I purchased my 2012 Mercedes used (no warranty) from an individual 6 years ago. I'm happy to report in my 6 years of ownership I have not had a single problem with my Mercedes. If you want a used Mercedes, get a loan from your financial institution and purchase from someone (a mature car owner) selling their vehicle. You can check the maintenance record with the local MB dealer. Too many times these dealers are buying cars at auction and selling a vehicle that has been wrecked, not maintained, and/or has been in a flood. Stop paying those dealer mark-ups by finding your own vehicle. I saved $6000 on the purchase price, got a great vehicle, and it has never been to the shop for anything other than routine maintenance.
same here 2 years. GLA 220. No issues, always oil on time, breaks and light bulps. Dentist who owned it from new until 5 years old took good care of it. Now 7 years old. Great car, the best we had.
Great video! As a mechanic I would say change the engine oil and filter every 5,000 miles instead of the 10,000 when the service minder comes on. After I change the oil at 5000 miles I won't reset the service minder because it will come on in another 5000 miles and give you a service code telling you what maintenance items are due. So really I am only resetting the minder every other oil change. Mercedes models after 2008 ish will give you service codes like "B7" instead of just "A service Due" or "B service Due" which can be looked up online to see what items need taking care of. I would also stay away from cars with the air suspension as after a few years there are always issues with leaks and pumps not working leaving you with a hefty towing bill as the car will almost sit on the ground when all of the air in the suspension system leaks out of the system. Other than that enjoy your luxury car! For a German car they are built pretty well and in my opinion the quality far surpasses BMW.
Third party shops are THEE best way to go when your car is out of warranty. I’ve saved thousands of dollars by taking my Jag to my local mechanic who does the same thing the dealer would for thousands less. Just make sure your mechanic knows how to work on these types of machines because they are not your typical car to work on.
It all depends on what you want to drive. I bought a 10 year old Benz, a rare car, in fact it's the only one in Australia. l service it myself and replace items as required because l have a mechanical background. I love to drive it.
Another advantage is if you are a DIYer. A lot of these services they do are simple and parts such as filters, belts, fluids can be purchased online for much less than at the dealer. Mercedes are the easiest car in the world to change the oil so that alone can save you about $185. I have a 99 E320 I've been driving daily for 16 years. I do my own oil changes, minor repairs, valve cover gaskets and plugs. Anything brake, pressurized system or requiring getting under the car I take to an Indie and that has been rare. Most trouble-free car I've ever owned.
Last year I bought a used 2008 Lexus and have no doubt it will last me for another 10 years yet if I so choose. That is a lot of my money saved over buying a 3 year old merc.
I always say, buy what you like and what you can afford. If Lexus works for you, great. Doesn't work for me. Actually my friend has a Lexus and I have a Mercedes. My MB is a couple of years newer but we compare service records and found Lexus charges more for its routine services than MB. I had her get many services done at an authorized Toyota/Lexus shop but every two years have her take it to Lexus for a complete inspection. I do the same thing with my MB. Neither of us have had issues with our vehicles so all is good. Again, buy what you like and what you can afford but make sure you maintain it properly and you should enjoy many years of trouble free driving.
I bought an old GL450 for $ 6000 from a friend.1 Owner Clean 50k miles.Tradin value was terrible so i bought it because i thought it was a good deal for a beater SUV. In the first month I spent $4700 in total in maintenance ,Transfer Case, Differential and Transmission fluid change and CV Axle repair at dealership. Finding an independent competent Mechanic is not as easy as it sounds. When an issue arises those little shops usually brush you off.Been there done that.Dealerships in my experience always made it right. I hate headaches with the smaller shops.
Just picked up a 2011 W164 with 221,400 miles, one owner, always maintained. I traded my 2005 C class wagon plus $1500 cash on the last day of the month. I should premise this with the dealer lot was so full of cars for sale that I couldn't find a place to park! No warranty but the one owner did EVERYTHING and the ride is mint! In the first 3 days I've put over 400 miles on it, and it'll probably out-live me. If it lasts a month, I've gotten to ride a top SUV for less than renting a Ford focus
I recently saw this on a gearhead forum. It was titled "phases of BMW ownership," but same principle. 1) car is new, with warranty, roadside assistance and free service. Owner is happy. 2) car reached 50K miles and dealership convinces owner to renew the service plan for a fee. Vehicle is pretty reliable and owner doesn’t really know the retail cost of recommended service. 3) at 100K, the dealer will no longer sell a service plan. 4) at 110k, after owner recovers from cost of the first full-price service, plus maybe a minor repair or two, they switch to an independent shop. 5) at 150-200K when the independent shop gives them a quote on the transmission, cam phaser, turbo etc repair, owner decides to dump the car. 6) the independent shop owner buys the car cheap and fixes it up.
I guess if you buy it at around 50k miles you got 2/3 of the life left at 40% of the price... maybe that's the sweet spot if you really want the "ultimate driving machine"
I purchased a 2016 W213 E200 AMG spec in May 2022 that had just completed its 5 year free maintenance and it had only 72000km from Mercedes Benz Used Section and I have had it serviced twice in a motorshop that I have gone to for many years and quite surprised that the servicing so far is not as expensive as I thought. If I had to go to a Mercedes service workshop it would have been more than double or even triple the cost I paid. Mostly its been just oil, brake fluid, brake pads and the air filters changed and the car still drives beautifully
I needed to hear this! I bought a 2013 cls550 with 60k miles! Car is flawless but I’m going to do an oil change with a certified mechanic I know who has a shop rather then going to dealer
Oil changes are literally 30 min start to finish on these Mercedes. I own a 18' GLC 300 4MATIC and it uses 7,Qts of 0W-30 or 5W-30 Full synthetic oil and the whole kit cost $105 USD and no special tools needed. Engine filter $25 USD = 10 minute job, Air filter $25USD = 10 minute job. Spark plugs $110 USD =1.1/2 HOURS no special tools needed
This video is valid I purchased my 2017 in 2019 and after watching this here’s my conclusion the best value is a car that is 4 years old because that’s when you buy it at the optimum price to value ratio, the model will still look the same as the current year model In most cases except for a few feature upgrades, the warranty for the vehicle overall can be purchased for up to 7 years in total since sale date so you would be able to have a warranty for 3 years and can choose to sell right before it expires or keep for long term. When my warranty was about to end I took it in for final warranty inspection and would have had to paid for a new computer system for the vehicle if the warranty had expired. Fast forward 6 months for the annual maintenance and I’m looking at about $2,500 in repairs plus other maintenance for a total of about $3,600. If it isn’t a dream car, based on price to value ratio my verdict is sell! Also by buying at the later mark you probably more able to afford repairs and can perform tunes and like mentioned don’t have to go to the dealership. One pro of the dealer though is getting to drive new vehicles when performing maintenance or repairs.
Just bought a 2013 ML-350 with 60k miles. $21,000. Plus, I purchased a $4000 bumper to bumper repair warranty, 4 years, 50k miles. Like new appearance and decked out with burl trim. Enjoying it so far. Excellent car for less than I’d pay for a new Civic.
I own a F10 BMW that a bought from the leasing company after leasing It for almost 3 years. I therefore knew exactly what happened to that car and how It was driven and maintained, otherwise I would never ever have considered to buy it used, no matter what warranty was offered. I do a lot of Maintenance myself. This keeps the car reliable and the costs acceptable. If you don't know the cars' past and can not do a lot yourself, such cars tend to be complete money pits.
3 years of bad driving from previous owner could cost you thousands down the line. The money saved on depreciation will burn away quickly. The car will be in and out of the repair shop. My advise is to buy close to brand new, save on repairs for the first few years. Find a good independent repair shop and use the dealership when you cannot go to the independent dealer. Luxury cars have value in long term ownership. They can drive for years if they are maintained as per schedule. Keep a budget aside when they get older.
I agree this is my 2nd Mercedes that I brought pre owned I'll never buy a new one after what I've learned from you and self awareness of knowing the vehicle.
I am so glad I ran into this video before I fell into the trap. 2016 AMG Mer 450 41,000 mil warranty just ran out so wasn’t sure what to do - also dealership offered pre maintenance plans that were ridiculous priced when all it entailed was A service - I will take my chances on paying out of pocket maintenance to a shop that specializes in these Euro cars - thanks!
Theres NO Free Lunch People. Theres are reason for the Depreciation, The Sellers are not stupid, they have information you dont have or know about the car. and reason to sell the car at a "Loss" deprecation. Buying a used car is a Gamble, you either save a bit or money or end up spending a fortunate fixing it, that may end be more than decoreation loss, or worst, total loss.
I have been using FCP for the past 25 years..they have grown into a major supplier..... 1. Audi 5000, Volvo 740GLE wagon, now the CLS550 .....Their parts warranty is the best ....
We've had a mercedes for almost 2 years. Very good experience. No warranty whatsoever. No issues except oil changes, brakes and light bulp and window wipers. And we didn't find that more than 10-15% higher than on our previous cars such as Chevrolet and Mitsubishi. But of course repairs might get a bit more, spare parts. Mechanics we've spoken to said on average rule of thumb price is "ordinary cars x 2." But hey, that is not too bad. These are quality and last long. Besides our previous cars cannot compare with the interior and riding experience. Yes it's about the ride. Plus, people use money on all sorts of things. We just budget an additional $500-600 pr year on maintenance. It is in the budget, something to be expected. Insurance, gas no difference
Finally someone from North America who understand! Good explanation in the video too! I have an E class diesel, 136 HP, MY 2010, I bought it new 10 years ago, looks really nice even today (as you can see on my youtube site) pretty low TCO, the maintance cost is low, I do it at a local Autoshop once a year, the MB-orignal parts are also cheap, insurance cost low, the diesel consumption is low and so on.. well, I am happy with my car. And many people here in europe see it also like this, they buy a 8-10 year old MB and then they have a good family car for a couple of years and they change oil and filter once a year and just drives a nice car to low TCO.
I recently had an Atlanta dealer quote me an hourly rate of $250. This is outrageous. I have been working on my cars for 35 years. I took it to the dealer for extended warranty work. I did my brakes, engine oil, differential fluid, filters and spark plugs. I would not want a Mercedes if I couldn't do basic repairs. The m278 on an A278 doesn't leave a lot of space so the spark plugs closes to the fire wall are challenging. I think the techs have a special tool to get them out. Also the boots are a beast to remove. You will likely tear a few up removing them. Even with using the MB tool. They don't put good lube in them to prevent them from sticking to the plugs.
These are fantastic cars. I have a E-Class that was a CPO. The car has been out of warranty for a couple of years. I do have an advantage for maintenance of this outstanding vehicle. I work for the Mercedes Benz dealership. I keep the vehicle maintenance up to date,for at employee cost. This dealership has all of the service history on this vehicle. This would be fantastic buy when I decide to sell this vehicle.
Bought a 100K AMG brand new 6 years ago. Just paid it off. Never a problem. I prepay for A and B. Tires are even reasonably priced. I have had the same guy manage the service of this car the whole time. Mercedes is a level above as they retain their employees.
On my third used Mercedes since 2020. First was an 04 E55 AMG (was totaled in 2022). Second was an 07 S550. Third was a 2014 E63S AMG. All DIY, and I've been quite pleased with them. They were all bottom of market private sale purchases (for their age/mileage).
@@ECPP I still have the S550 - best daily driver I ever had. The E63S is more of an unknown quantity with some scary potential failures, but it's been good so far.
i just got a steal for a c63 with 62k miles for 25k, service records included. Needed new struts but everything else was mint. Ive bought used benz my whole life and this video is super helpful for those looking to do the same
@dontlo.okatme August 2020, in california. Guy who was selling it was going to have a kid so he sold it to me to get a down payment on a house, was right before the market went wild. I wasn't even looking to buy a car at the time, but i saw it on offerup and went for it. Definitely was the most impulsive purchase ive made Now the car is sitting at 78k miles, and has been an absolute joy to own for the past two years.
It’s good to advise to anybody that ever owns one of these to never hit up a dealership and I put that on everything. I own a 2010 C300 which has absolutely been such a beast and still is for 2 years (daily driver and a track day in). It hasn’t been a headache whatsoever, i just do the regular services and go on about it. The only reason i ever took it to the dealer (twice only) was for major repairs. The notorious takata airbags replaced and my fuel system were starting to fail. Both those times were covered from a 10 (or 15 i think) year or 150k miles warranty by Mercedes. Very lucky i didn’t spend a dime on the fuel system otherwise i would’ve sold it for sure. But each time i visited the dealer, they always do the “complimentary” inspection and try to tell you how many more problems are wrong with the car. Once got a bill for $6,000 of repairs that “needed” attention. Pretty much the price of the car i paid for dang near lol other than that, love the brand and what they gotta offer. Going for an AMG soon 👍🏼 great content as always!
@@idevelopillnesses4908 I did brotha 🤝 2011 E63 AMG. Enjoy that first Benz man. Little backstory. I financed my first Benz, cheap little $10,000 to build my credit. Paid it off after two years. The big tip is to not overly spend on the thing. In terms of modifications and whatnot. I bought cheap lowering springs, spoiler, did an exhaust, and that’s it. No wheels or none of that stuff. I saved up money, sold the car, and used it as a down payment for the AMG. What Benz did you buy?
I had bought a 17 c300 with 14k miles for only 25k definitely worth waiting a couple years to let most of the depreciation to kick the price down and with the CPO warranty you can drive it for another year without the headache of something breaking. Great Vid btw !
I bought an 06 cls55 amg.....what a great car,that m113k motor is so reliable, I’m due to change my brake pads and oil change here soon,other than that,I’m so happy with this whip..
JB says the guy who smokes, drink, eats at restaurants, buys his coffee, goes to games, casinos, highest people to work around his house because he’s too lazy, etc, aka waste his money on B.S. P.S. get a higher paying job and you will be fine. Cheers.
Most people buying luxury cars only want to show off their money, Mercedes is on top of that list! These people will continue to buy when the new models came out! Second hand Mercedes will fall into the people who pretend to be rich, that’s the nightmare begins, cheap people often neglect the importance of maintenance.
Absolutely 👍 buying used cars much cheaper so regular maintenance makes it last with fewer issues so maintenance out of warranty is affordable long term
I live just south of you. I've never had any problems with my used SLK and have no warranty, a summer car. I've had the US dealer look at it a few times and he said it was perfect. I live at a ski resort, so I need a prestige car. Climbs mountain passes like a breeze at 8000 - 9000 ft. like it would in the Alps. I'm always passing most of the cars and trucks on the curves. When parked in the driveway the tourists take pictures of it and ask me a lot of questions when I'm working in the yard.
Exactly. This is one of your best videos. Employed every one of these techniques when buying my 2009 SL65. Of course the best part was a $200k+ car for just a quarter of that MSRP at only 49,568 miles. The fear was drastically out of proportion with this car's near new condition reality. Depreciation worked for me because Mercedes will not longer make 612 hp V12's or new SL's any better performing. I'd only add that a thorough knowledge of the exact model needed with all it's idiosyncrasies will direct you to the best maintained example.
I purchased my MB used and it has been trouble free for the 6 years I have owned it. I am thinking about purchasing a used SL (2012, low miles, maintenance records included). FYI, there is a company that makes upgraded factory looking, direct replacement head units that give you navigation, traffic, blue tooth, sat radio, streaming, dvd/video, etc.. This allows you to have the updated electronic conveniences without changing the factory look. That's win/win to me.
Agree but there a reason and the reason is good only people buy use luxury car are 2 people young people that have parents that have decent money and people from the hood who over time trash it and can't afford the repair cost and buy another
Good video. Here in Central California, the independent German mechanics all charge $150 an hour and up, so I find qualified mechanics at places like Meinecke, etc. to do my oil and filter changes, and stay away from the dealer, who always recommends repetitive service which are not needed.
The silver wrench looking thing sticking out of the front at 4:15 marker. What is that. Mine didn’t stick out but the cap came off and I see it with many older Mercedes cars. No one seems to know. What that is. Does anyone know
As a mechanic I enjoy buying these cars for next to nothing for a rebuild at home, I prioritise engine and transmission major service followed by all round suspension system including braking system, everything else follows as required but the car itself is a one kick and go.
I'm sold , going 2 check out 2015 gla 250, 32 k miles and a lady who doesn't use it at all, hardly driven! paying cash $ hopefully under 15$k. !! Crossing my fingers its gonna happen soon!
We have a 2012 ML 350 with almost 130k miles on it. It runs great, we have a great mechanic who does the maintenance services, we buy the parts and just installs them at our house. Some things my husband does on his own by looking up DIY TH-cam videos 😂
The problem is that in America and Canada too often regular maintenance is neglected and missed. Too often people do not care and expect cars should be reliable just because they spent 30-40-50K or more on them.
I buy cabin air filters on line for about $6.00. I have a K&N lifetime engine air filter I clean every 50,000 miles. Tires and oil changes are at Walmart. This is on my Lexus ES350. I save a lot of $$$
Post 2 So you film in Canada and I was born in Europe with an American citizenship. In Europe people treat cars or at least me and my friends did like our palace. We follow the best oil change schedule and all maintenance. When we hear the slightest noise we go to the shop. Now onto the US. 99% buy cars to take them from point A to point B. They buy a Merc not for the driving experience but for the status. Let me ask a question. How many know that there's a break in period for new engines? People here move to the suburbs and run all day to kids sports. They buy a car and do this all day. They take no trips and are boring as hell. Would they take a long trip to break in the car? I doubt it. Everyone is complaining about stiff shifting from a lot of automatics but I never had an issue because I follow the break in period. I even saw a video of a guy complaining that the Jeep Trackhawk doesn't allow him to drag race from day 1! I mean seriously? Now to oil changes..Would they go every 6 months regardless of the mileage? Would they also understand that local mileage in traffic kill the car? Everyday commute should be done by mass transit and a car is a fun thing to do. I've had company cars years ago bought new and by the time the lease was up the engine was almost gone! Now let's talk depreciation. I have a Grand Cherokee 51K MSRP. Now 3 years later it costs 36K to buy used. Is it worth it? NO! Because if you buy new you'll get something like 7K or probably more off MSRP! Is it worth buying a 5 year old GC and risk it? NO! And the reason is not the reliability but the owners in the US like I said before. I've seen hundreds of used cars and even one owner cars that looked amazing only to find out that the service done was poor and the owner had no respect for the car itself. It made noises but they say well it drives doesn't it? Check how many wax their cars at least twice a year and get back to me. Waxing shows that you care! My friends and I all over Europe when we hear the slightest squeak we take it to the mechanic or call a friend over to look what's happening. Call me if you find an owner like that and I'll buy his used car even with 100K or more miles.
thanks for sharing. I agree, many people here see a car as a consumable and use and abuse them and them trade them in. Sadly the 2nd and 3rd owners are the enthusiasts but have to pay the price of neglect
Great advice! Been there and done all of that, except for the buying a new one part. I have been sorely tempted, but have resisted the urge. I have always lived by, I would much rather drive a used high-end car than a new low-end car. Luckily, I have always been able to do my own diagnostics and maintenance, for the most part, and that has saved me many thousands over the decades.
Great video I bought a 2015 s550 with 40K miles and do most of the maintenance myself and have a third party shop do what I cant do. my car was $128K new bought it for $ 38K I would never buy a new Benz
I bought a 2015 e350 4matic back in 2018 with 20k miles I never when to dealer to do anything I do the work myself oils breaks spark plugs coils that's it I have nearly 70k miles now no problems at all
great video , I’ve been driving Mercedes for decades, in Europe and here in US … I bought my last Mercedes 2019 GLC 300 with 77K miles for $26.000 , new was over $50K … so I got 3 year old Benz for a half a price of a new one … I do all my services at Valvoline , Firestone etc… never go to Mercedes dealer … if you take care of your Benz it’ll run forever .. just like video says , stay in lower class , if you purchase a higher class , like S class Benz , your maintenance expenses will go way up , A, B, C even E class is doable to maintain …
Mercedes used to make great durable cars such as W123, W124 and W126. I remembered I watched a commercial when I was a child says “One man only needs to buy one Mercedes in a lifetime”. Nowadays Mercedes only make horrible quality cars! I met a GM at a Mercedes dealer the other day, he said “we don’t make cars don’t break anymore.” Do you know how much it costs to run an F1 team? We need to sell a lot of cars to maintain our F1 dominance! That A250 we just sold should cover an F1 wheel.
I recently bought a 3 year old Mercedes A 35 AMG. I love how the car drives and its interior is a thing of beauty. But, I discovered after my purchase that there's a known engine issue with this car. In Canada, Mercedes covers the cost of repairing this issue when it occurs, but I live in the USA where Mercedes does not seem to have agreed to fix these issues at their cost. I still have about 9 months left on the original manufacturer's warranty and I'm weirdly hoping that the engine failure occurs within that timeframe so I can get it fixed under the original warranty. But as I get close to the end of the original warranty period, if the engine HASN'T yet experienced this failure, I'll be in the position of having to decide whether or not to purchase an extended warranty to cover the cost of this (possibly inevitable) expensive repair. The A 35 AMG is a bit rare in the US because we only got the car in model years 2020 and 2021, but my understanding is that this issue also applies to the CLA 35 AMG and GLA 35 AMG. I'm wondering what you'd recommend in this instance and if anyone reading this is in a similar situation and what you've decided to do about it.
Careful with non-genuine parts. I put a new alternator in at a local auto electrician, but the fault light stayed on, because the computer would not recognise it. Cost me $2K when I traded it. Currently looking for a V250, but passed on one cos the guy had it serviced at a 3rd party shop that didn't do the B service properly and hasn't changed the auto fluid. My Vito is turning 6, with 200 000 km on the clock and runs like a dream. Regular services cost money, but over the life of the vehicle, actually much cheaper than VW, cos longer interval.
@@ECPP Edited that, I missed a zero. 200 000 km. I expect to get 500 000, cos it's in axe-murderers black chic, and it's a scratch and dint magnet, with body damage all over, but still looks a treat. Gets driven all over the Outback in Oz for work, potholes, roos and endless roadworks take their toll. You could do a piece on how Mercedes is a fucker of a company to deal with in every way, but still worth it cos the cars are so frustratingly good.
Fenomenal video,just what I was looking for,bought my wife a 2020 glc300 with 30k miles and wasn’t quite sure if we should get extended warranty,but this video answered my concerns..thanks!!!!
I own a six year old GLA250 66K miles with zero repairs. On the other hand, oil change, cabin filter change, air filter change.. *FOUR HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE*
Hi Mark, great advice, I appreciate your honesty and thoroughness as always, not everyone knows all the options, THANK YOU for this video, stay safe my friend, hi to the family 👍💝🌹
Great video Mark, my sentiments entirely. I did exactly that with my 2015 640i Grand Coupe. Control is everything and if you are smart and do what you suggest, you can drive your dream car for a fraction of what “Mr. Somebody”pays.
"Mr. Somebody" had first dip of the car enjoyed it Stress-free, drove it hard without care, use the latest and greatest, first to fart in it, had a new car smell, while used car buyers had the old fart smell, might even find some boogers of Mr somebody. Plus Used car buyer taking huge gamble, have worry and anxiety of broken car than may even end costing more to repair than depreciation. Trust me, "Mr Somebody" isn't stupid to sell used cars at a Loss.
I had a 08 c300 and did a shit job at maintenance and it didn’t have any major issues except for fuel pump . Weird thing is I had to buy like 7 tires during that time
Hey Mark, I need some experienced advice. I’m 19 right now and made a decision to get my self a somewhat luxury car for my 20th birthday next year March. I don’t like being in debt so I made the choice to buy the car out of pocket, so I have been and am still saving for the car. My budget is about 16k and I’ve been looking at the 2015-2017 c300. I really like the car but I don’t want something that will only bring me down. I am able to do the less complicated maintenance like oil changes myself but nothing more. My second choice is a 2017-2020 Lincoln MKZ (the “reserve” trim at least) but that is more expensive, usually around 19-22k in my area. What do you think, should I go for the Benz? Also, I am a college student.
Cheers for the input, we have been looking into buying a glc 300 2019 model but the down side is the (possible problems & warranty) as a alternative we are looking at the Mazda akera 2024 with 5 years etc etc, I’m mechanically minded and can do basics , oil change, spark plugs, petrol filter etc , for the cost of a 2nd hand merc priced at $60k we can purchase a Mazda new with warranty I like both but would buy a merc however just not knowing the unknown
The only issue I have with information like this is that it assumes that you are in a position to buy a Luxury car brand new and this is an alternative to that. If your not in a position to spend $70k on a new Mercedes and have a $35k budget to spend on a car then you are not actually saving any money. You are however able to get into a premium luxury car at a discount but the repairs and maintenance is still going to impact you the same as if you bought brand new because you spent your budget on the car not technically saved money by buying used as new was not an option for you.
I dont know what is situation elsewhere but in last 5 years dealer maintenance prices has gotten relly competitive in Finland at least. I have been asking quotes from dealer and 3rd party and they seem to be in 10% nowadays. Then dealer has remote working possibility which makes it cheaper than maintenance + transport from 3rd party
Luxury cars are meant to be A Luxury, Stress Free, Headache Free. I would go with a New Luxury car if I can instead of Buying a used one, take the Huge Risk of Costly Repair, Stess, Wasted Time and even Dangoer of driving a bad brokem Luxury car. Worst is, sometimes a Luxury car may cost more to Repair and maintain than decrepiton loss on a brand new one. Atleast with Brand New one, you get to enjoy the latest and greatest without getting a dirty used car that previous driver abused and farted in and picked their nose in with dirty hand all over it.
I’m looking forward to purchasing a Mercedes’ Benz AMG E43, and this is great news to learn! Funny I was gonna go Lexus but since I’m gonna be waiting so long to buy I might as well go big
in my experience, dealers and indie have two different mentalities. The techs in the dealers are salaries workers, so getting things done fast and cheap is not their priority. meanwhile, indies have a business to run and only get paid when the job is done quickly. so they are heavily incentivized to promptly repair a car and to do things right.
Ive heard people talking about the horror stories of mercedes air suspension goin out as they aged. The whole setup can be replaced with standard shocks non air for under a grand if you can do labor yourself.considering the demographic looking at a used mercedes they are looking to save some cash.
In 2018 I bought a 4 year old E class. I saved $40,000 from what a new E350 would cost. My car is still in perfect condition and it had only 14,675 miles when I bought it. I purchased an additional 2 years on the CPA warranty and still spent lass than $28K.
@@joshanthony101 My maintenance costs have been rather low. Every 10K miles I have the oil changed and a tire rotation completed. This costs approximately $180.00 for a premium oil and filter. The service interval is every 10K miles. Concerning service you have two cycles, an "A" and a "B" cycle. One of them, I can't remember which runs about $350. This includes the replacement of cabin, engine filters and a few other things. The spark plug replacement is recommended at 60K miles. I had that done and it was about $90 per plug. Over the course of it's life I've had two sensors replaced, both under warranty. Tires are a little more than my previous car, a 2012 Kia Hybrid (just about $200 More, but they are a much larger tire as well.), and wipers are exactly the same, except the Mercedes are much better. With a 6 cylinder engine and a 7 speed transmission, I get around 30-32 mpg on the highway and about 28mpg around town. It does use premium fuel. Overall, the car has not been anymore costly than any other car I've had. Sure, I haven't had many problems with it, but in the first almost 70K mileage, I couldn't be happier. When I got the car I was given a 1 year unlimited mileage warranty. I extended that out to 3 years, so I had no,reason not to take it in for repairs, it's just that I didn't need to, but then I followed the maintenance to the letter. Right now the car is nearing 70K miles. I enjoy this car very much, and as a result of all of that, I've purchased an extended warranty up to 167,000 miles. Certain parts of the car can be expensive and I really want to keep it as long as possible, so, planning ahead I thought this the best way forward. Again, as I said, I really love this car.
@@calvinshingleton4754 I appreciate the information. I’m in the process of looking into a 2018 2019 e class. I’ve just been concerned about the maintenance cost of them. I’ve wanted one for awhile now and in the next couple months I’m going to pull the trigger on it.
I just purchased 2018 e400 coupes with CPO, the dealer wants to sell me upgraded warranty for $3000 for two years(full factory warranty ) , should I get it? Thank u!
Post 3 You mention some insane dealer service prices. They try to take me for a ride anytime I go to the dealership but I told them just do the free oil maintenance. Now one thing is that FCA has an extended warranty program. I was quoted $2,500 to extend to 8 years 120K miles. That's almost everything with $100 ded. So why not buy new and sell at 8 years with what's left of the warranty? I am talking about a Grand Cherokee and not a Merc but it's $51K so close to a base Merc. And for God's sake people in the US... change the cabin filter yourself!
Outside a warranty you need to have cash for maintenance. And to fix. I have been through it with almost new Mercedes on a CPO. My advise. Lease if you can or buy after three years sell buy another. If you’re in a lease. Listen my car didn’t hit 60k - panoramic crashed. Esp control thermostats crankcase vent went. Thousands of dollars. Listen. Really think about these cars. They drive GREAT but you need cash.
The funny thing is ok if your technically minded you can maintain a lot of the car yourself, but watch out some insurance company's dont like that and can void your insurance?? 🤔
In some countries cars have to pass annual warrants of fitness or certificates of fitness. So if you do DIY repairs yourself and something is unsafe it will be picked up at these inspections or you could just get an inspection done after doing a DIY job.
Always enjoy your videos your always very informative and because I you I now decided to buy my first luxury car a 2017 or 2018 bmw 540i m package ... what do you recommend if I buy it used under 40k miles and what Maintanance do you recommend out of warranty if I plan to keep it for over 100k miles ?
Great cars and beautiful. The b58 so far appears to be much improved over even the older n55 so time will tell. Those miles are decent and I would not hesitate to buy one with those miles on it. Servicing? I always believe BMW extends their engine oil service way too much and I would do those more line every 8-10000 miles. I would also spend the mo yes on regular coolant flushes and replace coolant parts as they become available. Easy access hoses etc
If you don't service your Mercedes at Mercedes dealership it loses free roadside assistance that here in Europe it covers the whole Europe and it's free for 30 years if you service it at dealer, but I know that my car was already twice to do the service at the dealership and they didn't replace absolutely anything
i’m looking to buy a used c300 from 2010to 2013 . Tired of hearing all this mixed info on maintenance. Just wanna know if i buy one if i can bring it to a normal ass shop to get it worked on. And if i can would the cost really be much cheaper ? Love the car and the fact that they aren’t so expensive anymore but what would be the point in buying a car for 10k and spending more than that on maintenance in the end ?😂🤷♂️ live in the states btw
I know this is an old comment but a year later I’m looking also some people say it’s like 300 for a service but I wanna know if i take it to a normal lube shop will it just go by the more premium oil? Instead of $50 for a normal car would it be like $80 for a MB
EXACTLY! I have a 2003 E-class that cost new about 72k euros, but I bought it used in 2010 with 140k miles on clock for 12k euros. That's 60k saved. The car cost me 12k on maintenance and repairs in 13 years of ownership (including labor). That's 24k in total, still 48k saved and having that 72k worth of luxury every single day at hand.
I've commented before and I appreciate the fact that you answer. Before I start one quick question...how do you get the dealer to allow you to film and blast them like this? 🤣 Maybe he's a friend? More on my next post
So I just bought a 2009 onyx blue E63 m6 I got a great deal on. It is a tad worrisome to consider how expensive repairs could be depending on what might need replacing next.. I'm young and emptied savings on what most would consider a horrible investment, however that car captivated my soul first time I saw one in jr high. And being able to have dream car in mid 20s feels special especially considering I got it about $100k less than sticker. Anyways along the lines of this video I chose one that the smg was just replaced amongst other things. So while some might hear transmission just replaced for sale, I find that 6000$ parts and labor invoice it came with was a lil peace of mind. Anyway I initially was going to comment just to say nice 200$ in the thumbnail lol. You look like a wanna be Instagram baller. Jk that being said I jest ,Your channel has actually helped me out alot with the first few days of BMW ownership. From the sliding tach to understanding the m drive settings to even launch control. You've got a new sub. Great vids. I feel like they fill a niche between reviews and how-tos.
Most used cars look like crap. I've got c300(2020) with 14k of mileage. The car looks scratched and worn off compare to my GL300(2019) the same 14k of mileage. So in one sense, yet is cheaper than new, but if you buy new you know how it was driven from day one. On mine, I actually think somebody put 8km on it while it was waiting for me in the shop. This makes me sad but no visual defects, I hope no one floor it on that 8 km.
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I purchased my 2012 Mercedes used (no warranty) from an individual 6 years ago. I'm happy to report in my 6 years of ownership I have not had a single problem with my Mercedes. If you want a used Mercedes, get a loan from your financial institution and purchase from someone (a mature car owner) selling their vehicle. You can check the maintenance record with the local MB dealer. Too many times these dealers are buying cars at auction and selling a vehicle that has been wrecked, not maintained, and/or has been in a flood. Stop paying those dealer mark-ups by finding your own vehicle. I saved $6000 on the purchase price, got a great vehicle, and it has never been to the shop for anything other than routine maintenance.
Thanks for sharing.
What model was it?
@@spruceguitar C350 Coupe
Wonderful sir wonderful 💯
same here 2 years. GLA 220. No issues, always oil on time, breaks and light bulps. Dentist who owned it from new until 5 years old took good care of it. Now 7 years old. Great car, the best we had.
I also bought a 2012 Mercedes from a friend two years ago and no problems aside from some pesky wood trim coming loose. E350 Convertible 65,000 miles
Great video! As a mechanic I would say change the engine oil and filter every 5,000 miles instead of the 10,000 when the service minder comes on. After I change the oil at 5000 miles I won't reset the service minder because it will come on in another 5000 miles and give you a service code telling you what maintenance items are due. So really I am only resetting the minder every other oil change. Mercedes models after 2008 ish will give you service codes like "B7" instead of just "A service Due" or "B service Due" which can be looked up online to see what items need taking care of. I would also stay away from cars with the air suspension as after a few years there are always issues with leaks and pumps not working leaving you with a hefty towing bill as the car will almost sit on the ground when all of the air in the suspension system leaks out of the system. Other than that enjoy your luxury car! For a German car they are built pretty well and in my opinion the quality far surpasses BMW.
Very informative thank you
Third party shops are THEE best way to go when your car is out of warranty. I’ve saved thousands of dollars by taking my Jag to my local mechanic who does the same thing the dealer would for thousands less. Just make sure your mechanic knows how to work on these types of machines because they are not your typical car to work on.
do you made sure that the job was done right?
It all depends on what you want to drive.
I bought a 10 year old Benz, a rare car, in fact it's the only one in Australia.
l service it myself and replace items as required because l have a mechanical background.
I love to drive it.
That’s awesome but many of the older ones are decent to diy.
Another advantage is if you are a DIYer. A lot of these services they do are simple and parts such as filters, belts, fluids can be purchased online for much less than at the dealer. Mercedes are the easiest car in the world to change the oil so that alone can save you about $185. I have a 99 E320 I've been driving daily for 16 years. I do my own oil changes, minor repairs, valve cover gaskets and plugs. Anything brake, pressurized system or requiring getting under the car I take to an Indie and that has been rare. Most trouble-free car I've ever owned.
Last year I bought a used 2008 Lexus and have no doubt it will last me for another 10 years yet if I so choose. That is a lot of my money saved over buying a 3 year old merc.
There is a time for everything... Lexus ownership is a different track that comes after owning Benz money-pit 🤗
But it's not a Mercedes Benz it just another Toyota !
I always say, buy what you like and what you can afford. If Lexus works for you, great. Doesn't work for me. Actually my friend has a Lexus and I have a Mercedes. My MB is a couple of years newer but we compare service records and found Lexus charges more for its routine services than MB. I had her get many services done at an authorized Toyota/Lexus shop but every two years have her take it to Lexus for a complete inspection. I do the same thing with my MB. Neither of us have had issues with our vehicles so all is good. Again, buy what you like and what you can afford but make sure you maintain it properly and you should enjoy many years of trouble free driving.
Mercedes used to be so reliable and well built.
Ya but a 3 years old mercedes is much nicer of a car
I bought an old GL450 for $ 6000 from a friend.1 Owner Clean 50k miles.Tradin value was terrible so i bought it because i thought it was a good deal for a beater SUV. In the first month I spent $4700 in total in maintenance ,Transfer Case, Differential and Transmission fluid change and CV Axle repair at dealership. Finding an independent competent Mechanic is not as easy as it sounds. When an issue arises those little shops usually brush you off.Been there done that.Dealerships in my experience always made it right. I hate headaches with the smaller shops.
Just picked up a 2011 W164 with 221,400 miles, one owner, always maintained. I traded my 2005 C class wagon plus $1500 cash on the last day of the month. I should premise this with the dealer lot was so full of cars for sale that I couldn't find a place to park! No warranty but the one owner did EVERYTHING and the ride is mint! In the first 3 days I've put over 400 miles on it, and it'll probably out-live me. If it lasts a month, I've gotten to ride a top SUV for less than renting a Ford focus
cheers
I have own 3 Mercedes in my lifetime and non of them have ever had engine problems. If anything breaks its usually the small stuff
You're an outlier.
what year is the latest Mercedes you own? Probably doesn’t have a turbo
I've got a 2007 GL450. 160k miles. Pretty happy overall. Use a 3rd party shop. Guy used to be a mercedes dealer mechanic.
I recently saw this on a gearhead forum. It was titled "phases of BMW ownership," but same principle.
1) car is new, with warranty, roadside assistance and free service. Owner is happy.
2) car reached 50K miles and dealership convinces owner to renew the service plan for a fee. Vehicle is pretty reliable and owner doesn’t really know the retail cost of recommended service.
3) at 100K, the dealer will no longer sell a service plan.
4) at 110k, after owner recovers from cost of the first full-price service, plus maybe a minor repair or two, they switch to an independent shop.
5) at 150-200K when the independent shop gives them a quote on the transmission, cam phaser, turbo etc repair, owner decides to dump the car.
6) the independent shop owner buys the car cheap and fixes it up.
I guess if you buy it at around 50k miles you got 2/3 of the life left at 40% of the price... maybe that's the sweet spot if you really want the "ultimate driving machine"
I purchased a 2016 W213 E200 AMG spec in May 2022 that had just completed its 5 year free maintenance and it had only 72000km from Mercedes Benz Used Section and I have had it serviced twice in a motorshop that I have gone to for many years and quite surprised that the servicing so far is not as expensive as I thought. If I had to go to a Mercedes service workshop it would have been more than double or even triple the cost I paid. Mostly its been just oil, brake fluid, brake pads and the air filters changed and the car still drives beautifully
I needed to hear this! I bought a 2013 cls550 with 60k miles! Car is flawless but I’m going to do an oil change with a certified mechanic I know who has a shop rather then going to dealer
Oil changes are literally 30 min start to finish on these Mercedes. I own a 18' GLC 300 4MATIC and it uses 7,Qts of 0W-30 or 5W-30 Full synthetic oil and the whole kit cost $105 USD and no special tools needed. Engine filter $25 USD = 10 minute job, Air filter $25USD = 10 minute job. Spark plugs $110 USD =1.1/2 HOURS no special tools needed
How about how 350 4matic? Is it worth? As used
This video is valid I purchased my 2017 in 2019 and after watching this here’s my conclusion the best value is a car that is 4 years old because that’s when you buy it at the optimum price to value ratio, the model will still look the same as the current year model In most cases except for a few feature upgrades, the warranty for the vehicle overall can be purchased for up to 7 years in total since sale date so you would be able to have a warranty for 3 years and can choose to sell right before it expires or keep for long term. When my warranty was about to end I took it in for final warranty inspection and would have had to paid for a new computer system for the vehicle if the warranty had expired. Fast forward 6 months for the annual maintenance and I’m looking at about $2,500 in repairs plus other maintenance for a total of about $3,600. If it isn’t a dream car, based on price to value ratio my verdict is sell! Also by buying at the later mark you probably more able to afford repairs and can perform tunes and like mentioned don’t have to go to the dealership. One pro of the dealer though is getting to drive new vehicles when performing maintenance or repairs.
Just bought a 2013 ML-350 with 60k miles. $21,000. Plus, I purchased a $4000 bumper to bumper repair warranty, 4 years, 50k miles. Like new appearance and decked out with burl trim. Enjoying it so far. Excellent car for less than I’d pay for a new Civic.
I own a F10 BMW that a bought from the leasing company after leasing It for almost 3 years. I therefore knew exactly what happened to that car and how It was driven and maintained, otherwise I would never ever have considered to buy it used, no matter what warranty was offered. I do a lot of Maintenance myself. This keeps the car reliable and the costs acceptable. If you don't know the cars' past and can not do a lot yourself, such cars tend to be complete money pits.
Yeah I bought my Mercedes’ pre owned it was a lease and had all service records
3 years of bad driving from previous owner could cost you thousands down the line. The money saved on depreciation will burn away quickly. The car will be in and out of the repair shop. My advise is to buy close to brand new, save on repairs for the first few years. Find a good independent repair shop and use the dealership when you cannot go to the independent dealer. Luxury cars have value in long term ownership. They can drive for years if they are maintained as per schedule. Keep a budget aside when they get older.
I agree this is my 2nd Mercedes that I brought pre owned I'll never buy a new one after what I've learned from you and self awareness of knowing the vehicle.
I am so glad I ran into this video before I fell into the trap. 2016 AMG Mer 450 41,000 mil warranty just ran out so wasn’t sure what to do - also dealership offered pre maintenance plans that were ridiculous priced when all it entailed was A service - I will take my chances on paying out of pocket maintenance to a shop that specializes in these Euro cars - thanks!
Specialised shops tend to cost far less then what the dealer will charge
Theres NO Free Lunch People. Theres are reason for the Depreciation, The Sellers are not stupid, they have information you dont have or know about the car. and reason to sell the car at a "Loss" deprecation. Buying a used car is a Gamble, you either save a bit or money or end up spending a fortunate fixing it, that may end be more than decoreation loss, or worst, total loss.
I have been using FCP for the past 25 years..they have grown into a major supplier..... 1. Audi 5000, Volvo 740GLE wagon, now the CLS550 .....Their parts warranty is the best ....
Cheapest oil change is fcp
We've had a mercedes for almost 2 years. Very good experience. No warranty whatsoever. No issues except oil changes, brakes and light bulp and window wipers. And we didn't find that more than 10-15% higher than on our previous cars such as Chevrolet and Mitsubishi. But of course repairs might get a bit more, spare parts. Mechanics we've spoken to said on average rule of thumb price is "ordinary cars x 2." But hey, that is not too bad. These are quality and last long. Besides our previous cars cannot compare with the interior and riding experience. Yes it's about the ride. Plus, people use money on all sorts of things. We just budget an additional $500-600 pr year on maintenance. It is in the budget, something to be expected. Insurance, gas no difference
Sounds great overall ours has been Ok too. Which model are you rocking?
@@ECPP 2016
GLA 220D diesel
These videos are so practical and relevant. Great work mark, this Channel deserves way more subscribers.
Finally someone from North America who understand! Good explanation in the video too!
I have an E class diesel, 136 HP, MY 2010, I bought it new 10 years ago, looks really nice even today (as you can see on my youtube site) pretty low TCO, the maintance cost is low, I do it at a local Autoshop once a year, the MB-orignal parts are also cheap, insurance cost low, the diesel consumption is low and so on.. well, I am happy with my car.
And many people here in europe see it also like this, they buy a 8-10 year old MB and then they have a good family car for a couple of years and they change oil and filter once a year and just drives a nice car to low TCO.
I recently had an Atlanta dealer quote me an hourly rate of $250. This is outrageous. I have been working on my cars for 35 years. I took it to the dealer for extended warranty work. I did my brakes, engine oil, differential fluid, filters and spark plugs. I would not want a Mercedes if I couldn't do basic repairs. The m278 on an A278 doesn't leave a lot of space so the spark plugs closes to the fire wall are challenging. I think the techs have a special tool to get them out. Also the boots are a beast to remove. You will likely tear a few up removing them. Even with using the MB tool. They don't put good lube in them to prevent them from sticking to the plugs.
These are fantastic cars. I have a E-Class that was a CPO. The car has been out of warranty for a couple of years. I do have an advantage for maintenance of this outstanding vehicle. I work for the Mercedes Benz dealership. I keep the vehicle maintenance up to date,for at employee cost. This dealership has all of the service history on this vehicle. This would be fantastic buy when I decide to sell this vehicle.
Bought a 100K AMG brand new 6 years ago. Just paid it off. Never a problem. I prepay for A and B. Tires are even reasonably priced. I have had the same guy manage the service of this car the whole time. Mercedes is a level above as they retain their employees.
On my third used Mercedes since 2020. First was an 04 E55 AMG (was totaled in 2022). Second was an 07 S550. Third was a 2014 E63S AMG. All DIY, and I've been quite pleased with them. They were all bottom of market private sale purchases (for their age/mileage).
Sounds like some unique machines
@@ECPP I still have the S550 - best daily driver I ever had. The E63S is more of an unknown quantity with some scary potential failures, but it's been good so far.
i just got a steal for a c63 with 62k miles for 25k, service records included. Needed new struts but everything else was mint. Ive bought used benz my whole life and this video is super helpful for those looking to do the same
Awesome thanks for watching.
@dontlo.okatme August 2020, in california. Guy who was selling it was going to have a kid so he sold it to me to get a down payment on a house, was right before the market went wild. I wasn't even looking to buy a car at the time, but i saw it on offerup and went for it. Definitely was the most impulsive purchase ive made
Now the car is sitting at 78k miles, and has been an absolute joy to own for the past two years.
How much was insurance ?
It’s good to advise to anybody that ever owns one of these to never hit up a dealership and I put that on everything. I own a 2010 C300 which has absolutely been such a beast and still is for 2 years (daily driver and a track day in). It hasn’t been a headache whatsoever, i just do the regular services and go on about it. The only reason i ever took it to the dealer (twice only) was for major repairs. The notorious takata airbags replaced and my fuel system were starting to fail. Both those times were covered from a 10 (or 15 i think) year or 150k miles warranty by Mercedes. Very lucky i didn’t spend a dime on the fuel system otherwise i would’ve sold it for sure. But each time i visited the dealer, they always do the “complimentary” inspection and try to tell you how many more problems are wrong with the car. Once got a bill for $6,000 of repairs that “needed” attention. Pretty much the price of the car i paid for dang near lol other than that, love the brand and what they gotta offer. Going for an AMG soon 👍🏼 great content as always!
Did you ever get the amg homie? I just bought my first Benz
@@idevelopillnesses4908 I did brotha 🤝 2011 E63 AMG. Enjoy that first Benz man. Little backstory. I financed my first Benz, cheap little $10,000 to build my credit. Paid it off after two years. The big tip is to not overly spend on the thing. In terms of modifications and whatnot. I bought cheap lowering springs, spoiler, did an exhaust, and that’s it. No wheels or none of that stuff. I saved up money, sold the car, and used it as a down payment for the AMG. What Benz did you buy?
@@idevelopillnesses4908 you enjoy that whip bro
As a new MB owner, I find this video honest and useful.
Thanks
I had bought a 17 c300 with 14k miles for only 25k definitely worth waiting a couple years to let most of the depreciation to kick the price down and with the CPO warranty you can drive it for another year without the headache of something breaking. Great Vid btw !
I bought an 06 cls55 amg.....what a great car,that m113k motor is so reliable, I’m due to change my brake pads and oil change here soon,other than that,I’m so happy with this whip..
Don't forget the people who are totally clueless about their cars. Those are the ones who pay through the nose for cars and repairs.
I’m not a car guy that’s why I got a Toyota Corolla
Car people generally take more interest in what is going on once their car goes behind the curtains.
JB says the guy who smokes, drink, eats at restaurants, buys his coffee, goes to games, casinos, highest people to work around his house because he’s too lazy, etc, aka waste his money on B.S. P.S. get a higher paying job and you will be fine. Cheers.
@@ISTVAN1127 Who you talking about ? lol
JB the guy who knows everything about cars, drives a people moving appliance but constantly drools over a fine automobile. Cheers.
Most people buying luxury cars only want to show off their money, Mercedes is on top of that list! These people will continue to buy when the new models came out! Second hand Mercedes will fall into the people who pretend to be rich, that’s the nightmare begins, cheap people often neglect the importance of maintenance.
yeen neva been thru shit if u think drivin a second hand mercedes is tryna “look rich”
@@brennenloose3137 not everyone but there certainly are some I’ve personally seen it
Absolutely 👍 buying used cars much cheaper so regular maintenance makes it last with fewer issues so maintenance out of warranty is affordable long term
Cheers
I live just south of you. I've never had any problems with my used SLK and have no warranty, a summer car. I've had the US dealer look at it a few times and he said it was perfect. I live at a ski resort, so I need a prestige car. Climbs mountain passes like a breeze at 8000 - 9000 ft. like it would in the Alps. I'm always passing most of the cars and trucks on the curves. When parked in the driveway the tourists take pictures of it and ask me a lot of questions when I'm working in the yard.
I bought a 2022 AMG CLA35 that was used as a demo and never sold and it only had a few thousand miles on it. Those miles saved me $18,000.
Sounds like a great buy
Exactly. This is one of your best videos. Employed every one of these techniques when buying my 2009 SL65. Of course the best part was a $200k+ car for just a quarter of that MSRP at only 49,568 miles. The fear was drastically out of proportion with this car's near new condition reality. Depreciation worked for me because Mercedes will not longer make 612 hp V12's or new SL's any better performing. I'd only add that a thorough knowledge of the exact model needed with all it's idiosyncrasies will direct you to the best maintained example.
Absolutely some good points and thanks a lot for watching.
I purchased my MB used and it has been trouble free for the 6 years I have owned it. I am thinking about purchasing a used SL (2012, low miles, maintenance records included). FYI, there is a company that makes upgraded factory looking, direct replacement head units that give you navigation, traffic, blue tooth, sat radio, streaming, dvd/video, etc.. This allows you to have the updated electronic conveniences without changing the factory look. That's win/win to me.
Agree but there a reason and the reason is good only people buy use luxury car are 2 people young people that have parents that have decent money and people from the hood who over time trash it and can't afford the repair cost and buy another
Yea I’m going to go ahead And get that 2017 e300. No air suspension or big v8 engine
Good video. Here in Central California, the independent German mechanics all charge $150 an hour and up, so I find qualified mechanics at places like Meinecke, etc. to do my oil and filter changes, and stay away from the dealer, who always recommends repetitive service which are not needed.
The silver wrench looking thing sticking out of the front at 4:15 marker. What is that. Mine didn’t stick out but the cap came off and I see it with many older Mercedes cars. No one seems to know. What that is. Does anyone know
As a mechanic I enjoy buying these cars for next to nothing for a rebuild at home, I prioritise engine and transmission major service followed by all round suspension system including braking system, everything else follows as required but the car itself is a one kick and go.
If you can wrench ten you are in a great spot
My ML350 engine mount OEM $110 online, $790 at dealership here in Australia, absolutely rip off
I'm sold , going 2 check out 2015 gla 250, 32 k miles and a lady who doesn't use it at all, hardly driven! paying cash $ hopefully under 15$k. !! Crossing my fingers its gonna happen soon!
That would be a crazy buy in a great way
We have a 2012 ML 350 with almost 130k miles on it. It runs great, we have a great mechanic who does the maintenance services, we buy the parts and just installs them at our house. Some things my husband does on his own by looking up DIY TH-cam videos 😂
The problem is that in America and Canada too often regular maintenance is neglected and missed. Too often people do not care and expect cars should be reliable just because they spent 30-40-50K or more on them.
That is true and maintenance is still very important, not to be ignored.
also people drive like fucking idiots and destroy their cars. lol
Uhhh... yeah I do expect more reliability if I’m paying 40k more for a car 😂
@ray h. Right on.
They Should buy a Honda..drive and forget car
im in the research phase of getting my first used benz and your vids are great thanks man
You are very welcome
YES! This is the video we have been waiting for you to make! 😝
I buy cabin air filters on line for about $6.00.
I have a K&N lifetime engine air filter I clean every 50,000 miles. Tires and oil changes are at Walmart. This is on my Lexus ES350.
I save a lot of $$$
JUST DO IT YOURSELF!!! Money saved. simple.
Yrs
Post 2
So you film in Canada and I was born in Europe with an American citizenship. In Europe people treat cars or at least me and my friends did like our palace. We follow the best oil change schedule and all maintenance. When we hear the slightest noise we go to the shop.
Now onto the US. 99% buy cars to take them from point A to point B. They buy a Merc not for the driving experience but for the status. Let me ask a question.
How many know that there's a break in period for new engines? People here move to the suburbs and run all day to kids sports. They buy a car and do this all day. They take no trips and are boring as hell. Would they take a long trip to break in the car? I doubt it. Everyone is complaining about stiff shifting from a lot of automatics but I never had an issue because I follow the break in period. I even saw a video of a guy complaining that the Jeep Trackhawk doesn't allow him to drag race from day 1! I mean seriously?
Now to oil changes..Would they go every 6 months regardless of the mileage? Would they also understand that local mileage in traffic kill the car? Everyday commute should be done by mass transit and a car is a fun thing to do. I've had company cars years ago bought new and by the time the lease was up the engine was almost gone!
Now let's talk depreciation. I have a Grand Cherokee 51K MSRP. Now 3 years later it costs 36K to buy used. Is it worth it? NO! Because if you buy new you'll get something like 7K or probably more off MSRP! Is it worth buying a 5 year old GC and risk it? NO! And the reason is not the reliability but the owners in the US like I said before.
I've seen hundreds of used cars and even one owner cars that looked amazing only to find out that the service done was poor and the owner had no respect for the car itself. It made noises but they say well it drives doesn't it? Check how many wax their cars at least twice a year and get back to me. Waxing shows that you care!
My friends and I all over Europe when we hear the slightest squeak we take it to the mechanic or call a friend over to look what's happening. Call me if you find an owner like that and I'll buy his used car even with 100K or more miles.
thanks for sharing. I agree, many people here see a car as a consumable and use and abuse them and them trade them in. Sadly the 2nd and 3rd owners are the enthusiasts but have to pay the price of neglect
Great advice! Been there and done all of that, except for the buying a new one part. I have been sorely tempted, but have resisted the urge. I have always lived by, I would much rather drive a used high-end car than a new low-end car. Luckily, I have always been able to do my own diagnostics and maintenance, for the most part, and that has saved me many thousands over the decades.
Bought a c250 with 198.000 km and 1.5 years and no issues only maintenance now with 224.000
Sounds good
Great video I bought a 2015 s550 with 40K miles and do most of the maintenance myself and have a third party shop do what I cant do. my car was $128K new bought it for $ 38K I would never buy a new Benz
I bought a 2015 e350 4matic back in 2018 with 20k miles I never when to dealer to do anything I do the work myself oils breaks spark plugs coils that's it I have nearly 70k miles now no problems at all
DIY is always a huge money saver
Love the way you out line the reason for buying a car
Cheers
great video , I’ve been driving Mercedes for decades, in Europe and here in US … I bought my last Mercedes 2019 GLC 300 with 77K miles for $26.000 , new was over $50K … so I got 3 year old Benz for a half a price of a new one … I do all my services at Valvoline , Firestone etc… never go to Mercedes dealer … if you take care of your Benz it’ll run forever .. just like video says , stay in lower class , if you purchase a higher class , like S class Benz , your maintenance expenses will go way up , A, B, C even E class is doable to maintain …
What about M class?
Mercedes used to make great durable cars such as W123, W124 and W126. I remembered I watched a commercial when I was a child says “One man only needs to buy one Mercedes in a lifetime”. Nowadays Mercedes only make horrible quality cars! I met a GM at a Mercedes dealer the other day, he said “we don’t make cars don’t break anymore.” Do you know how much it costs to run an F1 team? We need to sell a lot of cars to maintain our F1 dominance! That A250 we just sold should cover an F1 wheel.
The good old days
I recently bought a 3 year old Mercedes A 35 AMG. I love how the car drives and its interior is a thing of beauty. But, I discovered after my purchase that there's a known engine issue with this car. In Canada, Mercedes covers the cost of repairing this issue when it occurs, but I live in the USA where Mercedes does not seem to have agreed to fix these issues at their cost. I still have about 9 months left on the original manufacturer's warranty and I'm weirdly hoping that the engine failure occurs within that timeframe so I can get it fixed under the original warranty. But as I get close to the end of the original warranty period, if the engine HASN'T yet experienced this failure, I'll be in the position of having to decide whether or not to purchase an extended warranty to cover the cost of this (possibly inevitable) expensive repair. The A 35 AMG is a bit rare in the US because we only got the car in model years 2020 and 2021, but my understanding is that this issue also applies to the CLA 35 AMG and GLA 35 AMG. I'm wondering what you'd recommend in this instance and if anyone reading this is in a similar situation and what you've decided to do about it.
Yep. I paid a little over $300 here for my B service at a privately owned independent benz repair shop on my E class
Careful with non-genuine parts. I put a new alternator in at a local auto electrician, but the fault light stayed on, because the computer would not recognise it. Cost me $2K when I traded it.
Currently looking for a V250, but passed on one cos the guy had it serviced at a 3rd party shop that didn't do the B service properly and hasn't changed the auto fluid. My Vito is turning 6, with 200 000 km on the clock and runs like a dream. Regular services cost money, but over the life of the vehicle, actually much cheaper than VW, cos longer interval.
Nice
@@ECPP Edited that, I missed a zero. 200 000 km. I expect to get 500 000, cos it's in axe-murderers black chic, and it's a scratch and dint magnet, with body damage all over, but still looks a treat. Gets driven all over the Outback in Oz for work, potholes, roos and endless roadworks take their toll. You could do a piece on how Mercedes is a fucker of a company to deal with in every way, but still worth it cos the cars are so frustratingly good.
Fenomenal video,just what I was looking for,bought my wife a 2020 glc300 with 30k miles and wasn’t quite sure if we should get extended warranty,but this video answered my concerns..thanks!!!!
You are welcome and thanks for watching
I own a six year old GLA250 66K miles with zero repairs. On the other hand, oil change, cabin filter change, air filter change.. *FOUR HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE*
I want this story specifically dealing with ownership of the Mercedes S class or GLS out of warranty
Cheers
Would you recommend a CLA Class or a GLA class economically for maintenance.
Appreciate your input 👍
Much blessings 🙌
Ty
Hi Mark, great advice, I appreciate your honesty and thoroughness as always, not everyone knows all the options, THANK YOU for this video, stay safe my friend, hi to the family 👍💝🌹
Very welcome. Thanks again for reaching out Scott.
Great video Mark, my sentiments entirely. I did exactly that with my 2015 640i Grand Coupe. Control is everything and if you are smart and do what you suggest, you can drive your dream car for a fraction of what “Mr. Somebody”pays.
"Mr. Somebody" had first dip of the car enjoyed it Stress-free, drove it hard without care, use the latest and greatest, first to fart in it, had a new car smell, while used car buyers had the old fart smell, might even find some boogers of Mr somebody. Plus Used car buyer taking huge gamble, have worry and anxiety of broken car than may even end costing more to repair than depreciation. Trust me, "Mr Somebody" isn't stupid to sell used cars at a Loss.
Morning Mark, great information, thanks for the video, stay safe my friend 😎🇨🇦
Thanks again Scott, much appreciated and good to hear from you again. Have an awesome day.
@@ECPP morning Mark appreciate all your videos, information and help, I'm still deciding on a vehicle, maybe I'll come up there and shop.
I had a 08 c300 and did a shit job at maintenance and it didn’t have any major issues except for fuel pump . Weird thing is I had to buy like 7 tires during that time
Hey Mark, I need some experienced advice.
I’m 19 right now and made a decision to get my self a somewhat luxury car for my 20th birthday next year March. I don’t like being in debt so I made the choice to buy the car out of pocket, so I have been and am still saving for the car. My budget is about 16k and I’ve been looking at the 2015-2017 c300. I really like the car but I don’t want something that will only bring me down. I am able to do the less complicated maintenance like oil changes myself but nothing more. My second choice is a 2017-2020 Lincoln MKZ (the “reserve” trim at least) but that is more expensive, usually around 19-22k in my area. What do you think, should I go for the Benz?
Also, I am a college student.
Cheers for the input, we have been looking into buying a glc 300 2019 model but the down side is the (possible problems & warranty) as a alternative we are looking at the Mazda akera 2024 with 5 years etc etc, I’m mechanically minded and can do basics , oil change, spark plugs, petrol filter etc , for the cost of a 2nd hand merc priced at $60k we can purchase a Mazda new with warranty
I like both but would buy a merc however just not knowing the unknown
Thanks for sharing
The only issue I have with information like this is that it assumes that you are in a position to buy a Luxury car brand new and this is an alternative to that. If your not in a position to spend $70k on a new Mercedes and have a $35k budget to spend on a car then you are not actually saving any money. You are however able to get into a premium luxury car at a discount but the repairs and maintenance is still going to impact you the same as if you bought brand new because you spent your budget on the car not technically saved money by buying used as new was not an option for you.
Thanks
I dont know what is situation elsewhere but in last 5 years dealer maintenance prices has gotten relly competitive in Finland at least. I have been asking quotes from dealer and 3rd party and they seem to be in 10% nowadays. Then dealer has remote working possibility which makes it cheaper than maintenance + transport from 3rd party
Luxury cars are meant to be A Luxury, Stress Free, Headache Free. I would go with a New Luxury car if I can instead of Buying a used one, take the Huge Risk of Costly Repair, Stess, Wasted Time and even Dangoer of driving a bad brokem Luxury car. Worst is, sometimes a Luxury car may cost more to Repair and maintain than decrepiton loss on a brand new one. Atleast with Brand New one, you get to enjoy the latest and greatest without getting a dirty used car that previous driver abused and farted in and picked their nose in with dirty hand all over it.
I’m looking forward to purchasing a Mercedes’ Benz AMG E43, and this is great news to learn! Funny I was gonna go Lexus but since I’m gonna be waiting so long to buy I might as well go big
Absolutely because I really believe that “life’s too short to drive boring cars”
Is the 2020 Mercedes GLC 300 a good reliable car?
Yes
in my experience, dealers and indie have two different mentalities. The techs in the dealers are salaries workers, so getting things done fast and cheap is not their priority.
meanwhile, indies have a business to run and only get paid when the job is done quickly. so they are heavily incentivized to promptly repair a car and to do things right.
Ive heard people talking about the horror stories of mercedes air suspension goin out as they aged. The whole setup can be replaced with standard shocks non air for under a grand if you can do labor yourself.considering the demographic looking at a used mercedes they are looking to save some cash.
In 2018 I bought a 4 year old E class. I saved $40,000 from what a new E350 would cost. My car is still in perfect condition and it had only 14,675 miles when I bought it. I purchased an additional 2 years on the CPA warranty and still spent lass than $28K.
What’s your maintenance cost on them in total? I’m looking at getting one now.
@@joshanthony101 My maintenance costs have been rather low. Every 10K miles I have the oil changed and a tire rotation completed. This costs approximately $180.00 for a premium oil and filter. The service interval is every 10K miles. Concerning service you have two cycles, an "A" and a "B" cycle. One of them, I can't remember which runs about $350. This includes the replacement of cabin, engine filters and a few other things.
The spark plug replacement is recommended at 60K miles. I had that done and it was about $90 per plug. Over the course of it's life I've had two sensors replaced, both under warranty.
Tires are a little more than my previous car, a 2012 Kia Hybrid (just about $200 More, but they are a much larger tire as well.), and wipers are exactly the same, except the Mercedes are much better.
With a 6 cylinder engine and a 7 speed transmission, I get around 30-32 mpg on the highway and about 28mpg around town. It does use premium fuel.
Overall, the car has not been anymore costly than any other car I've had. Sure, I haven't had many problems with it, but in the first almost 70K mileage, I couldn't be happier.
When I got the car I was given a 1 year unlimited mileage warranty. I extended that out to 3 years, so I had no,reason not to take it in for repairs, it's just that I didn't need to, but then I followed the maintenance to the letter.
Right now the car is nearing 70K miles. I enjoy this car very much, and as a result of all of that, I've purchased an extended warranty up to 167,000 miles. Certain parts of the car can be expensive and I really want to keep it as long as possible, so, planning ahead I thought this the best way forward.
Again, as I said, I really love this car.
@@calvinshingleton4754 I appreciate the information. I’m in the process of looking into a 2018 2019 e class. I’ve just been concerned about the maintenance cost of them. I’ve wanted one for awhile now and in the next couple months I’m going to pull the trigger on it.
Always good info on this channel. Keep up the good work.
I just purchased 2018 e400 coupes with CPO, the dealer wants to sell me upgraded warranty for $3000 for two years(full factory warranty ) , should I get it? Thank u!
Post 3
You mention some insane dealer service prices. They try to take me for a ride anytime I go to the dealership but I told them just do the free oil maintenance.
Now one thing is that FCA has an extended warranty program. I was quoted $2,500 to extend to 8 years 120K miles. That's almost everything with $100 ded. So why not buy new and sell at 8 years with what's left of the warranty? I am talking about a Grand Cherokee and not a Merc but it's $51K so close to a base Merc.
And for God's sake people in the US... change the cabin filter yourself!
cheers
Outside a warranty you need to have cash for maintenance. And to fix. I have been through it with almost new Mercedes on a CPO. My advise. Lease if you can or buy after three years sell buy another. If you’re in a lease. Listen my car didn’t hit 60k - panoramic crashed. Esp control thermostats crankcase vent went. Thousands of dollars. Listen. Really think about these cars. They drive GREAT but you need cash.
Big thanks for making this insightful video. It helped me a lot in making my future purchase.
Glad it was helpful!
Great video. Just picked up my cla amg style pack 15 plate. Absolutely beautiful car. 👌
I agree, I love those machines. The style is the nicest in the Benz lineup imho
@@ECPP definitely is 👍.
The funny thing is ok if your technically minded you can maintain a lot of the car yourself, but watch out some insurance company's dont like that and can void your insurance?? 🤔
No voiding around here. It always helps to fix some of it yourself.
In some countries cars have to pass annual warrants of fitness or certificates of fitness. So if you do DIY repairs yourself and something is unsafe it will be picked up at these inspections or you could just get an inspection done after doing a DIY job.
@@ECPP its when you have an accident, insurance company's can look into it. The consequences.
Bought a Mercedes’ Benz used but I have everything under warranty. Don’t have to pay for a thing for whole term
Exactly
Always enjoy your videos your always very informative and because I you I now decided to buy my first luxury car a 2017 or 2018 bmw 540i m package ... what do you recommend if I buy it used under 40k miles and what Maintanance do you recommend out of warranty if I plan to keep it for over 100k miles ?
Great cars and beautiful. The b58 so far appears to be much improved over even the older n55 so time will tell. Those miles are decent and I would not hesitate to buy one with those miles on it. Servicing? I always believe BMW extends their engine oil service way too much and I would do those more line every 8-10000 miles. I would also spend the mo yes on regular coolant flushes and replace coolant parts as they become available. Easy access hoses etc
If you don't service your Mercedes at Mercedes dealership it loses free roadside assistance that here in Europe it covers the whole Europe and it's free for 30 years if you service it at dealer, but I know that my car was already twice to do the service at the dealership and they didn't replace absolutely anything
i’m looking to buy a used c300 from 2010to 2013 . Tired of hearing all this mixed info on maintenance. Just wanna know if i buy one if i can bring it to a normal ass shop to get it worked on. And if i can would the cost really be much cheaper ? Love the car and the fact that they aren’t so expensive anymore but what would be the point in buying a car for 10k and spending more than that on maintenance in the end ?😂🤷♂️ live in the states btw
Those are hella reliable my friend had one with 150k on the dash and running perfect
I know this is an old comment but a year later I’m looking also some people say it’s like 300 for a service but I wanna know if i take it to a normal lube shop will it just go by the more premium oil? Instead of $50 for a normal car would it be like $80 for a MB
Another awesome advise. From your videos, I am leaning more towards BMW than Merc.
Thanks
Ohhh, only if you could talk about that amg GLE coupe behind you
EXACTLY! I have a 2003 E-class that cost new about 72k euros, but I bought it used in 2010 with 140k miles on clock for 12k euros. That's 60k saved. The car cost me 12k on maintenance and repairs in 13 years of ownership (including labor). That's 24k in total, still 48k saved and having that 72k worth of luxury every single day at hand.
I've commented before and I appreciate the fact that you answer. Before I start one quick question...how do you get the dealer to allow you to film and blast them like this? 🤣 Maybe he's a friend?
More on my next post
Friends in low places, lol. cheers.
Spot on!
Cheers
So I just bought a 2009 onyx blue E63 m6 I got a great deal on. It is a tad worrisome to consider how expensive repairs could be depending on what might need replacing next.. I'm young and emptied savings on what most would consider a horrible investment, however that car captivated my soul first time I saw one in jr high. And being able to have dream car in mid 20s feels special especially considering I got it about $100k less than sticker. Anyways along the lines of this video I chose one that the smg was just replaced amongst other things. So while some might hear transmission just replaced for sale, I find that 6000$ parts and labor invoice it came with was a lil peace of mind. Anyway I initially was going to comment just to say nice 200$ in the thumbnail lol. You look like a wanna be Instagram baller. Jk that being said I jest ,Your channel has actually helped me out alot with the first few days of BMW ownership. From the sliding tach to understanding the m drive settings to even launch control. You've got a new sub. Great vids. I feel like they fill a niche between reviews and how-tos.
hi , should i buy a 2020 44k miles Merecedes glc 300 ? without warranty because im buying from infiniti dealer
Another very good video Mark, thank you.
Most used cars look like crap. I've got c300(2020) with 14k of mileage. The car looks scratched and worn off compare to my GL300(2019) the same 14k of mileage. So in one sense, yet is cheaper than new, but if you buy new you know how it was driven from day one. On mine, I actually think somebody put 8km on it while it was waiting for me in the shop. This makes me sad but no visual defects, I hope no one floor it on that 8 km.