Quote:
Originally Posted by suginami
Jim,
Why did you sell the blue one you just bought to buy this one?
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Paul,
Here is why:
1. 16k miles LESS than the blue one,
2. In the color I liked, (it's just like yours, and very rare)
3. For FIVE DOLLARS less than the one I'd bought on 02/22/10
4. The Mercury dealer let me remove EVERTHING that was from the blue one, and put it on the new red one, including a brand new full size spare tire and wheel, floor mats, custom valve stem caps, full size spare tire cover, etc (over $700 worth of stuff)
5. The build date on the red one 4/09) was later (10/08 on the blue) and the factory warranty was MUCH
longer in terms of time AND miles (13k on red, 29k on blue)
6. The blue one traded in was running on fumes, and I made them put in a full tank of gas (the dealer was a small one 55 miles away from me). About $60 right there saved.)
7. The blue car was just 250 miles shy of an expensive $400 service at 30,000 miles and the red car only had 13,000 miles and needed nothing and was just serviced.
8. the blue car had flaws like the scratches on the back bumper I put on it because the garage door hit it, the very first night I brought it home from the dealer, I did not drive far enough into the garage, so when I hit the garage opener, the door hinges scraped the bumper in several places, AND the blue car just had its lumbar support fixed but the dealer restitched the seat horribly and it needed to be redone and looked all wrong from factory.
9. At 29k the blue car had noticeably more general wear and tear than the red one, which looked and felt brand new.
10. I am retired now and unmarried and nobody or nothing can stop me from doing what I want and can afford. MSRP is 30k, and after just a year they lose almost FIFTY PER CENT of their value, the depreciation the first year is nuts.
Giving up 13,000 - 24,000 miles and floor mats is worth fifteen thousand dollars you can save from new.
(each were rental returns: blue from Hertz, red from Avis/Budget (one company - purchased at auctions by the Ford LM dealers to resell)
I had to pay tax and license all over again, and got hammered on the trade. around $1700. But I am truly happy now though.
I used the 560SEC to go everywhere last year, run over 40,000 miles on it.
Now I will use the Grand Marquis for most of that. It gets a LOT better mileage on cheap gas and the Mercedes Benz drinks Premium Persian Perrier - LOTS of it.
Grand Marquis rides lots smoother quieter and softer than my old 19 year old AMG, but it handles a LOT sloppier. No question the Mercedes is a LOT more fun to drive.
That is the long and short of it, Paul. I think the question was very reasonable.