Quote:
Originally Posted by jay_bob
We have 3 MB's and their nicknames
The 87 300TD - the yacht
The 98 E300DT - the rocket
The 08 ML320 CDI - the beast
What is the most important is to find the one with the best service history.
100 k miles and no history makes the car much less valuable than one with 200 k maintained with thorough records.
When I bought my ML320 the thing that sealed it was the dealer producing the VMI showing that the PO brought it in like clockwork every 10 k like they were supposed to.
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Jay, I add
CONDITION to your cogent post.
CONDITION of the car
360 degrees.
As contrasted with a similar model MB car that has been bandied about here lately, I found that it was night and day between the condition, records, care, etc. that my old CDI had undergone before I bought it.
The CDI I bought had ALL records with the complete VMI from the MB dealer that sold it new and serviced it since day one. The CDI in my garage is as if I had bought it new, with the exception that I paid $35K less for the car than new. It's in that great of condition everywhere on the car, and nothing was amiss or busted when I bought it.
3 weeks ago, I had the chance to remove it's belly panels and get a good look at the entire underside of the CDI.......it was as if the car was with less than 1/2 the miles of what the odometer has registered. A total circumspect inspection of it has confirmed everything the car was represented as, I am pleased to report...
I cannot emphasis how important records and condition is. If one doesn't care about what they get when buying used, then they'll be in for surprise after surprise, and they won't be good, I'm afraid. To me, it's worth hand-picking what you want when buying used, and even paying a little more for the right car.