Certified pre owned from Mercedes of Manhattan - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

moruzzi · #1 01-13-2006, 03:03 PM

I'm going to take a run to Manhattan to check out a 2002 4matic wagon at Mercedes of manhattan that we are likly to buy.

I know thoughts seem split on extending the CPO warranty. So I'm yet again asking for opinions. The car has about 31K mi on it and it has no factory warranty remaining (looks like the PO traded in just when the warranty expired on 12/31).

I have always avoided extended warranties on my cars, I do my own work on my 400E 300SD Porsche 944T. This car will belong to my wife and I think she would like the extended warranty (gets us up to 3 years for about $2500 additional). Is the extension price negotiable in peoples experience?

Thanks
Paul

Peter Guenther · #2 01-13-2006, 03:31 PM

Get them to roll it into the price of the car, its worth the piece of mind. Otherwise put the 2500 into a money market and draw on it when you need it. I am not a fan of maintenance contracts, I sold them, but you cant get any manuals. Four matic and ASD, can be a nightmare, they dont cover radio or self dimming mirrors but they do cover the remote, the lock/unlock and the electronic key components.

Ferdman · #3 01-14-2006, 05:52 AM

Paul, from what I've read extended warranties are a necessity with the newer MB vehicles, unless you've got deep pockets. Many purists swear they won't touch a MB newer than 1995 until the quality improves. One question ... do you feel lucky?

thornton · #4 01-14-2006, 07:45 AM

A year and a half ago I bought my wife a 99 4matic wagon and added three years of Starmark coverage to the purchase price. The car was in great shape with 39K on the clock.

In the time we've owned it I would estimate that we have had $8500 worth of repairs covered. This warranty was one of the best financial decisions I
ve ever made relative to a vehicle.

In my experience the cost was not negotiable.

Good luck, the wagons are great cars to drive.

BenzBob · #5 01-14-2006, 09:49 AM

In the January/February issue of "The Star" magazine (publication of Mercedes Benz Club of America) in the Technical & Restoration Forum they were talking about "Keep It Or Not." The subject vehicle was a 2001 ML500 but the response applied to all Mercedes vehicles built after 1995. The following is the quoted response.

"The ticking noise is heard in any Mercedes-Benz built after 1995 that is beyond the factory warranty. You have had good service from your ML, and its repair record is far shorter than others we have heard about. Well-maintained pre-1995 Mercedes-Benzes are seen as better investments. Our personal feelings are that any model after the 1995 E-Class can be more of a liability than an asset. For recent models, repair costs are very high, and the exposure is too great -- in our mind -- to justify risk. This is a totally subjective personal opinion, but we wouldn't own a late-model car without a warranty, original or StarMark. Perhaps this is changing -- with DCAG's new management and quality control procedures -- but we would opt out of cars built between 1995 and whenever new quality-control procedures are proven."

I own a 1995 C280, a 2000 ML320 (extended warranty through Warranty Direct), and a 2003 C230 coupe. The ML320 has had the normal issues reported through this forum and the C230 has had its share of quality issues including leaving my wife stranded on the side of the road when the pulley on the water pump sheared off. I have 4 months left on the C230 lease and you better believe I will not buy it out of lease.

My opinion is that Mercedes has too many quality issues and repairs are much too expensive to own one without a warranty. Based upon my experience, the cheapest way to own a recent Mercedes is to lease it and not own it outside of the original factory warranty. That is the only way I would get a recent model MB and more likely my next vehicle will not be another Mercedes product.

yosshimura · #6 01-14-2006, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thornton

A...In the time we've owned it I would estimate that we have had $8500 worth of repairs covered. This warranty was one of the best financial decisions I....are great cars to drive.

Doesn't say too much for the reliability of the car.... It's funny we all love MBs, but inside ourselves, we probably know they suck, just sugarcoat the whole situation as "upkeep" or "wear and tear" or......

I am following this thread, as when I move to a newer MB, I am going to be faced with warranty/no warranty dilema...

Hatterasguy · #7 01-14-2006, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yosshimura

Doesn't say too much for the reliability of the car.... It's funny we all love MBs, but inside ourselves, we probably know they suck, just sugarcoat the whole situation as "upkeep" or "wear and tear" or......

For $2,500 since the car is still pretty new I'd opt for the warranty. Complain a lot and get a lot of parts changed to get your money back!

I like MB's a lot and frankly I know they are a very costly car to maintain. But so what, some of the best things out their cost an arm and a leg to maintain or purchase.

RobertFini · #8 01-14-2006, 06:15 PM

When the initial lease on my 1997 C36AMG expired, I had my local dealer purchase it from the leasing company, add the longest available Starmark (now called Certified Pre-Owned or CPO) warranty to the car and then lease it back to me again. I easily recouped all costs for the warranty through all the normal maintenance issues for which the W202 with inline six-cylinder engines are known. You can harp about build quality, but the warranty expired at the end of last July and just before it did the dealer installed a brand new transmission without question because I told my service advisor it was acting funny. That's the best part about the warranty in my opinion - no questions asked and they jump right in to perform the most expensive of repairs.

When my wife's 1984 300TDt was totalled after getting rear-ended, we replaced it with a 1999 E320 4Matic that had 65k on the clock, and I again got the longest warranty available. It's not just cheap insurance, it's money in the bank.

Best Regards,
Rob

yosshimura · #9 01-14-2006, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

..............I know they are a very costly car to maintain. But so what, some of the best things out their cost an arm and a leg to maintain or purchase.

I think they are mostly costly to REPAIR vs maintain............since we mostly "repair" vs "maintain"

yosshimura · #10 01-14-2006, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobertFini

When the initial lease on my 1997 C36AMG expired, ............ I........d just before it did the dealer installed a brand new transmission without..............available. It's not just cheap insurance, it's money in the bank.

Best Regards,
Rob

OMG, it needed a new tranny, and its only a 97? Must have had alot of miles

suginami · #11 01-14-2006, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yosshimura

OMG, it needed a new tranny, and its only a 97? Must have had alot of miles

1997 was the first year of the 722.6 5 speed automatic, and it went through a lot of updates in the following several years.

haasman · #12 01-15-2006, 02:27 AM

Get the extended warranty ..... you did say ".....wife"

Or as a wise old friend of mine once said: Never get involved with a car that creates problems in the bedroom

Haasman

manny · #13 01-15-2006, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yosshimura

Doesn't say too much for the reliability of the car

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobertFini

That's the best part about the warranty in my opinion - no questions asked and they jump right in to perform the most expensive of repairs.

From what I have read on THIS forum, it's not that the cars are so troublesome, but people with warranties ***** a lot & dealers seem overeager to jump at the opportunity to keep the shop busy.

MarkC · #14 01-15-2006, 11:29 AM

Another way at looking at extended warranty other than the savings in repairs, is the value of the car that the warranty is applied to. If I were required to pay $2,500 for a warranty, then the car price would have to be over $20K at least to be worth that investment.

Then another aspect to the value of an extended warranty would depends upon one's mechanical aptitude and enthusiasm. The water pump on my wife’s 98’ C280 (V6) went bad, luckily I noticed the chirping noise from a slipping belt on a slower turning water pump shaft due to bad bearings before it locked up and broke the belt. Dealer wanted about $750 to change, I did it for $150 including putting in a new thermostat.

The point I’m making is that the dealer charges for repairs may be $4000 over a few years, but the real cost when a DYI is included may be a $1000 +/-
MarkC

Rockman59 · #15 01-15-2006, 11:36 AM

DIY projects like water pumps may be one thing that is simple to fix and not too expensive, but you will be glad you have a warranty when something like one of the computers fails. Several of my friends have had this problem on late models just out of warranty and their costs have been in the $2,000 range.