[SPAM] Re: [R129 SL] Car folks stuff...
gregoiro@weststargroup.net
r129list@mbcoupes.com
Mon, 12 Jul 2004 09:39:13 -0700
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Mike;
Thanks so much for the information! I know it seems trivial with all =
the crap going on the world, but being a real car nut, I stress over =
whether it is the smartest thing to put money into something with a lot =
of miles. I know Mercedes are bullet-proof cars - escpecially the V-8s. =
I have a 400E in virtually show room condtion that has $120K miles on it =
- no leaks, no rattles, and it runs like a dream. And it has hardly =
needed any work done to it . I did put a new tranny in at about 95K =
miles, but other than maintenance things it's been cheap to own. But I =
keep thinking maybe I should sell it while the mileage is still =
"reasonable". =20
I bought my 500SL from a guy on E-bay who kind of misrepresented the =
conditon. I paid $18K for it, and it needs about $3500- to bring it to =
top condition (paint, repair convertible top, wood refinishing, soem =
interior bits, etc). and I already put about $1200 into the engine. But =
it now it runs beautifully. I've seen a few around town withlow miles =
(about 50K) for about the same money as I would have invested in mine =
when done. Decisions, decisions. My wife says I spend too much time =
thinking about all this. Jay Leno says that it should be a law that all =
guys have to lose money on their cars so as to take all the pressue off =
of us for doing so!
Anyway, great talking with you - your 600 sounds incredible and you =
really have some wonderful cars. Keep in touch and thanks again.
Cheers,
Greg in West Hills, CA
=20
----- Original Message -----=20
From: Alvamike@aol.com=20
To: r129list@mbcoupes.com=20
Sent: Monday, July 12, 2004 6:49 AM
Subject: [SPAM] Re: [R129 SL] Car folks stuff...
GC and all,
I have been driving high mileage Mercedes for 25 years now. I usually =
buy them in the 100k to 150k mile range and drive them for another 100k =
miles or more. I have done this numerous times and have believed that I =
have the same amount of money "invested" in the Mercedes as I would have =
in a somewhat younger or perhaps new American car. I know the Mercedes =
is a safer and better drive as I do a lot of driving. =20
The rule I have lived with is that the Mercedes depreciates at a rate =
of half in 6 years with normal driving of 15-20k per year. This half =
life continues until you reach the point where condition and age dictate =
the value. I have driven a few beyond 300 k miles with no engine or =
trans problems. I like to maintain the cars myself and have had pretty =
good luck with them. They do require some repairs but nothing like a =
BMW. I have tried a few of them and they are EXPENSIVE. I had to sell =
them to stop the bleeding. =20
I recently bought the 600 SEL with 39,000 miles on it and it was 10 =
years old. It sold for $25,000. It originally cost $135,000. I =
believe that comes out to $2.82/ mile for the car. THAT IS EXPENSIVE. =
This was the newest and lowest mile Mercedes I hav ever or probably will =
ever own. It was a great deal from a Mercedes dealer who was scared of =
the 600 and its serviceablity. He wanted to sell it and NEVER see it =
again. I have learned a lot about the car and believe I am on the way =
to understanding how to make it a happy car once it ever gets sick. =
Some minor problems have been solved reasonably with a lot of help from =
Alldata.
I vote for buying the 10 year old Mercedes with lowish miles, like =
100k, and driving it another 100 k miles. That is a lot cheaper than =
going the new or near new route.
Last year I bought my 91 300SL for $10k. It needed a lot of little =
things but drove well. It has bit me a couple of times but I still have =
only $13k in it. It is perfect now. It has 150k miles and I can drive =
it for a long time and a bunch of miles and still get most of my money =
back out of it. =20
My 2cents.
Mike in Morgantown, PA
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Mike;</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Thanks so much for the =
information! I know it=20
seems trivial with all the crap going on the world, but =
being a=20
real car nut, I stress over whether it is the smartest thing to put =
money into=20
something with a lot of miles. I know Mercedes are bullet-proof =
cars -=20
escpecially the V-8s. I have a 400E in virtually show room condtion that =
has=20
$120K miles on it - no leaks, no rattles, and it runs like a dream. And =
it has=20
hardly needed any work done to it . I did put a new tranny in at =
about 95K=20
miles, but other than maintenance things it's been cheap to own. But I =
keep=20
thinking maybe I should sell it while the mileage is still=20
"reasonable". </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I bought my 500SL from a guy on E-bay =
who kind of=20
misrepresented the conditon. I paid $18K for it, and it needs =
about $3500-=20
to bring it to top condition (paint, repair convertible top, wood =
refinishing,=20
soem interior bits, etc). and I already put about $1200 into the engine. =
But it=20
now it runs beautifully. I've seen a few around town =
withlow=20
miles (about 50K) for about the same money as I would have invested in =
mine when=20
done. Decisions, decisions. My wife says I spend too much time =
thinking=20
about all this. Jay Leno says that it should be a law that all =
guys have=20
to lose money on their cars so as to take all the pressue off of us for =
doing=20
so!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Anyway, great talking with you - your =
600 sounds=20
incredible and you really have some wonderful =
cars. Keep in=20
touch and thanks again.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Cheers,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Greg in West Hills, =
CA</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2> </FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
<A title=3DAlvamike@aol.com =
href=3D"mailto:Alvamike@aol.com">Alvamike@aol.com</A>=20
</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=3Dr129list@mbcoupes.com=20
href=3D"mailto:r129list@mbcoupes.com">r129list@mbcoupes.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Monday, July 12, 2004 =
6:49 AM</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [SPAM] Re: [R129 SL] =
Car folks=20
stuff...</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><FONT face=3Darial,helvetica><FONT lang=3D0 =
face=3DArial size=3D2=20
FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" PTSIZE=3D"10">GC and all,<BR>I have been driving =
high mileage=20
Mercedes for 25 years now. I usually buy them in the 100k to =
150k mile=20
range and drive them for another 100k miles or more. I have done =
this=20
numerous times and have believed that I have the same amount of money=20
"invested" in the Mercedes as I would have in a somewhat younger or =
perhaps=20
new American car. I know the Mercedes is a safer and better =
drive as I=20
do a lot of driving. <BR>The rule I have lived with is that the =
Mercedes=20
depreciates at a rate of half in 6 years with normal driving of 15-20k =
per=20
year. This half life continues until you reach the point where =
condition=20
and age dictate the value. I have driven a few beyond 300 k =
miles with=20
no engine or trans problems. I like to maintain the cars myself =
and have=20
had pretty good luck with them. They do require some repairs but =
nothing=20
like a BMW. I have tried a few of them and they are =
EXPENSIVE. I=20
had to sell them to stop the bleeding. <BR><BR>I recently bought =
the 600=20
SEL with 39,000 miles on it and it was 10 years old. It sold for =
$25,000. It originally cost $135,000. I believe that comes =
out to=20
$2.82/ mile for the car. THAT IS EXPENSIVE. This was the =
newest=20
and lowest mile Mercedes I hav ever or probably will ever own. =
It was a=20
great deal from a Mercedes dealer who was scared of the 600 and its=20
serviceablity. He wanted to sell it and NEVER see it again. I =
have=20
learned a lot about the car and believe I am on the way to =
understanding how=20
to make it a happy car once it ever gets sick. Some minor =
problems have=20
been solved reasonably with a lot of help from Alldata.<BR><BR>I vote =
for=20
buying the 10 year old Mercedes with lowish miles, like 100k, and =
driving it=20
another 100 k miles. That is a lot cheaper than going the new or =
near=20
new route.<BR><BR>Last year I bought my 91 300SL for $10k. It =
needed a=20
lot of little things but drove well. It has bit me a couple of =
times but=20
I still have only $13k in it. It is perfect now. It has =
150k miles=20
and I can drive it for a long time and a bunch of miles and still get =
most of=20
my money back out of it. <BR><BR>My 2cents.<BR><BR>Mike in =
Morgantown,=20
PA</FONT> </FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
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