Source, more pictures: https://somto.com/are-mercedes-benz-cars-over-hyped-and-overrated-in-nigeria/

Benz or nothing. Mercedes and others. You must have surely heard any of these rhetoric from Mercedes Benz admirers if you stay in Nigeria, Africa’s largest country by population.

In Nigeria, people – especially young people – fantasize over Mercedes Benz products as though they are magical creatures and or they are totally different from other brands’. Don’t get me wrong. Mercedes are QUITE different. But do they totally worth all the hype they get here?

Nigeria is one of the poorest countries in the world. With 91 million living in abject poverty, the UN believes that more poor people are found in Nigeria than anywhere else in the world. But there’s a growing trend among young people in Nigeria; One that has to do with many young men between the ages of 18 and 35 driving fleets of exotic-looking, expensive Mercedes vehicles even when there’re no solid business or income to point to as the source of their car-purchasing financial power. The ones that don’t drive a Merc yet lick their lips in hunger when they pass one. Though unconfirmed, there’s a belief that some young people visit certain shrines of spiritualists with female panties and underwear in exchange for money to buy “Benz”. Some are said to have “sacrificed” their destiny to afford one while others “sacrifice” other people for the same purpose. Although this weird myth is unconfirmed, it has gained popularity within local media. The group of people that participate in such processes are referred to as “yahoo boys” and they are connected to internet fraud.

So, is there anything like Mercedes and others?
Depends on how you see it. On the outside, Mercedes cars look more appealing than the “other” car brands, mostly. But are looks quite enough?

In Germany where Mercedes vehicles are manufactured, BMW makes vehicles that out-perform the former’s cars nearly all the time when compared in the same range.

Untitled 8 1024x376 - Are Mercedes Benz cars overrated and over-hyped in Nigeria?
BMW fans say that Mercedes GLE Coupe copied the X6 interior and exterior design
In terms of super luxury, BMW also makes Rolls Royce cars (although in a separate location) which are often used by royalties and important people. Come on. We like Mercedes but there’s hardly anyone that would pick a Mercedes over a Rolls Royce when luxury is the only aspect being considered, we have to admit.

Extending our beam-light on European car brands, we have the Bentley, Bugatti, Porsche and Lamborghini. All four are owned by Volkswagen and are practically the fastest cars on earth. They have their cars occupying 7 spots in the top ten list of Nurburgring record holder’s list as at today. The first Mercedes on the list is the Mercedes-AMG GT R (2017) at number 12 right before a Japanese-made Nissan GT-R NISMO (2015) at number 11.

Speaking of the Japanese, they make some of the most reliable vehicles on earth according to recurring performance data gathered by different organizations in the world over the past two decades.

For example, Consumer Reports’ data shows that either Lexus, Toyota or Scion held the record for the most reliable car brand every year since 2010. All three brands are owned by Japan’s Toyota Motor Corporation.

1 1024x768 - Are Mercedes Benz cars overrated and over-hyped in Nigeria?

Toyota is the world’s biggest vehicle brand with over 8 million sales in 2018.
In the latest Forbes list of reliable car brands for the year 2019, Lexus took the number one spot, its parent company Toyota came 2nd while Mercedes sits at faraway disappointing 17th position, coming out worse than fellow European brands Audi, BMW, Porsche and Volkswagen.

Conclusion
Mercedes are very cool to own. We get it. Even Mercedes at some point said they want their vehicles to look more appealing to young people. We get it but not all of us want bright-looking fancy cars to attract 20-year-old university girls and all that. Some of us are engineers who would prefer a Hilux or Ford F1 for tough jobs. Others are very busy lawyers, bankers and doctors who want to spend less time repairing their vehicles so they opt for a reliable Corolla or Honda Accord. Then there are rich elites who travel only in a Landcruiser or Lexus LX 570 for safety and ego.

Our verdict is that the Mercedes Benz brand might worth the hype among teenagers as the fancy go-to brand for quick showoff, but among the majority populace, it is still the overhyped and overrated brand that has failed to prove to be neither the strongest, fastest, easiest to maintain nor the best car for status symbol or luxury.

Sienna and other car experts. What do you think?

Most Mercedes kids don't even know that 4matic is just an acronym for 4 wheel drive.

If you see where they are explaining and exaggerating how they saw a Mercedes BENZ 4MATIC on the road, you will think that 4matic is a Mercedes without electrical fault, gear issues and balloon shock problems like the other ones.

Somebody down there said if you pour water on Toyota engine and pour water on a Benz or nothing engine, the only thing that will remain in the Benz engine is nothing

Let me trigger the anger of 17-year-old Benz or nothing kids in 3..2..1
.
.
.
.
Mercedes is a poor man's BMW

Very well overrated. I can't use my money to buy a car that has a reliability issues over the years without being fixed. There is no enough reason to buy Mercedes cars. If I want speed I go for Lexus GS, IS, if I want a home with speed I go for LS and if I want prestige I go for LX 570. If I need a racing car I will go for LFA. All these cars can be driving without keeping you on high way even if they are faulty.

amliftedhigher:
Very well overrated. I can't use my money to buy a car that has a reliability issues over the years without being fixed. There is no enough reason to buy Mercedes cars. If I want speed I go for Lexus GS, IS, if I want a home with speed I go for LS and if I want prestige I go for LX 570. If I need a racing car I will go for LFA. All these cars can be driving without keeping you on high way even if they are faulty.

How about ES?

Coming from an uninformed blogger, Mercedes-Benz has a competitor for every category including a match for Rolls Royce.
Presently Benz owned the record of the fastest car as they broke the previously set record, and Volkswagen is presently the highest selling car not Toyota.

amliftedhigher:
Very well overrated. I can't use my money to buy a car that has a reliability issues over the years without being fixed. There is no enough reason to buy Mercedes cars. If I want speed I go for Lexus GS, IS, if I want a home with speed I go for LS and if I want prestige I go for LX 570. If I need a racing car I will go for LFA. All these cars can be driving without keeping you on high way even if they are faulty.

It's not overrated. Those cars are mad ass.

Which reliability issue are you talking about without being fixed. Maintenance is key. The Germans are more complex than the Japs hence the reliability issues. If it's overrated in Nigeria and it sales is increasing each year. Are the people buying stupid or the Nigeria hype Benz or nothing is worldwide? And moreover Benz has a competitor for almost all categories from Rolls Royce to Toyota.

Before you say benz is overrated, show us the benz you bought with your own money.

Before you give facts or points, you ought to have driven and handled the car extensively for you to know it’s not reliable.

Except you’ve been driving the car with your mouth or in your head..

lol

OP just wait for the Benz or nothing idiots to start posting, some are here already

[s]

laptopsale:
Coming from an uninformed blogger, Mercedes-Benz has a competitor for every category including a match for Rolls Royce.
Presently Benz owned the record of the fastest car as they broke the previously set record, and Volkswagen is presently the highest selling car not Toyota.

[/s]
Shut up let me educate you.

Which Mercedes is a match for Rolls Royce in prestige? Is it the overpriced Mercedes S550 Maybach. What? My brother don't let yahoo boys confuse you o. Don't tell me you think having a similar-shaped car in the same price category means the two of them are match. Please don't.

Which Mercedes is a match for Toyota Landcuiser, Hilux and Lexus LX570?

UN convoys, USA Army and most government VIPs will not touch a Mercedes Benz even if its the only car in the market. These elite do not play with Toyota Landcruiser and Hilux. Even Boko Haram and ISIS use Hilux and Landcruiser for their battle.


Talking about speed, the only speed record Mercedes broke is the speed that they use in copying BMW cars. Or is it the speed that their new cars use in getting electrical issues that you're talking about?

If you are talking about Formular One, those things are not street legal cars. Those heavily-modified racing machines are not recognized as cars neither do they determine the company that has the fastest cars.

When we are talking about fastest cars, Nurburgring lap times are officially used to measure the fastest street-legal unmodified cars not revved up cyborgs used by racers. Mercedes is not even close to top 10.

Also shut up. Toyota is the highest selling and most popular brand in the world both in number of sales and revenue for over a decade and currently. No contest. Toyota Corolla is the best-selling car in the history of mankind followed by Volks Beetle. Volkswagen is the current parent company with the biggest sales (if you add up their Audi, Volkswagen, Porsche, Bentley, Lambo and other sales).

And your Benz is not in top 10.

[s]

mrAMG2:
Before you say benz is overrated, show us the benz you bought with your own money.

Before you give facts or points, you ought to have driven and handled the car extensively for you to know it’s not reliable.

Except you’ve been driving the car with your mouth or in your head..

[/s]
Exactly what is expected of Benz or nothing kids.

I hope you know, the owner of that blog Somtoo Okoye bought a 3m car and gave to his mother 2 years ago when you haven't bought your first iTel to browse nairaland? https://www.nairaland.com/4264674/somtoo-okoye-buys-n3m-lexus

And you think he cannot not afford to import an accidented 1.5m Mercedes C300 from Canada that every small boy out there drives?

Don't worry, when you're 18 years old and earned enough money to buy your first car, you will see why people buy and drive Toyota Corolla.

Vicar2015:
The Mercedes truck couldn't pass the moose test without tipping over. Mercedes had to discontinue the G65 for reliability issues, even Mercedes agreed that it was too complex and had reliability issues. Many car manufacturers discontinue cars but hardly do you hear it being about reliability issues.
I am team handover by the way, range rover or nothing. Landrover is the most unreliable vehicle ever, Benz dey learn but I love it that way. Laslas everybody go dey alright.

Thank you.
Another thing is that the Mercedes interior which looks as fancy as a Christmas tree (which they copied from BMW though) peels like orange even on their old models.

Lexus, though more mature and less appealing to 17-year-old Justin Beiber fans, are known to have the longest lasting high quality material hand-made interiors. Look that up on Google.

Also its very hard to see a Mercedes rhat has crossed 5 years without a constant check engine light. Oops.

antagonist:
lol

OP just wait for the Benz or nothing idiots to start posting, some are here already

rapper12:
[s][/s]
Exactly what is expected of Benz or nothing kids.

I hope you know, the owner of that blog Somtoo Okoye bought a 3m car and gave to his mother 2 years ago when you haven't bought your first iTel to browse nairaland? https://www.nairaland.com/4264674/somtoo-okoye-buys-n3m-lexus

And you think he cannot not afford to import an accidented 1.5m Mercedes C300 from Canada that every small boy out there drives?

Don't worry, when you're 18 years old and earned enough money to buy your first car, you will see why people buy and drive Toyota Corolla.

Lmao!!!

I bought my first car in 2010 bruh. A N2.5m honda accord(dc) paid in cash. I bought my first house in 2017, what did you say your boy bought again?

You or your boy is currently importing N1.5m accidented cars? I currently drive a 2015 honda crosstour, bought brand new, now please tell me how much that is.

I drove a 2008 c300 from 2014 to 2016. I fully serviced that girl 3 times a year and I never for once had any issues, so please, if you don’t know how to take care of your benz, then keep quiet.

You want proof of all my purchases? Lol nigga drop your email

I swear this thread go sweet die. Pls stay tuned

[s]

mrAMG2:


Lmao!!!

I bought my first car in 2010 bruh. A N2.5m honda accord(dc) paid in cash. I bought my first house in 2017, what did you say your boy bought again?

You or your boy is currently importing N1.5m accidented cars? I currently drive a 2015 honda crosstour, bought brand new, now please tell me how much that is.

I drove a 2008 c300 from 2014 to 2016. I fully serviced that girl 3 times a year and I never for once had any issues, so please, if you don’t know how to take care of your benz, then keep quiet.

You want proof of all my purchases? Lol nigga drop your email

[/s]

Kids are allowed to dream and fantasize.

mrAMG2:


Lmao!!!

I bought my first car in 2010 bruh. A N2.5m honda accord(dc) paid in cash. I bought my first house in 2017, what did you say your boy bought again?

You or your boy is currently importing N1.5m accidented cars? I currently drive a 2015 honda crosstour, bought brand new, now please tell me how much that is.

I drove a 2008 c300 from 2014 to 2016. I fully serviced that girl 3 times a year and I never for once had any issues, so please, if you don’t know how to take care of your benz, then keep quiet.

You want proof of all my purchases? Lol nigga drop your email

All na Sakamaje

babatee1985:
All na Sakamaje

lalasticlala The thing off me

When I saw the thread early this morning, I thought the OP created it for meaningful discussion as an adult, but unfortunately he derailed the thread out of childish act.

I don't know why people like you like taking painkillers over another man's headache! If you love Toyota stick to it in peace and stop forcing or bashing people to buy what you love.

I bought several German cars before, BMW 2009 E91, Audi A4 2000 model, and driving my 6th Benz which is C200 Kompressor 2004 model and am cool with it, on Thursday I drove a friend's 2010 ES350 Lexus and the handling couldn't stand my then 2002 A160 Benz.

In nut shell OP, what works Taye might not work for Kehinde, it is not your money and your sweat, and the maintenance is not coming from your purse, so why the ranting over minor issues?

It's even an insult to compare lexus or those Japanese nonsense to Benz. It's every obvious that many don't own one. In terms or speed, reliability, driver friendly, AC and other stuffs man Benz is the best and they have successfully maintained that reputation for more than 3 decades. Which day Toyota and lexus even came on board. Look if yahooboys are driving Benz and u don't like it then say that you don't. But for say u come dey downgrade a standard built from a company that even goes as far as jailing their employees for trying to compromise quality, e be like u done dey mad!!!!

Hustlersdiary:


It's not overrated. Those cars are mad ass.

Which reliability issue are you talking about without being fixed. Maintenance is key. The Germans are more complex than the Japs hence the reliability issues. If it's overrated in Nigeria and it sales is increasing each year. Are the people buying stupid or the Nigeria hype Benz or nothing is worldwide? And moreover Benz has a competitor for almost all categories from Rolls Royce to Toyota.

Dude the bolded are the problem of most Mercedes cars. They are built to be complicated not sophisticated at the end of the day end up having a lot of reliability issues.

Should I tell you that Toyota introduced reverse camera, electric hybrid, 6 CD loaders and so many other tech. Toyota introduced the 4 wheel drive 4runner a whole two years before the first ever four wheel drive Mercedes debuted and Mercedes gave their own a marketing gimmick name called 4matic.

Toyota is what Mercedes can never be in 200 years despite being the younger car maker.

If speed and performance are the only issue for buying a car (fortunately it isn't) Toyota has made madly fast car like Lexus LFA and the legendary 1984 Supra that still beats 2018 Lamborghini, Ferrari, Bugatti, all Mercedes Benz cars etc till today (check the video down) but Mercedes cannot make a car that equals ordinary Toyota Corolla in reliability.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pu9gON__7ys

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvZpy953MB0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMX6XcV2yoI


In terms of complexity and innovation, give it to Toyota and Tesla. Mercedes, as hyped as they are, are not as half as innovative as ordinary Nissan. They just like making fancy cars and copying BMW, thats all. You can use your Google to find out things yourself.

stanley000:
It's even an insult to compare lexus or those Japanese nonsense to Benz. It's every obvious that many don't own one. In terms or speed, reliability, driver friendly, AC and other stuffs man Benz is the best and they have successfully maintained that reputation for more than 3 decades. Which day Toyota and lexus even came on board. Look if yahooboys are driving Benz and u don't like it then say that you don't. But for say u come dey downgrade a standard built from a company that even goes as far as jailing their employees for trying to compromise quality, e be like u done dey mad!!!!

So which Mercedes car post-2000 is as reliable as Toyota not to talk of Lexus?

Give me a link not what some local Kazeem told you in your local mechanic.

The op is extremely uninformed.

lol, it is funny how all Benz or nothing gang have owned 100 different Benz models

over engineered piece of crap living on past overrated glory

rapper12:

Dude the bolded are the problem of most Mercedes cars. They are built to be complicated not sophisticated at the end of the day end up having a lot of reliability issues.

Should I tell you that Toyota introduced reverse camera, electric hybrid, 6 CD loaders and so many other tech. Toyota introduced the 4runner a whole two years before the first ever four wheel drive Mercedes and gave it a marketing name called 4matic. Toyota is

In terms of complexity and innovation, give it to Toyota and Tesla. Mercedes, as hyped as they are, are not as half as innovative as ordinary Nissan. They just like making fancy cars and copying BMW, thats all. You can use your Google to find out things yourself.

Pick one Mercedes model and a Toyota/Lexus model of same year let's compare. No time for long talks.

Hustlersdiary:


Pick one Mercedes model and a Toyota/Lexus model of same year let's compare. No time for long talks.

They will compare only handling and performance and not reliability.

Hustlersdiary:


Pick one Mercedes model and a Toyota/Lexus model of same year let's compare. No time for long talks.

Landcruiser and Mercedes G55 (Gwagon)
Hilux and Mercedes X or whatever they call that their female truck.

Philadelphia:


They will compare only handling and performance and not reliability.

Is it only reliability we want to chop. You're saying reliability as if Mercedes breaks down like a girl that just got dumped by her long time boyfriend. Mercedes are reliable as well, though Toyota is ranked ahead of it in that aspect, but that's not enough to say Mercedes are overrated.

rapper12:

Landcruiser and Mercedes G55 (Gwagon)
Hilux and Mercedes X or whatever they call that their female truck.

List your criteria for comparison, e.g looks, engine size and so on. Mind you the x class is a new model so we're going to judge with things we see online. Abi u don drive am before?

Hustlersdiary:


List your criteria for comparison, e.g looks, engine size and so on. Mind you the x class is a new model so we're going to judge with things we see online. Abi u don drive am before?

Find the the reliability rating of each car vs each car and tell me which one is more reliable. Choose forbes, consumer report or whatever report you have. You can give me your own rating if you've driven both cars.

If Mercedes wins in one single rating (you can choose any year you want), I will credit your phone with airtime.

rapper12:

Find the the reliability rating of each car vs each car and tell me which one is more reliable. Choose forbes, consumer report or whatever report you have. You can give me your own rating if you've driven both cars.

If Mercedes wins in one single rating (you can choose any year you want), I will credit your phone with airtime.

You forgot to add US News and World Reports

rapper12:

Find the the reliability rating of each car vs each car and tell me which one is more reliable. Choose forbes, consumer report or whatever report you have. You can give me your own rating if you've driven both cars.

If Mercedes wins in one single rating (you can choose any year you want), I will credit your phone with airtime.

RELIABILITY ALONE? OR OVERALL PERFORMANCE. I'M NOT SAYING BENZ IS MORE RELIABLE THAN TOYOTA BUT BENZ AIN'T BAD EITHER.

For op to still mention Sienna shows he’s not even a regular on these streets (topic is supposed to be in car talk section), that’s aside. In SS1 economics, we were taught about scale of preference in layman’s terms, using your money to buy what’s important to you at any given time. If anyone decides to buy a Benz, that’s their business not yours, they didn’t steal your money to buy it, they know what they saw in it, our parents/grandparents were tripped by 504’s and Volkswagen Beetle, the world is turning, in the West it’s Tesla and other electric vehicles. Let people enjoy this their one life, it’s not your business biko

mrAMG2:
Before you say benz is overrated, show us the benz you bought with your own money.

Before you give facts or points, you ought to have driven and handled the car extensively for you to know it’s not reliable.

Except you’ve been driving the car with your mouth or in your head..

Ignore that Op.
Ppl wey never ever use even if na that old flat booth go jus come de rant.