...particularly with Mercedes and other better makes that could once be maintained to give almost perpetual service with proper care, while the first time buyer took the great depreciation hit.

HOWEVER, believe ALL cars now built to behave for only the first five years...after which a plague of problems that only the dealer can fix for beaucoup dollars will begin to present.

So a three year old Cadillac has only a year or so of reliable life yet, after which it will become a horrible economic pest. The Cadillac Northstar system is vaunted to last 100,000 miles before the first tune up...what they won't tell you is that that "tune up" will set you back seven or eight thousand dollars!