Andrew,
The most expensive car that you will ever own is a cheap older Mercedes.
You should stay away. These cars are not for mere commuters looking for something inexpensive to drive. As you read the posts, you will see people talking about what THEY did, parts that THEY found in pick-a-part yards, advice on work that THEY and other posters have done and will do.
If you are going to rely on "the garage" that will maintain your car, the cost advantage disappears quickly.
Your comment that you "understand" that the 240D is "dog slow" reveals your level of ACTUAL knowledge (compared to rumors, things you have heard and what you "understand") to be essentially nil. That is NOT a bad thing. But it is a guarantee of disappointment in a used MBZ diesel. (No doubt you have missed Nate's stories from his repeated junkets from L.A. to Las Vegas, in a 240D loaded with 5 people, blowing ice cold A/C while he struggles to keep it under 70 mph.)
Avoid now and miss out on subsequent frustration and anger.
Tom '81 300SD, 352,+++ miles.
In a message dated 8/28/2011 11:43:09 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time, andrewbuc@staxman.net writes:
I've heard that routine maintenance on Mercedes is expensive, but
I've also heard anecdotally that the reputation for expensive
maintenance is overblown. Doing my own service isn't an option, but
my German-car mechanic has a very reasonable labor rate and is good
about finding cost-effective solutions. I once ran the idea of a 190D
past him, and he said, "They don't need much." If this statement
applies to both routine service and breakdown repairs, it's a good
sign. I've also heard that the W201 was the last really
overengineered Mercedes, which is good. Naturally I'd want to find a
car that the seller had owned for a long time and kept service
records on, but how much of a chance would I be taking if these
conditions weren't met? While we're on this, any thoughts on stick
vs. automatic?
Thanks for your thoughts.
No comments:
Post a Comment