Simplicity
 

Ill be 47 this year. As I age I've realized that increasingly all I really want in life is simplicity. Especially motoring wise. I'd so much rather just have an older, simpler benz. Only real luxury I'd like would be A/C. Any and everything else is meaningless to me. Sunroof, electric windows, power seats, cruise control, all nice but unnecessary. I just want simple and reliable.

This extends to other areas of life too. Simplify... simplify... simplify

- Peter.

Peter, older Mercedes don't have great AC systems, so that could be a slight chink in your plan to simplify. Also, most of the older Mercedes came "fully loaded" as spec'd by MBUSA to maintain their luxury branding.

I'll second that criticism of the Mercedes, at least as it applies to my 3 w124's. I love/loved the cars but the A/C is going to go and it ain't pretty. Changing to a different coolant is a bad idea (yes, I'm a veteran of that foolishness) unless you (or your tech) is scrupulous about seals. The controller will self-destruct eventually.

Larry Bible wrote a lot about Mercedes AC that I found really useful after I screwed-up everything. Wish I had known about Mercedesshop.com BEFORE I bought my first Benz.

Having turned 46 this March, I know exactly where you are coming from.
I suppose (simplifying) is one reason why I love my older vehicles so much.
The trick is getting your hands on one that has been respected and properly maintained.

Simplicity is a leased Corolla with a full maintenance package, throw the keys at the dealer every 10k miles and forget how to pop the hood.

I'm aware of that. I'm from SA, where most Mercedes didn't even have A/C systems let alone all the gizmos' that the US market ones had. I'm aware of the upmarket branding reqirements and that's what I've come to lament. Give me the simplicity of other markets cars and I'd be happy.

- Peter.

Gotta have more money than I do to play that game.

- Peter.

Ain't that the truth!

- Peter.

About $160 a month, but my dads friend leases a Camry for $200 even so their are deals to be had.

VS spending $3k on an old Mercedes, and throwing another $3k worth of parts and about $10k worth of your time into it over a year of Sundays.

I hate working on old stuff, unless its a toy.

My idea of vehicle maintenance these days is popping the hood on my truck every couple thousand miles to check the oil, than I go sailing or boating, or fishing, or skiing, or on a date, or anything other than cold chisel rusted suspension parts off a 30 year old car! None of that electrical stuff breaks, the headlight sensor on my truck is fine, all the electrical stuff on my buddies old Mercedes works fine as well.

We need a graphic of a complicated woman to make this thing gel :D

I don't think I've ever spent $3k/yr on W123 parts. And I'd rather support my local mechanic than support the national economy.

Start walking or bicycling, if you want simplicity. I travel with a bicycle to get around some areas. Takes longer but walking is the best of the two, exercise wise and safety wise.

Good point.

I'm sympathetic to the whole-life rant, too. Mrs B and I started down that path in our fifties. Congrats for your precociousness!

Get a 123 240d. The A/C is decent, parts are cheap and everything is easy to work on in that you normally just replace things that break.

Pick any one of them. :D