The competition starts with the auto industry choosing a list of cars and trucks for inclusion into the competition. Then, a panel of 50 people who are automotive journalists study the features of each vehicle and judge them, based on each vehicle’s merits of new technology and improvements. There were 17 cars in the car of the year division and 7 trucks listed for the truck of the year division. They have chosen three finalists in each division.

The M-Class series didn’t reach the final three, however, the fact they were nominated shows that great improvements have been made to the SUV. Some of the newest features include:

• 7 speed automatic transmission with touch shift
• Electronic Stability along with 4 wheel drive
• Navigation System
• Dual Zone Climate Control
• Privacy Glass on the rear doors

These features and more were what helped Mercedes-Benz M-Class SUV be nominated into the Truck of the Year competition. Mercedes-Benz dealers are very proud as customers come in to view the new SUV to see for themselves all the new features.

The winners of the 2012 North American Car Of The Year will be announced in January during the American International Auto Show in Detroit, MI. Visit your local Mercedes-Benz dealer to view the new M-Class along with the other models and see the new features and improvements. You just may go home in a new M-Class.

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So you might be asking the question: Why Los Angeles?

That is a good question. The reason Mercedes-Benz chose to open up a new driving academy in Los Angeles, one geared toward teen drivers, is because L.A. is considered the driving capital of the world. It’s a happening place and the streets are busy. And since teen drivers are more inclined toward automobile accidents than any other driver, it just makes good sense to focus a driving academy that caters specifically to their needs and that trains them well above the current expectations.

California law is pretty lax in terms of driver qualifications. Students receive 30 hours of classroom time and only 6 hours of training behind the wheel before they are allowed to sit for the drivers test in the state. That just isn’t enough on-the-road time with a qualified driving instructor.

So Mercedes-Benz has the answer. Give them 15 hours of online instruction, 10 hours of classroom driving instruction, a three-hour safety workshop, a two-hour distracted driving exercise, and 16 hours of behind-the-wheel training with a qualified driving instructor. Mercedes-Benz believes this training regimen will produce better teen drivers and save more lives. The training academy is based on a similar Mercedes-Benz driver training academy in London.

But there is a company that is threatening that reputation and you should be aware of it.

This company has set up a fake Kelley Blue Book website designed to get you to put your money in “escrow” under the guise of a buyer protection program. Kelley Blue Book doesn’t have such a program and you shouldn’t fall for this scheme.

When it comes to judging automotive values, including the values of new and used Mercedes-Benz’s, there are few names you can count on. Kelley Blue Book is one of them. We respect KBB and we ask that you show your respect and support for the organization by not throwing your good money away after bad value. Instead, hold onto your cash until you visit a reputable Mercedes-Benz dealer. And only buy from dealers you trust.

This is actually the third year in a row that Mercedes-Benz has won this honor. The study is the 2011 Pied Piper Prospect Satisfaction Index U.S. Auto Industry Benchmarking Study. Mystery shoppers visit auto dealers around the country and report their findings, which are then published as an independent study. Below are some tweets linking to various pieces of the study across the blogosphere.

Overall, luxury dealers came out ahead with several auto dealers going against the grain to improve in a bad economy. Mercedes-Benz stands alone at the top of the heap for prospect satisfaction. It could be because our drivers tend to be loyal to our brand.

Of course, Mercedes-Benz has always been synonymous with luxury and quality. We don’t plan to back down now. We’re proud to be at your service. And we’re looking forward to next year’s prospect satisfaction survey.

Recently, the social icon endorsed Mercedes-Benz in a YouTube video, an action that has some people asking if such practices are ushering in a new age of technology celebrity auto endorsements.

In a dramatic presentation, Mercedes-Benz and Vic Gundotra manage to highlight key features of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, and it starts with the engine immobilizer feature prominent on Mercedes-Benz models – a safety feature no driver hopes to ever need, but when they do they are sure glad to have it.

It could have saved Mr. Gundotra’s life.

Below you can watch the Mercedes-Benz video and hear in Mr. Gundotra’s own words how impressed he is – a professional software engineer – with the Mercedes-Benz brand and its world class technology.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Determining Which Product To Use

There are a lot of products out there that will take care of the leather seats in your Mercedes-Benz. The challenge is determining which one is the right one for your vehicle. If you’re unsure of which product to use, your Mercedes-Benz service center will be happy to recommend one. However there are a few things to keep in mind which should make choosing a product easier.

First, make sure the product is indeed meant for leather, and not vinyl. Leather has microscopic fibres that require oils to keep them flexible and not brittle. The oils will evaporate over time and need to be replaced. Secondly, make sure the product does not contain neats foot oil, lanolin, mink oil or any other lard based ingredient. While these can be good conditioners, animal based products can leave the seats feeling greasy, and this grease can be transferred to the clothing of the people sitting on the seats.

When and How To Apply Conditioner

Leather conditioner should be applied every 60 to 90 days. The timing will depend on the climate the vehicle is in; the hotter and drier the climate, the more often the conditioner should be applied.

To apply the conditioner, use your hand or a damp terry or microfiber cloth. The cloth should be slightly damp to prevent too much of the conditioner from soaking into the cloth. Start at the top of the seat and work down toward the bottom of the seat in small circular motions.

Some leather seats are actually a combination of leather and vinyl, so it is not necessary to condition the vinyl portion of the seat. However, most luxury vehicles use all-leather seats. Leave the seats for about 20 minutes to allow the conditioner to soak into the leather, then buff with a clean dry cloth to remove any excess.

If you have questions about the maintenance of your Benz, stop by West Chester Mercedes-Benz dealer for answers on everything you need to know to keep your Mercedes-Benz looking new.

The first thing to think about is snow removal. You want to make sure your Mercedes isn’t covered in snow and ice. Cleaning your Mercedes’ windows of snow and ice is, of course, necessary to be able to see properly. You also should remove snow and ice from your vehicle’s hood and roof. Snow on the hood can break off and hit your own window, while snow on your roof could break off and hit the vehicle behind you.

If you live in an area that gets a lot of snow, you should consider snow tires. If possible, get your snow tires on their own set of rims, which makes storage and switching much simpler.

Keeping your fluids full, including your oil, brake fluid, antifreeze, steering fluid, transmission fluid and your windshield wiper fluid will all help during the winter, as well. In addition, keeping your gas tank full will help to minimize condensation and make sure you’ve got extra gas in case you get stuck in traffic during the winter.

Also, scheduling Mercedes-Benz service during midwinter is a good way to ensure your Mercedes-Benz runs well all year long.

Wash the underside of your vehicle.

Unless a Mercedes-Benz owner does their own repairs, most people will never see the underside of their vehicle. However, many cities with a snowy climate use salt to de-ice their roads, resulting in a slushy mixture that ends up on the undercarriage of your Mercedes-Benz. This mixture can eat away at important mechanical and structural components of your vehicle. During the winter months make sure you clean the undercarriage at least once a month, and one final time when the season is over to ensure the last of the mixture is removed.

Check your ignition system.

The ignition system on your Mercedes-Benz is a good indicator of how your car is performing. Take your Mercedes-Benz into your dealership and have them check the system, especially the spark plugs, every 30,000 miles. Spark plugs should be replaced when necessary or at 100,000 miles. This system is easy to forget about as most people will never see their spark plugs, but they are equally important to maintain.

Replace your filters.

Again, your vehicle’s filters are something most owners will never see, but your Mercedes-Benz uses several for both oil and fuel. These filters are crucial for preventing debris and rust from entering the internal components of your engine. Filters should be checked every three thousand miles and replaced when they are clogged.

Track your mileage.

Perhaps the best gauge of how a Mercedes-Benz is performing is fuel efficiency. To track the fuel efficiency of a vehicle, record the amount of gas purchased each time the tank is refilled, and the mileage on the odometer. By doing this one can determine how many miles the vehicle is getting for every gallon of gasoline. Many newer vehicles will track this for you on an inboard computer system. If a big decline in fuel efficiency is noticed, bring the vehicle in for a check up as soon as possible.

When it’s time to take your Benz in for a check-up, visit your local Philadelphia Mercedes-Benz Dealership.

Mercedes-Benz owners have a resource that most other car owners don’t have, when it comes to service: the Mercedes-Benz Flexible Service System. The Mercedes-Benz Flexible Service System provides the owner of a Mercedes-Benz with a service schedule that, rather than being arbitrarily tied to dates or mileage, is based on the customer’s driving style.

The Mercedes-Benz Flexible Service System, also known as “Active Service System” or “ASSYST” works like this. The system determines the number of days or the amount of miles before the next suggested maintenance on the Mercedes-Benz vehicle. It then displays that figure on the multifunction display. If you pass the service milestone, the system display lets you know by adding a wrench symbol, as well as the words, “Exceeded by” and the number of miles or days.

Every Mercedes-Benz model has a separate service sheet. The service sheet provides details about the specific services required for that specific limit of time or miles, for that vehicle. Each of the service sheets, in turn, has two groups of service. There is a smaller “Service A” and there is a more extensive “Service B.”

The Mercedes-Benz ASSYST system comes with several different configurations. At the bottom level is the basic ASSYST system, which you can get with our without a service scope display. There is also the ASSYST PLUS system, which offers additional features.

If you go to an Authorized Mercedes-Benz service center, you’ll find that the personnel are familiar with the ASSYST system. You can schedule a service appointment with your Fort Washington area Mercedes-Benz dealer to get “Service B,” for example, and they’ll have access to the specific service sheets that tell them exactly what sort of maintenance you need at a that time.

There are plenty of horror stories when it comes to oil changes. For example, one quick service oil change facility left a rag under the air filter, forcing the rag to be sucked into the engine, bending an intake valve and cracking a piston. Other cases report people taking their cars in for an oil, lube and filter and finding that the oil had been replaced, but the filter hadn’t and none of the other items had been checked that the store claimed would be checked.

Most oil change facilities are honest and capable. However, your Mercedes is an investment. Why risk your investment by taking it somewhere where disaster could strike? You should choose only an authorized service center and an authorized mechanic to service your Mercedes, whether it’s replacing your brakes or just changing your oil.