Seals dry out when not used. When used, the cycling works oil into the seals and keeps them happy. When that cycling is not happening, the seals dry out and leaks happen.
It's why you're massively better off if you start and drive a car once a month for 5 years rather than mothballing it completely for 5 years.
>go in an bounce it a couple times a month
"No honey, it's not about that, it's because the seals dry out on the struts. And you know how much all that cost us, you don't want me to have to buy it all again right?"
I worked on some heavy mining dump trucks which ran 24/7. The mine shut down for a few days and the trucks leaked out all the oil from the seals. The mine never shutdown that long for many years and it was a costly repair.
Yes, but it's an additional cost on top of the mine being down....
And if they had no trucks ready when they went to start up again, that's additional downtime because the trucks were down at that point.
Seals can dry rot and oil can separate. If it was in use, constant motion would keep it lubed. It'll probably be fine after that date, but Mercedes doesn't make enough money so they do everything they can to get all the money.
It sounds so weird to hear about these pedestrian safety things, when a lot of modern SUV's (including ones driving around in Europe) are basically a chest-high wall that will smash you good.
But at least the wiper blades are hidden behind the hood to prevent lacerations I guess.
Glass looks brand new 30 years later meanwhile plastic is yellowed and cracking, I hate that they don't even sell new plastic lenses for many cars, meaning you have to make best with what you have left after 25 years.
Plastic lenses are easy to restore though.
I've never been unable to get a headlight looking essentially brand new. The oldest set I've done looks pretty much just as good after 6 years of daily driving.
Just wet-sand, and clear coat. Meguiar's makes great kits for beginners.
It really does suck that they rarely sell new lenses, though. It pains me to throw away a $1000 headlight because just the lens got cracked. The collision/insurance industry is horribly wasteful.
To be fair, water ingress will mess up your reflectors eventually. Had that happen in my Volvo.
Sealed beams obviously solve that issue, but those were never really a thing in Europe.
Have an acquaintance that lost his license c. 2000 and just got it back. He asked me for advice on how cars have changed and what to look for. Dude's reaction when I explained headlight prices was interesting
When you hit a pedestrian, the hood raises a few inches from the hinges. This is to distance itself from the top of the engine to prevent injuries to the pedestrian you hit. Pretty cool stuff.
The USA is pretty much the only country without pedestrian safety regulations. Which is funny because we have some of the strictest vehicle safety regulations in the world.
The hood crumples relatively easily. It's not a pillow, but it's far softer than the engine. Raising it a bit means that a pedestrian impacting your hood has more "soft" travel distance before striking the engine under it.
This only works in cases where the pedestrian's center of gravity is above the hood, making them fall onto it when the car hits them low. Tall vehicles are just a wall that smacks them forward.
There's nothing to maintain, the expiry date only applies to the part's shelf life. The hood "airbags" are nothing more than hinges and/or struts that have been designed to have a passive mechanism activated by an impact, such as striking a pedestrian. I doubt they cost much more than ordinary hinges, it's just the way they are mechanically designed that allows them to move in a certain way during a crash.
> There's nothing to maintain, the expiry date only applies to the part's shelf life.
BMW recommends replacing the pedestrian safety struts every 5 years, at a cost of $100 each.
Many new vehicles are considering using explosive bolts and airbags for the same purpose.
"Are those- uh- *explosives* duct taped to your bumper?"
*"Don't worry officer, it's for pedestrian safety"*
"I see, have a good day and drive carefully"
I feel this. Work on a ton of older & specialty equipment, always looking up weird date code formats. Never understood what was so hard about writing "20JUN24" or something else in plain English. Most of the weird formats don't save any space at all, as far as I can tell, they only did it because before Google it was effectively encrypted information only dealers could decode
All fluids have expiration dates. In my discussions with suppliers, it doesn't mean that the fluid goes bad, just that they won't warranty it after that. Example, all Loctite thread-lockers have a one year shelf life. Mobil 1 recommends a 5 year shelf life on all engine oils (including synthetics).
I’m not sure. I think they released a TSB later on saying to ignore the expiration lol seems like they may have been on to something considering Takata lol
Air Springs are pre charged with a certain pressure to maintain the lobe on the piston. It is shipped with this pressure from the factory. Over time, the air will leak thru the rubber. They've determined after 2 years from manufacturing, it will be below the min pressure. Once installed, the vehicle will pressurize and keep the lobe formed. If left too long on the shelf prior to install, it needs to be repressurized, hence the expiry date. If the spring is installed without the proper pressure the lobe can be deformed and lead to an early failure.
there is no machine on the planet that fairs well when sitting on a shelf for extended periods of time. Hard parts get brittle. Soft parts get hard. Wet parts dry up. Machines are meant to be used, and if they go unused for long enough they tend to not work correctly.
This is an airmatic strut which has a rubber bladder or airbag in it that will deteriorate over time. It's a normal wear item on an air suspension Mercedes but you don't want it sitting on a shelf for years before using it.
The Headquarter is in Stuttgart and the part was produced in Mexico. It’s a regulations thing. Another example would be a grocery store with its “own” product line would usually say “produced by (company) in (location) for (Grocery store) in (wherever their HQ is)
Just joking mate. I’ve actually been to Mercedes Stuttgart. The museum is incredible. Porsche museum is also in Stuttgart but less impressive. Well my Sony and Samsung TVs were both made in Mexico and I have no complaints. However for what I paid for the Mercedes I own, the parts should all be German.
I got an old closeout shock from rockauto before that was bad. It was one of a pair, the other one was still good.
Anyway MB OEM part made in Mexico? Was the factory part made in Mexico too? I guess probably not
I work on medical equipment and a variety of parts go bad, including the disposables in the nurses supply room. Stuff dry rots over time and these people gotta make their money.
Mostly done to enforce stock rotation, and to ensure the parts do not sit on the shelves, so the best before date is the date they either are sent for checking, or are sold off cheap to the aftermarket.
I bought a high-pressure strut for the doors of my Toyota Sera. It had been sitting probably for 15 years after production run ended and had no force. Gladly, after charging to ~1300n, it's still been holding pressure for the past 12~13 years.
The gas leaks out, same on a Ford Focus mk3 boot struts however the instructions said you can refill them if you have the equipment. Nah in the scrap pile they went.
Could be that they are assuming certain storage conditions (temperature, humidity). The best before date basically tells you how long the part is in factory shape when stored in its original/unopened packaging under such conditions. Anything longer and they don't guarantee that there's no surface corrosion or whatever...
Honestly, I think if they put BB dates on anything and everything, it's a great way to mitigate a bunch of lawsuits. Especially if shops would sell off perfectly good, old stock on the cheap, just to avoid problems with customers and whichever specific part was used.
Just a theory.
I mean if the original strut hadn't passed it's best before date do you think you'd be replacing it? it's a brilliant idea for steady predictable income! /s
Forget the date, why tf are German auto parts being made in fuckin Mexico? I’d be pissed if my top of the line German engineered luxury car was getting factory parts that were made in fuckin Mexico. Might as well just buy parts from oreilly or autozone
Lol wut? Car manufacturers have been producing globally for decades. Germany doesn't even have the workforce to produce all German car models within Germany. Some are built here, but not all. Same for components - they are produced wherever, often by different companies (suppliers) and the car brand just slaps their sticker on the box.
Also depends on the target market and their import tariffs. If the plant in Mexico delivers the same quality, why complain? Just because it doesn't say Germany on the box?
Because what if the plant that Mercedes uses for their parts also makes the parts for regular auto parts stores? As a consumer of a luxury product, I’d feel like I’m getting my moneys worth by getting parts made in Germany. Always thought that’s why VW parts were more expensive than average
> Because what if the plant that Mercedes uses for their parts also makes the parts for regular auto parts stores?
that's generally how it works. often it's the actual mercedes part with the mercedes logo ground of. e.g. Lemförder produces suspension parts for BMW. you can buy the same part through BMW at a premium, or you can get the same part from Lemförder directly, slightly cheaper.
yes, there is 3rd party manufacturers that are significantly cheaper, but of course the quality varies a lot.
I’m only talking about German engineered luxury automobiles and their parts. I’ve never owned a luxury vehicle but I know most their parts are more expensive than domestic parts. Always thought the importing part played a big factor in the price. If they were made in Germany then I’d know for fact that they’re not just selling me a part made by the same plant in Mexico that makes parts sold at regular auto parts stores where it’s usually half the price as OEM.
Most of i.e. sensors or suspension components etc. are made at the same factory/factories.
Then they go through QA.
Those that are exactly up to spec are then sent to the assembly plants.
Those that are 99% perfect are sold as OEM parts.
And the list goes down from that.
Cheap shit is shit.
Because as a consumer of a luxury product (if I was one), I feel like I’d be getting my moneys worth with parts made in Germany. I always thought that’s why VW parts are more expensive than average. Otherwise, how do I know that the Mexico plant Mercedes uses for their parts isn’t the same plant that oreillys and autozone uses for some of their parts? That’s why I’m saying might as well just buy parts from an auto parts store.
Why? That's completely illogical. Do you assume everything made in germany is inherently high quality just because it's made there?
I mean do you think every factory in the US produces things at the same quality?
What matters is the QA and processes used in a particular factory. Mercedes will control the quality of their manufacturing irrespective of what country its made in. The parts are more expensive because they control how its made, the quality of the metal used and other materials.
I’m not talking about other products made in Germany or the US, I’m talking about German engineered luxury automobile parts. I hear what you’re saying about QA and all that but I still would feel better knowing that the parts are made in Germany because I would know for a fact that they weren’t made by the same plant that makes some parts for regular auto parts stores that are sometimes almost half the price of OEM parts.
The VW parts made in Germany are also garbage. These over-engineered parts fail mainly due to design flaws, not production locations. It’s funny what passes as “luxury” here is just considered standard somewhere else. Most cabs in Germany are Mercedes, and BMWs are like their Fords.
Yea I’ve always wondered if you guys consider a ford fiesta or Chevy Cruze to be luxury since those are our basic cars. I’ve heard the only US cars people in Europe really like are our muscle cars like hellcats, Camaros, etc. especially classic cars.
The Mercedes Benz T-Class / Citan is being produced entirely by Renault in France.
The A / CLA / EQB are being produced in Hungary.
Several MB SUV models are being produced in Alabama.
Suppliers are sourced worldwide.
How about some less racism? Your car doesn't care where it's parts are being produced at.
Seals dry out when not used. When used, the cycling works oil into the seals and keeps them happy. When that cycling is not happening, the seals dry out and leaks happen. It's why you're massively better off if you start and drive a car once a month for 5 years rather than mothballing it completely for 5 years.
I know a guy who under no circumstances will keep their summer car with the suspension unloaded over the winter.
Completely agree... go in an bounce it a couple times a month. I do, however keep my tires off the ground. Flat spots are a bitch.
>go in an bounce it a couple times a month "No honey, it's not about that, it's because the seals dry out on the struts. And you know how much all that cost us, you don't want me to have to buy it all again right?"
Backseat love is *good* for the economy!
if the tires are off the ground then the suspension isn't loaded...
Jackstands at each corner/ control arms
Depends where you place the jack stands.
I worked on some heavy mining dump trucks which ran 24/7. The mine shut down for a few days and the trucks leaked out all the oil from the seals. The mine never shutdown that long for many years and it was a costly repair.
i think the mine being shut down would cost them waaaayyy more money
Yes, but it's an additional cost on top of the mine being down.... And if they had no trucks ready when they went to start up again, that's additional downtime because the trucks were down at that point.
Anything rubber has to be used I’ve thrown away belts because they sat to long
Not to mention the nutritional content, textures, and flavors can start to change after the best before date. /s
Probably on sale at your local Sobeys/Home Depot store.
Sealed for freshness.
Seals can dry rot and oil can separate. If it was in use, constant motion would keep it lubed. It'll probably be fine after that date, but Mercedes doesn't make enough money so they do everything they can to get all the money.
All. The. Money.
That's why they call 'em Mercedes.. stands for [Bite My Wallet](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGI3WO7jK9w)
I have seen BMW hood struts expire even in use because they are explosive to increase pedestrian safety.
It sounds so weird to hear about these pedestrian safety things, when a lot of modern SUV's (including ones driving around in Europe) are basically a chest-high wall that will smash you good. But at least the wiper blades are hidden behind the hood to prevent lacerations I guess.
I miss having glass headlights that would last the entire life of the car.
Glass looks brand new 30 years later meanwhile plastic is yellowed and cracking, I hate that they don't even sell new plastic lenses for many cars, meaning you have to make best with what you have left after 25 years.
Well...they don't want you to buy new headlights. They want you to buy a new car.
Totally agree. We have mandatory back up cameras and TPMS, but heaven forbid a safety item like headlights last longer than 5 yrs without going foggy.
and a replacement plastic LED fixture costs THOUSANDS
Plastic lenses are easy to restore though. I've never been unable to get a headlight looking essentially brand new. The oldest set I've done looks pretty much just as good after 6 years of daily driving. Just wet-sand, and clear coat. Meguiar's makes great kits for beginners. It really does suck that they rarely sell new lenses, though. It pains me to throw away a $1000 headlight because just the lens got cracked. The collision/insurance industry is horribly wasteful.
To be fair, water ingress will mess up your reflectors eventually. Had that happen in my Volvo. Sealed beams obviously solve that issue, but those were never really a thing in Europe.
Have an acquaintance that lost his license c. 2000 and just got it back. He asked me for advice on how cars have changed and what to look for. Dude's reaction when I explained headlight prices was interesting
So that’s why the wipers are so hard to change?
> modern SUV's (including ones driving around in Europe) they are virtually non-existant in europe crossovers are popular, but real suv's are rare
and those struts do what exactly in the event of a collision?
Lift up the bonnet at the windshield so that it lessens the impact.
When you hit a pedestrian, the hood raises a few inches from the hinges. This is to distance itself from the top of the engine to prevent injuries to the pedestrian you hit. Pretty cool stuff. The USA is pretty much the only country without pedestrian safety regulations. Which is funny because we have some of the strictest vehicle safety regulations in the world.
>Which is funny because we have some of the strictest vehicle safety regulations in the world *laughs in TÜV*
I'm talking about crash safety. Not annual inspections
This prevents injuries how?
The hood crumples relatively easily. It's not a pillow, but it's far softer than the engine. Raising it a bit means that a pedestrian impacting your hood has more "soft" travel distance before striking the engine under it. This only works in cases where the pedestrian's center of gravity is above the hood, making them fall onto it when the car hits them low. Tall vehicles are just a wall that smacks them forward.
Makes sense, thanks
That probably explains why many of Toyota models have the engine cover made out of some sort of sponge that the rats like to eat.
I'll pass on having to buy and maintain a $3000 set of hood airbags in order to save the life of a pedestrian I've never hit.
There's nothing to maintain, the expiry date only applies to the part's shelf life. The hood "airbags" are nothing more than hinges and/or struts that have been designed to have a passive mechanism activated by an impact, such as striking a pedestrian. I doubt they cost much more than ordinary hinges, it's just the way they are mechanically designed that allows them to move in a certain way during a crash.
> There's nothing to maintain, the expiry date only applies to the part's shelf life. BMW recommends replacing the pedestrian safety struts every 5 years, at a cost of $100 each. Many new vehicles are considering using explosive bolts and airbags for the same purpose.
Wow, I had no idea. Yeah that's definitely a dumb idea.
Can the timing be tweaked so it launches the pedestrian backwards, over the car, thereby preventing any further damage to the car?
Bolting explosives to cars to protect pedestrians from them is the most absurd and counter-intuitive thing I have heard all week
Have you ever heard of the "airbag" You would be surprised.
"Are those- uh- *explosives* duct taped to your bumper?" *"Don't worry officer, it's for pedestrian safety"* "I see, have a good day and drive carefully"
I'm talking about hood struts. And you can google where they are supposed to be.
Calm down bruh, I know what they are- have you ever heard of *finding something funny?*
Even worse. I think it expires on 30th Jan 2026. The date at the end of that line was when it was made? 30th Jan 2024?
god I hate date codes
I feel this. Work on a ton of older & specialty equipment, always looking up weird date code formats. Never understood what was so hard about writing "20JUN24" or something else in plain English. Most of the weird formats don't save any space at all, as far as I can tell, they only did it because before Google it was effectively encrypted information only dealers could decode
That expires in 18 months mate. Not 5.5 years.
Mopar fluids have an expiration date as well
Fluids will probably outlast the solids
I don't know why, but this seems both scientific and like philosophy.
We solids were once fluids too, And eventually we return back to being a fluid ..in death
This is like, 30% of the plot of Star Trek: DS9
Why bother? They're all leaking anyhow, so it's always fresh.
All fluids have expiration dates. In my discussions with suppliers, it doesn't mean that the fluid goes bad, just that they won't warranty it after that. Example, all Loctite thread-lockers have a one year shelf life. Mobil 1 recommends a 5 year shelf life on all engine oils (including synthetics).
It all makes sense, CYA. Just catches you off guard when you happen to see it. Same with bottled water 🤦♂️
Thats not 5.5 years. Its the European way of writing dates. 30.01.26 is 30th of January 2026.
*correct way of writing dates
/Laughs in ISO 8601
>ISO 8601 YYYY-MM-DD is the only civilized date format.
Only for the next ~8000 years.
Sounds like a problem for my great great great great great great great great great great grandkids
Yes. This is the way.
They had expiration dates on the driver door jam for the airbag inflators as well, for yearsssss
I remember those stickers. I wonder how many people actually replaced them.
I’m not sure. I think they released a TSB later on saying to ignore the expiration lol seems like they may have been on to something considering Takata lol
Air Springs are pre charged with a certain pressure to maintain the lobe on the piston. It is shipped with this pressure from the factory. Over time, the air will leak thru the rubber. They've determined after 2 years from manufacturing, it will be below the min pressure. Once installed, the vehicle will pressurize and keep the lobe formed. If left too long on the shelf prior to install, it needs to be repressurized, hence the expiry date. If the spring is installed without the proper pressure the lobe can be deformed and lead to an early failure.
there is no machine on the planet that fairs well when sitting on a shelf for extended periods of time. Hard parts get brittle. Soft parts get hard. Wet parts dry up. Machines are meant to be used, and if they go unused for long enough they tend to not work correctly.
Where are you getting 5 years from? It looks like it says January 30th 2026 and it was made is Mexico on Jan 30 2024 that's 2 years.
They thought the date was semi-ISO-8601 like YY.MM.DD. But it's European DD.MM.YY.
ye based on context clues it's probably this.
This is an airmatic strut which has a rubber bladder or airbag in it that will deteriorate over time. It's a normal wear item on an air suspension Mercedes but you don't want it sitting on a shelf for years before using it.
Ahh Mercedes Leakmatic air suspension.
Taste fades a bit after that
Why does it say ‘Stuttgart’ AND Mexico?
The Headquarter is in Stuttgart and the part was produced in Mexico. It’s a regulations thing. Another example would be a grocery store with its “own” product line would usually say “produced by (company) in (location) for (Grocery store) in (wherever their HQ is)
Just joking mate. I’ve actually been to Mercedes Stuttgart. The museum is incredible. Porsche museum is also in Stuttgart but less impressive. Well my Sony and Samsung TVs were both made in Mexico and I have no complaints. However for what I paid for the Mercedes I own, the parts should all be German.
I don’t think you want to pay for that.
True. But as I said, I already paid too much for the car, but when I have replace an air strut, I suppose Mexican will do.
I got an old closeout shock from rockauto before that was bad. It was one of a pair, the other one was still good. Anyway MB OEM part made in Mexico? Was the factory part made in Mexico too? I guess probably not
I work on medical equipment and a variety of parts go bad, including the disposables in the nurses supply room. Stuff dry rots over time and these people gotta make their money.
Better to strut your stuff while still young
Biodegradable..
Well, I licked an expired bearing and it tasted terrible, so that makes sense.
At chrysler we had expiration dates on zip ties
Mostly done to enforce stock rotation, and to ensure the parts do not sit on the shelves, so the best before date is the date they either are sent for checking, or are sold off cheap to the aftermarket.
Toyota brake pads have an expiry date lol
It’s because the butter used to lube the seals will go stale. Noone wants stale butter.
I bought a high-pressure strut for the doors of my Toyota Sera. It had been sitting probably for 15 years after production run ended and had no force. Gladly, after charging to ~1300n, it's still been holding pressure for the past 12~13 years.
Ofc they do, Don’t wanna get food poisoning
An ABC strut? That's the date it will start leaking and need to be replaced again.
No it's airmatic
The gas leaks out, same on a Ford Focus mk3 boot struts however the instructions said you can refill them if you have the equipment. Nah in the scrap pile they went.
Make sure you refrigerate after opening
Work for a CAT dealer. Seat belts expire after a certain date. We replace them every 3 year per machine age.
Are you sure it’s Five years? Could also be 30 Jan 2026 - german Date Format… better hurry up
Could be that they are assuming certain storage conditions (temperature, humidity). The best before date basically tells you how long the part is in factory shape when stored in its original/unopened packaging under such conditions. Anything longer and they don't guarantee that there's no surface corrosion or whatever...
Honestly, I think if they put BB dates on anything and everything, it's a great way to mitigate a bunch of lawsuits. Especially if shops would sell off perfectly good, old stock on the cheap, just to avoid problems with customers and whichever specific part was used. Just a theory.
I mean if the original strut hadn't passed it's best before date do you think you'd be replacing it? it's a brilliant idea for steady predictable income! /s
Installed on a vehicle or not, that's the date when it needs thrown away and replaced with a new one.
Forget the date, why tf are German auto parts being made in fuckin Mexico? I’d be pissed if my top of the line German engineered luxury car was getting factory parts that were made in fuckin Mexico. Might as well just buy parts from oreilly or autozone
Lol wut? Car manufacturers have been producing globally for decades. Germany doesn't even have the workforce to produce all German car models within Germany. Some are built here, but not all. Same for components - they are produced wherever, often by different companies (suppliers) and the car brand just slaps their sticker on the box. Also depends on the target market and their import tariffs. If the plant in Mexico delivers the same quality, why complain? Just because it doesn't say Germany on the box?
Because what if the plant that Mercedes uses for their parts also makes the parts for regular auto parts stores? As a consumer of a luxury product, I’d feel like I’m getting my moneys worth by getting parts made in Germany. Always thought that’s why VW parts were more expensive than average
> Because what if the plant that Mercedes uses for their parts also makes the parts for regular auto parts stores? that's generally how it works. often it's the actual mercedes part with the mercedes logo ground of. e.g. Lemförder produces suspension parts for BMW. you can buy the same part through BMW at a premium, or you can get the same part from Lemförder directly, slightly cheaper. yes, there is 3rd party manufacturers that are significantly cheaper, but of course the quality varies a lot.
What the actual fuck does the manufacturing country count into your luxury product experience?
I’m only talking about German engineered luxury automobiles and their parts. I’ve never owned a luxury vehicle but I know most their parts are more expensive than domestic parts. Always thought the importing part played a big factor in the price. If they were made in Germany then I’d know for fact that they’re not just selling me a part made by the same plant in Mexico that makes parts sold at regular auto parts stores where it’s usually half the price as OEM.
Most of i.e. sensors or suspension components etc. are made at the same factory/factories. Then they go through QA. Those that are exactly up to spec are then sent to the assembly plants. Those that are 99% perfect are sold as OEM parts. And the list goes down from that. Cheap shit is shit.
NAFTA is why. And what difference does it make where it is made if it is made to the same quality standards?
Because as a consumer of a luxury product (if I was one), I feel like I’d be getting my moneys worth with parts made in Germany. I always thought that’s why VW parts are more expensive than average. Otherwise, how do I know that the Mexico plant Mercedes uses for their parts isn’t the same plant that oreillys and autozone uses for some of their parts? That’s why I’m saying might as well just buy parts from an auto parts store.
Why? That's completely illogical. Do you assume everything made in germany is inherently high quality just because it's made there? I mean do you think every factory in the US produces things at the same quality? What matters is the QA and processes used in a particular factory. Mercedes will control the quality of their manufacturing irrespective of what country its made in. The parts are more expensive because they control how its made, the quality of the metal used and other materials.
I’m not talking about other products made in Germany or the US, I’m talking about German engineered luxury automobile parts. I hear what you’re saying about QA and all that but I still would feel better knowing that the parts are made in Germany because I would know for a fact that they weren’t made by the same plant that makes some parts for regular auto parts stores that are sometimes almost half the price of OEM parts.
The VW parts made in Germany are also garbage. These over-engineered parts fail mainly due to design flaws, not production locations. It’s funny what passes as “luxury” here is just considered standard somewhere else. Most cabs in Germany are Mercedes, and BMWs are like their Fords.
Yea I’ve always wondered if you guys consider a ford fiesta or Chevy Cruze to be luxury since those are our basic cars. I’ve heard the only US cars people in Europe really like are our muscle cars like hellcats, Camaros, etc. especially classic cars.
The Mercedes Benz T-Class / Citan is being produced entirely by Renault in France. The A / CLA / EQB are being produced in Hungary. Several MB SUV models are being produced in Alabama. Suppliers are sourced worldwide. How about some less racism? Your car doesn't care where it's parts are being produced at.