View Full Version : More car vs. car
WickerBill
08-21-09, 12:59 PM
In a year or so, I may be in the market to replace my VUE with a new car. Thinking about spending about $30k. My current mindset is that I should, and want to, strongly consider (instead of a brand-new Fusion or Mazda 6) buying a year-old or 18 months old Mercedes C300.
What are your thoughts, loyal readers? Better to go brand new? Better to buy a "better nameplate" that's finished with it's "drive off the lot" depreciation?
Methanolandbrats
08-21-09, 01:05 PM
New VW diesel. They hold value really well, especially during gas price spikes. You can also drive it for 20 years eliminated the upgrade cycle.
Sean Malone
08-21-09, 01:31 PM
I doubt I'll ever buy another brand new car.
Check the new Lacrosse out just for giggles though. Supposed to be really nice and is being directly compared to a Lexus 350.
I'd also look at a 1 or 2 year old G37 Infinity.
To me, the warranty is a big part of the value that you get with a new car purchase. Pricing on year old C300s looks pretty close to a top of the line 6 or Fusion, but be sure that you're looking at prices that include whatever level of warranty you will need to make sure that you're happy with your purchase. Suffering minor problems with a new 30k vehicle is no fun.
Have fun. :D
oddlycalm
08-21-09, 02:03 PM
Looks like you should be able to find certified pre-owned which sorta splits the difference. You pay a bit more but you get a thoroughly inspected vehicle and the peace of mind of a manufacturer backed warranty.
oc
So what's the deal? You rockin' the Benz with 22" spinners?
rosawendel
10-21-09, 08:32 AM
me rikey da stick option on the 300-sport. not so much the 3.0L, and not so much the rear wheel drive, what with the snow and such. look for the 4matic option.
I had considered it, but when i emailed the dealer to get availability info on the stick, i was beseiged with follow-ups; almost like their very existence depended on their ability to sell me one.
i'm leaning more to a 3 series x drive now...
Napoleon
10-21-09, 09:18 AM
So what's the deal? You rockin' the Benz with 22" spinners?
I saw a brand new Jag with spinners near my house this weekend. Nearly made me heave.
cameraman
10-21-09, 12:32 PM
Saw a Bentley Continental GT a day ago. It's hubs don't spin, the B on the hub stays as steady as a non-Renault F1 wheel fairing.
WickerBill
10-21-09, 03:31 PM
nrc, no, looking a ways out. Talked with a reputable dealer (ha!) in town who deals in higher-end cars, and he showed me a 5 year old loaded E500 with 98k miles on it for 15.5k. About 60k new. Eh, kinda old, etc. Gorgeous car though. Offered me 50k bumper-to-bumper and 100k all mechanical. Said it will run forever so he's not worried about it.
Of course he's a car salesman.
Just wondering what 15.5k gets me in a new car... not much.
nrc, no, looking a ways out. Talked with a reputable dealer (ha!) in town who deals in higher-end cars, and he showed me a 5 year old loaded E500 with 98k miles on it for 15.5k. About 60k new. Eh, kinda old, etc. Gorgeous car though. Offered me 50k bumper-to-bumper and 100k all mechanical. Said it will run forever so he's not worried about it.
Of course he's a car salesman.
Just wondering what 15.5k gets me in a new car... not much.
http://www.stangbangers.com/Yugo_Ad.jpg
:gomer:
-Kevin
Don Quixote
10-21-09, 04:20 PM
I wonder if any of those Yugos are still on the road. Doubt it.
Napoleon
10-21-09, 04:25 PM
I wonder if any of those Yugos are still on the road. Doubt it.
I just saw a Chevette the other day on the road, and a Gremlin this summer, so you never know.
(and for good measure at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame downtown that I visited a month ago they have Trabants hanging from the ceiling).
http://www.aljfkds.com/pics/cleveland/trabants.jpg
Aren't those Trabants at the RRHOF from the U2 Zooropa tour?
nrc, no, looking a ways out. Talked with a reputable dealer (ha!) in town who deals in higher-end cars, and he showed me a 5 year old loaded E500 with 98k miles on it for 15.5k. About 60k new. Eh, kinda old, etc. Gorgeous car though. Offered me 50k bumper-to-bumper and 100k all mechanical. Said it will run forever so he's not worried about it.
Of course he's a car salesman.
Just wondering what 15.5k gets me in a new car... not much.
For extended warranties think of it as insurance. Look out for high deductibles and maximums on either coverage or incidents. I imagine they got the car for a song on a trade-in so they can probably afford to throw in for a decent warranty.
Yes, at 15k for new you're likely talking Korean or an absolute stripper (no bacon) bottom end Japanese or domestic. If anyone actually stocks such a thing.
stroker
10-21-09, 07:36 PM
Yes, at 15k for new you're likely talking Korean or an absolute stripper (no bacon) bottom end Japanese or domestic. If anyone actually stocks such a thing.
If they're not now, they will be pretty damned soon.
If they made something like a Civic stripped to the damn bone (crank windows, etc.) they'd sell a boatload of them, IMHO. Then again, I don't have a marketing research to gather numbers for me to massage so I can use them to justify whatever decision/error I make...
nrc, no, looking a ways out. Talked with a reputable dealer (ha!) in town who deals in higher-end cars, and he showed me a 5 year old loaded E500 with 98k miles on it for 15.5k. About 60k new. Eh, kinda old, etc. Gorgeous car though. Offered me 50k bumper-to-bumper and 100k all mechanical. Said it will run forever so he's not worried about it.
Of course he's a car salesman.
Just wondering what 15.5k gets me in a new car... not much.
If you are not going to buy that, PM me the information. If I buy it, I'll make them give you a cut of the comission. :D
oddlycalm
10-21-09, 08:59 PM
nrc, no, looking a ways out. Talked with a reputable dealer (ha!) in town who deals in higher-end cars, and he showed me a 5 year old loaded E500 with 98k miles on it for 15.5k. About 60k new. Eh, kinda old, etc. Gorgeous car though. Offered me 50k bumper-to-bumper and 100k all mechanical. Said it will run forever so he's not worried about it.
Gorgeous car, and very fast. Buckets of power in a solid car that's not ridiculously large and a warranty is hard to beat for the price of a Kia or a Scion. Mileage in the high teens, maybe 20mpg on the highway. The price is a couple thousand below what it would be here but we don't have salt on the roads.
oc
chop456
10-22-09, 01:46 AM
This is one of those 'heard it on the internet' kind of things, but supposedly MB are/were giving massive discounts on leftover '09 E350s in preparation for the incoming 2010 models. Between 10-20k massive.
FWIW...
Napoleon
10-22-09, 06:07 AM
Aren't those Trabants at the RRHOF from the U2 Zooropa tour?
Yes - it is kind of funny seeing people look at them and talking "what are those?"
(and a PS for Datachicane, the puppets and other stage items from Pink Floyd's The Wall tour are located under the cars - they don't allow camera's inside though so people can not take pictures of it)
(PPS, what do you know, google is your friend - the Wall (http://www.rogerwaters.org/rrmuseumint.html)
Yes, at 15k for new you're likely talking Korean or an absolute stripper (no bacon) bottom end Japanese or domestic. If anyone actually stocks such a thing.
In April I got my no frills manual transmission Toyota Yaris for about $13k even, though in fairness in a lot of ways it is not nearly a "stripper" in the sense some earlier cars I have owned were. It came with AM/FM Stereo that was i-pod ready, rear wipper and window heater (a must), etc. Still the dealers in the area didn't stock many and to the extent they did most were sedans (I wanted the hatch since cars like that are basically mini-suvs) and automatics, many with upgrade packages, such that I ended up having to drive to a dealer about 30 miles from home since they were the only one carrying a manual hatchback "stripper".
Al Czervik
10-22-09, 07:17 PM
You will not be disappointed with the Benz. I had a '99 C230K, drove for 95,000 miles, traded it in in '05 for an '06 E350 (65k miles so far). Dead nuts reliable cars. The C230 had the supercharger clutch go out (under warranty), no other problems. The E has had an under seat storage lid break its latch (warranty) and a sticking sunroof (needed the tracks cleaned. Coulda done it myself, but was under warranty). Absolutely thoroughly German engineered in the best way. If you get a lot of the white stuff in the winter, snow tires are a must. I've had Blizzaks for both, HUGE difference.
The C class had a big appetite for tires and brakes - 20k - 25k for both. The E has been better - 40K for tires and rear brakes, 58K for front brakes. Oil changes can be a bit pricey - 7 to 8 quarts of Mobil 1. A low mileage CPO should be a good deal.
One way to look at it: If you knew that today was going to be the day that you would have The Big Crash, what kind of car would you want to A) avoid the crash if at all possible, and B) be in if you couldn't avoid it.
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