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  #1  
Old 03-28-2005, 12:19 AM
Hatterasguy's Avatar
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Cool MB's never fade they just get nicer with age!

I mean take a mint W126, W123 whatever they really are a classy ride. Today I took my car over to my Unlces house for Easter. I parked right next to my cousins new G35 and my other ones new (to him) 02 330CI. We were checking out the BMW and you know it would be a sweet car. Nothing like a 6spd with a 3L I6. He also had a nice set of M wheels on it, all in all a sharp ride. But as I was sitting in it I was thinking this thing isn't worth $30k. I don't think I would get $24k more worth of enjoyment out of the 330CI, then I currently get out of my SDL. Frankly I never liked BMW interiors they always looked pretty cheap. My old SDL freshly polished looked just as sharp and just as nice as the two newer cars. Sure it isn't as fast and doesn't stop or handle as well, but it does all of those things good enough for me. I got the same reaction when I drove a new Jetta, I kept thinking that $20k could get me into a 500E. Also when I drove a new Sonata, Camry ect.

I think new cars cost to much you really get a heck of a lot more for your money with an older car. If you are willing to put up with one.

I'd rather spend $10k on a nice clean older car and put $20k into a worth while investment, like a house.

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  #2  
Old 03-28-2005, 12:24 AM
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That's because you.....are smart.

The problem with the Bimmer, for me, is the rock hard ride and the lack of console storage space.

They never did anything for me.
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  #3  
Old 03-28-2005, 01:08 PM
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I agree

completely..... Why spend 30- 40K on a new car, when you can buy an older Benz that will last you the rest of your life. That money can better spent and enjoyed elsewhere...
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  #4  
Old 03-28-2005, 01:18 PM
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That 330Ci is certainly more of a "drivers" car, and I could have alot more fun with it than my E300 or a 300SDL.. that's for sure. But I wouldn't want to drive it every day.
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  #5  
Old 03-28-2005, 01:23 PM
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We basically all feel the same way, otherwise we wouldn't be on this forum.

The reason to buy a new car is to have reliable transportation. If you have some extra cash, you buy reliable transportation with some bling, such as a BMW or a new M/B.

You cannot have reliable transportation if you purchase a 10-20 year old M/B unless you repair it yourself. The costs of properly maintaining it at the dealer or an an indy are simply too great.
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  #6  
Old 03-28-2005, 01:41 PM
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I heard that BMWs use GM transmissions. True/False?
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  #7  
Old 03-28-2005, 01:48 PM
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A quick search reveiled some do use the GM 5L40E.. wierd. They mostly use ZF tansmissions, like Audi and Getrags for thier M/T boxes.
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  #8  
Old 03-28-2005, 02:14 PM
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I agree with you Hattie. I can't justify buying a new car when these old 123's have such class. Both 123's that we have still make people turn their heads even though they are 20+ years old. I agree with Brian too about doing your own work on them. I made all of the special tools for them that I have needed so far. A couple of hours at my lathe I even made a degree wheel for torqueing the engine bolts which also served double duty on a 3208 Cat that we just rebuilt.
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  #9  
Old 03-28-2005, 02:38 PM
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My theory on vehicles is that with the new ones messing up you can pay for it to get fixed ahead of time or you can buy a used one and only pay for it to get fixed when it breaks.

I think a good portion of people buying them brand new is a status type thing too.
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  #10  
Old 03-28-2005, 02:42 PM
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Well a lot of people just are not able to, or want to get their hands dirty.

He bought the maintaince package for his BMW, it includes everything to 60k miles or the fall of 2008. It was $900 but he will not have to spend a dime on maintaince.

I like older MB's because I can fix them and enjoy it. But I would buy a 5 year old car before a new one.
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  #11  
Old 03-28-2005, 02:57 PM
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Not to mention, driving a properly maintained w123, w116, w126 or whatever, is FAR more pleasurable than driving a nearly new or brand new Merc or Bimmer..... you can feel nothing but QUALITY WORKMANSHIP throught the whole car..... from the feel of the door opening & closing and that strong thunk and click that accompanies that motion, to the fit and finish of the interior, the well sprung, firm, yet smooth and graceful ride, and the vault like construction of the body lending to a tank like feel, all the while being propelled by an over-engineered diesel engine that runs, sounds, and feels amazingly tight, running like a clock, as the wheels keep on turning effortlesssly, and the odometer increases in mileage reading.

In short; old MB's are like a fine wine. They only get better with age.
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  #12  
Old 03-28-2005, 03:00 PM
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Brian wrote, "You cannot have reliable transportation if you purchase a 10-20 year old M/B unless you repair it yourself. The costs of properly maintaining it at the dealer or an an indy are simply too great."

I respectfully disagree. I am now on my 2nd 300E. '90 owned from 100 to 175K, '92 Sportline from 100 to 219K now. I do some work on them, like
oil changes, trans service, brakes. The easy stuff.

My experience has been that the repairs come rather predictably. Front end accessories wear out, you replace them and they are good for another 150K.

To drive an equivalent car in terms of all of those MB qualities would mean a car payment of what, $800 - $1200 per month. Payment, not lease. Additionally, the insurance would be much higher. The depreciation is also a big hit. I pay cash, so no payment.

Bank even $500 bucks a month toward maintenance and you can fix them for a long time, even if the Indy does the work. I am going to get the top end rebuilt this month. Quote is $1,100 on the M-103 engine. My indy works cheap.

Steve
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  #13  
Old 03-28-2005, 03:21 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by softconsult

To drive an equivalent car in terms of all of those MB qualities would mean a car payment of what, $800 - $1200 per month. Payment, not lease. Additionally, the insurance would be much higher. The depreciation is also a big hit. I pay cash, so no payment.

Bank even $500 bucks a month toward maintenance and you can fix them for a long time, even if the Indy does the work. I am going to get the top end rebuilt this month. Quote is $1,100 on the M-103 engine. My indy works cheap.
I agree. If you budget $6K per year, you probably can keep them repaired by an indy. But, the lease payment on a brand new E-class vehicle would be in the area of $7K per year.

In three years you exchange the E-class for another brand new one.

Who is driving the more reliable and more modern transportation for, effectively, the same price?

Naturally, you can argue insurance costs more so it's not a fair comparison, but, the two vehicles are close in operating costs, no matter how you slice it.

You want to purchase it, and not lease it, you say. Fine, but the monthly cost is not the operating cost. After five years, you own the vehicle outright and can sell it to recoup some of you monthy outlay.

So, let's look at that:

A $50K purchase price is going to cost you $1025.00 per month for five years at 8.5% interest. In five years, you have paid a total of: $61,500.

In five years, an E-class vehicle can probably be sold for $22K.

So, it cost you a total of $39,500 for the five year period. This equates to $7.9K per year.

It's a bit more costly than maintaining the 20 year old vehicle at the indy, but , I might suggest that it's not a significant difference.

Now, let's look at one more option:

Purchasing a two year old e-class vehicle, with cash, and selling it three years later at the five year point.

Estimated purchase price: $38K
Estimated value at end of term: $22K

Total depreciation after three years: $5.3K per year.

Now you are talking less than the cost of maintaining the older vehicle by an indy.

Note that, in this example, I have ignored the interest lost on the money used for the initial purchase price. With the interest rates available today, it's not such a big hit.

Last edited by Brian Carlton; 03-28-2005 at 03:27 PM.
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  #14  
Old 03-28-2005, 03:28 PM
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i budget about 100 a month to repair my 300e....(myself)

600 a year in scheduled maintainance...tires, brakes, fluids, wipers, an occasional dose of bg 44k.

that's the new math....
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  #15  
Old 03-28-2005, 04:20 PM
BusyBenz
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I budget my ass! If it breaks, I fix it, even if it leaves me broke for a while!

Cant live without the car where I live. Fortunately, 3 benzs haven't broke my wallet yet, but a transmission replacement would and mine has enough miles on it to warrant!

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