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Will it cost you $100K to get 100K miles?

2K views 1 reply 2 participants last post by  ParksideJason 
#1 ·
Well spring and summer are coming, and it always seems like I should be buying a new car by now, however I have this weird feeling, and I'm not sure if it's good or bad.

Here's the story, I bought a C32 on Apr 05', at 22K mi paid 34K. Not bad, actually bought it at a BMW dealer, was going to look at a 7 Series which was already sold, thought I would take a spin and drove out of the dealership with it with still 2 months to go on my lease of another car, go figure.

Anyway I have gone through the traditional C32 routine, involving glyco tests, sloppy shifting, experiencing why the c240 if 15K less (i.e. S/C not working), even a set of tires and brakes. And while the service was by far the worst I have ever seen multiple times, the car seems to be pretty good these days.

Traditionally I lease 2-3 years and try again, and nothing brings me joy then a new car, however I'm pretty darn happy with this car. Honestly because I had a free loaner getting my car fixed, have it down a couple of times saved me miles and gas oddly enough.

These days however the security blanket of MB warranty are long gone, 59K miles and service A & B (hell if I know) is coming. And I am wondering can you put 100K mi on this car before spending $100K?

Sure that M5 looks really cool, but I am in a very rare place, I put down a couple of grand when I bought my car and I am actually in this weird place of not being completely upside down on a car!!!! Granted you can pay cash for cars, but smart money says why, cars are not investments they are like food.

To make matters worse I would actually be even more out of pocket to get into something that would take me away from my C32, then I will have to hear about college for the kids for the next couple of years even though I can totally afford it!!!

I guess what I am getting at is I am really happy with my C32, actually want to retire it from daily driving in 2 years so I can race it in the SCCA. What I don't want to do is get to 18 months from now and be into this thing for another 10K in repairs before I even try to race it. In 2 years I could just by a 2002 be in the same spot without the headaches.

What makes me scratch my head is where do these cars go? I know this is a MB site, but my wife drives a BMW 3 series, and there ok and all that, but look around, how many < 2000 3 series are there out there, how about < 1995 3 Series. Now I know they didn't sell nearly as many than as they do know, but it just seems to me that these $35K to $65K sedean market is high turn market and these cars aren't making it 100K miles, let alone 150K+ miles.

Now there's always someone who commutes daily from one side of the world to another and get's 150K mi in a couple of years and has no problems, its the day to day stop and go that kills cars, the sitting around not the highway.

Now maybe I'm different and not in a comfortable place, since I have not driven a car as an adult that had more than 60K miles. And I have enjoyed about 5 days of down time in the last 14 years because my car was being serviced, until the AMG of course.

Now if I had a C240 I really wouldn't care, sure it will cost me something, but for god sakes the guy who built my engine has his name on it, that sounds expensive, and considering the absolutely horrible service I got at 2 different dealers in the area, just scares the hell out of me.

Obviously there is risk in everything, and I drive like an ass at best, so I'm sure I will break a couple of things, and I can handle $1,200 here and there, but I couldn't even imagine if they had to touch the tranny, and really if something went wrong in the engine, shouldn't I have a right to call up the guy that built it???

Anyway if there are any of you C32 owners still out there or even C55 owners, how many miles are you racking up and what is it costing you to keep this care? Has anyone heard how long a supercharge lasts?

Granted if I would do some of the major stuff myself I could reduce this cost, and if I really am going to race it, it probably won't be a bad idea, but considering my job I need another project like a hole in the head. Sure when it's a racer I'll fix it when I feel like it, not I'm going to be late for work or have to buy another car or rent one.

The way I look at things the car cost 60K, regardless of what I paid for it, I have put $1,200 in tires, and I think $1,500 in brakes and some other little stuff, so far not so bad, however I probably had $5,000 in warranty work.

That puts me at about $2,700 plus $60K = $62.7K for the car at 59K mi. over a $1 per mi with 41K mi to go. That doesn't even include what the poor sob before me put into it. And granted the car has only basically deppreciated 12K in 2 years to me compared to the 26K in 2 years to the guy before. Of course that doesn't include gas, insurance and anything else, but I am trying to keep this simple.

Now I made sure that all the service bulletins where addressed under warranty so all the known problems that they are fessing up to should be done.

Please post where your at, and can you basically put more miles on your car then dollars, thanks
 
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#2 ·
All I can say is everyone on the C32 AMG forum recommends that you don't own one unless you have or can get extended warranty. I've had mine for 1500 miles so far. 3 trips to the dealership. Albeit out of pocket has only been $110 but the value of the repairs are over $3000.

I know I have more issues to fix. the Tranny needs to be replaced to rid itself of the jerk at low speeds. I got a ticking sound coming from the engine etc.

I haven't brought the car in yet b/c frankly, I bought the car to drive. Not as a way to drive different loaner cars...
 
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