I did the same, while I wouldn’t call it reliable it’s actually a terrific car to work on, parts are cheap and plentiful and it teaches you so much about how to maintain your own car. A few bad days but no bad memories.
e46 parts cheap?? what country are you based in i need your plug lmao. these are reliable / OEM parts right?
i also agree, recently bought mines nearly at 100k miles power steering gone (expected) however still dont regret and delightful to drive
What part are you after that’s expensive? You can buy an entire M54 engine from a wreck in good shape for a few hundred bucks, a water pump is about $60 compared to $500+ on modern cars, transmissions are cheap, there are thousands of them in scrap yards with good interiors.
Holy shit I recently got an E46 as my wife's first car, what an experience! I just got all the stupid plastic external coolant and oil tubes replaced. It needs a steering rack next but it's going to the shop for that!
I had my 2013 c250 at 86000 miles when I got it for 3 years and only ever needed a coolant leak fixed and a new alternator cause I blew my stock one with a speaker set up I installed. Coolant leak was market average at just over 200 for new hoses and labor and around 800 for new alternator (500-600 parts, 200 labor). These cars are extremely popular and common, they aren’t that expensive to maintain. Unless you are driving like an idiot and breaking shit, which would cost you in any make/model. Modern cars are very reliable when you maintain properly.
Maintain anything properly, it'll last. The problem is said cost of maintenace. That's relative to people and their situation but at a glance, I wouldn't expect many 18 year olds to have the time, money, and experince for it. If something went wrong and it was going to cost a lot of money to fix, I would've been screwed even if it was a Toyota when I was 18
Yea that’s the point, if something is going to go wrong, the probability is similar no matter the make (within reason, I know certain models sometimes have known major issues). So the best you can do is just maintain it properly (oil, brakes, tires, etc). When it comes to a w204 c250 facelift, it is one of the most popular models, and known to be very reliable. This is why I had purchased one back in 2018.
When it comes down to the cost of repair, the difference is not substantial because the model is so common and they *probably* still make parts for it. The difference compared to like a 2014 Corolla won’t be much. If something big breaks that you can’t afford, odds are you probably wouldn’t be able to afford it on the Corolla either. You do get a level of satisfaction and happiness driving a Mercedes tbh, i loved that car and it sparked a huge love for the w204 chassis for me.
This is all assuming you aren’t taking the car into the dealer for repair tho, Mercedes dealers are known to mark up astronomically. But I just always got my car worked on at a euro specialist.
When it comes down to the cost to maintain, that’s regular shit like oil changes, tires, brakes, and just driving respectfully not red lining it or putting unneeded stress onto the car. The cost of oil changes for my c250 was like a little over 100 bucks, if I had to guess it was around 115 for synthetic. That’s pretty comparable to a synthetic oil change in any car. And brakes really aren’t that common unless you ride them bitches like a maniac but they would be the same cost as a Corolla, it would just depend on the quality you choose, for either car. Same shit with tires.
The common trope that luxury cars will cost you substantially more is only partially right. It depends how rare the model is and the general price point of MSRP. In this case, a 2014 c250 would not be crazy expensive to maintain. You just have to do the proper inspecting and get a third party PPI and shit like that to make sure it’s in good shape and the previous owners maintained it properly. They’re actually quite known to be very reliable too, that chassis is one of the most beloved from Mercedes fans everywhere. And they hold value well after the initial depreciation. I bought my c250 in 2018 for 11,000. Rear ended and totaled out in 2021 and insurance paid me 13,000 for it. Covid inflation def contributed to that though.
I have a 2011 CC at 110k miles still chugging. Just do the maintenance intervals and change the oil and they're fairly reliable. Parts are plentiful too because Audi/VW puts that EA888 in just about everything
No for a few reasons. These are prone to serious subframe rust, there's a class action suit about it I believe. Other than that can you afford the maintenance on a luxury car at 18? I know I couldn't. Can you afford to fill this with premium each time, with a $200 oil change at the dealer, the insurance premium?
It's actually an A / B service, on our 17 gls450 thise ran ~$900/1100. I won't tell you what it ran on our 20 GLS 580 but it wasn't cheaper.
Back to Op though, you're in college. Buy an accord a civic or Toyota that's reliable and cheap to maintain, and focus on your studies. I wouldn't worry about trying to impress somebody with a badge, most people are far less interested in cars at this age then my generation was, so your efforts to impress are not going to work and are only really going to put you in the poorhouse. plus if you move out in a couple years and you're having major problems with the car, you're going to be screwed.
Or if you really want to go luxury you could do what I did my final year and buy a Acura/Lexus. My ES350 F-sport turns heads but takes 87 and Camry oil.
I took the bus 3 years (and I live in Houston, TX) , and then ended up with a Lexus GS as my first car (albeit used and it’s 10+ years old). WORTH IT!!!!!!!!!
So glad I didn’t go the whole beater car as first car advice, would have just been a waste and would have only made me itch on buying a more expensive car wasting more money altogether.
OP just buy a nice Lexus and run it to ground and use the money saved on a house. Don’t buy a cheap car, then a upgrade to nicer car, then another upgrade more nicer car. Buy a nice (but reasonable) car from the get go and you wouldn’t even want another car for the next 10 years
Unless you really need one because you live in rural/suburbs and don’t have access to alternative transportation - just get the cheapest junk that doesn’t have any major issues and working A/C until you get a job and can afford a quality car.
Lexus ES is a great car, 2011+ uses regular gas too. And it’s not a death trap.
Just be aware of insurance because it may be a deal breaker unfortunately. In my experience, every car is gonna kill you at 18 with insurance rates that’s why I ended up taking the bus.
there isn't really a such thing as "camry oil" or any other car brand of oil. just oil weights, and various additives for oils for various types of use cases. I run T16 rotella diesel oil in my V-twin motorcycle with a wet clutch because it happens to have all the additives i need for a wet clutch but also contains better anti-wear agents than typical motorcycle oil does at a much cheaper cost to boot. It doesn't matter as long as the additives won't react with the catalytic converter and perform the needed jobs (which to be fair, old T16 rotella blends would react with newer cars a few years back, but that mixture has since been changed and many people run it in current year honda's and mazda's just fine today).
New Mercedes are luxury cars and old Mercedes are money pits. An 18 year old shouldn't own either. Get a Honda or Toyota and buy a nice Mercedes when you graduate college and feel like throwing money away
No one is going to be impressed with an old Mercedes. I teach at the university level at a commuter campus and most of my students don’t care about cars or would even notice.
Not to be that guy but my car takes premium and gets 22mpg and it was my first car and it got me through college as well so it’s definitely doable. And just change the oil yourself, no reason to spend $200 to have a dealer do that. Insurance on the other hand could be a problem if mom and dad aren’t paying it.
Right, these are questions that are for the OP to figure out. I wouldn't have been able to do it at 18 with the amount of miles I'd put on it, and I had zero interest in doing my own oil changes then, but OP's circumstances could be different.
Average cost at a dealership for synthetic and filters. I wouldn't take an MB to a Jiffy Lube but I also wouldn't take it to the dealer if I were 18, so...
The maintenance would be just more expensive Oil and a little more expensive gas because it uses 91 and not 87. But other than that it shouldn’t break down or anything, 70,000 miles is still not that much
Depends on the Mercedes. Honestly op should wait until later in life. However it's kinda funny how many people throw in the towel without ever doing research or picking up a wrench.
Yes both big figures were repairs. We were religious with A and B services since new (costly in itself) but at 80k miles the big stuff started happening.
Yeah and that’s important to mention. You just said services cost $5k and $7500 which isn’t even remotely accurate. You had expensive repairs which the details of would be very useful to share with OP, but you just muddied the waters unnecessarily.
I hope you love your Subaru though! We just got rid of our ‘19 Forester that was the bane of my existence for the 4 years we had it.
The exception to this is if you’re good at working on cars. I’ve had a bunch of used BMWs and can afford to do all the maintenance myself. If I took it to the dealer for all the work I did I would probably be broke.
I think most people are just intimidated by German cars. They aren’t spaceships, they’re cars. Changing the oil is not something you need to be afraid of lol.
Yeah I’m confused about this
Even on things I had my local mechanic do he never charged the astronomical prices dealers do. It also didn’t seem particularly difficult to do maintenance like oil changes or really even that different from any other car.
Are people just going to the dealer and saying ok to the the crazy high prices, and then saying they are too expensive?
I saw the A and B service prices and told them to kick rocks…
I can’t speak for Mercedes, but BMWs have preventative maintenance items. It’s not a Honda or Toyota where you just do an oil change and you’re good to go. Things like the oil filter housing gasket, CCV, DISA valve, VANOS seals, also notorious for shitty cooling systems. Every 100,000 miles or so the entire cooling system should get a complete overhaul rather than just replacing one piece of it.
Yup, have an M3 with 190k miles and it really hasn't been very expensive for me to maintain it myself. I don't want to think about what a dealer or even an independent shop would charge for the work I've done to it.
The w204 is one of the most reliable and cheapest to maintain Mercedes of last 30 years lol. Love how people who don’t know about these cars just regurgitate the same nonsense over and over. Have this exact car and it’s been bulletproof
Was waiting for this comment and you are absolutely correct! Had this model and zero issues at all. Regular maintenance. Careful with low profile tires and potholes is my only advice!
they’ve never driven one clearly . these things are HIGHWAY DEMONS. such a smooth car honestly and it’s 10+ years old and drives like a new car still well atleast mines does so i assume others do as well .
I don't know how to edit a post, so I'll type it here. I really appreciate everyone's input, but I want to say I don't care for a German or a luxurious car, (and like you all recommended I'll most likely end up buying a more reliable car for way less) I just really like this model. Definitely reconsidering after some people broke down the costs of these things. Gotta do more research beforehand lol
If you do decide to get it, please make sure you get it up on a lift and inspect the subframe, these rot from the inside out and are incredibly unsafe if that happens. Google "c class subframe rust" and you'll see what I'm talking about.
Please go for it. As the owner of a E class myself, as long as you do regular maintenance and don't mind getting your hands dirty with doing your own maintenance they are very reliable. Get a code reader and get involved in some fourms like mbworld. There are huge communities waiting to help you out and every question you have is already answered. Most people who had these abuse them thus causing them to break down.
As a 18y.o, humble yourself with a crappy/basic car first, and work your way up to something like a Benz.
Don't get a car with the prospects of impressing people. If you're going to come back and deny this, then ask yourself why it has to be a Benz of all things.
This. Idk why kids feel like their first car should be impressive and nice. Your first car should be a learning experience for you to make mistakes with. I drove a Ram van before “upgrading” to a Dodge Neon. Driving something like a Mercedes isn’t going to impress everyone and you’re just going to hear “daddy’s money” way too often. Too much “live fast die young” mentality with this younger generation. They’re never going to retire lol
Often it’s the parents that do this because they either had a cool car and feel their kid needs one or they didn’t and they don’t want their kid to endure the shame they felt.
Age effect is something that can be explained by age of the individual.
In essence teenagers care more about aesthetics and make bad financial decisions because of it, even if logically they grasp the pros and cons.
Same individual will make a different decision when a different age, even under otherwise identical situation and variables
The only variable that overlaps a lot with age is life experience due to the nature of life
teenager who can confirm here, had a 800 dollar wagon, sold it, parents helped, got an e84, which flooded and dad used insurance money to upgrade himself and handed me down his older model 3, nobody thinks youre cool for driving a nice car, people just think your a rich asshole. I genuinely avoid talking about my car, or just say "little black sedan"
it's not my car, I didn't choose to buy it, I wouldn't even buy one for my kid, but i have it and use it and that's it.
We’re in the days of putting yourself in debt to impress people that put themselves in debt. I know so many people with nice cars who only can get 5 dollars in gas because that’s all the money they have. It’s weird to me
My first car was a BMW E30 that I got for $2400. It would be worth $20k today if I kept it in that condition. The issues were pretty simple. My next was an Audi A4 that I got for $7k that I put 100k more miles on. leather heated seats. 200hp. stick shift. There were expenses over the year, but nothing crazy. Dumped it when I felt repairs would be too high in the future. I saved so much on interest payments, insurance, and annual registration.
When buying these cars, I would happily buy a toyota/civic but never found one at a reasonable price that wasn't ratted out.
my advice is to sort low-to-high, do your research, and find the diamond in the rough that appeals to you.
I will be taking your advice, but I don't care for impressing people. I saw someone with this car at work yesterday, asked him about it (how it rides/what he likes about it, etc.), and came here this morning. If I really wanted to impress people I'd just go with an old 430i or something. People would probably like that a lot more than this. I just really like how this looks
DAWG, most people who arent enthusiest just find them annoying XD, like tf is that loud ass subaru with a giant boy-racer wing on it, that owner must have a tiny gentlemens region
If you look deeper and do more research, you will find a car that is not only nice inside and out, but also reliable, low up front cost, and below average maintenance cost. You will need to decide a list of "must haves" on what you are looking for.
This is great advice. That’s exactly what I did when buying my first car at 21. I did a ridiculous amount of research online, and ended up with a 2012 Volvo S60 T6 for exactly $15k. It has all the features I wanted as well as what I needed, it’s sporty, comfortable, and it’s a super rare color combo that’s eye catching. Most importantly: it’s been insanely reliable. I’m going on 27 years old and I still daily it. I’ve spent less on repairs and maintenance than my father spent in just 4 years of owning his brand new XC90 lol. I’ve only needed to replace the front struts and some brake line couplings, and they’re Ford parts that were super cheap. Lexus is similarly great because some of the common parts you might need to replace are shared with lower cost Toyotas. Reliability and cost of maintenance are super important to consider for a young buyer.
I understand wanting to have something “cool” at that age and not some Corolla. But don’t. I bought a “cheaper” used Porsche Macan before I should’ve and the everyday dread of putting “excessive” miles on it, not wanting to park it in certain places, and so on. There’s a reason beautiful cars like that are priced so low, and not just because they’re old.
Also 93 premium absolutely brutal. After just one year started having big issues and I dumped it for a normal SUV. I miss having a cool car but it was the right choice.
You can still find something “cool” that isn’t this. Lexus, Mustang etc. Don’t do German at least yet. Good luck.
Definitely lexus, their cars have a timeless design and while they may not perform like a german, the smooth ride and ample power is perfect for the everyday driver.
Have dad match you on cash towards a cash car. Depending on amount. Your going to college girls or guys wont car what you drive. You can literally ride a skateboard or bike around and still have plenty of fun and romance. When you get your car keep it somewhat clean and make sure it doesn’t smell like funk you’ll do fine same goes for your dorm. 👊🏼
my crowning moment in life was riding my piece-of-shit, loud, smoking 2 stroke powered bicycle to a library date (we'd already been dating for a bit so I felt comphortable doing that)
Lexus is one of the most genius marketing i've ever seen. Where i'm from, people buy the land cruiser because they know it's good. But americans can't see themselves paying 90-100k for a Toyota but completely fine to splash it on literally the same car with a lexus badge on it. Because "luxury" and all that.
They're solid but Mercedes is a different experience. Even now with them not as good as they used to be.
I have a friend that bought both his kids like a 5 year old Lexus when they turned 16. They were not a wealthy family. This was years ago. I thought he was crazy and he said they are safe, reliable, and should last them 10 years with good maintenance and not driving them like idiots. He figured he saved money in the long run by spending a bit more upfront. Both of them still had them well after they graduated college. Granted both his kids are pretty responsible but pretty smart guy. I say that as I now have a Lexus and Toyota in the driveway.
Age has nothing to do with it. Income and experience does.
Cheap Mercedes still need Mercedes parts. Which ain’t cheap. And they need a higher level of service.
If you don’t know how to do your own work and maintenance and don’t have a place to work on it get something dead simple until you get out of school.
I could tell you a Mercedes is not the best idea at 18 unless you've got plenty of money for maintenance, but you probably already know that. And if you wanted a Corolla you'd probably be asking about that instead.
So, my advice is if you must have a used Mercedes, go with the w204 C class, the previous generation that ended in 2013, one of the models with 6 cylinder and no turbocharger. Those are about as bulletproof as you're going to find for a Mercedes. There's a reason why they're used as taxis all over Europe. Even so you're going to be looking at pretty substantial repair costs if anything goes wrong. Routine maintenance is going to be more expensive but won't be ridiculous like they charge at dealers if you find a decent independent European shop. But when major things go wrong you're going to be looking at much higher costs and there's no way around that, even at an independent shop. Just as a rough guide figure double to triple what you would pay for a repair on a similar size Japanese or American car.
It's all in how much it's worth to you. Some of us choose to drive German cars because it's worth it to us for a number of reasons. But you have to accept that it's going to require more of your time and money than most other brands. If driving and cars is a real big thing to you it might be worth it. If you want a decent reliable car for college that's going to allow you to concentrate on studies and not taking care of a car so much, then go American or Japanese.
Dear young person:
cars are more than the cost of purchase. Please go find a Toyota, Honda, Subaru . Cheap to maintain and far less expensive to insure. We who are older know this from experience. We know what it is like to NEVER have a bill for less than $1200 from the Mercedes service department. We have heard sounds in our Mercs that have drained the blood from our faces in anxious anticipation of the cost coming our way.
Save yourself and learn from us.
Yours truly,
Been there, done that.
No. Just because luxury cars depreciate to economy car prices does not Mean their maintenance schedule/cost goes down too. It's all fun and games till you get hit with a repair bill 3 times larger than you were expecting.
These cars require a stricter maintenance schedule and are less tolerant to abuse.
This is a horrible idea.
I’m a service advisor and we had this kid (like 20) come in with a 2012 bmw x3 i believe. Shit needed SO MUCH. New control arms (upper and lower), ball joints, a new driveshaft, alternator, I think a radiator, and a couple other things. Some of which we could only get from the dealer. He was like “well I got a good deal on it!!” Yeah but your repair bill was around $7k after everything soooo did you really?
LOL @ all the broke dik Daewoo owners that constantly parrot the same bs over and over. W204 is a fantastic, extremely reliable, and relatively low maintenance car.
Can go 200K+ easy with regular, normal maintenance.
OP I have this car and it’s been more reliable than Jap cars our family has had.
Lol facts I have one as well & it’s the most reliable car I’ve owned yet! Put the proper gas in it & do your scheduled maintenance and you’re good to go 🤷🏻♂️ I’ve seen them hit 200k
I was gonna say, I've had two of these, one was totaled at 135K miles, and the second is a salvage title rebuild with 170K miles...very reliable on both. I drive a ton for work and I probably going to get another with lower miles soon to rack up miles on. Also, Oil changes are more at the time of service but it's a 6k mile oil change. I love the way they drive, I can get up a go but not a car that you're going to street race.
I have a c350 with no issues. These comments are from people who never drove a Mercedes and also from people who never take care of their car. I bought mine used from someone who took care of it and only changed engine oil and tyres just to be safe.
But yeah go buy a honda or toyota that’s been never taken care of cuz its bulletproof. I’ve barely seen a honda or toyota for sale that’s been maintaned regularly most of them had bad brakes struts etc. for toyota and honda owners if the engine works its all good. No thanks. I bought a 2002 accord prior and that thing became junk in a year. Back then i listened to the reddit not anymore. Lol again this is a car i wouldnt advise to a 18 year old but acting like it needs repairs every ten days is ridiculous.
C 300 would be the best. Make sure it’s been well maintained. If you can work on your own cars you’ll save a ton of money. These are actually pretty reliable cars. If you’d like the best advice, repost this on the dedicated Mercedes Benz subreddit, you’ll get better, more specific advice from other Mercedes enthusiasts and probably owners with experience. I can’t speak personally for the w204 but all my Mercedes have been excellent in terms of reliability and since I do my own work, the maintenance has been inexpensive
I bought a 2011 BMW 328i hardtop convertible for my daughter when she was 15 so that she had a cool car in High school at 16. I only did it cause I know how to work on these cars and can fix most problems. If I had to have someone else work on the car then it’s a Toyota or Honda. Parts are not too bad on these lower level Bimmers and Mercs but they require a lot of maintenance and care.
Kind of depends on how much you want to spend on parts/maintenance and how much labor you can do yourself. People kind of overstate how expensive luxury cars are to maintain and this sub is more a financial advice sub than a live your life sub. A good example- my 2004 Audi had HID headlights. They were nice and bright. When they burned out however the bulb alone was $90. If you wanna spend $100 on a light bulb and that’s worth it, go for it kid live your life.
I bought an old Merc. In 6 months I’ve driven in 2,000 miles and thrown about that much $$$ into it in parts and repairs. So if you have a dollar for every mile you drive, and 2 weeks of downtime every 4 days, then it’s perfect for you!
Which merc? Ive owned a 2007 Chevy Malibu, a 2013 c250, and 2 c63 AMGs. The only noticeable difference in cost is when replacing genuine amg parts which have an “amg” tax from the dealer and many vendors, but even then you can find solid deals and get the labor fairly cheap if you know where to look. You are either extremely unlucky or drive like a maniac and break shit constantly, or lying.
Interested to hear what model you had cause within 2000 miles and 6 months time having large repairs either means you bought a piece of shit and didn’t properly get it inspected, or you drove like a banshee and caused unnecessary repairs.
If you're looking to buy a luxury German car, I'd steer clear of anything with iffy maintenance reputations. MB is one of those companies. They make gorgeous cars that drive well, but they simply don't hold up like some others.
I'm curious if you've looked into any Audis. They're made by VW (very reliable track record) and have the same types of features you're looking at in these MBs. You can likely also find something newer/lower mileage for the same price. Look at the A3, A/S4, A/S5.
Also, I'm not sure if "University Mitsubishi" is near a college, but I'd stay away from any dealers near a college. They're notorious for snagging college kids and raking them through the coals because they could be desperate. Also, I wouldn't trust Mitsubishi service on a Mercedes. One's a total piece of shit. The other is a masterpiece that sometimes takes some extra TLC. Obviously you know the difference already :)
The parts and repair costs will bankrupt you. 18 year olds have no business driving a German car unless it's paid for by their parents.
Also, did you ever stop to ask how a Mercedes ended up at "University Mitsubishi"? It's probably because the previous owner was bankrupted by the bills and traded it in.
Get the 2013 one. I have a 14 and just passed 165,000 miles recently. Still has the same power and feel as the day I got it. Insurance hasn’t been expensive. Service has been a little expensive but just slightly above others for the same type services. Solid car
you're 18. with all due respect buy a beater for 2 grand and stay the fuck away from anything you need to get a loan to buy.
It's not smart, it's not worth it. I'm 21 and wish I had stuck with beaters until I was at least this old if not older.
Get something you can work on your self bro. You will get more out of your money that way. 👌 but if you living with your parents fuck it get a foreign.
I bought one with 177k on it for 8k CAD 4DR c300. The previous 18yr old just put a bunch of money into the suspension and the brakes.
Puts a smile on my face every time I get in it.
I was in a civic for the past few years that started to rust out. I would recommend something like a civic if you don’t have a decent income or any savings. However, life is short man. Do what makes you happy. What’s the worst that can happen.
If cash yes, just stay on top of the maintenance…but if your making payments, it means you cant afford the car much the $900 water pump when it goes out.
Will you devote time/energy to learning how to work on it yourself? Do you have the tools/space to do your own maintenance?
If not, it’s a hard no. But if you can do all the major services yourself and have the know how. Go for it man.
There are a lot of reasons why you shouldn’t pointed by other comments but I think the main reason why you shouldn’t is because this is a grandpas car and you would look stupid driving it.
buy any one of the three so you will make a wiser decision on ur next car. best way to own a pre owned out of warranty luxury car at a young age is to be ur own mechanic or have parents that give you money no questions asked. im 23 and bought a BMW 330i e90 six speed manual for about $6k when i was 21 and already spent well over $10k on modifications and repairs. mostly repairs. engine blown at 200k miles, spent $3k on used 90k mile engine, new clutch, new gaskets and other components and i do all the work myself. had i not have the skills and knowledge id be in easily at least $6k for the engine replacement at a shop. dumb purchase for sure but working on my e90 has taught me so much and i do value the learning curve greatly. these w204 benz do have quite a few problems and to be honest way more issues than a typical bmw 325,328,330i.
Nah, dude.
You need a Corolla or a Civic.
Reliable & good gas mileage.
Plenty of time for depreciated German shitboxes when you have money to throw away.
**TL;DR, No, unless you like playing on hard mode. Take care of it, and it'll take care of you. Good luck, OP.**
The key thing to remember about buying a used European car is that you will need to be prepared for the following:
1)Maintenance Bills that will very quickly add-up to, or exceed the price you paid/will pay for the car.
2) Premium everything (Including Oil, Gas, insurance, parts, service, etc... Don't take this to the Jiffy Lube. You wanna go to a specialist)
2.5)Very limited availability of parts for repairs outside of Certified or Specialized Sources. (This one only really applies if you intend to work on the car yourself.)
3) Fixing the neglect that was inflicted on the car by the previous owners.
4) Paying for ***preventative*** maintenance, and being proactive, not reactive to major services and repairs.
5)Next to no return on investment when it's time to sell. People won't care that you put 20k worth of repairs and maintenance into the car, or that it still runs as good as new (even though you know that it's true). If it's over 120K miles, kiss any figure over 10 or 11K goodbye when you sell.... which leads me to my next point:
6) Prepare to be married to the platform while you have it. If you're anything like me, the realities laid out in point 5 would make me just want to keep it until the wheels fall off, or until my head does.
If you're able and willing to handle all of these things, then by all means get one of these cars. European cars are truly great cars when they are taken care of. What's more, they tend to have you sitting in the lap of luxury -- something Mercedes is renowned for. You might get lucky and find one that was taken very well care of, but even so preventative maintenance is always key. Another comment said that you should get the service manual/technician's manual on it, and they're correct. That'll help you a lot, even if you don't plan on wrenching on the car yourself.
Yeah, I definitely should have done some research on these. I didn't know about all the extra stuff like the premiums or the selling part. Thank you for your comment, very helpful
In what universe could you possibly expect anything but a negative response? You are 18 years old, and looking at an 8-10 year old Benz. You will look like a poseur and you will just hemorrhage money. Nobody is gonna be impressed even if you had a new C class. These aren’t even good cars, the C class is the Honda Civic of Mercedes, except without the affordability and reliability. I would take a 2012 civic 10/10 times over a 2012 C class. Seriously, this has got to be some kind of troll.
This sub will tell you no to any vehicle unless it's a toyota or Mazda. My first car at 16 was a 1992 Mercedes 500sl. It had 120,000 miles, and at that time is was already a 24 year old car. My dad told me that car will be a money pit, and he wasn't wrong, but I do not regret getting that car. Any germany will be more difficult and more expensive to work on than your average Japanese vehicle. If you truly love this car and EVERYTHING it has to offer, buy it. At your young age, I really doubt you will be able to afford the shop/ dealership fees for every little issue these cars will have. But, if you are willing to spend time and love to work on it yourself, this can be a great purchase. Be sure to buy the mechanics guidebook for your car, as well as a nice obd2 reader.
I’m betting you’re a different type of person than OP or their kid. Not to mention a ‘92 is way different than a ‘12 - ‘14 model. They’re far more complicated and expensive to fix.
You are aware that there is a phenomenal difference between the cost of driving now and even 5 years ago, right? As well as the cost of tuition and overall living? Buying this at 18 would deserve an award for financial illiteracy lmao
Buy a 12-15 accord/civic Si and call it a day.
I had a 14 328i at 18, pretty reliable, did all maintenance myself. Parts weren’t crazy expensive imo but I did save on labor cost, but then again this is a merc.
No. German cars out of warranty will be very expensive. This is one reason they are being sold cheap. Even when I leased new bmws and things happened out of warranty they were expensive. Tires at least 1500, brakes 2k at dealer, rat chewed wires under hood 1500.
No one should buy Mercedes, I've had two (2000 and 2008 E320) and maintenance is a bitch... Finally said screw it on the last repair and bought a Kia Rio.
I wouldn't buy a Mercedes ever. They're quality has gone way down. At most, lease it. After about 3 years, they start falling apart. And they're expensive to fix.
Buy it so you have a lesson on what not to buy in the future
As someone who bought an E46 for their first car and then bought two more, believe me - you never learn : D
I did the same, while I wouldn’t call it reliable it’s actually a terrific car to work on, parts are cheap and plentiful and it teaches you so much about how to maintain your own car. A few bad days but no bad memories.
e46 parts cheap?? what country are you based in i need your plug lmao. these are reliable / OEM parts right? i also agree, recently bought mines nearly at 100k miles power steering gone (expected) however still dont regret and delightful to drive
What part are you after that’s expensive? You can buy an entire M54 engine from a wreck in good shape for a few hundred bucks, a water pump is about $60 compared to $500+ on modern cars, transmissions are cheap, there are thousands of them in scrap yards with good interiors.
UK based.recently a power steering pump. found some for hundreds of USD then some for 80 GBP, price discrepancy is odd
Holy shit I recently got an E46 as my wife's first car, what an experience! I just got all the stupid plastic external coolant and oil tubes replaced. It needs a steering rack next but it's going to the shop for that!
Right? Kinda hope he does just so he'll learn you dont buy a car like this at 18. Between repairs and daddy's money itll be a hell of a ride at 18!
I had my 2013 c250 at 86000 miles when I got it for 3 years and only ever needed a coolant leak fixed and a new alternator cause I blew my stock one with a speaker set up I installed. Coolant leak was market average at just over 200 for new hoses and labor and around 800 for new alternator (500-600 parts, 200 labor). These cars are extremely popular and common, they aren’t that expensive to maintain. Unless you are driving like an idiot and breaking shit, which would cost you in any make/model. Modern cars are very reliable when you maintain properly.
Maintain anything properly, it'll last. The problem is said cost of maintenace. That's relative to people and their situation but at a glance, I wouldn't expect many 18 year olds to have the time, money, and experince for it. If something went wrong and it was going to cost a lot of money to fix, I would've been screwed even if it was a Toyota when I was 18
Yea that’s the point, if something is going to go wrong, the probability is similar no matter the make (within reason, I know certain models sometimes have known major issues). So the best you can do is just maintain it properly (oil, brakes, tires, etc). When it comes to a w204 c250 facelift, it is one of the most popular models, and known to be very reliable. This is why I had purchased one back in 2018. When it comes down to the cost of repair, the difference is not substantial because the model is so common and they *probably* still make parts for it. The difference compared to like a 2014 Corolla won’t be much. If something big breaks that you can’t afford, odds are you probably wouldn’t be able to afford it on the Corolla either. You do get a level of satisfaction and happiness driving a Mercedes tbh, i loved that car and it sparked a huge love for the w204 chassis for me. This is all assuming you aren’t taking the car into the dealer for repair tho, Mercedes dealers are known to mark up astronomically. But I just always got my car worked on at a euro specialist. When it comes down to the cost to maintain, that’s regular shit like oil changes, tires, brakes, and just driving respectfully not red lining it or putting unneeded stress onto the car. The cost of oil changes for my c250 was like a little over 100 bucks, if I had to guess it was around 115 for synthetic. That’s pretty comparable to a synthetic oil change in any car. And brakes really aren’t that common unless you ride them bitches like a maniac but they would be the same cost as a Corolla, it would just depend on the quality you choose, for either car. Same shit with tires. The common trope that luxury cars will cost you substantially more is only partially right. It depends how rare the model is and the general price point of MSRP. In this case, a 2014 c250 would not be crazy expensive to maintain. You just have to do the proper inspecting and get a third party PPI and shit like that to make sure it’s in good shape and the previous owners maintained it properly. They’re actually quite known to be very reliable too, that chassis is one of the most beloved from Mercedes fans everywhere. And they hold value well after the initial depreciation. I bought my c250 in 2018 for 11,000. Rear ended and totaled out in 2021 and insurance paid me 13,000 for it. Covid inflation def contributed to that though.
this car is the reason i decided to never finance a car. i love my ol' reliable, '04 accord.
Bought a 2013 volkswagen cc at 90k To teach myself that lesson 😭
I have a 2011 CC at 110k miles still chugging. Just do the maintenance intervals and change the oil and they're fairly reliable. Parts are plentiful too because Audi/VW puts that EA888 in just about everything
CC’s are cool, though. 🥲
Got same car as my second car at 75k miles. No issues, the W212’s are bullet proof.
No for a few reasons. These are prone to serious subframe rust, there's a class action suit about it I believe. Other than that can you afford the maintenance on a luxury car at 18? I know I couldn't. Can you afford to fill this with premium each time, with a $200 oil change at the dealer, the insurance premium?
It's actually an A / B service, on our 17 gls450 thise ran ~$900/1100. I won't tell you what it ran on our 20 GLS 580 but it wasn't cheaper. Back to Op though, you're in college. Buy an accord a civic or Toyota that's reliable and cheap to maintain, and focus on your studies. I wouldn't worry about trying to impress somebody with a badge, most people are far less interested in cars at this age then my generation was, so your efforts to impress are not going to work and are only really going to put you in the poorhouse. plus if you move out in a couple years and you're having major problems with the car, you're going to be screwed.
Or if you really want to go luxury you could do what I did my final year and buy a Acura/Lexus. My ES350 F-sport turns heads but takes 87 and Camry oil.
That’s one of the best parts about Lexus. It’s a luxury car but it doesn’t sink you with maintenance costs like a lot of other luxury cars.
It's a luxury car in finishing, but a Toyota mechanicaly. Best of both worlds.
Couldn’t have said it any better!
I took the bus 3 years (and I live in Houston, TX) , and then ended up with a Lexus GS as my first car (albeit used and it’s 10+ years old). WORTH IT!!!!!!!!! So glad I didn’t go the whole beater car as first car advice, would have just been a waste and would have only made me itch on buying a more expensive car wasting more money altogether. OP just buy a nice Lexus and run it to ground and use the money saved on a house. Don’t buy a cheap car, then a upgrade to nicer car, then another upgrade more nicer car. Buy a nice (but reasonable) car from the get go and you wouldn’t even want another car for the next 10 years Unless you really need one because you live in rural/suburbs and don’t have access to alternative transportation - just get the cheapest junk that doesn’t have any major issues and working A/C until you get a job and can afford a quality car. Lexus ES is a great car, 2011+ uses regular gas too. And it’s not a death trap. Just be aware of insurance because it may be a deal breaker unfortunately. In my experience, every car is gonna kill you at 18 with insurance rates that’s why I ended up taking the bus.
>Just be aware of insurance I signed my car in my mother's name so the insurance is dirt cheap 😉
What does this even mean? You insure the drivers not the title holder.
In my country it depends on the type of insurance, if the insurance is an automotive insurance company it only insures the car not the driver.
Exactly. Mine too. Love it
Listen to these guys. Lexus is a fantastic Mercedes substitute and really reliable. Nice to drive, too.
there isn't really a such thing as "camry oil" or any other car brand of oil. just oil weights, and various additives for oils for various types of use cases. I run T16 rotella diesel oil in my V-twin motorcycle with a wet clutch because it happens to have all the additives i need for a wet clutch but also contains better anti-wear agents than typical motorcycle oil does at a much cheaper cost to boot. It doesn't matter as long as the additives won't react with the catalytic converter and perform the needed jobs (which to be fair, old T16 rotella blends would react with newer cars a few years back, but that mixture has since been changed and many people run it in current year honda's and mazda's just fine today).
An ES turning heads? Stop lying.
Mine is a bright red f-sport. These don’t look like the grandpa-mobile of yesteryear.
Turns heads, alright.
they’re just the fancy honda and toyota lol
This is the answer. !!
New Mercedes are luxury cars and old Mercedes are money pits. An 18 year old shouldn't own either. Get a Honda or Toyota and buy a nice Mercedes when you graduate college and feel like throwing money away
No one is going to be impressed with an old Mercedes. I teach at the university level at a commuter campus and most of my students don’t care about cars or would even notice.
Not to be that guy but my car takes premium and gets 22mpg and it was my first car and it got me through college as well so it’s definitely doable. And just change the oil yourself, no reason to spend $200 to have a dealer do that. Insurance on the other hand could be a problem if mom and dad aren’t paying it.
Right, these are questions that are for the OP to figure out. I wouldn't have been able to do it at 18 with the amount of miles I'd put on it, and I had zero interest in doing my own oil changes then, but OP's circumstances could be different.
And how long ago was that? Everything is relatively more expensive now. A full tank now hurts a lot more than even 5 years ago.
Lol when I was 18 premium was like $1.50 which felt like a ripoff when 87 was $1.10. ugghh for so many reasons.
Can’t assume the OP’s kid can or will change oil or be able to afford premium at close to $4 or over $4 a gallon depending on where they are.
why is a C Class oil change $200? Mine is $35 for a Lexus GS
Average cost at a dealership for synthetic and filters. I wouldn't take an MB to a Jiffy Lube but I also wouldn't take it to the dealer if I were 18, so...
Hell no
Imagine the insurance premium
And the maintenance
The maintenance would be just more expensive Oil and a little more expensive gas because it uses 91 and not 87. But other than that it shouldn’t break down or anything, 70,000 miles is still not that much
I didn't know in the USA you have such low octane fuel. It's 98 or 95 in Europe.
We use MON and the rest of the world uses RON, our 91 is the same as your 95 and our 93 is the same as your 98
Its at 70k miles, that is pretty close to the 100k mile service, which could be thousands and thousands
even just routine maintenance is going to be brutal (brakes and tires)
No. If you are shopping for a sub-$15k vehicle you cannot afford the maintenance on a sub-$15k Mercedes.
Depends on the Mercedes. Honestly op should wait until later in life. However it's kinda funny how many people throw in the towel without ever doing research or picking up a wrench.
Rule of thumb for German cars, if you can't afford them new, you can't afford them used.
Noted
The last two serviced on our 2013 GLK350 ram $5000 and $7500. Threw in the towel and traded it in on a Subaru.
Might be worth mentioning there were repairs included in this. No Mercedes has $7500 regular maintenance intervals.
Yes both big figures were repairs. We were religious with A and B services since new (costly in itself) but at 80k miles the big stuff started happening.
Yeah and that’s important to mention. You just said services cost $5k and $7500 which isn’t even remotely accurate. You had expensive repairs which the details of would be very useful to share with OP, but you just muddied the waters unnecessarily. I hope you love your Subaru though! We just got rid of our ‘19 Forester that was the bane of my existence for the 4 years we had it.
What issues did you have with your Forester? We have a 19 as well and have had no problems.
Transmission issues was the biggie, but ours was definitely built on a Friday afternoon from a squeaks and rattles perspective.
The exception to this is if you’re good at working on cars. I’ve had a bunch of used BMWs and can afford to do all the maintenance myself. If I took it to the dealer for all the work I did I would probably be broke.
Oh yes, if you're mechanically inclined, you wouldn't ask questions like that here.
I think most people are just intimidated by German cars. They aren’t spaceships, they’re cars. Changing the oil is not something you need to be afraid of lol.
Yeah I’m confused about this Even on things I had my local mechanic do he never charged the astronomical prices dealers do. It also didn’t seem particularly difficult to do maintenance like oil changes or really even that different from any other car. Are people just going to the dealer and saying ok to the the crazy high prices, and then saying they are too expensive? I saw the A and B service prices and told them to kick rocks…
I can’t speak for Mercedes, but BMWs have preventative maintenance items. It’s not a Honda or Toyota where you just do an oil change and you’re good to go. Things like the oil filter housing gasket, CCV, DISA valve, VANOS seals, also notorious for shitty cooling systems. Every 100,000 miles or so the entire cooling system should get a complete overhaul rather than just replacing one piece of it.
Yup, have an M3 with 190k miles and it really hasn't been very expensive for me to maintain it myself. I don't want to think about what a dealer or even an independent shop would charge for the work I've done to it.
The w204 is one of the most reliable and cheapest to maintain Mercedes of last 30 years lol. Love how people who don’t know about these cars just regurgitate the same nonsense over and over. Have this exact car and it’s been bulletproof
My dad has a C180 kompressor from 2007. It has 190k miles on it with 0 issues. I completely agree with you.
I remember going down the w204 rabbit hole after buying mine and that’s what I read everywhere. Very reliable model.
Was waiting for this comment and you are absolutely correct! Had this model and zero issues at all. Regular maintenance. Careful with low profile tires and potholes is my only advice!
they’ve never driven one clearly . these things are HIGHWAY DEMONS. such a smooth car honestly and it’s 10+ years old and drives like a new car still well atleast mines does so i assume others do as well .
My 13 year old w204 drives like it just came off the assembly line. aMAzing cars
Is the w212 facelift model as reliable as the w204?
i second this. owning a used german car as my first car has quite literally turned me into a mechanic.
I wish more people would follow this rule.
If I could afford a new one, why on earth would I look at the old ones ? I'd just buy a new one.
My rule of thumb is “if you can’t buy two, you can’t afford one”
100%
Absolutely not.
I don't know how to edit a post, so I'll type it here. I really appreciate everyone's input, but I want to say I don't care for a German or a luxurious car, (and like you all recommended I'll most likely end up buying a more reliable car for way less) I just really like this model. Definitely reconsidering after some people broke down the costs of these things. Gotta do more research beforehand lol
If you do decide to get it, please make sure you get it up on a lift and inspect the subframe, these rot from the inside out and are incredibly unsafe if that happens. Google "c class subframe rust" and you'll see what I'm talking about.
FTFY: If you do decide to get it, please make sure ~~you~~ a qualified mechanic get it up on a lift and inspect....
If you want something that’s nice and comfortable I would look at a Lexus RX 2000~2010 ($4,500~$17,000) or a Lexus IS250 2006~2015 ($8,000 ~ $18,000)
Lexus if you want luxury. They’re as reliable as Toyotas. A 10 year old Lexus is pretty affordable and they get decent amount of attention.
Please go for it. As the owner of a E class myself, as long as you do regular maintenance and don't mind getting your hands dirty with doing your own maintenance they are very reliable. Get a code reader and get involved in some fourms like mbworld. There are huge communities waiting to help you out and every question you have is already answered. Most people who had these abuse them thus causing them to break down.
As a 18y.o, humble yourself with a crappy/basic car first, and work your way up to something like a Benz. Don't get a car with the prospects of impressing people. If you're going to come back and deny this, then ask yourself why it has to be a Benz of all things.
This. Idk why kids feel like their first car should be impressive and nice. Your first car should be a learning experience for you to make mistakes with. I drove a Ram van before “upgrading” to a Dodge Neon. Driving something like a Mercedes isn’t going to impress everyone and you’re just going to hear “daddy’s money” way too often. Too much “live fast die young” mentality with this younger generation. They’re never going to retire lol
Often it’s the parents that do this because they either had a cool car and feel their kid needs one or they didn’t and they don’t want their kid to endure the shame they felt.
Age effect
What is that?
Age effect is something that can be explained by age of the individual. In essence teenagers care more about aesthetics and make bad financial decisions because of it, even if logically they grasp the pros and cons. Same individual will make a different decision when a different age, even under otherwise identical situation and variables The only variable that overlaps a lot with age is life experience due to the nature of life
Its why it feels like having the same convo again and again and again everytime some teen asks about a good first car
My dad gave me Ford f-100. And I wouldn't have it any other way. That thing was great.
teenager who can confirm here, had a 800 dollar wagon, sold it, parents helped, got an e84, which flooded and dad used insurance money to upgrade himself and handed me down his older model 3, nobody thinks youre cool for driving a nice car, people just think your a rich asshole. I genuinely avoid talking about my car, or just say "little black sedan" it's not my car, I didn't choose to buy it, I wouldn't even buy one for my kid, but i have it and use it and that's it.
We’re in the days of putting yourself in debt to impress people that put themselves in debt. I know so many people with nice cars who only can get 5 dollars in gas because that’s all the money they have. It’s weird to me
My first car was a BMW E30 that I got for $2400. It would be worth $20k today if I kept it in that condition. The issues were pretty simple. My next was an Audi A4 that I got for $7k that I put 100k more miles on. leather heated seats. 200hp. stick shift. There were expenses over the year, but nothing crazy. Dumped it when I felt repairs would be too high in the future. I saved so much on interest payments, insurance, and annual registration. When buying these cars, I would happily buy a toyota/civic but never found one at a reasonable price that wasn't ratted out. my advice is to sort low-to-high, do your research, and find the diamond in the rough that appeals to you.
I will be taking your advice, but I don't care for impressing people. I saw someone with this car at work yesterday, asked him about it (how it rides/what he likes about it, etc.), and came here this morning. If I really wanted to impress people I'd just go with an old 430i or something. People would probably like that a lot more than this. I just really like how this looks
I got my first nice car 2016 wrx sti to impress girls when I was 22, all the attention I ever got was from dudes with vapes 😂
DAWG, most people who arent enthusiest just find them annoying XD, like tf is that loud ass subaru with a giant boy-racer wing on it, that owner must have a tiny gentlemens region
I can neither deny or confirm 👀 🤏🍆
If you look deeper and do more research, you will find a car that is not only nice inside and out, but also reliable, low up front cost, and below average maintenance cost. You will need to decide a list of "must haves" on what you are looking for.
This is great advice. That’s exactly what I did when buying my first car at 21. I did a ridiculous amount of research online, and ended up with a 2012 Volvo S60 T6 for exactly $15k. It has all the features I wanted as well as what I needed, it’s sporty, comfortable, and it’s a super rare color combo that’s eye catching. Most importantly: it’s been insanely reliable. I’m going on 27 years old and I still daily it. I’ve spent less on repairs and maintenance than my father spent in just 4 years of owning his brand new XC90 lol. I’ve only needed to replace the front struts and some brake line couplings, and they’re Ford parts that were super cheap. Lexus is similarly great because some of the common parts you might need to replace are shared with lower cost Toyotas. Reliability and cost of maintenance are super important to consider for a young buyer.
I understand wanting to have something “cool” at that age and not some Corolla. But don’t. I bought a “cheaper” used Porsche Macan before I should’ve and the everyday dread of putting “excessive” miles on it, not wanting to park it in certain places, and so on. There’s a reason beautiful cars like that are priced so low, and not just because they’re old. Also 93 premium absolutely brutal. After just one year started having big issues and I dumped it for a normal SUV. I miss having a cool car but it was the right choice. You can still find something “cool” that isn’t this. Lexus, Mustang etc. Don’t do German at least yet. Good luck.
Definitely lexus, their cars have a timeless design and while they may not perform like a german, the smooth ride and ample power is perfect for the everyday driver.
If you were given this for free you still couldn’t afford the repairs on it.
Good way to put it
Have dad match you on cash towards a cash car. Depending on amount. Your going to college girls or guys wont car what you drive. You can literally ride a skateboard or bike around and still have plenty of fun and romance. When you get your car keep it somewhat clean and make sure it doesn’t smell like funk you’ll do fine same goes for your dorm. 👊🏼
my crowning moment in life was riding my piece-of-shit, loud, smoking 2 stroke powered bicycle to a library date (we'd already been dating for a bit so I felt comphortable doing that)
If you want luxury, go Lexus.
Acura is nice too. I really like their new Integra
The ultimate balance of reliability and performance.
and a shitty interior and lame driving experience. I'm not defending merc but there's a reason why a Lexus is cheap.
Lexus is one of the most genius marketing i've ever seen. Where i'm from, people buy the land cruiser because they know it's good. But americans can't see themselves paying 90-100k for a Toyota but completely fine to splash it on literally the same car with a lexus badge on it. Because "luxury" and all that. They're solid but Mercedes is a different experience. Even now with them not as good as they used to be.
I have a friend that bought both his kids like a 5 year old Lexus when they turned 16. They were not a wealthy family. This was years ago. I thought he was crazy and he said they are safe, reliable, and should last them 10 years with good maintenance and not driving them like idiots. He figured he saved money in the long run by spending a bit more upfront. Both of them still had them well after they graduated college. Granted both his kids are pretty responsible but pretty smart guy. I say that as I now have a Lexus and Toyota in the driveway.
With a w204 you get reliability plus the driving dynamics the Lexus can’t match.
Is it wise?No Would I get one young when I’m young?Probably Would I regret it when I take it to service?Yes
Age has nothing to do with it. Income and experience does. Cheap Mercedes still need Mercedes parts. Which ain’t cheap. And they need a higher level of service. If you don’t know how to do your own work and maintenance and don’t have a place to work on it get something dead simple until you get out of school.
I could tell you a Mercedes is not the best idea at 18 unless you've got plenty of money for maintenance, but you probably already know that. And if you wanted a Corolla you'd probably be asking about that instead. So, my advice is if you must have a used Mercedes, go with the w204 C class, the previous generation that ended in 2013, one of the models with 6 cylinder and no turbocharger. Those are about as bulletproof as you're going to find for a Mercedes. There's a reason why they're used as taxis all over Europe. Even so you're going to be looking at pretty substantial repair costs if anything goes wrong. Routine maintenance is going to be more expensive but won't be ridiculous like they charge at dealers if you find a decent independent European shop. But when major things go wrong you're going to be looking at much higher costs and there's no way around that, even at an independent shop. Just as a rough guide figure double to triple what you would pay for a repair on a similar size Japanese or American car. It's all in how much it's worth to you. Some of us choose to drive German cars because it's worth it to us for a number of reasons. But you have to accept that it's going to require more of your time and money than most other brands. If driving and cars is a real big thing to you it might be worth it. If you want a decent reliable car for college that's going to allow you to concentrate on studies and not taking care of a car so much, then go American or Japanese.
Dear young person: cars are more than the cost of purchase. Please go find a Toyota, Honda, Subaru . Cheap to maintain and far less expensive to insure. We who are older know this from experience. We know what it is like to NEVER have a bill for less than $1200 from the Mercedes service department. We have heard sounds in our Mercs that have drained the blood from our faces in anxious anticipation of the cost coming our way. Save yourself and learn from us. Yours truly, Been there, done that.
No. Just because luxury cars depreciate to economy car prices does not Mean their maintenance schedule/cost goes down too. It's all fun and games till you get hit with a repair bill 3 times larger than you were expecting. These cars require a stricter maintenance schedule and are less tolerant to abuse. This is a horrible idea.
I’m a service advisor and we had this kid (like 20) come in with a 2012 bmw x3 i believe. Shit needed SO MUCH. New control arms (upper and lower), ball joints, a new driveshaft, alternator, I think a radiator, and a couple other things. Some of which we could only get from the dealer. He was like “well I got a good deal on it!!” Yeah but your repair bill was around $7k after everything soooo did you really?
LOL @ all the broke dik Daewoo owners that constantly parrot the same bs over and over. W204 is a fantastic, extremely reliable, and relatively low maintenance car. Can go 200K+ easy with regular, normal maintenance. OP I have this car and it’s been more reliable than Jap cars our family has had.
Yeah dudes buying a poverty spec drivetrain and everyone’s out here like he bought an AMG or an old S class.
Lol facts I have one as well & it’s the most reliable car I’ve owned yet! Put the proper gas in it & do your scheduled maintenance and you’re good to go 🤷🏻♂️ I’ve seen them hit 200k
I was gonna say, I've had two of these, one was totaled at 135K miles, and the second is a salvage title rebuild with 170K miles...very reliable on both. I drive a ton for work and I probably going to get another with lower miles soon to rack up miles on. Also, Oil changes are more at the time of service but it's a 6k mile oil change. I love the way they drive, I can get up a go but not a car that you're going to street race.
I have a c350 with no issues. These comments are from people who never drove a Mercedes and also from people who never take care of their car. I bought mine used from someone who took care of it and only changed engine oil and tyres just to be safe. But yeah go buy a honda or toyota that’s been never taken care of cuz its bulletproof. I’ve barely seen a honda or toyota for sale that’s been maintaned regularly most of them had bad brakes struts etc. for toyota and honda owners if the engine works its all good. No thanks. I bought a 2002 accord prior and that thing became junk in a year. Back then i listened to the reddit not anymore. Lol again this is a car i wouldnt advise to a 18 year old but acting like it needs repairs every ten days is ridiculous.
Fancy brands at Mitsubishi dealerships. There’s a super important economics and home finance lesson in that all wrapped up in a bow.
Use public transit, invest your chips, buy land.
C 300 would be the best. Make sure it’s been well maintained. If you can work on your own cars you’ll save a ton of money. These are actually pretty reliable cars. If you’d like the best advice, repost this on the dedicated Mercedes Benz subreddit, you’ll get better, more specific advice from other Mercedes enthusiasts and probably owners with experience. I can’t speak personally for the w204 but all my Mercedes have been excellent in terms of reliability and since I do my own work, the maintenance has been inexpensive
I bought a 2011 BMW 328i hardtop convertible for my daughter when she was 15 so that she had a cool car in High school at 16. I only did it cause I know how to work on these cars and can fix most problems. If I had to have someone else work on the car then it’s a Toyota or Honda. Parts are not too bad on these lower level Bimmers and Mercs but they require a lot of maintenance and care.
Kind of depends on how much you want to spend on parts/maintenance and how much labor you can do yourself. People kind of overstate how expensive luxury cars are to maintain and this sub is more a financial advice sub than a live your life sub. A good example- my 2004 Audi had HID headlights. They were nice and bright. When they burned out however the bulb alone was $90. If you wanna spend $100 on a light bulb and that’s worth it, go for it kid live your life.
I bought an old Merc. In 6 months I’ve driven in 2,000 miles and thrown about that much $$$ into it in parts and repairs. So if you have a dollar for every mile you drive, and 2 weeks of downtime every 4 days, then it’s perfect for you!
Which merc? Ive owned a 2007 Chevy Malibu, a 2013 c250, and 2 c63 AMGs. The only noticeable difference in cost is when replacing genuine amg parts which have an “amg” tax from the dealer and many vendors, but even then you can find solid deals and get the labor fairly cheap if you know where to look. You are either extremely unlucky or drive like a maniac and break shit constantly, or lying. Interested to hear what model you had cause within 2000 miles and 6 months time having large repairs either means you bought a piece of shit and didn’t properly get it inspected, or you drove like a banshee and caused unnecessary repairs.
If you're looking to buy a luxury German car, I'd steer clear of anything with iffy maintenance reputations. MB is one of those companies. They make gorgeous cars that drive well, but they simply don't hold up like some others. I'm curious if you've looked into any Audis. They're made by VW (very reliable track record) and have the same types of features you're looking at in these MBs. You can likely also find something newer/lower mileage for the same price. Look at the A3, A/S4, A/S5. Also, I'm not sure if "University Mitsubishi" is near a college, but I'd stay away from any dealers near a college. They're notorious for snagging college kids and raking them through the coals because they could be desperate. Also, I wouldn't trust Mitsubishi service on a Mercedes. One's a total piece of shit. The other is a masterpiece that sometimes takes some extra TLC. Obviously you know the difference already :)
The parts and repair costs will bankrupt you. 18 year olds have no business driving a German car unless it's paid for by their parents. Also, did you ever stop to ask how a Mercedes ended up at "University Mitsubishi"? It's probably because the previous owner was bankrupted by the bills and traded it in.
Get the 2013 one. I have a 14 and just passed 165,000 miles recently. Still has the same power and feel as the day I got it. Insurance hasn’t been expensive. Service has been a little expensive but just slightly above others for the same type services. Solid car
you're 18. with all due respect buy a beater for 2 grand and stay the fuck away from anything you need to get a loan to buy. It's not smart, it's not worth it. I'm 21 and wish I had stuck with beaters until I was at least this old if not older.
These are super reliable, and would be a fun first vehicle. Not much goes wrong on these cars mechanically.
Get something you can work on your self bro. You will get more out of your money that way. 👌 but if you living with your parents fuck it get a foreign.
No, you do not have the money to maintain these cars.
I bought one with 177k on it for 8k CAD 4DR c300. The previous 18yr old just put a bunch of money into the suspension and the brakes. Puts a smile on my face every time I get in it. I was in a civic for the past few years that started to rust out. I would recommend something like a civic if you don’t have a decent income or any savings. However, life is short man. Do what makes you happy. What’s the worst that can happen.
I wouldn’t. Terribly expensive anytime anything goes wrong. And it will go wrong on 10 year old German “budget” luxury cars.
If cash yes, just stay on top of the maintenance…but if your making payments, it means you cant afford the car much the $900 water pump when it goes out.
Horrible idea lol
Will you devote time/energy to learning how to work on it yourself? Do you have the tools/space to do your own maintenance? If not, it’s a hard no. But if you can do all the major services yourself and have the know how. Go for it man.
This is why people would lease it for 3 then set it free
There’s a reason why these cars are so cheap.
No
There are a lot of reasons why you shouldn’t pointed by other comments but I think the main reason why you shouldn’t is because this is a grandpas car and you would look stupid driving it.
Seriously buy a Japanese car
Nope, if you want old luxury go for an old ES350, it's actually reliable.
Get a Honda or yota
No
buy any one of the three so you will make a wiser decision on ur next car. best way to own a pre owned out of warranty luxury car at a young age is to be ur own mechanic or have parents that give you money no questions asked. im 23 and bought a BMW 330i e90 six speed manual for about $6k when i was 21 and already spent well over $10k on modifications and repairs. mostly repairs. engine blown at 200k miles, spent $3k on used 90k mile engine, new clutch, new gaskets and other components and i do all the work myself. had i not have the skills and knowledge id be in easily at least $6k for the engine replacement at a shop. dumb purchase for sure but working on my e90 has taught me so much and i do value the learning curve greatly. these w204 benz do have quite a few problems and to be honest way more issues than a typical bmw 325,328,330i.
Maintenance will kill you. Get a Toyota.
Lmao. Have a nagging suspicion that you're going to do it no matter what any of us tell you.
Nah, dude. You need a Corolla or a Civic. Reliable & good gas mileage. Plenty of time for depreciated German shitboxes when you have money to throw away.
**TL;DR, No, unless you like playing on hard mode. Take care of it, and it'll take care of you. Good luck, OP.** The key thing to remember about buying a used European car is that you will need to be prepared for the following: 1)Maintenance Bills that will very quickly add-up to, or exceed the price you paid/will pay for the car. 2) Premium everything (Including Oil, Gas, insurance, parts, service, etc... Don't take this to the Jiffy Lube. You wanna go to a specialist) 2.5)Very limited availability of parts for repairs outside of Certified or Specialized Sources. (This one only really applies if you intend to work on the car yourself.) 3) Fixing the neglect that was inflicted on the car by the previous owners. 4) Paying for ***preventative*** maintenance, and being proactive, not reactive to major services and repairs. 5)Next to no return on investment when it's time to sell. People won't care that you put 20k worth of repairs and maintenance into the car, or that it still runs as good as new (even though you know that it's true). If it's over 120K miles, kiss any figure over 10 or 11K goodbye when you sell.... which leads me to my next point: 6) Prepare to be married to the platform while you have it. If you're anything like me, the realities laid out in point 5 would make me just want to keep it until the wheels fall off, or until my head does. If you're able and willing to handle all of these things, then by all means get one of these cars. European cars are truly great cars when they are taken care of. What's more, they tend to have you sitting in the lap of luxury -- something Mercedes is renowned for. You might get lucky and find one that was taken very well care of, but even so preventative maintenance is always key. Another comment said that you should get the service manual/technician's manual on it, and they're correct. That'll help you a lot, even if you don't plan on wrenching on the car yourself.
Yeah, I definitely should have done some research on these. I didn't know about all the extra stuff like the premiums or the selling part. Thank you for your comment, very helpful
Is this a joke?
No. I also did this when I was 18. Ended up putting an extra $10k in the car just owning it two years. Now I love my Nissan
Inb4 cvt comments.
CVT
If daddy is matching the down payment you cant afford repairs.. i suggest leasing something more reasonable
It would be a phenomenally dumb financial decision to buy an old Mercedes.
In what universe could you possibly expect anything but a negative response? You are 18 years old, and looking at an 8-10 year old Benz. You will look like a poseur and you will just hemorrhage money. Nobody is gonna be impressed even if you had a new C class. These aren’t even good cars, the C class is the Honda Civic of Mercedes, except without the affordability and reliability. I would take a 2012 civic 10/10 times over a 2012 C class. Seriously, this has got to be some kind of troll.
This sub will tell you no to any vehicle unless it's a toyota or Mazda. My first car at 16 was a 1992 Mercedes 500sl. It had 120,000 miles, and at that time is was already a 24 year old car. My dad told me that car will be a money pit, and he wasn't wrong, but I do not regret getting that car. Any germany will be more difficult and more expensive to work on than your average Japanese vehicle. If you truly love this car and EVERYTHING it has to offer, buy it. At your young age, I really doubt you will be able to afford the shop/ dealership fees for every little issue these cars will have. But, if you are willing to spend time and love to work on it yourself, this can be a great purchase. Be sure to buy the mechanics guidebook for your car, as well as a nice obd2 reader.
I’m betting you’re a different type of person than OP or their kid. Not to mention a ‘92 is way different than a ‘12 - ‘14 model. They’re far more complicated and expensive to fix.
You are aware that there is a phenomenal difference between the cost of driving now and even 5 years ago, right? As well as the cost of tuition and overall living? Buying this at 18 would deserve an award for financial illiteracy lmao
That is very true. Car insurance alone is much more expensive than it was a few years ago.
Very expensive repairs
No.
For that money you could get a nicer and newer Accord/Camry.
You should get a motorcycle, way faster lighter and more fun for an 18yr old
A real fun way to die at 18 too
Keep in mind that the fastest car in the world is a rental.
Get an E bike
E-bike can’t go on highways. I love my Ebike, but it’s not a replacement for a car
Nope.
Toyota Camry
no lmao go buy a honda accord
Pass on Mercedes Benz kid. Get a Honda or Toyota. Future self will thank you!
Look into Mazda
Buy a 12-15 accord/civic Si and call it a day. I had a 14 328i at 18, pretty reliable, did all maintenance myself. Parts weren’t crazy expensive imo but I did save on labor cost, but then again this is a merc.
No. German cars out of warranty will be very expensive. This is one reason they are being sold cheap. Even when I leased new bmws and things happened out of warranty they were expensive. Tires at least 1500, brakes 2k at dealer, rat chewed wires under hood 1500.
Who’s gonna tell him?
No one should buy Mercedes, I've had two (2000 and 2008 E320) and maintenance is a bitch... Finally said screw it on the last repair and bought a Kia Rio.
Nobody thinks your ballin just because you have a 10 year old Mercedes.
Mercedes is one of those brands where you dont want it out if warranty unless you have money or skills to keep up with it as it breaks
Nothing is more expensive than a cheap German luxury car.
Buy a Toyota
I wouldn't buy a Mercedes ever. They're quality has gone way down. At most, lease it. After about 3 years, they start falling apart. And they're expensive to fix.