Which year and model of Mercedes Benz is the most reliable?
I think any of them can be quite reliable when properly cared for. I own probably one of the worst rated MB in regards to quality. A 2001 ML 430. It is a brute of a rig. 5,100 pound, body on frame, V8 powered 4x4. It will pull anything, go anywhere (I have all terrain tires on it), and still look decent on a night out (my opinion).I purchased it in 2004 used. I have been anal with maintenance and it now has 175,000+ miles on the clock. It still has the original fuel pump, water pump, alternator, hoses (need to replace those just because), and starter. Never fails to start or get me to work. The paint is still good (minus the rock chips), leather looks fantastic, no dash cracks and everything works as it should.It has failed to get me home once in the last 13 years. A $45 crank position sensor and an hour of my time fixed that.And I use it. It tows trailers, goes 4 wheeling (just did last Saturday), or just a nice Sunday drive. It has crossed rivers and streams more than 2′ deep. I have buried it in mud (not by choice, I had to get somewhere), pulled a 9k pound trailer across town, gone 4 wheeling in Moab, and driven most of the western US and has never given me a fuss. Most people do not realize that MB designed it to be very rugged off road. It has a fantastic low range, factory skid plates and plenty of ground clearance. The bumpers hang a little low for my liking, but I am working on a plan to fix those.I have no plans on replacing it anytime soon. Sure, I have had to fix things. But none of them left me stranded and some good internet searching found the parts needed at a decent price.So, to wrap this up. I do not buy the notion that MB (or BMW and Audi) are unreliable by nature. They do require more maintenance, but will reward you if you are willing.
What is the replacement cost for Mercedes-Benz keys?
Since 1998 when Mercedes began using electronic “smart keys,” only dealers and some very high-end locksmiths can program a new key for you. The cheapest full replacement I’ve found was $219 (Mercedes in Santa Rosa, CA), with dealers in CA and NY quoting me a range from $219 up to about $450.You may not need the whole key, though.The key body, which includes the casing, the buttons, battery, and in some cases the transmitter. If your key is working fine, but you’d like a new-looking and feeling one, replacements are available on Amazon or eBay for $30. It takes about 10 minutes to take the “guts” out of the old key body and put it into the new one.A metal key, which is normally sheathed inside the key fob but can be taken out to operate the locks mechanically if the electronic system fails. Dealer or locksmith can make you a replacement for $40–100 if you give them the VIN.The printed circuit board, which contains a chip that holds the key code. This can be bought blank online for $20, but beware: you need a Mercedes-licensed computer and software to program it with your car’s code.
Is it possible to "roll back the odometer" in modern cars?
It's not just possible, it's easier than it has ever been. On old cars you could tell that the screws on the dash had been tampered with, it was also possible to spot wear on the seats, pedals, steering wheel, gear lever, etc. On modern cars you hook up the car to a laptop via the diagnostic port and apply the correct (freely available) software and you're done. Zero evidence. On top of this modern cars, particularly cars that are likely to have high miles such as German saloons, are much better made, the interior trim doesn't show signs of use nearly as clearly.
Can a bad car battery cause engine misfire?
So everyone on hear that says a weak battery cannot cause a misfire is wrong especially with a Subaru!!! I recently ran into this exact same problem with my 2013 Subaru Impreza 2.0L. My car began to have a rough idle anytime I was sitting at a stop light. Then the CEL came on for a misfire in the cylinder and the dealership wanted me to do $1000 worth of work replacing the coil packs and spark plugs. I specifically asked them if a weak battery would cause the problem and they said no as well. I knew my battery was weak because I couldn't leave my car radio on for 5 min with out the battery dying. All battery tests I did said the battery was fine. Today I finally got sick of having to worry about it not starting from leaving the door open or the radio on while it wasn't running. Sure enough my check engine light turned off and now my car has greatly improved performance! Also my car now idles like it is supposed to. I'm thinking my fuel pump was not getting enough power which caused the misfiring. Either way the problem is fixed and I suggest looking into the battery first!
I like to listen to fm radio without starting the car. Does it drain car battery?
Not perceptably, whilst the radio does use some power unless your car had a powerful amplifier the radio won't use much power at all. A bigger problem is that if you're switching the key to 'accessory' or 'ignition' to listen to the radio then you might be accidentally switching on other devices (eg fan, lights, seat heaters, etc) that do use significant power and will drain your battery.