 800-volt architecture the new CLA can add up to 325 kilometers or 200 miles of range in 10 minutes of charging. The hybrid version could more accurately be described as an EREV or extended range electric without an external charging port. It features a 1.5L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that’s paired with 48-volt mild-hybrid tech as well as an 8-speed transmission with an integrated electric motor. That motor can provide support at any speed and when less than 20 kW or about 27 horsepower is needed, which would be light loads up to 100 km/h or 62 MPH, it can drive on electric-only power. The new CLA is also the first model to fully run off of Mercedes’ new in-house developed operating system, which helps enable over-the-air updates, the operation of a new AI-enhanced infotainment system and Level 2 hands-free driving.
STELLANTIS TO BUILD TWO EV VANS FOR IVECO
The commercial division of Stellantis, called Stellantis Pro One, is going to build and supply IVECO with electric vans for Europe for the next 10 years. The two models will be based on mid- and large-size van platforms from Stellantis, but rebranded as IVECOs. They’ll be built in Italy, Poland and France and should hit the market next year. We find this a little interesting because IVECO also has a deal with Hyundai to use its eLCV, or electric light commercial vehicle platform, for a model called the eMoovy that’s aimed at the European market as well. I’m guessing the vehicles won’t compete against each other and it looks more like IVECO is turning to major automakers to build its vehicles, instead of investing to build them on its own.
TESLA DEVELOPING STRIPPED-DOWN MODEL Y IN CHINA
Tesla is developing a stripped-down version of the Model Y in China to compete with lower-cost competitors. The goal is reportedly to chop $7,000-$11,000 from the cost of the car, which currently sells in China for a little over $36,000. The cost cutting would come from pulling out content and by simplifying manufacturing. Mass production could start early next year and the cheaper version could also be built in the U.S. and Germany. But production could start earlier if the current refreshed Y fails to boost sales.
SKODA SURGES TO #3 CAR BRAND IN EUROPE
Here’s a sales stat that caught our eye. Skoda is now the Number Three car brand in Europe, only behind Volkswagen and Toyota. It surged past Renault and BMW last year. Skoda is owned by the VW Group, but unlike the VW brand, it’s growing strong in the EU, with sales up 14% in 2024. A key factor for the Czech manufacturer’s success is its lower priced cars, like the Elroq EV, which sells for about $35,800, the same price as its gas equivalent.
CATL’S PROFITS SLOW IN 2024
The EV price war in China put a dent in the world’s largest EV battery maker profits. CATL reported that its revenue fell nearly 10% last year to just over $50 billion. It’s the first time CATL’s revenue has fallen since it started releasing its financial numbers in 2015. And while its net profit rose 15% to $7 billion, it was the company’s slowest pace in six years.
AUTOLINE POLL ON TOUCHSCREENS VS. BUTTONS
Time for another Autoline poll. Automakers are trying to figure out whether they should use touchscreens or buttons and knobs, or a combination of the two. What feedback would you give to the car companies?
1. I really don’t like screens, and find them awkward to use.
2. I prefer screens, they really unclutter the interior.
3. Give us a combination of the two, with wiper and turn signal stalks and a radio knob.
4. None of the above, see my opinion below.
So, let us know what you think and we’ll report the results on Monday.
And that brings us to the end of today’s show. Thanks for tuning in and I hope that you have a great weekend.
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You spend a lot of your limited time on this show reporting predictions instead of actual hard news. And I have watched your show for more than a decade, and know that most of these predictions were embarassingly wrong, justifying the wise Dr. Stopford who famously pointed out the dismal record of forecasters in every industry, by the immortal quotes
“Those who gaze in crystal balls eat broken glass” and
“If tomorrow is like yesterday, forecasts are not bad, but nobody needs them, but if tomorrow is very different from yesterday, forecasts fall flat on their faces, at the time we really need them”
So I hope in the future you will emphasize actual hard news and disregard the forecasts.
Remember the rosy scenaria about autonomous driving and especially the alleged.., $50 billion value of GM’s cruise? Don’t you think all those who claimed that are really embarassed today? Why risk your reputation on these foolish forecasts?
Now to your question, I have used screens all day long at home and in the office for many decades, and have no problem at all using them in the car, BUT I want to point out the disturbing trend to offer six-digit luxury cars, mostly EVs from Germany, with lots of screens, BUT NO LUXURY! A case in point is the Mercedes S Class EV the EQS, whose dash is one giant screen, -BUT, for the first time for an S class, it does not have even one square inch of wood veneer. Are you kidding me, Mercedes????? No wonder the turkey does not sell and they offer a $20k discount if you lease it.
Another issue with car screens is when they are not safely integrated INSIDE the dashboard but hang out of it, which, even if it is actually safe, is a very unpleasant sight, esp when you think what would happen in a crash and your head would have to hit those damned exposed screens.
Sean, Not sure why Trump expects ANY Canadian assembly plants to close. In 2022, 1.2 million cars were made in Canada. The same year, 1.5 million cars were sold in Canada. If Canada wanted all cars sold to be made in the country, then at least one ADDITIONAL assembly plant would need to be made. Personally, as a Canadian, I would like to see Tesla, GM and Ford vehicles banned from Canada and replaced with BYD factories. Tesla makes zero cars in Canada and GM and Ford don’t make enough to bother with. (Ford plant is shut down right now. GM makes electric vans, when it can get enough batteries and a small number of pickups) Honda, Toyota and Stellantis are the only large manufacturers in Canada
On the poll:
C. A combination of the two, please. Screen & physical controls for key items.
Large screen eases NAV quick-viewing and ‘tiny icon’ syndrome. And when I want to do routine things like wipers, turn indicators, radio OR CLIMATE adjustment, screeens and capacitive controls are a distraction going somewhere to happen.
No turn-indicator stalk is a NO-GO buy-stopper, for me.
Totally agree on the exposed screens. They look tacked on and more vulnerable to thieves. Several manufacturers still do a nice job integrating them. Ram manages to fit their giant screen into the dash. Cadillac integrates theirs nicely on their EVs.
I find it difficult to adjust certain controls when driving, like tapping on the right spot to change the radio station and going through two screens to turn my heated seat and steering wheel on and off. For half of the year, this is a daily exercise and a dash switch or door mounted switch would be much more convenient to use. Don’t even get me started on blinkers and wipers. Commonly used controls should have their own controls. Set it and forget it controls are fine in the screen.
Kevin, the Equinox is Chevy’s second best-selling model. It is made in a plant in Mexico and also at a plant in Ingersoll, Ontario. GM has a long history of making vehicles and components at plants in Canada, though the amount varies year to year as models are launched and discontinued.
For the poll: option C
Radio, climate, hazard need to have analog controls.
Wipers and turn signals too. Having these on a screen only is a safety hazard – tactile feedback is important
I’m 3 and 4 on the poll. I like physical controls for most things, including the HVAC temp. I prefer physical controls for the radio, but the steering wheel buttons on my newest car allow going through presets without using the touch screen. I would not consider a car without a turn signal stalk, or without a stalk or equally convenient control for the wipers.
Screens are good for things you do while parked, like setting up how you want the power locks to work, but they suck for doing anything while driving on a bumpy road.
1. I really don’t like screens, and find them awkward to use.
GM Veteran, are you sure about Equinoxes being made in Canada? What I find is only Mexico and China, and only Mexico for EVs.
If Canadians bought only Canadian cars, there’d be a lot of RAV4s and CR-Vs. They probably make up more than half of total car assembly in Canada.
Poll – Combination of the two with turn signal stalks required, & knobs for those items you need to change without taking your eyes off the road. Such as radio volume, temperature control, & HVAC fan speed.
screen only
ps no stalks in my car, as soon as my mind went think motorcycle I was fine however the new model Y tesla has stalks
Knobs for frequently used features like HVAC, radio tune and volume, heated seats/wheel, wipers etc. Doing that would clean up the number of menu screens for the other functions too. If they want to save money….. get rid of the ridiculous console mounted shifters….they are just a switch anyway and take up precious space. The Ram 1500 seems to have the right balance; I have three of those and one Silverado. The Silverado, as an example, is headed the wrong way.
I am #3 on the poll. My 2 current cars are set up like this and I like it. Common things that you use everyday has physical touch points and less common items are on the screen. Works pretty well. As kit said, the screens are very difficult to manipulate on a bumpy road. Screen responsiveness also is a huge issue. The time between button press and actual action can be so long that you press it again and deactivate the activation causing you to press it again. It is infuriating especially when you are trying to do this on a bumpy road.
On the poll: other
I vote to deactivate the screens once the car starts moving except for navigation. Maybe a separate “always on” screen for the passenger (out of reach & sight of the driver) so the driver could make requests that a front seat passenger could implement. Knobs, buttons, & sliders for everything that the driver must use to “operate” the vehicle such as door locks, windows, mirrors, seat adjustments, heating and cooling, turn signals, lights, flashers, wipers, squirters, am/fm radio, etc.
In my cars that have the screens I have noticed that they distract my attention from actually driving. I don’t seem to have that problem with my older cars that do not have screens. In an older car you learn where the adjustments are located and you can keep your eyes on the road while adjusting things like the radio, heater, turn signal, etc. With a screen you have to take your eyes off the road to look at the screen to know what you are doing. Sometimes you have to move thru several layers to get to the adjustment you wish to make and all the while you are drifting farther and farther out of your traffic lane. Not good!
From my perspective there are too many things in vehicles today that distract the driver from paying attention to the road. Do I need to add that removing these distractions would make the roads safer for all of us? We need to get rid of the distractions and just enjoy the driving and the freedom that the road offers!!
The Equinox plant was switched to making Brightdrop EV vans, except that they can never get enough batteries to keep production going. Lots of assembled without batteries units on site. No equinoxes.
I like knobs,stalks,and touch screens or any combo provided
Poll – 3, certain controls like volume on radio and heater controls are better with a button or knob, you are able to make adjustments with out looking at the control, less time with eyes off the road. Also the non integrated screens look so hack to me.
My brother in law used to work at Cami plant building the equinox but a few contracts ago they let all production go to Mexico. He has since retired.
The touchscreen is fine for systems setup however, during driving, I greatly prefer a console mounted rotary controller for infotainment along with knobs/switches for HVAC.
On the poll.
My response is a 3. Give us a combination of the two, with wiper and turn signal stalks and a radio knob.
To illustrate I just bought a 2025 BMW 4 series. Love the screen but have to have the control knob to manipulate the nav sysem , audio and HVAC while driving. Also, I control some functions using voice control while driving, and that works great as well.
My sister had a Geo Tracker from CAMI. It was her last manual transmission car, and didn’t have power steering.
I have to second the sentiments of Regulus. Regurgitating the speculative opinions of so called experts that have an agenda rather than actual facts. The tariff stuff is a negotiation tactic and to spew what could happen before anything is actually settled is a bit irresponsible and I believe Ben inflated to create fear and unnecessary concern. Some actually listen to the hype and even believe Elon is in charge. But that’s just media doing its thing. Come April let’s see what actually gets imposed.
As for the screens. C. They are great for displaying lots of information and really needed for the programming of so many features in today’s cars. However they are a pain to touch little areas while driving so for most features while driving I’d prefer a knob or switch. Knob especially for volume, fan speed and transmission gear selection. Wipers definitely on the turn signal stalk.
What’s wrong with speculation? It’s better than the outright lies coming from the fool-in-chief. The “negotiation tactic” has already crashed the markets, and turned the U.S. into a pariah state around the world. Turning historic allies into adversaries is not helpful. Putin and Xi are loving it, though.
I’ve had cars with wipers on the turn signal stalk, and on a separate stalk on the right side. I like the right side stalk better, but the combined one is ok. My ’89 Caravan had turn signals, wiper, and cruise control all on the left stalk. That is getting kind of “busy,” but it kept working for at least 33 years. Wiper switches were on the dash of my earlier cars, like a ’57 Chrysler, and more recently, a ’74 Plymouth Duster.
Perhaps the so called ‘allies’ are the pariahs leaching off of the US for far too long. They need us more than we need them, and finally standing for fairness is not unreasonable. As far as name calling, remember we just had a ‘president’ that was incoherent, had to be helped off stage and took 30% of his time on vacation, all while collecting the 450K yearly salary. Someone who donates their entire salary is leading by example.
Joe G
Save yourself Joe! Switch off your cable infotainment channel before they take away all of your critical thinking skills!
Previous generations of Americans didn’t need an explanation of what they derived from a Europe whole and free.
Is there any “policy” this disadministration is pushing that would have prevented Boeing from following the far-too prevalent corporate American route to near-oblivion in a highly competitive (but potentially very rewarding) world, by abusing an enterprise’s substance rather than investing in people, products, and R&D over the long term?
Policies that just feed the stock-buyback sugar rush certainly don’t change that.
I prefer a combination of physical controls and touch screen. But all functions should be controlled via physical or verbal commands. If I have to use the touch screen while driving, it’s a failure. Don’t bury heated steering wheel or seats controls in the touch screen. Don’t bury media menus. When I want to switch between AM/FM/XM, I shouldn’t have to take my eyes off the road.
I’m OK with using the touch screen for setting my function preferences before driving (e.g., phone paring, navigation views, etc.).
Regulus, those touch screens that sit up from the instrument panel like a tablet are not unsafe. If anything, they are relatively safer as the driver’s eyes can still have the road in the field of view (less down vision angle). You may not like the style, but don’t cry “not safely integrated”… the air bag is designed to fully protect the driver and passenger.
Regulus, do you still have your Benz diesels?
@Sean Wagner
Are you saying Europe is not whole and free? Do explain.
And how exactly is Trump responsible for the mess that Boeing has made of their business with rampant safety issues and stranded astronauts?
Your TDS makes your posts incoherent and full of failed logic.
—————-
Is this outfit predicting tariff impacts on the auto sector some of the same clowns that predicted we’d all have abandoned Ice vehicles for EVs and high speed rail by 2020 ?
Always good to see new troubles for VW.
@Daily Driver
I think it’s actually worth repeating: “Previous generations of Americans didn’t need an explanation of what they derived from a Europe whole and free.”
That’s simple and straightforward, and so important it merits a sinking-in time free from sniping.
I didn’t say traitor Trump is responsible for “the mess that Boeing has made”, where one of America’s erstwhile icons of high-science, high added-value engineering so sadly typifies the prevalent corporate attitude towards investing for long-term competitiveness.
I would say that he’s very selectively stuck in the past, has learned absolutely nothing in the long intervening years, and continues to look at the world through a straw – while filling in the surrounding blanks according to his gusto.
He’s a shakedown artist and real estate goon who never ever admits to being wrong – hence no self-correction is possible. Flinging lies like dung onto fields comes more naturally to the type. Never would have thought the USA would welcome being subject to that kind of attention, though.
I could say it’s utterly disheartening and destructive. Then again, his evil ways aren’t seeping into this American heart.
SW, thanks for expounding.
Although I am not a Boeing expert nor have inside knowledge, please allow me to share a long term generic observation. American technology companies seem to have similar traits. Initial innovation and entrepreneurialism have ignited many industries. Technology-generated growth is followed by added competition and government regulation. Entrepreneurial management shifts to more structured professional management. Wall Street expectations for continued meteoric growth often leads to a combination of reckless, immature technology and cost cutting. Government mandates have the same effect. And both Wall Street and government pressures lead to short term thinking and major quality risks.
Examples: GM’s failed diesel V8 and V-8/6/4 in the 1980s were the result of immature technology that GM poorly selected and rushed into production in response to government regulation. Similarly, Ford poorly selected transmission technology in the 1981-1990 Escort and in the 2011-2019 Focus.
I suspect Boeing’s uncharacteristic stumble started when they diluted technical/human resources in the development of the Dreamliner. Not only did the Dreamliner involve new material technology (in pursuit of a competitive advantage in fuel efficiency and range), but Boeing chose to also pursue new sourcing and assembly methods in effort to offset the cost of the technology. I suspect decades of quality work practices were compromised as the unprecedented change was too much to consume at the same time.
In contrast, Toyota does not compound changes. Changes are methodical, often at the expense of response time. But Toyota’s new competition from Korea and China are challenging Toyota’s steadfastness. H-K has been delivering quality and rapid change.
The automotive clock speed has increased dramatically, enabled by change cycles that are now defined by software more than bending sheet metal. Haste makes waste, so quality gaffes will occur. The key is to assure systems are in place to make sure the quality is designed up-front so the gaffes are infrequent and not severe. One OEM blamed COVID for their gaffes, but they have the cause-and-effect confused as the COVID challenge tragically exposed their underlying poor management priorities. If they haven’t acknowledged their root problem, they can’t fix it.
“WHAT IS WRONG WITH SPECULATION”, Kit? Really? What I said was that it is not news. If you want to waste your time listening to idle speculation and astrologers, I sure as hell do not.
I do not comment on politics on this site but I have seen at least TWICE Kit referring to a “Fool in Chief”. The aforementioned deeply corrupt, incompetent fool, who was stupid since birth, long before he became senile, Kit, and I have the full proof for it, LEFT the Oval office in Disgrace on Jan 20, 2025. So can we go FORWARD and HOPE that Trump 47 SUCCEDS, because, Trump Haters, do you hear? If he does not succeed, it is YOU and your 401ks and your grocery bills that will suffer.
Futher on the Senile Idiot in Chief 46: The clown lied like a dog all his life. Remember left wing Journalist Sam Donaldson, the guy who always shouted questions at Reagan? He Investigated Biden’s stupid lie and silly brag that he graduated “above average” in his third rate law school class at Syracuse U (No Yale or Harvard Law, this). Well, your buddy Sam Donaldson found out that idiot Joe Biden graduated SEvENTY EIGHTH OUT OF 85 classmates!!! How stupid is a liar like Biden, to lie about somethign so easily disproven? And what total loser brags about finishing “above average”???? I would not brag even if I finished SECOND, especially if I graduated from such a third tier school.
Do you remember the senile fool in chief’s plagiarism in 1988 that forced him to QUIT his run for POTUS then? He plagiarized the speech of Neil Kinnock of the UK’s labor party, SHAMELESSLY, as only idiot Joe Biden can.
Ths worthless clown Biden has RUINED the Dem party in so many ways. Dems should be going medieval on the clown, for running again in 2024 even tho he knew he was a SENILE INCOMPETENT, for picking DEI HIRE word salad KAMALA, the cackling imbecile who seemed always stoned out of her mind, the most liberal of all 100 senators when she was in the Senate. AND for APPOINTING Kamala as the DEm nominee after he quit, instead of letting the best Dem win the nomination by PRIMARIES. If Governor Shapiro of PA was the Dem Nominee, as he SHOULD, you might NOT have to wail about Trump 47 and his radical policies, Kit.
So, if you want to make this forum about politics, Kit, go on, make my day, I got so much more where the above came from.
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Drew: You just claim, you offer no proof whatsoever, that the screens sticking out are safe in an accident. I could care less even if they are, the thrust of my comment is that they look cheap, and have no place, as I already wrote, in the S class EV “EQS” I went to test drive last November at the dealers, and after I sat in and looked at the dash, I had NO DESIRE and stood up and left, first time in my life I went to test drive a car and did not bother. WHY? Because a six figure vehicle, especially the S class, which is the gold standard in non-exotic luxury, should make you feel like a million dollars (which translated into TEN million Idiot Joe Biden dollars), and instead it makes you feel like some… IT guy or phone operator, with all those screens in front of you instead of wood, leather, and no GOD DAMNED PLASTICS WHAT SO EVER.
In response to your Q, Kit, I have both my 2007 and my 2008 E 320 Bluetecs, and in addition, which might surprise some, I am still a registered Dem since 1992, never bothered to change it, even tho very few Dem politicians I see in Congress are acceptable to me. Joe Lieberman (who I would vote for in 2000 if he was the POTUS nominee instead of the Goron) unfortunately passed away this year at only 82, from complications from a fall. Currently, only a couple of Dem Governors (Beshear of KY and esp SHapiro of PA) look promising for 2028.
Back to my autos. I use the 2008 E320 all the time and I am amazed how low its maintenance costs are in my overseas summer home, both dealers and indep mechanics, service is dirt cheap and honest.
I need to give some examples. When I got service messages on my dash for each car, Merc does not specify what each service includes in its manuals, so I looked around, and got 2-3 items. One was the fuel filter, which I don’t think I replaced in any car I owned before. I replaced it in the 2008 for only $55, incl labor. I asked in the US for the same item for the 2007, they claimed itis … $400.
Another item was a radiator flush. The US dealer asked $210 for it. Even that looked high to me, so I called an indep mechanic (the dealer and that mechanic were the only two places that are willing to work on Merc diesels in my small town). The mechanic asked… $600+ for a radiator flush (on the phone). I objected, and their excuse was that their mechanics are certified or something like that. Of course, I did not replace either the US fuel filter or did a rad flush.
Even more egregious: I called the US dealer to ask what “Service E” entails. The clown (either a mechanic or a clueless receptionist?) even asked me for the car’s VIN #, and using that #, he told me that the service includes….. ‘replacing the spark plugs” (!!!!!). On a DIESEL (!!!!!!!!!!). Is that idiot a crook, pretending to use my Vin and then coming up with this outrageous, laughable claim, or what?
So the 2007 is still in my garage, But i have not actually driven it since… May 2023! I have been perfectly able to do all my chores by a combination of walking, using the city bus or the U bus system, all of which are totally free for me. AND it will please Kim to know, with absolutely ZERO additional emissions (the buses would run with or without me in them!)
Regulus, I didn’t make the claim that tablet-style, stand-up screens are crash safety concerns. You did, so the onus of proof is not on me. But I’ll play the game. The 2023 Kia K5 has such a screen. It is rated 5 stars for each of the front passengers in NHTSA NCAP frontal crash tests. The 2023 Lincoln Corsair and Nautilus also has a similar screen shape. They are also rated 5 stars. These tests are scientific.
Your proof?
Screens are great for information and entertainment. However, there MUST be physical knobs, wheels and switches for most functions. Needing to go three and four pages deep to set the regen level, select a drive mode, adjust the climate control and seat functions is crazy. If younger car buyers can’t figure out how to use them, oh poor babies! Also, the trend of voice recognition to do many functions is annoying and finicky. Just because the technology is there doesn’t mean it needs to be in a car. Also, does anyone else get the feeling people that design these systems don’t even drive? Sorry, rhetorical.
Regulus, it’s Trump who is well on his way to crashing the economy, and the North American auto industry. Biden, by putting qualified people, rather than the worst he could find, in important positions, left the economy in pretty good shape, among the best in the post-pandemic world. I agree that Biden did a lot of damage to the Dem party, probably most importantly, by even running in 2024. Anointing Harris was not helpful, but it was probably too late to run a proper primary and campaigns.
You should drive that 2007, at least occasionally, or seals will stick to shafts and similar bad things. As far as fuel filters, don’t diesels have a water separator that should be checked/drained periodically? I’ve never dealt with a Mercedes dealer, but have with a Porsche dealer next door with the same owners. They seem competent, but obscenely expensive. I don’t remember what years, but I think there were a couple years that all Mercedes sold in the US were diesels.