[Guest (MBNZ)]

Last week I purchased a 33,700 mile 1995 S500- Smoke silver, four door sedan with for $34,000. The car looks like a brand new vehicle without even a minor scratch or a door-mark. I bought it from Smothers Mercedes in Santa Rosa California. It is a Starmark car, ( 1 year or 100.000 mile bumper to bumper warranty).<br> <br> It is equipped as follows: <br> <br> 6 disk CD changer in the trunk.<br> <br> Built in Analog phone. I will continue to use my Nokia hand-held since the Benz phone is really a dinosaur.<br> <br> Electric seats front and rear.<br> <br> Electrically operated rear sunshade. <br> <br> Chrome 16�. Wheels.<br> <br> I will probably put 18,000 miles on the car each year since it will be used as a commute car (once a week) from San Francisco to my country home.<br> <br> 1. Did I get a good, fair, or average deal on the car?<br> 2. Does anyone know what the car sold for new and what did the above options cost?<br> 3. Should I be alert for any service problems in the next few years or is the car ‘bulletproof’ as the dealer’s service personnel told me?<br> <br> Thanks in advance.<br> <br> Allen Chase<br> <br> <br> <br> <br>

 

[Guest (MBNZ)]

I think ya got great deal if it truly only has 33,700 miles which is still considered spankin new for a Benz. The car costed new around 80 grand, but was around 90-100 grand when it debuted in 1992 as the 500 SEL. Don't know option prices, but you pretty much have the total package of options available. Based on how the car is described, you shouldn't worry about service. Just give the car lots of TLC and it will treat you right for the next 20 years. Plus, you still have Starmark [ like it dosen't even need it! ] Anyways, enjoy your FOUR DOOR MONSTER! -FDM<br> 1983 380 SEL v8<br> No Holds Barred!<br>

 

[Guest (MBNZ)]

The mileage is accurate. I have all of the service records on the car from day 1. It was actually driven by the proverbial little old lady who traded it in for a 2001 S. <br> <br> Thank you for the reply. Makes me feel good that I got the great deal I thought I had gotten.<br> <br> Best Regards;<br> <br> AC

 

[Guest (MBNZ)]

Extend the Starmark warranty.

If still possible, run back to the dealer and extend the Starmark warranty for as long as possible -- you can add 24 additional months on an S-Class for $1,650 -- see 'Extended Limited Warranty' on the M-B website referenced below, giving you three years total coverage. These cars are famous as being the most complex and expensive to keep running of all M-B (well, maybe the old 600 Pullman cars were worse), particularly the earlier years of the 140s -- I would still put '95 in that class.<br> <br> When you consider that the A/C evaporator (a common fault on the S-class of this generation) is a $6,500 job involving taking out the entire dash and console -- 75 hours labor alone, I would not own a 140 (even a '98 or '99 when about all the bugs were worked out) outside the warranty period and would have real concern when your one-year period runs out. With three years total coverage you should sleep considerably better, tho I would not expect that the resale for the car would be that great at the end of that time (private resale prices withoiut a warranty seem very low compared to Starmarked cars) -- still, you would have had a great ride for three years for a relatively low price compared to what $34,000 buys new.<br> <br> As for how your price compares, you can do a national search through the M-B website: <br> <br> http://www.mbusa.com/brand/container.jsp?/starmark/index.jsp<br> <br> There seems to be good demand for the 140s firming up prices recently, as the Starmark program, coupled with the perception that the 140 is the last of the monster heavy big-bodied S-class, has overcome some of the cost of ownership concerns.

 

[Guest (MBNZ)]

MERCEDES WARRANTY POLICY IS ***KED UP!

Immediately upon reading your post suggesting that I purchase the extended Starmark warranty I called my salesman and asked him to arrange the warranty purchase for me. He sent my application to Mercedes. Their reply was that the extended warranty is only available at the time of purchase and thus no warranty for me. At the time I asked for the extended warranty I had owned the S500 for 6 days. Today I wrote to Mercedes asking them to reconsider their decision. <br> <br> I currently own four Mercedes cars. A 90 SLK 230, a 2003 SLK 32 AMG, a 1983 Turbo Diesel and the 95 S500. <br> <br> I purchased a 98 SLK 230 which I gave to my sister. She still owns the car. At that same time I purchased a 98 SLK 230 for myself but sold it to buy a Porsche cabriolet since the SLK did not have enough power for me. When the SLK AMG was introduced I sold the Porsche and bought one.<br> <br> My partner and I bought a 95 500 SL for her use in our business and I also bought a 1990 190E 2.6 for my son. He subsequently purchased a 95 Mercedes wagon and a 2000E320 sport. He still owns all 3 cars.<br> <br> Obviously I am a Mercedes loyalist. Lets see whether Mercedes has any loyalty to their good customer.<br> <br> I will post the result of my appeal on this web forum.<br> <br> Allen Chase