Current MB models ARE a mass market commodity car, that bank on the reputation earned by the old timer models. The production figures don't lie.

"I've seen 03-04 S500's for $22k. Even better deals can be had on Mercs at the Lexus dealer - that's where 90% of them end up. On the other hand I saw a few Lexus's at the Merc dealer yesterday. Seems they get bored with the Lexus and it goes full circle."

First off that is a dirt lie. I would pay you $5,000 if you can go to this "LEXUS" dealer and pick a 03-04 S500 up for me for 22K. Please just stop wasting time writing about this imaginary menusha. Now here is my opnion on the vehicle. First in my opinion the blue interior color is very nice. You have to be a certain person to enjoy this type of interior, because it requires that you have "taste". Second the price seems very high. For example in April I picked up a 98 S500 with 76K ( one owner ) for my grandparents for $16,400. It is silver on grey and it was in mint shape (currently has a cracked front airdam thanks to my 81 year old grandfathers driving). It is fully optioned including rear sun shade as well as having new tires. It was at an Audi dealer and I purchased a 2/24K mile extended warranty for $2000 ( they wanted $3,600). The car has had no issues and drives perfectly. If I were you I would search around more.

1982 Porsche 930 Turbo Grey/Black--( Not been driven in 2 years) -Inherited and for sale
2000 BMW 740iL Orient blue/tan --Recently Inherited and for sale
2002 SLK32 Black/Black (Purchased new)--weekend driver
2000 ML430 Blue/Grey (Purchased new)--still around to take the dogs to the vet.
1998 BMW M3/4 Alpine White/ Dove Grey ( Purchased new )---Current Daily driver
1996 SL600 Black/Grey (Purchased new) --Traded in on ML
1994 E500 Pearl Black/ Black (Purchased new )--Will never sell
1989 560SEL Black/Parchment ( Purchased New ) ---Totaled
1985 300SD Cabernet Red Metalic/ Saddle ( Purchased new)--Sold 2 Months ago (Big mistake)
1983 240D Nautical blue/ tan (Purchased New)--Donated 2 months ago, probably should have tried to sell it.

Your example is utterly useless for purposes of comparison if you don't tell us what you paid.

__________________
08 W251 R350
97 W210 E320
91 W124 300E
86 W126 560SEL
85 W126 380SE Silver
85 W126 380SE Cranberry
79 W123 250
78 W123 280E
75 W114 280

Its calle wholesale, thanks for educating us laymen on the pricing of late W220's.

People have different tastes, I think blue and red are about as ugly as it gets.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

He never mentioned anything about "WHOLESALE" pricing, he said they were 22K at a LEXUS dealer. Thanks again for another pointless post.

Why don't you show us some 22K 04 and 05 w220 cars that are not wrecked. Im sure since they are so common you can find some on autotrader for us?

Im not sure where you have been for the past 10 years but ALL cars are getting cheaper in construction. While MB has ramped up their production over the years to sell to the American market even a C class is in a totally different than some of the mass market junk coming out of Japan and America. Many of the Japenese cars are are made out of really thin sheet metal and have really cheap plastic interiors. If you compare them to the Japanese cars of 10 years ago you see how they are cutting more and more corners.

Even the high end supercars are getting cheaper. Take a look in a new Rolls or Bentley and see something you have never seen before. PLASTIC!!!! Since VW and BMW got involved with them there are more and corners being cut on their cars. Compare that to a similar car from the 80's and 90's and find a full leather and wood interior with chrome plated buttons and controls.

The world is getting cheaper because the big corperations see the ability to make more money by selling their product to more people. As the 3rd world starts to drive cars will become even cheaper and perhaps even disposable. You should see some of the Malaysian and Korean cars that are sold in Europe that are not sold here. It should be amusing to see the Chinese cars when they start exporting them to the US. Might be fun to buy one and destroy it like Jeremy Clarkston of Top Gear.

Since you are new I'll let it go, but insulting mods is a really good way of having a short stay.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Me insulting mods ? A short stay? GO BACK TO HIGHSCHOOL . I have had more Mercedes than you or your family will ever have. The end. Your thread makes no sence, again thanks for wasting TIMe!

1982 Porsche 930 Turbo Grey/Black--( Not been driven in 2 years) -Inherited and for sale
2000 BMW 740iL Orient blue/tan --Recently Inherited and for sale
2002 SLK32 Black/Black (Purchased new)--weekend driver
2000 ML430 Blue/Grey (Purchased new)--still around to take the dogs to the vet.
1998 BMW M3/4 Alpine White/ Dove Grey ( Purchased new )---Current Daily driver
1996 SL600 Black/Grey (Purchased new) --Traded in on ML
1994 E500 Pearl Black/ Black (Purchased new )--Will never sell
1989 560SEL Black/Parchment ( Purchased New ) ---Totaled
1985 300SD Cabernet Red Metalic/ Saddle ( Purchased new)--Sold 2 Months ago (Big mistake)
1983 240D Nautical blue/ tan (Purchased New)--Donated 2 months ago, probably should have tried to sell it.

Ahhh! But how many tricycles have you owned?

I have a feeling that was the wrong answer. Nice knowing ya. And you might want to see your therapist about that ego problem you have there.

Hmm that was an amzingly short run, 3 posts.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

He asked for it.

And of course his general "I am better than you attitude" and the complete list of cars he's ever bought in his signature was a really good sign of an ego problem.

He probably goes from site to site picking fights just to make himself feel better.

He had a similer attitude over in OD, what can I say I warned him.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I didn't make a bad purchasing decision. I bought a car that, based on its REPUTATION, ....SHOULD.... last longer before causing such problems. Go ahead and chide those "cheaply made tin cans", but facts are facts. I'll bet Jap cars require HALF the repairs as MB's. That's a lot. Said another way, MB's require TWICE the repairs as their Jap counterparts.

Face it, MB has made bad a/c systems .... FOR NEARLY THIRTY YEARS!! You'd have thought they'd figure out by now how to make a good one. That huge, glaring achille's heel aside, their cars aren't that bad, but for a leading manufacturer, could be better. There's no excuse that a simple $10 gasket should cost a consumer $500 to fix, but these are issues that MB causes their customers. On my '88 300CE, at just 10 years old there were 3 separate gaskets, transmission and upper and lower oil gaskets, that cost $500, and $600 for the upper and lower to fix. That's $1100 in case you don't have a calculator. The cost of the actual gasket is about $10 to MB, $20 to the consumer. The a/c's cost thousands to fix. What I'm saying is, there's no EXCUSE for this from what is considered a top-flight car company. I'm betting a Jap car of the same year and mileage, other than normal maintenence costs, would have ZERO in repairs at this point.

If the repairs for all this is no big deal as you say, then step up to the plate and pay my repair bills.

jeff
1991 300d, 93k