Mercedes are not supposed to be cheap.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

That used to be true but not anymore. Just look at the classified ads, screaming at you that before you buy that Toyota or Nissan, for $329 a month "you can be driving a Mercedes"

They are indeed saying that NOW a new Mercedes can be cheap.

Many of them are indeed being built to a price point nowadays. The Mercedes of yesterday were very expensive as they were engineered to high standards and built with great care

That is not necessarily true in the models or the last ten years or more, as surveys attest, the quality has gone way down

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

Jim, they may be building a Benz for every pocketbook (well, almost) but you still have to dish out the big bucks for the top of the line Benzes.

My 1989 300TE cost $48k new (only option was the third row seat, everything else is/was standard equipment).

How much is that in 2006 dollars?

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Current Benzes

1989 300TE "Alice"
1990 300CE "Sam Spade"
1991 300CE "Beowulf" RIP (06.1991 - 10.10.2007)
1998 E320 "Orson"
2002 C320 Wagon "Molly Fox"

Res non semper sunt quae esse videntur

My Gallery

Not in this weather!

my 500sec was 57k when new. the price of a good home. that would be prob 150k now.

i bought it 18 years later for 8k.

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

A little C240 still stickers for mid to high 30's on the lot. You want an E500, you have to pay mid 60's. S550, If you leave for under $100k you did well.


So you can get a decently equiped C240 vs a loaded to the gills Accord.


Nothings changed, just now you can lease thats really all thats changed.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Yep....the advent of "cheap" leases has been tied to low interest rates. When interest rates creep up, cheap leases will go away and they will have to think of other ways to move their cars.

Also, cheap leases means that there will be more "lightly used" Benzes in the market in the near future.

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Current Benzes

1989 300TE "Alice"
1990 300CE "Sam Spade"
1991 300CE "Beowulf" RIP (06.1991 - 10.10.2007)
1998 E320 "Orson"
2002 C320 Wagon "Molly Fox"

Res non semper sunt quae esse videntur

My Gallery

Not in this weather!

Lots of people are driving these cars who really struggle to make the monthly payment. I have been in peoples homes where a nice new E350/330I/Lexus whatever was sitting out front and the inside of the house was simply trashed. They have no money just decent credit and the desire to look like they have money.

I remember once I figured out what my SDL would have cost in today's dollars, it came out to about $80k-$90k give or take. Thats about what I would expect a new S320CDI to go for. The difference is that back in 1987 you had to actualy be able to afford my SDL to buy it. With the new car you simply neglect your house and make the payment on the Visa.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200