Increasing resale value of diesels? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

300sdToronto · #1 06-09-2006, 09:08 AM

Interesting evidence yesterday .... I posted my 92 VW jetta diesel on autotrader.ca (OK, I'm Canadian...) yesterday at 9am - 10 phone calls by 6pm and shook hands on a deal for $3500 by 8pm the same evening.

Today I have 5 more guys lined up wanting to buy it ... should have had an auction.

Right now there is a 300D on autotrader.ca for 10 grand!

Now if only it wasn't so easy to splurge on parts for the Benz.....

Hatterasguy · #2 06-09-2006, 09:20 AM

Yeah its a bit nuts. I don't think my cars value has gone up any, I think its remained the same though. For a car thats pretty good!

Diesel Giant · #3 06-09-2006, 11:33 AM

Seems the WVO crowd is sucking older diesels up faster than they hit the market. It a sellers market for sure right now.

Maroon 300D · #4 06-09-2006, 12:12 PM

How long will it last? Anyone have any ideas? I might hold onto my car for a long time...but it would also be sweet to sell it in a few years for the same amount or more that I bought it for.

TheDon · #5 06-09-2006, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maroon 300D

How long will it last? Anyone have any ideas? I might hold onto my car for a long time...but it would also be sweet to sell it in a few years for the same amount or more that I bought it for.

why would you sell your W123.. only reason id sell mine is if some one trades me a diesel W126 for my W123

Maroon 300D · #6 06-09-2006, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDon

why would you sell your W123.. only reason id sell mine is if some one trades me a diesel W126 for my W123

Because I might have enough to buy that McLaren I've been eyeing by then.

In all seriousness, though, I would consider getting a newer diesel if I could come up with the money for it, especially after these bluetec engines hit the North American market. I mean, the TDI's are getting over 50 mpg I hear, and I also hear they have an incredible re-sale value.

On the other hand, if I could peer into the future I wouldn't be shocked to find myself with my w123 many years from now.

97dieseldriver · #7 06-09-2006, 01:07 PM

Unless ULSD causes my 210 fits, I have no plan on selling mine for at least 10 years. Why should I ? I have a luxury car that gets 30 mpg consistently with AC, airbags, cheap insurance, a 800 miles per day traveler plus it looks great. Not too many copy cats except some Hyundai!

I have noticed more "is it for sale" by strangers. I am considering some anti theft, at least taking the Diesel logo off the car.

Veloce300DT · #8 06-09-2006, 06:46 PM

Im not sure how long this will last..... BUT i wouldnt doubt it if it persists until automakers are pressed to bring more fuel efficient cars to the U.S. market- maybe some more entry level hybrids, diesels (perhaps propelled by the advent of blutec technology). There really arent any low priced new or near new diesels or hybrids on the market now, VW's diesel models sell at a premium price for the class, and retain high resale values. Toyota/Lexus/Honda/Ford Hybrids all retail at the premium end for the class and retian their value as well... which I think contributes to the popularity of older diesel cars that can be purchased for under $10K.

UNTIL the U.S. is faced with a true oil crisis.... meaning that we run OUT of oil, we'll see an increase in popularity of older MB diesels, and an increase in resale values. Once we have no more fossil fuel resources left, automakers will only then be FORCED to produce MORE cars that can run on alternative fuels. Once we have some sort of major fuel source "swithcover" and alt. fuel cars become commonplace, i think older MB diesel car values may recede a bit... perhaps retaining more value than they do now though, simply because the will be even more of a classic type of car.

Its unfortuante that the mass popularization of alt. fuel cars will be propelled by such circumstances. As long as there is a supply of fossil fuels to be burned, we'll keep on burning it, instead of SERIOUSLY looking at other fuel sources and SERIOUSLY marketing new products that are sustainable without fossil fuels BEFORE we run out of oil. Many people just dont seem to be tooo concerned about what we have done to our ecosystem, or know what the affects of it will be when they start to show in dramatic ways never seen before.

I hope that automakers are working on new paint formulas that will hold up to the environmental fall out that we will experience in the future!

And dont read me wrong, Im not a green tree hugger reaking of patchouli, I just like to read and know whats going on!

orthotomeo · #9 06-09-2006, 07:15 PM

There's a guy in my neck of the woods who's asking $5500 for his 94 jetta with 280000KM on it. oh that's 175000 Miles approx. They're definitely fetching a good price!

dunl · #10 06-09-2006, 07:27 PM

Remeber in Canada here, diesel is much cheaper than gasoline.

80benz · #11 06-09-2006, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dunl

Remeber in Canada here, diesel is much cheaper than gasoline.

not in ontario. it's about the same or slightly more than RUG. has been for several months.

as an interesting counterpoint to the apparent surge to purchase diesel vehicles, an acquaintance i play hockey with just sold his TDI wagon to buy one of those new toyota hummer look-alikes. probably just doubled his fuel consumption. (he did mention that the first person who called him about the wagon bought it, and that he had many calls thereafter.)

dunl · #12 06-09-2006, 10:53 PM

That sucks. Out here in Alberta it's about 10% cheaper....

Maroon 300D · #13 06-10-2006, 01:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Veloce300DT

Im not sure how long this will last..... BUT i wouldnt doubt it if it persists until automakers are pressed to bring more fuel efficient cars to the U.S. market- maybe some more entry level hybrids, diesels (perhaps propelled by the advent of blutec technology).

I bet old MB's will continue to be a commodity until those new cars become affordable to most people, which I would estimate to be 8-10 years. After that they'll be 30+ years old and probably significantly fewer will be on the road than currently. Then they will just have panache value. It seems to me they will probably peak at some point and then recede.

rchase · #14 06-10-2006, 03:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

Yeah its a bit nuts. I don't think my cars value has gone up any, I think its remained the same though. For a car thats pretty good!

Heh heh....

I went to my parts place to get some radio keys for my 140 and one of the guys that works there thought I sold the SD and got mad at me. When he realized the 140 was an additional car he asked me to "keep him in mind" if I sold it.

If things don't work out as expected with the 140 I still have the option of doing the restoration I was considering with the SD.

I have seen values going up on older diesels and have considered selling mine but would not want to "sell the car down the river" to some idiot thats going to eventually destroy it in order to save money. I would rather watch it disintegrate in a storage warehouse first.

Rashakor · #15 06-10-2006, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maroon 300D

I bet old MB's will continue to be a commodity until those new cars become affordable to most people, which I would estimate to be 8-10 years. After that they'll be 30+ years old and probably significantly fewer will be on the road than currently. Then they will just have panache value. It seems to me they will probably peak at some point and then recede.

except that in 10 years they will be all classics in the real meaning of the term. I think the price of these old mercos have finally reach its bottom. If they won't appreciate much i think however they will no longer depreciate.
for Cars like W115 or W116, i even expect them to become quite desirable because much rarer than W123.