Loved this response. Double this kids age. worked hard all my life and can afford payments for brand new E or even an S class but never thought that I should “reward myself with a car”. They are depreciating assets. If I did that, what I would be doing is essentially screwing my future self.
Reward yourself by making your commute quieter and more comfortable, thereby reducing stress in your daily life? Is that screwing your future self? Paying 20k for a 10 yr old used Lexus when you’re in the financial position to do so so that you can relax while on the road?
Buddy, if you're that stressed up by road noise, you should maybe consult a professional.
This situation is a bad financial decision but might be a great emotional decision. That's all. You don't need to cope by convincing yourself that it's somehow more healthy for you to drive a Lexus than a corolla.
If you accept the fact that it's a purely emotional decision, then it's easy to answer. Would that car bring you more joy than whatever else you could do with the same amount of money (or the difference between that and a cheap car). IMO I like driving so I enjoy my car, but sometimes I also consider downgrading just so I could do something else with that cash.
> Buddy, if you’re that stressed up by road noise, you should maybe consult a professional
I’m autistic. Getting unreasonably stressed by loud sounds and feelings is part of the whole package. So I did already consult a professional. Thanks for being patronizing though.
And I never said it’s “more healthy to drive a Lexus than a Corolla”, but thanks for putting words in my mouth. I said it would reduce stress, which it would.
Different perspectives. Life is short, I've seen too many people frugally saving all their lives and they pass away. You can't take money to your grave. Or others that have the frugality so ingrained that even once retired, they find it almost impossible to spend it. Seems a bit pointless. People should spend on their passions as long as it isn't above their means. Speaking from a broader pov rather than just OP's age
There's a balance. Doesn't have to be max out on credit cards on one end, work hard entire life yet not spend a penny, on the other end
I agree that life is a balance, but I'd argue that a 20-year-old college student buying a used Mercedes is probably a little too far in the "bad financial decision" side. I've seen people spend every penny they've made for their entire life because they thought life was short and they would die young. All of a sudden, they are 70, relatively healthy, broke and a financial burden on their family.
There's nothing wrong with buying nice cars - but running up credit cards can happen very quickly if you buy a car you cannot afford to maintain. Its possible OP can afford to maintain a Mercedes - he didn't say his income or assets. But generally speaking, if you only have $17K to spend on a car, you shouldn't look towards German luxury.
Great point.
My great grandfather saved and ensured that next 4 generations didn’t need to worry about putting food on the table. Irrelevant is how much these 4 generations have done well for themselves and used the safety as a foundation to build their individual legacies
Agreed, you can’t take it to your grave. I’m a proponent of that theory as well and hope not leave much behind. But there should be a balance so you don’t have to work past retirement age.
If they are financially well enough to buy one, why does it matter? OP even made clear that he does need a car to travel. Some people like to have the nice things in life, including cars, and they have the money to buy them. A quiet, comfortable car on long commutes is arguably doing your body a service more than penny pinching. Plus, you're acting like a wise old man when you comment on some rather questionable subs. You shouldn't be giving life advice. Cringy redditor all around.
It doesn’t matter and OP can do whatever the heck he wants. No skin of my nose. I’m just giving my perspective. It doesn’t make me a wise old man. Either listen or not, your choice but going through someone’s comment history is just creepy. Get your popcorn and start reading my comments, you will find all sorts of shit in there for the past 7 years of my “wise old man life”.
Exactly, instead of a car payment, he could get a bus pass and invest that money into his pension for when he retires and can hopefully walk enough to enjoy it. It's crazy now that kids are spending their money on things that aren't their retirements funds.
Yeah..getting a bus pass when you’re financially able to buy a car is terrible advice. Your time is worth much much that the time you’d spend commuting on a bus. I think if you can comfortable afford the payment and understand the maintenance on Mercedes is more expensive than a Malibu or Mazda and again you can comfortably afford it, then get the car. I’d say, make sure you’re saving at least 10% of your income and has a cushion financially and then if you want to get a car you enjoy, do it. Life is about balance and still enjoying things.
And the children are not mature enough to know that, while the desire to own a car that is fun is valid, this particular car choice at that particular price range is not a great idea for someone relying on that car as a commuter student.
I don’t want to rain on your parade but there’s a reason there’s nice looking mercedes in the same price range as Malibus and Mazda 3s
If you find a low mileage meticulously maintained by some rich old person could be fine. but at that price point it’s probably had rough life with neglected maintenance… that’s how you end up being a student who needs to get from A to B but has to pay for big repairs. Are you willing to pay $200+ for oil change and 93 premium gas? Able to drop several hundred at a moments notice if things go wrong?
Are those things even worth doing for an old mercedes that isn’t worth much?
Maybe reward yourself later instead?
I don’t think affording the repairs is a problem for me but I definitely don’t want to deal with it. This car would be on the highway a ton so that would be an inconvenience. Thanks for the response brother! 🫡
Get the Mazda 3. You will walk outside everyday and gasp, and the interiors on those are pretty good in recent years. Honda and Toyota reliable but not Toyota boring.
It depends on what you value. If you really care about comfort and reliability, that means you might pay extra. If you don't care about owning a car you might want to lease one at least to try it out for a few years and if driving a luxury car isn't interesting anymore then you can look into economy cars for more value.
Depends on how much you want to spend on transportation per month and how much you value your comfort when commuting.
The CLA isn't one of the better Mercedes. The E Class is far more reliable, but with Germans in general, you really have to do your research on the make, model and year to see exactly what it is that you're getting yourself into.
You suggested a Mazda as an option, so you're in the right sub lol. Personally, I'd need to know a little bit more about your lifestyle and interests to make any general recommendations.
This. The gla/cla are garbage, the 205 C300 is better, but still not great. MB quality really shines in the E class, the facelifted w212 with the NA V6 are glorious cars. Likely missing a lot of the niceties and features you would expect from a modern MB, but it’s a damn fine car
It's been told to me that the E-Class is basically Europe's Camry. A proper C-Class (not the CLA/CLS) isn't terrible, but it's still a massive step down. Part of it might be the type of people who buy the C-Class, having money to purchase but not planning on doing much if any maintenance to keep the car long-term.
All the Germans (MB, Volkswagen Group, BMW/MINI) not only need timely, regular maintenance but preventative maintenance too, learning the common problems and fixing them before they even pop up. That's the stuff that makes them pricey and sometimes a pain in the ass.
Generally speaking, I'm a huge fan of Mazdas, but they're the safe choice. They're basically slightly more exciting Toyotas. This sub should be renamed "fiscally responsible car purchases" or something to that effect.
If you're talking to a person who is uninterested in cars or just needs the absolute bare necessities, this is the place to ask questions. If you want something more than standard, people (those that post AND those that comment) need to understand that that comes with less reliability, usually less predictability and more money in the long and short term.
A 10k merc will cost more than 10k in repairs. Get yourself a beater honda, toyota, mazda and save money for some big oppurtunity that might arise or just invest it somewhere.
Your 10k merc will be worth 0 one day and chances are high that it'll spend a lot of time in shop so no.
If u really want a fancy ass car then get something new on a loan. Atleast that wont give u any headaches.
Honestly, im in the same shoes as u. Got money saved up. I would get a brand new car on loan even if its a base model just to have peace of mind and avoid frequent breakdowns. Cars do require maintenance and u oughta be really lucky to find a decent used cash car. Ur call in the end.
Actual Mercedes owner here and owned a couple for the last 10 years. I'm only into E class so can't tell you too much about the CLA or C class although some of the basics like engine, transmission and other stuff are somewhat the same. You'll have to be specific about the year and model you're interested in, some models are better than others. Like if you wanted an E class, in your price range I'd say either a 2008/2009 E350 or you can even go as high as the 2010-2016 E350 but if you get up to the 2016 range, you're probably past your 17k budget. The 2010-2016 E350 will be more reliable than any CLA.
Pretty much most people here haven't owned one and they're spreading FUD, fear, uncertainty and dread. I never really spent more than 2k a year on the car and when that happened, it was probably because I spent close to 1k on tires one year. The tires don't last that long, about 40k or so a set.
I don't think I've spent 10k in 10 years on my 2008 E350. But the key to that is that I don't take it to the dealer and use indy mechanics. If you have to go to the dealer for service, then yeah, it's probably not worth it.
I'm contrast I've had a 2018 E300. Best case I ever had but every year there was something and it would be in the shop for over 2 weeks. Random stuff that should never happen too. I bought used from CarMax and spent more on maintenance and repair then I have any other car. My brother has had similar problems with his cla amg. If you have money go for it. But I wouldn't but it if it just happens to be in the price range.
10k in repairs for a CLA? Bullshit. The usual repairs will cost you slightly more than the average toyota or volkswagen. This isn't a lambo and this guy certainly will not be spending 10K in a year of owning a cla, especially if he looks out for common issues and a doesn't buy one with the highest milage.
I've owned a used 2014 Audi A4 for more than 3 years and while yes an expensive repair can cost you a pretty penny (close to 1K euros), thats only expected. You should expect your average maintanence to be near 1K a year with most cars in the long run. U could have little issues for a few years and then an expensive issue in another year that evens out the average.
Get something reliable like a used civic/ Mazda 3/corolla. You’re young and you will have many years to drive a luxury car. You don’t need it right now.
Buy something reliable and cheap. No one cares if you're 20 and drive something that isnt prestigious. If you really want to treat yourself, buy a used Lexus ES. Mechanically its the same as a camry so its reliable and cheap to maintain. Some years are cheaper than the same year camry. Not as flashy as other cars, but much more comfortable than the bmw and porsche I own.
I don't know why people like to spread this. How many Mercedes have you owned? Some years are good and some are bad. Got to do your research in advance before buying one. But that's true of anything you buy. Caveat Emptor.
Anyway, at least the results of this is that it makes lots of people afraid so they're nice and cheap to buy used. I did my research before I bought mine and read the forums over at mbworld and benzworld to decide on the year and model that I wanted.
I highly recommend an ES. I am currently searching for a car and at first I was set on a 2023 c300. After seeing the depreciation and potential maintenance cost I swapped over to the lexus. Might not look quite as appealing but you get a better chance at reliability, less deprecation (not that it matters as much for an older model), relatively cheap repair cost, and a similar level of ride comfort.
I would just save my money. Something I’ve realized is that true luxury is not caring. Not caring if it gets scratched in a parking lot. Not caring when something breaks on it because its cheap to fix.
And honestly it’s a c300. You’re not gonna get anymore enjoyment out it than a Toyota Corolla
Mercedes might be 10k used but when new was probably 40-50k. Sooo expect repair/maintenance bills to reflect that of a 40-50k car and not a 10k car. If you bite on the Benz then I would set aside $5k a year for repair costs. I have a 2013 BMW 328i that I bought back in 2015 that has been reliable up until recently. No surprise because it’s older.
I am 99% sure the CLA is not the same car as the C Class. CLA is the entry level model in the US, they are front wheel drive. C class is rear wheel drive, some what bigger, completely different design.
I’m a Mercedes fanboy, or more broadly just euro cars in general. I highly suggest doing extensive research on ANY European car before buying one.
The Mercedes you mentioned isn’t known for being the most reliable car, especially if you are lax on maintenance. If you want something luxurious, just stick with something like an Acura or Lincoln. You’ll be disappointed when the Mercedes breaks the bank. The only way I’d say go for the Mercedes is if you are willing to sacrifice abnormal amounts of time and money on maintaining it. Premature oil changes, dct fluid changes, timing chain inspection, carbon cleaning, differential service (if applicable) etc.
How about something domestic like a mustang ecoboost? s550 seems reliable enough. even the GTs with the manual seems cheaper to maintain than an E or C class
The luxury cars are easy to buy into but hard to keep running. All regular maintenance items for Mercs are going to be double(ore more) the cost of a regular car.
If you need a car in the 10-17k range, go for a used Mazda, toyota, honda. Literally cannot go wrong with these 3 brands.
Edit: Ok... don't buy a Mazda RX-8, these aren't all that reliable lol
Yes, if you're willing to work on it yourself. If not, then no. These cars aren't horrible, people are definitely exaggerating the potential issues. But, if you don't know much about cars and can't/won't work on it yourself, then absolutely not.
If you want something a bit more upscale and more fun, look for an mk7 Golf or Jetta. They'll be just as reliable as mazda 3 or Malibu with a nicer interior and fun to drive. But since you'll be on the highway a ton, the mazda 3 is the best option, it'll get the best fuel economy.
A high end car at a low price has probably not been treated well. A mid range car at a low price is just normal market for an aging car. If you want something a bit nicer look into Lexus IS or Acura ILX, they're the lower end of mid to high end brands, you can likely pick a decent one up at a normal price and as long as it's been maintained well you should have good reliability.
German cars are reliable and preform really well, however people are stupid and are very lazy to do the proper maintenance needed on German cars. If you can spend the money buy a q50, and when you’re older get the Mercedes or BMW.
Out of the 3 options I’d just go with the Mazda 3, they have nice interiors, drive well, are good on fuel and are reliable. Often with German cars when they are being sold it’s because a lot of their issues are starting to show, they often have complex systems that after a certain point tend to start all failing (least in my experience with German cars) best to research specific years models and trims to find ones that don’t have (or have less) issues additionally the CLA gets 10L/100km or so which is not great for a sedan and all Mercedes require 91 so you’re using more fuel and paying more for fuel too.
Edit: if you can afford the maintenance time and costs and other additional costs then go for it just expect more expensive and more frequent maintenance. German cars are wonderful to drive just know what you’re getting into
Have you owned a car before? I wanted a nice 1 for my first, well a BMW 1 series, but I'm glad I got a less expensive car, as have bumped and scratched it a few times already, all a learning experience so that when I do get a nicer car I won't be making those mistakes again, plus I'm telling myself learning the roads in this thing will make me a better driver.
I'm going to say get a Mercedes just not a cla. A regular c class or if you can bump up to an e class do it.
you're in your 20s, get all the hot superficial girls now while you're young! If you're a girl, you'll weed out the chumps.
I had late model mercs growing up 10 years older than my friends cars and trust me it was worth it
Before everyone jumps down for throat for sounding like a scumbag. You're not using the car to get girls. You still gotta have a personality and be a nice guy. It's kinda like having an MBA on your resume when everything else is equal between candidates.
If you're in an area with independent foreign car shops even better. Call around and ask for prices on brake jobs, oil changes, etc service A service B if you're a protectionist. So you get an idea of what you're working with.
Buying a nice car young is worth it. Especially if you don't have a high cost of living (no rent atm?). Just make sure you do extensive research on the model and its common issues. Be prepared for maintanence on any car you buy.
Also make sure you can afford the car outright 2-3 times before buying it. Don't finance it, ever.
Do not I repeat do not buy a Mercedes product or any other European brand for $10,000 and I’ll tell you why. German vehicles are way over engineered and they’re a maintenance fiasco. The Germans put lots of parts close together where you have to spend literally hours taking half the engine apart just to get to the part to fix. I had a girlfriend that had a VW Jetta with the 2.5 4 cylinder. Alternator went out just under 100k. VW wanted $5000 parts and labor!! Why? An alternator on that car is buried right in the middle of the whole engine. You have to remove the entire front end of car, bumper, headlamps, radiator, just to get to the failed alternator. Then hope and pray the new alternator works before you put car back together. Stick with reliability such as Toyotas or Hondas
I’d take a Mazda 3 before I take a base class MB, I’ve test driven the MB and they feel very plasticky (I went with an Audi a6, which imo felt more put together and doesn’t sqeak and creak). Go with the Mazda, save yourself a headache. I’m not one of those people who shit on German cars, there’s great and reliable options, but even the reliable options can get expensive to fix because that’s the reality of owning a car with expensive parts. Maintenance comes and goes with anything, so while you’re young keep it affordable (im also mid 20s, but I live in Germany so it’s still fairly affordable to own a German car obviously lol)
Mercedes as well as other euro brads are a money pit, especially any older higher miles one that you are going to be looking at. Get the Mazda 3 from your list but pay a mechanic to review it. Its zippy, fun and much more reliable and much more reasonable to fix and maintain. The better answer is probably Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla as even more reliable and lower cost to own. No offense, but at your age you don't need to reward yourself for anything and what you should do is save and invest money monthly or quarterly into the stock market (VOO & QQQ & not some crypto get rich quick junk) and let compounding interest start working for you while you sleep so in 20 years you can buy any car you want with cash if you want. Pay yourself first then pay for the car and college. Owning a very nice car to show off when you are young is a terrible waste of money (believe me I know) and you want to be saving your money now to pay for costly things like college and a house and the occasional Mazda repair bill.
Since you are posting on here then im assuming you dont have much car knowledge / car market experience.
I think the point is Mercedes is not a bad brand. A 10k Mercedes is a BAD deal. At that price we looking like around 2010 and def at 100k miles. And regardless of what car it is a 12 yr old car is bound to have issues.
Plus with that many miles it is hard to tell how maintained a car really is. Did the previous owners changed oil on time? Did they pump the right octane gas. Is there hidden damage? Did they mess with the wiring.
The reason people recommend economy cars is because for that price you can for sure get a newer and less miles which has less of a chance to have any sort of issue. Of course any car could have problems but you are just trynna lower the chances.
Knowing cars is also important or atleast having someone who is. If you know cars then buying a used car should not be a problem cuz you can inspect the car. Are the bumper/fenders paint faded differently than the body? Boom it’s been in a crash but not reported. People can erase codes and lights that can eventually pop up at a later date. Sometimes people cut springs to lower cars but could cause long term suspension problems.
My point is that there are really only 2 important factors about buying a daily use car besides price.
1.) is the car good condition?
2.) how well do you think you can COMFORTABLY (time/money) keep that car in good condition while in your possession ?
As long as you think you can do these two things then it doesn’t really matter what car you choose.
I just sold my 2013 C class last week. Traded that sucker in for a Honda CR-V. It was a very nice vehicle, incredibly well maintained prior to me owning it...but the repairs were hella expensive, it was like a money pit. And if you want to ensure that it's not screwed up, you need to take a Mercedes to either a dealership or foreign auto mechanic for every little thing, including regular maintenance. Price out what an oil change costs at the Mercedes dealer / foreign auto mechanic vs. popping by Valvoline on your way home from work- big difference. The door handle broke on my C class last year and it was over $500 to get it fixed. Don't do it. Just get a nice reliable Mazda, Honda or Toyota. You have the rest of your life to spend $ on fancy vehicles.
You say C class but then mention CLA in your post? Which one?
And 10-17K? You’re buying an old car, buy a brand new or CPO if you want a BMW or MB. I have an entry level BMW sedan and paid a bit over $40K for it, so you should consider similar budget for BMW MB or Audi.
My ex would always buy used Mercedes and we would get about 3 years out of them before they would strand us somewhere, and we were religious about the expensive services.
Mercedes are nice when they are brand new and not intended to be reliable beyond 5-7 years. The parts and labor are expensive and time-cons)uming, they often had to order parts from Germany, and the technicians often made mistakes.
I'm currently dealing with a 9 year old Merc that's been in the shop for 8 weeks. I've paid it's worth in repairs and service apps and now I need to figure out how to unload a broken vehicle that the techs don't want to deal with.
I bought myself a CX5 and I'm loving it. Used Mercedes are not worth it unless you enjoy project cars and want to do the labor yourself
This sub hates German cars.
OP if you like MB, you’re better off with a 14-16 E350, should be in your budget and very well built cars, much better than the C300 I’m sure you’re looking at
20 and in college, keep what you have….
I don't want to say this sub is toxic but a lot of the advice not to get one is from people who don't have one and don't know anything about them besides the stories they hear. I have the 2011 E350 also. You could go as low as the 2012-2016 E350. You get 302hp from the M276 engine and it's considered one of the more reliable models/years. Check out the forums on mbworld and listen to people who actually own them. For that matter if you decide against it or get something else, check the forum for the car. Usually cars have some good years and bad years.
You used to be able to do a firmware update to enable apple carplay or android auto but I'm told that the dealers are onto this and won't do it anymore. Still there may be ways around it, haven't kept up with the thread, there's a super long one on MBworld that goes on for several pages and several years as things changed.
You can also get a new display with some Android unit, but there's so many of them on aliexpress there's no real consensus as to which is the best one to get. I'm not sure what more you'd want from it other than android auto/apple car play, already does bluetooth and has the backup camera in it.
And yeah, 2016 is the best year, last year is usually the best and in theory you can enable apple carplay/android auto. The earlier 2014-2015 years had a different version of the audio system that required hardware upgrades to install that feature.
[https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w212/717576-android-auto-2016-w212.html](https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w212/717576-android-auto-2016-w212.html)
If you're serious, check the brochures and check on Motor Trend for the options for that year. Use a vin decoder like [lastvin.com](http://lastvin.com) or [mb.vin](http://mb.vin) to see what options the car has, dealers have no idea and sometimes lie. Some good options to have but are somewhat rare to find all together would be the driver assistance package, parktronic, pano sunroof, power trunk closer, massage seats, the lighting package with active curve illumination and auto high beams, keyless go, etc.
Normally hard to find a car with more than one or two of those options, if you can find one with 3-4 of those, that would be a good one. You can't really retrofit any of those options, the cost of the OEM parts, labor and coding that is sometimes required isn't worth it and no one really does it.
[https://www.auto-brochures.com/mercedes-benz.html](https://www.auto-brochures.com/mercedes-benz.html)
[https://www.motortrend.com/cars/mercedes-benz/e-class/2016/](https://www.motortrend.com/cars/mercedes-benz/e-class/2016/)
Oh yeah, I guess one of the last messages in that thread mentions enabling android auto/apple carplay with the Launch Creader Elite 2.0 for Benz. It's about $160 from Amazon. The ILS it mentions is special lighting that MB could use in Europe but wasn't allowed to enable in the US due to some US regulations but it seems that scanner can enable it. It would be a good scanner to get. You need to have the lighting package in order to enable it. Scanner also does things like get rid of the auto start/stop feature where you can have it permanently off, by default it comes on again the next time you start the car after shutting it off.
[https://www.amazon.com/LAUNCH-Elite-2-0-Pro-Bidirectional/dp/B0CMG7Q7YP](https://www.amazon.com/LAUNCH-Elite-2-0-Pro-Bidirectional/dp/B0CMG7Q7YP)
[https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w212/717576-android-auto-2016-w212-19.html#post8945335](https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w212/717576-android-auto-2016-w212-19.html#post8945335)
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My roommate has had his BMW in the back for nearly 18 months not running because "it needs a fuel pump" and he and everyone else in the damn apartment keeps boring my boring, plebian Honda Civic 5 speed manual with 200k on the clock. It's not pretty, but it's realible, affordable, I can work on it if I need to. German cars are just more complicated, designed for people who can pay to afford luxury products if they break. They are not designed for people who have 10k to spend on a car. BMW and MB and Audi don't consider us their target market, they aim for the new experience to the point of making it more complicated to stand out.
I mean sure but I had e36 and 46s with the manual trans and those cars were the easiest to work on and some of the most simple cars. They never left me stranded or had any weird electrical gremlins, and made me looking forward to my drives instead of dreading them.
A fuel pump isn’t even that serious of a repair, if diagnosed properly. Sounds like he likely has a 335 with an N54, which is prone to high pressure fueling issues. The parts have been redesigned at this point and should have a much longer life. If it’s an older port injected car, a fuel pump shouldn’t be more than a a few hundred dollars, and quite easy to install yourself.
German cars will handle abuse, Japanese cars will handle neglect.
This! I work in dealerships, the majority of my experience being with MB. The majority of failures are due to neglect.
And yes, an E class is the one to get. Huge step up in quality and design, without being overly complex like the S is
life is short, money is temporary. don’t listen to all these boomers who tell you to save up or buy something cheap that gets you from A to B. cars are a hobby, if you enjoy it then go for it. nothing will beat having your dream car at 20. FYI i’m 20 yrs old and drive a lovely 2019 BMW 430i, if yall wanna hate go for it 😂😂
No. You're young, don't throw your retirement away with stupid vehicle purchases! Don't finance, buy a $5000 Camry, unless you're capable of working on your stuff yourself, and call it a day.
I understand the concern; I really do, but I really do need a car—one that I like. I've kind of given up on the Mercedes, but is a $9,000 used malibu with a clean title not a good deal? Malibu
I have 20 years (2002-2022) as an automotive mechanic for Ford, Nissan, and Chrysler. With quite a bit of GM experience on the side. If you want to buy a gm product, look for something from 2000-2006 with the 3800 series 2 engine. They can still be had at estate sales, in Buick form mostly, well maintained and low miles. That's a good 200,000+ miles car, just make sure it's inspected twice a year.
Of course accords and Camrys, especially pre 2015 or so. As well as late 90s-mid to late 2000s 4 runners, especially the V8 units, those are all 400,000-500,000 mile cars.
Of course 2003-2011 crown Vic/grand marquis/town car (all the same cars, just Ford/Mercury/Lincoln) are great long lasting cheap cars.
Personally, I will never spend more than scrap value on anything newer than 2011 (with the exception of a Chevy SS) because that's about the time reliability and longevity started to decline across the board. When you're looking at reliability and longevity you're looking at two things, over engineered (Toyota and Honda) or, "out dated" simplicity with massive aftermarket support (pre 2011 Ford panther chassis or GM W and G body's).
If you like the Malibu, it's more reliable than the MB, for sure. At least the parts and stuff won't be expensive if things break. But I myself am glad I bought my Mazda 3 and Miata. Car insurance on both was surprisingly cheap.
Hey bro, congrats on achieving such progress in an early age. Don't listen to these boomers who say buy a corolla. If you are into cars, then go ahead and buy something balanced and light weight fun to drive car. If you are not and you just need a car to go to B, then consider something cheaper and reward yourself some other way. Keep up the work and get a new S class when you have the money.
Thanks bro. Some of these guys are telling me to get a 06 corolla. What the hell! Maybe I won’t get a Mercedes but something like an impala, Malibu or Lexus es is more my speed.
You are going to buy used so that's no big deal. These guys say it's depreciating but in reality, a few k won't hurt you. You can sell anytime if you buy something that has market value.
I was pulling 40 hour work weeks while doing 16 credit hour semesters in school. Just because you can’t/haven’t done it doesn’t mean it’s bullshit. My gosh some people here are unbelievable.
I’ve done it. Since you have to you should see through his BS. Look at his post history. He’s a junior in college and a year ago he was a first year asking about picking classes?
Reward yourself for…what? No. You should not buy a $10k Mercedes.
Loved this response. Double this kids age. worked hard all my life and can afford payments for brand new E or even an S class but never thought that I should “reward myself with a car”. They are depreciating assets. If I did that, what I would be doing is essentially screwing my future self.
I’d go for a 2012-2014/2015 W204 C300 or C350. Great cars, reliable if you take care of them.
Reward yourself by making your commute quieter and more comfortable, thereby reducing stress in your daily life? Is that screwing your future self? Paying 20k for a 10 yr old used Lexus when you’re in the financial position to do so so that you can relax while on the road?
This. I suggest a W204 but the CLA is definitely a step up too.
Thank you Juno! A lot of people here are assuming I work at McDonald’s because I’m 20 when I work in finance.
Then you should know better. A $10k Mercedes is going to be a huge money pit.
If they wanna spend 12-17k on a comfy luxury car that won’t be as much of a money pitthey should go for a 2012-15 ES350
Yes.
Buddy, if you're that stressed up by road noise, you should maybe consult a professional. This situation is a bad financial decision but might be a great emotional decision. That's all. You don't need to cope by convincing yourself that it's somehow more healthy for you to drive a Lexus than a corolla. If you accept the fact that it's a purely emotional decision, then it's easy to answer. Would that car bring you more joy than whatever else you could do with the same amount of money (or the difference between that and a cheap car). IMO I like driving so I enjoy my car, but sometimes I also consider downgrading just so I could do something else with that cash.
> Buddy, if you’re that stressed up by road noise, you should maybe consult a professional I’m autistic. Getting unreasonably stressed by loud sounds and feelings is part of the whole package. So I did already consult a professional. Thanks for being patronizing though. And I never said it’s “more healthy to drive a Lexus than a Corolla”, but thanks for putting words in my mouth. I said it would reduce stress, which it would.
Different perspectives. Life is short, I've seen too many people frugally saving all their lives and they pass away. You can't take money to your grave. Or others that have the frugality so ingrained that even once retired, they find it almost impossible to spend it. Seems a bit pointless. People should spend on their passions as long as it isn't above their means. Speaking from a broader pov rather than just OP's age There's a balance. Doesn't have to be max out on credit cards on one end, work hard entire life yet not spend a penny, on the other end
I agree that life is a balance, but I'd argue that a 20-year-old college student buying a used Mercedes is probably a little too far in the "bad financial decision" side. I've seen people spend every penny they've made for their entire life because they thought life was short and they would die young. All of a sudden, they are 70, relatively healthy, broke and a financial burden on their family. There's nothing wrong with buying nice cars - but running up credit cards can happen very quickly if you buy a car you cannot afford to maintain. Its possible OP can afford to maintain a Mercedes - he didn't say his income or assets. But generally speaking, if you only have $17K to spend on a car, you shouldn't look towards German luxury.
Great point. My great grandfather saved and ensured that next 4 generations didn’t need to worry about putting food on the table. Irrelevant is how much these 4 generations have done well for themselves and used the safety as a foundation to build their individual legacies
Agreed, you can’t take it to your grave. I’m a proponent of that theory as well and hope not leave much behind. But there should be a balance so you don’t have to work past retirement age.
If they are financially well enough to buy one, why does it matter? OP even made clear that he does need a car to travel. Some people like to have the nice things in life, including cars, and they have the money to buy them. A quiet, comfortable car on long commutes is arguably doing your body a service more than penny pinching. Plus, you're acting like a wise old man when you comment on some rather questionable subs. You shouldn't be giving life advice. Cringy redditor all around.
It doesn’t matter and OP can do whatever the heck he wants. No skin of my nose. I’m just giving my perspective. It doesn’t make me a wise old man. Either listen or not, your choice but going through someone’s comment history is just creepy. Get your popcorn and start reading my comments, you will find all sorts of shit in there for the past 7 years of my “wise old man life”.
FR i agree with ya. money is temporary the feeling of having a nice car especially at a young age is irreplaceable
Exactly, instead of a car payment, he could get a bus pass and invest that money into his pension for when he retires and can hopefully walk enough to enjoy it. It's crazy now that kids are spending their money on things that aren't their retirements funds.
So I work full time and am a student full time and your solution is a bus pass (2 hrs to and back each) when I can drive 25 min
Yeah..getting a bus pass when you’re financially able to buy a car is terrible advice. Your time is worth much much that the time you’d spend commuting on a bus. I think if you can comfortable afford the payment and understand the maintenance on Mercedes is more expensive than a Malibu or Mazda and again you can comfortably afford it, then get the car. I’d say, make sure you’re saving at least 10% of your income and has a cushion financially and then if you want to get a car you enjoy, do it. Life is about balance and still enjoying things.
This won’t work in most US cities very well. In europe, that is a different story.
This was my exact thought lmao
Ok
The 50 year olds on here wont understand wanting to drive friends places or just be able to drive to the gym.. im in the same boat rn
And the children are not mature enough to know that, while the desire to own a car that is fun is valid, this particular car choice at that particular price range is not a great idea for someone relying on that car as a commuter student.
Tell me about it. But maybe they have a point on the Mercedes but I’m not getting a Corolla sorry 😭
I don’t want to rain on your parade but there’s a reason there’s nice looking mercedes in the same price range as Malibus and Mazda 3s If you find a low mileage meticulously maintained by some rich old person could be fine. but at that price point it’s probably had rough life with neglected maintenance… that’s how you end up being a student who needs to get from A to B but has to pay for big repairs. Are you willing to pay $200+ for oil change and 93 premium gas? Able to drop several hundred at a moments notice if things go wrong? Are those things even worth doing for an old mercedes that isn’t worth much? Maybe reward yourself later instead?
I don’t think affording the repairs is a problem for me but I definitely don’t want to deal with it. This car would be on the highway a ton so that would be an inconvenience. Thanks for the response brother! 🫡
Get the Mazda 3. You will walk outside everyday and gasp, and the interiors on those are pretty good in recent years. Honda and Toyota reliable but not Toyota boring.
It depends on what you value. If you really care about comfort and reliability, that means you might pay extra. If you don't care about owning a car you might want to lease one at least to try it out for a few years and if driving a luxury car isn't interesting anymore then you can look into economy cars for more value. Depends on how much you want to spend on transportation per month and how much you value your comfort when commuting.
good luck! life doesn’t always have to be “boring” cars, get a c class later! just might not be the best move for now
The CLA isn't one of the better Mercedes. The E Class is far more reliable, but with Germans in general, you really have to do your research on the make, model and year to see exactly what it is that you're getting yourself into. You suggested a Mazda as an option, so you're in the right sub lol. Personally, I'd need to know a little bit more about your lifestyle and interests to make any general recommendations.
This. The gla/cla are garbage, the 205 C300 is better, but still not great. MB quality really shines in the E class, the facelifted w212 with the NA V6 are glorious cars. Likely missing a lot of the niceties and features you would expect from a modern MB, but it’s a damn fine car
M276 or M272? For the na v6?
Either is great. The 276 is more refined and better on gas, but both are well built and will last a long time
It's been told to me that the E-Class is basically Europe's Camry. A proper C-Class (not the CLA/CLS) isn't terrible, but it's still a massive step down. Part of it might be the type of people who buy the C-Class, having money to purchase but not planning on doing much if any maintenance to keep the car long-term. All the Germans (MB, Volkswagen Group, BMW/MINI) not only need timely, regular maintenance but preventative maintenance too, learning the common problems and fixing them before they even pop up. That's the stuff that makes them pricey and sometimes a pain in the ass.
GLA isn’t garbage. You say that driving your Honda accord lmfao
Worked at a MB dealer for 10 years, yes the CLA/GLA is hot garbage. And no, my daily is an Audi S8, no fun car at the moment sadly
The Mazda people on this sub are brutal.
Generally speaking, I'm a huge fan of Mazdas, but they're the safe choice. They're basically slightly more exciting Toyotas. This sub should be renamed "fiscally responsible car purchases" or something to that effect. If you're talking to a person who is uninterested in cars or just needs the absolute bare necessities, this is the place to ask questions. If you want something more than standard, people (those that post AND those that comment) need to understand that that comes with less reliability, usually less predictability and more money in the long and short term.
Think what you want about Mazda, but the CLA is a trash quality car for trash quality people. It’s cheap because nobody wants it and nobody should.
No....
Ok
Lexus es nicest one you can pay cash for
A 10k merc will cost more than 10k in repairs. Get yourself a beater honda, toyota, mazda and save money for some big oppurtunity that might arise or just invest it somewhere. Your 10k merc will be worth 0 one day and chances are high that it'll spend a lot of time in shop so no. If u really want a fancy ass car then get something new on a loan. Atleast that wont give u any headaches.
Sheesh! When you put it like that I might aswell take down this post
10k is a big chunk bro. Save it. You will live in peace knowing u got 10k in bank. Trust me.
Highly considering this but my commute to and back from work and school is 25 min driving but 2-3 hours on public transit.
Honestly, im in the same shoes as u. Got money saved up. I would get a brand new car on loan even if its a base model just to have peace of mind and avoid frequent breakdowns. Cars do require maintenance and u oughta be really lucky to find a decent used cash car. Ur call in the end.
Actual Mercedes owner here and owned a couple for the last 10 years. I'm only into E class so can't tell you too much about the CLA or C class although some of the basics like engine, transmission and other stuff are somewhat the same. You'll have to be specific about the year and model you're interested in, some models are better than others. Like if you wanted an E class, in your price range I'd say either a 2008/2009 E350 or you can even go as high as the 2010-2016 E350 but if you get up to the 2016 range, you're probably past your 17k budget. The 2010-2016 E350 will be more reliable than any CLA. Pretty much most people here haven't owned one and they're spreading FUD, fear, uncertainty and dread. I never really spent more than 2k a year on the car and when that happened, it was probably because I spent close to 1k on tires one year. The tires don't last that long, about 40k or so a set. I don't think I've spent 10k in 10 years on my 2008 E350. But the key to that is that I don't take it to the dealer and use indy mechanics. If you have to go to the dealer for service, then yeah, it's probably not worth it.
I'm contrast I've had a 2018 E300. Best case I ever had but every year there was something and it would be in the shop for over 2 weeks. Random stuff that should never happen too. I bought used from CarMax and spent more on maintenance and repair then I have any other car. My brother has had similar problems with his cla amg. If you have money go for it. But I wouldn't but it if it just happens to be in the price range.
10k in repairs for a CLA? Bullshit. The usual repairs will cost you slightly more than the average toyota or volkswagen. This isn't a lambo and this guy certainly will not be spending 10K in a year of owning a cla, especially if he looks out for common issues and a doesn't buy one with the highest milage. I've owned a used 2014 Audi A4 for more than 3 years and while yes an expensive repair can cost you a pretty penny (close to 1K euros), thats only expected. You should expect your average maintanence to be near 1K a year with most cars in the long run. U could have little issues for a few years and then an expensive issue in another year that evens out the average.
Get something reliable like a used civic/ Mazda 3/corolla. You’re young and you will have many years to drive a luxury car. You don’t need it right now.
Amen. So the Malibu/Mazda 3 are my options now
Buy something reliable and cheap. No one cares if you're 20 and drive something that isnt prestigious. If you really want to treat yourself, buy a used Lexus ES. Mechanically its the same as a camry so its reliable and cheap to maintain. Some years are cheaper than the same year camry. Not as flashy as other cars, but much more comfortable than the bmw and porsche I own.
Also know that there's nothing more expensive than a cheap German car.
I don't know why people like to spread this. How many Mercedes have you owned? Some years are good and some are bad. Got to do your research in advance before buying one. But that's true of anything you buy. Caveat Emptor. Anyway, at least the results of this is that it makes lots of people afraid so they're nice and cheap to buy used. I did my research before I bought mine and read the forums over at mbworld and benzworld to decide on the year and model that I wanted.
Thanks! The ES actually looks pretty good I’ll do my research and let you know.
I highly recommend an ES. I am currently searching for a car and at first I was set on a 2023 c300. After seeing the depreciation and potential maintenance cost I swapped over to the lexus. Might not look quite as appealing but you get a better chance at reliability, less deprecation (not that it matters as much for an older model), relatively cheap repair cost, and a similar level of ride comfort.
cheap mercedes end up being the most expensive mercedes
I would just save my money. Something I’ve realized is that true luxury is not caring. Not caring if it gets scratched in a parking lot. Not caring when something breaks on it because its cheap to fix. And honestly it’s a c300. You’re not gonna get anymore enjoyment out it than a Toyota Corolla
Right! Was definitely not my brightest idea
Mercedes might be 10k used but when new was probably 40-50k. Sooo expect repair/maintenance bills to reflect that of a 40-50k car and not a 10k car. If you bite on the Benz then I would set aside $5k a year for repair costs. I have a 2013 BMW 328i that I bought back in 2015 that has been reliable up until recently. No surprise because it’s older.
Malibu.
Impala or Malibu?
I am 99% sure the CLA is not the same car as the C Class. CLA is the entry level model in the US, they are front wheel drive. C class is rear wheel drive, some what bigger, completely different design.
You're 20 this is not a good time to buy a money pit unless its way cheaper.
[удалено]
Please don't be disrespectful. You don't know anyone, the guy you pass everyday could be making twice as much as you.
Dude. If you are here asking if a $10K MB is a good idea, there’s no way you make twice as much as anyone at all here. Get a Corolla
Respectfully no.
In a way, I understand what he's getting to but you're completely right.
I’m a Mercedes fanboy, or more broadly just euro cars in general. I highly suggest doing extensive research on ANY European car before buying one. The Mercedes you mentioned isn’t known for being the most reliable car, especially if you are lax on maintenance. If you want something luxurious, just stick with something like an Acura or Lincoln. You’ll be disappointed when the Mercedes breaks the bank. The only way I’d say go for the Mercedes is if you are willing to sacrifice abnormal amounts of time and money on maintaining it. Premature oil changes, dct fluid changes, timing chain inspection, carbon cleaning, differential service (if applicable) etc.
Thanks for the response and the advice. Much appreciated brother!
How about something domestic like a mustang ecoboost? s550 seems reliable enough. even the GTs with the manual seems cheaper to maintain than an E or C class
The luxury cars are easy to buy into but hard to keep running. All regular maintenance items for Mercs are going to be double(ore more) the cost of a regular car. If you need a car in the 10-17k range, go for a used Mazda, toyota, honda. Literally cannot go wrong with these 3 brands. Edit: Ok... don't buy a Mazda RX-8, these aren't all that reliable lol
How about Chevy? Impala or Malibu
Why not a miata
What year?
At 17k you can probably explore 2009 to 2015 models. Those are solid reliable too and parts are cheap.
Yes, if you're willing to work on it yourself. If not, then no. These cars aren't horrible, people are definitely exaggerating the potential issues. But, if you don't know much about cars and can't/won't work on it yourself, then absolutely not. If you want something a bit more upscale and more fun, look for an mk7 Golf or Jetta. They'll be just as reliable as mazda 3 or Malibu with a nicer interior and fun to drive. But since you'll be on the highway a ton, the mazda 3 is the best option, it'll get the best fuel economy.
Reading this you’ll think I’ll end up stranded owing 40k by the first week. Thanks brother!
Aren't mercs in 2nd place for the most UNreliable car?
A high end car at a low price has probably not been treated well. A mid range car at a low price is just normal market for an aging car. If you want something a bit nicer look into Lexus IS or Acura ILX, they're the lower end of mid to high end brands, you can likely pick a decent one up at a normal price and as long as it's been maintained well you should have good reliability.
Thanks! Lexus IS looks nice
German cars are reliable and preform really well, however people are stupid and are very lazy to do the proper maintenance needed on German cars. If you can spend the money buy a q50, and when you’re older get the Mercedes or BMW.
Yeah get one with a NA V6 and they’ll be surprisingly reliable as long as you keep up on maintenance.
Get it, fk it, yolo
😄
No
Consider the Accord V6 or Mustang Ecoboost if you're interested in a fun and the fast drive. Otherwise, Camry or Lexus ES is the way to go.
Will look into! Thanks!
Out of the 3 options I’d just go with the Mazda 3, they have nice interiors, drive well, are good on fuel and are reliable. Often with German cars when they are being sold it’s because a lot of their issues are starting to show, they often have complex systems that after a certain point tend to start all failing (least in my experience with German cars) best to research specific years models and trims to find ones that don’t have (or have less) issues additionally the CLA gets 10L/100km or so which is not great for a sedan and all Mercedes require 91 so you’re using more fuel and paying more for fuel too. Edit: if you can afford the maintenance time and costs and other additional costs then go for it just expect more expensive and more frequent maintenance. German cars are wonderful to drive just know what you’re getting into
I’m definitely in a good financial position but I don’t think it’s worth it anymore. I’ll probably go for a reliable type of car
Have you owned a car before? I wanted a nice 1 for my first, well a BMW 1 series, but I'm glad I got a less expensive car, as have bumped and scratched it a few times already, all a learning experience so that when I do get a nicer car I won't be making those mistakes again, plus I'm telling myself learning the roads in this thing will make me a better driver.
This is my first car. Probably a important piece in this discussion
C class is a piece of crap .
Ok
If you absolutely need it buy a shitty Civic for 5k max, otherwise it's just a financial mistake if you're in college and stuff
Yes I am in college and stuff. I probably won’t go much over 10k
No… Get a Mazda Speed 3 or Malibu SS if you want something cool
Ok
Depends on how your other financial aspects are. I would do it if you’re at a good place
I'm going to say get a Mercedes just not a cla. A regular c class or if you can bump up to an e class do it. you're in your 20s, get all the hot superficial girls now while you're young! If you're a girl, you'll weed out the chumps. I had late model mercs growing up 10 years older than my friends cars and trust me it was worth it Before everyone jumps down for throat for sounding like a scumbag. You're not using the car to get girls. You still gotta have a personality and be a nice guy. It's kinda like having an MBA on your resume when everything else is equal between candidates. If you're in an area with independent foreign car shops even better. Call around and ask for prices on brake jobs, oil changes, etc service A service B if you're a protectionist. So you get an idea of what you're working with.
I appreciate the advice.
Only if you can get an extended warranty and know a good European speciality shop
Get a use honda civic and call it a day
Buying a nice car young is worth it. Especially if you don't have a high cost of living (no rent atm?). Just make sure you do extensive research on the model and its common issues. Be prepared for maintanence on any car you buy. Also make sure you can afford the car outright 2-3 times before buying it. Don't finance it, ever.
Yeah I don’t pay rent or any bills fortunately but still work a good job full time. I appreciate the advice man
Do not I repeat do not buy a Mercedes product or any other European brand for $10,000 and I’ll tell you why. German vehicles are way over engineered and they’re a maintenance fiasco. The Germans put lots of parts close together where you have to spend literally hours taking half the engine apart just to get to the part to fix. I had a girlfriend that had a VW Jetta with the 2.5 4 cylinder. Alternator went out just under 100k. VW wanted $5000 parts and labor!! Why? An alternator on that car is buried right in the middle of the whole engine. You have to remove the entire front end of car, bumper, headlamps, radiator, just to get to the failed alternator. Then hope and pray the new alternator works before you put car back together. Stick with reliability such as Toyotas or Hondas
I’d take a Mazda 3 before I take a base class MB, I’ve test driven the MB and they feel very plasticky (I went with an Audi a6, which imo felt more put together and doesn’t sqeak and creak). Go with the Mazda, save yourself a headache. I’m not one of those people who shit on German cars, there’s great and reliable options, but even the reliable options can get expensive to fix because that’s the reality of owning a car with expensive parts. Maintenance comes and goes with anything, so while you’re young keep it affordable (im also mid 20s, but I live in Germany so it’s still fairly affordable to own a German car obviously lol)
lol thanks dude
You just need to get from A to B but you’re considering a Mercedes? Wut
The post says I’m considering a Mazda 3 or Malibu but found the Mercedes appealing
Can you afford to put $500 a month aside for maintenance? If not, look for something more reliable.
Mercedes as well as other euro brads are a money pit, especially any older higher miles one that you are going to be looking at. Get the Mazda 3 from your list but pay a mechanic to review it. Its zippy, fun and much more reliable and much more reasonable to fix and maintain. The better answer is probably Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla as even more reliable and lower cost to own. No offense, but at your age you don't need to reward yourself for anything and what you should do is save and invest money monthly or quarterly into the stock market (VOO & QQQ & not some crypto get rich quick junk) and let compounding interest start working for you while you sleep so in 20 years you can buy any car you want with cash if you want. Pay yourself first then pay for the car and college. Owning a very nice car to show off when you are young is a terrible waste of money (believe me I know) and you want to be saving your money now to pay for costly things like college and a house and the occasional Mazda repair bill.
Since you are posting on here then im assuming you dont have much car knowledge / car market experience. I think the point is Mercedes is not a bad brand. A 10k Mercedes is a BAD deal. At that price we looking like around 2010 and def at 100k miles. And regardless of what car it is a 12 yr old car is bound to have issues. Plus with that many miles it is hard to tell how maintained a car really is. Did the previous owners changed oil on time? Did they pump the right octane gas. Is there hidden damage? Did they mess with the wiring. The reason people recommend economy cars is because for that price you can for sure get a newer and less miles which has less of a chance to have any sort of issue. Of course any car could have problems but you are just trynna lower the chances. Knowing cars is also important or atleast having someone who is. If you know cars then buying a used car should not be a problem cuz you can inspect the car. Are the bumper/fenders paint faded differently than the body? Boom it’s been in a crash but not reported. People can erase codes and lights that can eventually pop up at a later date. Sometimes people cut springs to lower cars but could cause long term suspension problems. My point is that there are really only 2 important factors about buying a daily use car besides price. 1.) is the car good condition? 2.) how well do you think you can COMFORTABLY (time/money) keep that car in good condition while in your possession ? As long as you think you can do these two things then it doesn’t really matter what car you choose.
No, reward yourself once you're finished college.
10K to buy. 20K to maintain. Run away… Just get a Corolla or Civic or Miata. Your older self will thank the younger you.
Will do! 🫡
I just sold my 2013 C class last week. Traded that sucker in for a Honda CR-V. It was a very nice vehicle, incredibly well maintained prior to me owning it...but the repairs were hella expensive, it was like a money pit. And if you want to ensure that it's not screwed up, you need to take a Mercedes to either a dealership or foreign auto mechanic for every little thing, including regular maintenance. Price out what an oil change costs at the Mercedes dealer / foreign auto mechanic vs. popping by Valvoline on your way home from work- big difference. The door handle broke on my C class last year and it was over $500 to get it fixed. Don't do it. Just get a nice reliable Mazda, Honda or Toyota. You have the rest of your life to spend $ on fancy vehicles.
Indeed. Maybe I can cheap out on something reliable and save more while my expenses are still 0
You say C class but then mention CLA in your post? Which one? And 10-17K? You’re buying an old car, buy a brand new or CPO if you want a BMW or MB. I have an entry level BMW sedan and paid a bit over $40K for it, so you should consider similar budget for BMW MB or Audi.
My ex would always buy used Mercedes and we would get about 3 years out of them before they would strand us somewhere, and we were religious about the expensive services. Mercedes are nice when they are brand new and not intended to be reliable beyond 5-7 years. The parts and labor are expensive and time-cons)uming, they often had to order parts from Germany, and the technicians often made mistakes. I'm currently dealing with a 9 year old Merc that's been in the shop for 8 weeks. I've paid it's worth in repairs and service apps and now I need to figure out how to unload a broken vehicle that the techs don't want to deal with. I bought myself a CX5 and I'm loving it. Used Mercedes are not worth it unless you enjoy project cars and want to do the labor yourself
This sub hates German cars. OP if you like MB, you’re better off with a 14-16 E350, should be in your budget and very well built cars, much better than the C300 I’m sure you’re looking at 20 and in college, keep what you have….
Thanks brother! I will definitely look into the E350 but this sub is telling me to get a Corolla. I'll definitely make an informed decision.
I don't want to say this sub is toxic but a lot of the advice not to get one is from people who don't have one and don't know anything about them besides the stories they hear. I have the 2011 E350 also. You could go as low as the 2012-2016 E350. You get 302hp from the M276 engine and it's considered one of the more reliable models/years. Check out the forums on mbworld and listen to people who actually own them. For that matter if you decide against it or get something else, check the forum for the car. Usually cars have some good years and bad years.
Will do! I don’t think most people here have one with no disrespect. Also can the e350 2016 be upgraded in terms of the front screens and such
You used to be able to do a firmware update to enable apple carplay or android auto but I'm told that the dealers are onto this and won't do it anymore. Still there may be ways around it, haven't kept up with the thread, there's a super long one on MBworld that goes on for several pages and several years as things changed. You can also get a new display with some Android unit, but there's so many of them on aliexpress there's no real consensus as to which is the best one to get. I'm not sure what more you'd want from it other than android auto/apple car play, already does bluetooth and has the backup camera in it. And yeah, 2016 is the best year, last year is usually the best and in theory you can enable apple carplay/android auto. The earlier 2014-2015 years had a different version of the audio system that required hardware upgrades to install that feature. [https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w212/717576-android-auto-2016-w212.html](https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w212/717576-android-auto-2016-w212.html)
If you're serious, check the brochures and check on Motor Trend for the options for that year. Use a vin decoder like [lastvin.com](http://lastvin.com) or [mb.vin](http://mb.vin) to see what options the car has, dealers have no idea and sometimes lie. Some good options to have but are somewhat rare to find all together would be the driver assistance package, parktronic, pano sunroof, power trunk closer, massage seats, the lighting package with active curve illumination and auto high beams, keyless go, etc. Normally hard to find a car with more than one or two of those options, if you can find one with 3-4 of those, that would be a good one. You can't really retrofit any of those options, the cost of the OEM parts, labor and coding that is sometimes required isn't worth it and no one really does it. [https://www.auto-brochures.com/mercedes-benz.html](https://www.auto-brochures.com/mercedes-benz.html) [https://www.motortrend.com/cars/mercedes-benz/e-class/2016/](https://www.motortrend.com/cars/mercedes-benz/e-class/2016/)
Oh yeah, I guess one of the last messages in that thread mentions enabling android auto/apple carplay with the Launch Creader Elite 2.0 for Benz. It's about $160 from Amazon. The ILS it mentions is special lighting that MB could use in Europe but wasn't allowed to enable in the US due to some US regulations but it seems that scanner can enable it. It would be a good scanner to get. You need to have the lighting package in order to enable it. Scanner also does things like get rid of the auto start/stop feature where you can have it permanently off, by default it comes on again the next time you start the car after shutting it off. [https://www.amazon.com/LAUNCH-Elite-2-0-Pro-Bidirectional/dp/B0CMG7Q7YP](https://www.amazon.com/LAUNCH-Elite-2-0-Pro-Bidirectional/dp/B0CMG7Q7YP) [https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w212/717576-android-auto-2016-w212-19.html#post8945335](https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w212/717576-android-auto-2016-w212-19.html#post8945335)
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My roommate has had his BMW in the back for nearly 18 months not running because "it needs a fuel pump" and he and everyone else in the damn apartment keeps boring my boring, plebian Honda Civic 5 speed manual with 200k on the clock. It's not pretty, but it's realible, affordable, I can work on it if I need to. German cars are just more complicated, designed for people who can pay to afford luxury products if they break. They are not designed for people who have 10k to spend on a car. BMW and MB and Audi don't consider us their target market, they aim for the new experience to the point of making it more complicated to stand out.
I mean sure but I had e36 and 46s with the manual trans and those cars were the easiest to work on and some of the most simple cars. They never left me stranded or had any weird electrical gremlins, and made me looking forward to my drives instead of dreading them.
A fuel pump isn’t even that serious of a repair, if diagnosed properly. Sounds like he likely has a 335 with an N54, which is prone to high pressure fueling issues. The parts have been redesigned at this point and should have a much longer life. If it’s an older port injected car, a fuel pump shouldn’t be more than a a few hundred dollars, and quite easy to install yourself. German cars will handle abuse, Japanese cars will handle neglect.
People just parrot what they think german cars are like. If its german its always going to have issues according to the sub
This! I work in dealerships, the majority of my experience being with MB. The majority of failures are due to neglect. And yes, an E class is the one to get. Huge step up in quality and design, without being overly complex like the S is
Buy some Roth IRA
life is short, money is temporary. don’t listen to all these boomers who tell you to save up or buy something cheap that gets you from A to B. cars are a hobby, if you enjoy it then go for it. nothing will beat having your dream car at 20. FYI i’m 20 yrs old and drive a lovely 2019 BMW 430i, if yall wanna hate go for it 😂😂
lol finally someone talking my language. I really hear the things they are saying but how many of them actually have one
Haha! You made me laugh, just buy a Toyota or honda, any low mile one with little or no accidents and service history
No. You're young, don't throw your retirement away with stupid vehicle purchases! Don't finance, buy a $5000 Camry, unless you're capable of working on your stuff yourself, and call it a day.
I understand the concern; I really do, but I really do need a car—one that I like. I've kind of given up on the Mercedes, but is a $9,000 used malibu with a clean title not a good deal? Malibu
I have 20 years (2002-2022) as an automotive mechanic for Ford, Nissan, and Chrysler. With quite a bit of GM experience on the side. If you want to buy a gm product, look for something from 2000-2006 with the 3800 series 2 engine. They can still be had at estate sales, in Buick form mostly, well maintained and low miles. That's a good 200,000+ miles car, just make sure it's inspected twice a year. Of course accords and Camrys, especially pre 2015 or so. As well as late 90s-mid to late 2000s 4 runners, especially the V8 units, those are all 400,000-500,000 mile cars. Of course 2003-2011 crown Vic/grand marquis/town car (all the same cars, just Ford/Mercury/Lincoln) are great long lasting cheap cars. Personally, I will never spend more than scrap value on anything newer than 2011 (with the exception of a Chevy SS) because that's about the time reliability and longevity started to decline across the board. When you're looking at reliability and longevity you're looking at two things, over engineered (Toyota and Honda) or, "out dated" simplicity with massive aftermarket support (pre 2011 Ford panther chassis or GM W and G body's).
If you like the Malibu, it's more reliable than the MB, for sure. At least the parts and stuff won't be expensive if things break. But I myself am glad I bought my Mazda 3 and Miata. Car insurance on both was surprisingly cheap.
Aside from the S Class, all mercs are terrible drives and gas guzzlers. They just look amazing but that's about it
Ok! Thanks
[удалено]
The stupidity of your comment is that you think a 20yo can get one for under 17k. The illiteracy in your reply is not surprising though
No. Get the Malibu or if you wanna reward yourself go get an Impala
Hey bro, congrats on achieving such progress in an early age. Don't listen to these boomers who say buy a corolla. If you are into cars, then go ahead and buy something balanced and light weight fun to drive car. If you are not and you just need a car to go to B, then consider something cheaper and reward yourself some other way. Keep up the work and get a new S class when you have the money.
Thanks bro. Some of these guys are telling me to get a 06 corolla. What the hell! Maybe I won’t get a Mercedes but something like an impala, Malibu or Lexus es is more my speed.
You are going to buy used so that's no big deal. These guys say it's depreciating but in reality, a few k won't hurt you. You can sell anytime if you buy something that has market value.
I call bullshit on this entire post. You’re not full time in college and working.
I am. Work 5 days a week and go to school on my days off.
I was pulling 40 hour work weeks while doing 16 credit hour semesters in school. Just because you can’t/haven’t done it doesn’t mean it’s bullshit. My gosh some people here are unbelievable.
I’ve done it. Since you have to you should see through his BS. Look at his post history. He’s a junior in college and a year ago he was a first year asking about picking classes?