12-04-2005, 04:08 AM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Orange County, CA 'the OC' as it is called now
Posts: 67
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Where are you shopping?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rich126
So, basically, I'd have to spend over $40k to enjoy the same maintenance free service I should plan to get out of the car I already have. The 140 is updated and full of interior gadgets, but I don't see a dramatic improvement... maybe its just me (I kind of like springy seats, a huge steering wheel, and a transmission shift that can spill your coffee)
Financial Discussion:
I first test drove a 140 5 years and 2 W126's ago, back when I figured it would be the next car I would buy, and assumed I should be able to afford one. Boy was I wrong: I bought a 10 year old, near mint 420SEL with 120k in 1997 for $9000, the car listed for $53,050 new, which translates to paying 17% of MSRP. The car was one generation old.
vs.:
Its almost 2002 - so a 1992 400SE, with approximately 120k miles, which listed on the lot 10 years ago for $77,900 should be $13,243 assuming the same devaluation. ($77,900 x 17% = $13,243) The car is, like in the above example, one generation old. I have yet to find one less than $18,000 - and that gets you a real "rat" of a car; one which will undoubtedly require major work in the forseeable future.
Has anyone else considered this analysis before?
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Look in the southern, CA market... W140 cars are CHEAP... I mean I found a NICE CLEAN 1993 300SE with around 120K on it... Own Owner car from the retirement area of nor cal... they were asking 6600.00 for the car. And I Was seeing pretty nice V8 cars (400's) for under 10K... If you want a nice MBZ with some higher freeway miles on it... Check out southern, CA. We have a great market for nice BMW's and Mercedes for reasonable prices cause the market here is SO flooded with them. Just a little bit of info to ad.
Good luck on the car search guys and happy debating...
Aaron
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