As much as I love my CL, I have to admit that we will never see them in car shows one day. Does anyone seriously believe that the various systems which give us trouble now will somehow get better over time?
I'm sorry to say, but they're all headed for the junk heap. It's one thing to maintain a classic Ferrari or American muscle car, which are entirely devoid of the electronic complexity that new Mercedes (and to be fair, their competitors) exhibit. But these cars we're driving will just become more and more costly over time.
Resale values are already plummeting and a few unfortunate people pick up older models on the cheap, without having done their diligence--and get burned. Maintenance will just become more and more expensive. There will always be a 'lucky' few who are willing to pay whatever it costs to keep going, and maybe 20 years hence one or two will be found at shows (they'll probably have to be trailered in ). But they'll be exceedingly rare. For the vast majority, the junk heap.
And probably sooner than you think. Already, for instance, I see far more W126s than W140s on the road. I see dozens of W123s and comparatively few W124s. What a statement, huh.
I'm sorry to say, but they're all headed for the junk heap. It's one thing to maintain a classic Ferrari or American muscle car, which are entirely devoid of the electronic complexity that new Mercedes (and to be fair, their competitors) exhibit. But these cars we're driving will just become more and more costly over time.
Resale values are already plummeting and a few unfortunate people pick up older models on the cheap, without having done their diligence--and get burned. Maintenance will just become more and more expensive. There will always be a 'lucky' few who are willing to pay whatever it costs to keep going, and maybe 20 years hence one or two will be found at shows (they'll probably have to be trailered in ). But they'll be exceedingly rare. For the vast majority, the junk heap.
And probably sooner than you think. Already, for instance, I see far more W126s than W140s on the road. I see dozens of W123s and comparatively few W124s. What a statement, huh.
Meanwhile, enjoy them while you can. They're heaven to drive and they look hot as hell