You're not alone. Mercedes is a very shady company, from what I've seen in the past. There is a very good, detailed website[1] exposing their "under-the-hood" tactics. For example, they put so many lives at risk due to a design flaw and secretly replaced certain defective parts under the name of a 'Free Inspection'. This website actually lists more of such tactics.
"Mercedes is a very shady company, from what I've experienced in the past."
Seriously? Shady company?
You give a site from an obviously very biased operation in India as an example to support your point?
MB sales have increased tremendously in the US since the 1980's. Although I don't own one now I've owned 3 in the past (dating back to the 80's). They aren't cheap to maintain but I've never thought or seen any proof, in the US, of them being labeled as shady by any reputable source. And know many people who buy them year after year.
The site is by the organization that was Mercedes's dealer for ~13 years. I think that's more than enough credibility they're going to need to make such accusations. In my opinion, they aren't biased, because they provide supporting documents for every statement they make.
>I've owned 3 in the past
Unless you really know what's under the hood of your car, owning 'x' cars doesn't matter. Because this issue's seriousness can be understood only by someone who knows whats under the hood, which is exactly the opposite of Mercedes' target audience (They're more into luxury stuff, I believe).
Just curious - Do you know the seriousness of having a clutch assembly sticking to the floor? (Could cause fire, serious damage, deaths)
So you are saying that, once again, as proof that MB is a "shady company" you supply a website from a single party that posts a reply that they claim is from MB but doesn't even appear on the MB letterhead? (Not of course that that couldn't be faked but it seems odd that they don't even have a LH for that letter as part of their "proof".
"Do you know the seriousness of having a clutch assembly sticking to the floor?"
I don't have time to investigate this claim. Suffice to say that you have not provided proof of "shady" practices that have triggered any significant problems, at least in the US, with their sales or production. Cars frequently have recalls and manufacturers is US, most manufacturers will take steps to downplay the recall. There have been exceptions of course (See Ralph Nader or see the report on Audi by 60 minutes).
Perhaps MB in India does not operate the same as MB in the US or the rest of the world. But then again the power grid in India also operates at lesser standards than in the US (from what I've read and what I've been told).
So to conclude, you statement, that they are a "shady" company has not been supported.
[1]http://www.thetruthaboutmercedes.com/home.html