With a used car, maintenance is everything.

A car that has only 60,000 miles with a poor maintenance history would probably be less reliable than a car with 100,000 miles that has been maintained perfectly.

Plus, highway miles are much less stressful on a car than in town driving in stop and go traffic.

I would avoid the Lexus. It is one of their earliest examples.

Between the two C280's, for me it would be a toss-up. It would come down to condition. Even with less mileage, the 1995 model could have the same problems as the 1994 model with the head gasket and the wiring harness. You need to have your mechanic inspect these cars to see what they need. They might be fine and need very little. They might need a lot. You'll never know until they are inspected. If they need a lot, you can offer a lot less. I still think the $6,000 C280 is a helluva good deal.

Last, parts for Mercedes are not more expensive than other cars. It is generally understood that Japanese car parts are among the most expensive in the industry, especially Lexus and Acura parts.

You can do your own research by getting price quotes on similar parts. Call the dealers (Lexus and Mercedes) and get a price quote on a water pump, alternator, etc. and see for yourself.

__________________
Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".