Since I'm a landlord, among other things, I have to drive a Jeep Patriot during the week. It's a really great daily driver, gets 28mpg+, and handles very well as it's on a car chassis. But I like big sleds and really missed my full sized Volvo. I wanted a nice cruiser for the weekends and had it narrowed down to late 90's Sevilles, late 90's Infiniti Q45's and the late 90's W210's. There are lots of oldsters down here in Fla with very low mileage late 90's sleds.
When I drove the E420 it was the runaway favorite. Even though it's a heavy car, the acceleration blew the Q45 away, the hiway mileage is better and the handling is extremely sure footed. I would have to say the Caddy was the most "relaxing," but just too sloppy. Because of the V8, the E420 just plain rocks. I bought a $5 cassette/mp3 adapter for the factory Bose sound system and it is an amazing stereo. I have never owned a Benz before. Trouble is, now I can't leave it in the garage!
In 1978 I was offered a 1976 280c with 9k miles for $10,000. I drove that car for 12 years. That was the start, but my 1987 300E was the last one until the recent purchase of a 2007 S550. I got tired of looking at the same interior year after year, so I bought a few Lexus G series in between. I also had a 1971 280SL for 12, or so, years, and sold it for more that I paid for it.
I concur , Tex.
Been driving the 190E for 11 years, and bought it with 40K on the clock. It has cost me little to buy and little to maintain. (someone else took the hit on the depreciation) Likewise my last years purchase of the E-320 was for $5500, and so far so good.
If all I want to do is go fast and turn hard, they are not the choice. Bring out the modified Mustang for that, and beat it up with cheap repairs.
The Benz is just a good daily driver and a good value (when bought used).
My daughter spotted a 190E and wanted one, so she got one. it was to be her first car. I found one on e-bay in Miami, flew down and drove it back, made it to St Augustine area, stoped for grapefruit, key wouldn't turn to start it, AA locksmith ripped the whole system apart, had to leave the car there, $400 and went back to get it, went over entire car fixed everything on it "for her", she promptly totaled it but walked away without a scratch...
That was 6 years ago, I have owned soo many of these since (buy them, fix them up, drive them then sell them) and 300Es and 300TEs and 3 16valves...
I have admired these cars since childhood and now, at age 44, I am the proud owner of a two-tone red 500SL from 1990 with 24,000 original kilometres. I have always known that these are quality cars, but never thought I would ever own one because they are so expensive, but then again, I didn't know that millionaires go bust and sell off their possessions for next to nothing to pay their creditors, so for a song I bought my car, and now I realise that you don't have to be rich to own one.
I bought an '07 CLK350 two weeks ago, and love it. 22K miles, and it looks & runs like new. I voted safety, but it's a combination of that plus looks and performance. It's not the fastest car on the road, but it can definitely get up and run and never feel like it's pushing that hard. And I love the sound and smoothness when it does...
Looks, performance, prestige and safety, all add up to value. So it's all those. The car is beautiful, is a dream to drive, it's very safe due to engineering design, and to people who don't own a Benz, they're a mystery due to perceived high cost of ownership. When you take it to a shop they try to overcharge you because they think you are loaded with money. So I do everything the car needs, My Self. For usually about one-third the costs. On weekends, I get up early to drive one of my Benzes to the park.
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