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CPO- Worth it?

6K views 12 replies 6 participants last post by  redghost 
#1 ·
This is my situation:

I'm in medical device sales and drive 1000-1500 miles per week and the unlimited mileage 'bumper-to-bumper' (more or less) warranty seems very attractive in my situation. While I have always done my best to be frugal, I tend to like 'the finer things in life' and it seems to me that purchasing a CPO 2015 c class 4matic would be a wise choice. I could literally put 200,000+ miles on this car and have it covered for almost every repair the entire time while enjoying the luxury of a Mercedes.

My question is, from a purely financial standpoint does this seem like a wise decision in comparison to buying a lower cost non-luxury sedan and running it into the ground? Also, I am not mechanically inclined so any repairs that are required I pay someone to do it. I am saving to buy a passive income property so I can begin to get out of the rat race of working for someone else so the financial aspect is important to me.

Thoughts?
 
#3 ·
Read the fine print. I doubt the warranty will last 200,000 miles.
"if it sounds too good to be truth....."
I had "Bumper to bumper" warranty on our new MB and it did not cover the small things we needed.
$200 cluster bulb replacement -out of the pocket.
We had rust stains showing on headliner and dealer wanted $800 cash to "investigate" if the warranty would cover whatever is behind.
I agree with rocky raccoon that CPO might be the best in your situation, but I guess you expect too much.
No car will drive 200,000 miles without some money put in it.
 
#6 ·
I have been told by 2 dealerships that while I would be responsible for stereo, interior lights etc it is nothing that exceeds a few hundred per fix. I then threw a scenario at them: "What if I drive 300,000 miles in the unlimited mileage warranty period and they have to replace the transmission 3 times- will Mercedes pay for that or is there a limitation?". I was told they would replace it with a $0 deductible all 3 times. They then said I am essentially the type of customer Mercedes corporate would take a loss on. However, there are enough people who buy their cars with these warranties that they can still make money even with the very small percentage of buyers like me that will cost them money.

Do you guys think BS, or seems legit?
 
#4 ·
The original warranty covers the first 50K miles or 4 years.
Then you have 1 year, unlimited miles Extended Limited Warranty, this is transferrable to new owner.
After that, you can purchase 1 or 2 more years warranty; I suspect this would be costly with very high miles.
So, I think the CPO would be a good idea for you.
 
#5 ·
I read the same thing online (50K/4yr+ 1 yr unlimited with the option to extend unlimited mileage a for total of 3 yrs unlimited in addition to the 4yr/50K) but I have been to 2 separate dealerships and both times I was told it is acutally:

4 years unlimited mileage from first purchase date plus 1 year unlimited mileage with the option to extend up to 2 years. So all in all, 5-7 years unlimited mileage. Seems like the sales guys at each of these are trying to pull a fast one if you ask me.
 
#9 ·
If they are offering the ELW with unlimited mileage then get it! When I bought my ELW the choices were 5,6, or 7 years from the original factory warranty start date, BUT with either 75k or 100k mileage limits, buyer`s option. Unlimited mileage would make a huge difference in your situation.
 
#10 ·
From a build quality stand point, I would pass on the C and get an E diesel. The larger car has nicer seats for parking your butt in. The compression engine is just as quiet and a bit more powerful than a petrol, and gets better mileage on a tank. It will also be more likely to survive racking up big miles in a short period.

Get the ELW with everything delineated in ink, not just hot air from sales boy. If there are issues (which there will be) you have a legal document to back you up.

Resale on the C will be nil with such high miles. The diesel will be able to hold value, so that in five years, you can get some cash for it.

A recent discussion at a club meeting of owners of the newer cars centered on the prospect of very short life spans for the current crop compared to the classic Benz. The complex parts are far too expensive to repair, and lower grade build materials just do not hold up to use. We concluded that a fresh off the lot Benz is good for a decade before the cascade faults build up and you can no longer afford to throw parts at the issue. My latest adventure at the dealership made this very clear. The tech had no idea how to fix the car right and could not recognize factory parts.

IF you are gunning for investment property and income, go for a decent korean high end car. Cost will be much less, quality will rival the C class, and the new benz all look like Kias anyway
 
#11 ·
redghost comment has merit

I think a diesel would be a good choice for you. Those are available in E and S classes only.

I have a 2008 E-class diesel. We bought new and it has been dead-nuts reliable with zero corrective maintenance required. It is also a great place to sit and in your case you will be spending plenty of time doing just that.

May be a few dollars more than a C-class but given the miles traveled in your case you should get much of it back. We get 34 to 36 mpg depending on the mix of city/country driving and I have seen 39 mpg on a long trip.

Potential longevity in a diesel is a major factor and you may find yourself keeping it longer than you would a gasser. My 1983 diesel has 320000 miles and uses no oil between 6000 mile changes.
 
#13 ·
Being a cheap bastard, I looked at the C as a viable candidate for the stable when my E300 was in a wreck. I have yet to find one from the past decade that was comfortable to sit in for any amount of time. Maybe I am a wuss. The feel from the E to the C seat was jarring and bad. Even in the show room, walking from my S to try out a C, there was no way to get comfortable.

I drove the E coast to coast one summer. Spent 8-10 hours a day in the seat and was happy to climb back in the next morning. Easy to churn out 600 mile days all week long. I pulled a few 24 hour days in the S driving from PNW over the Rockies to the Mid West. Not a trouble with my ass or back. There was no way I could have done any of that in a C. The noise, the seating, would just push the fatigue wall such that a 300 mile trip would be comparable to sitting on a Harley for the same miles.

My local dealer has two dozen lifts. While wasting my time having those idiots try to service my S, I noticed that almost half the lifts were hoisting recent C class models. Three days of thumb twiddling and the parade of C class cars was steady.
 
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