Mercedes Owners Should Also Buy a Beater
Save Your Nice Car for the Spring. Grab an Old, Cheap Beater for the Winter
With the reality of winter now upon us, owners of a beautiful Mercedes may be concerned about the season’s potential wrath.
Driving frequently throughout the winter poses a variety of risks. Cold weather increases the likelihood of a dead battery, thickening fluids — oil, transmission fluid, antifreeze, etc. — and leaking. There’s also fluctuating tire pressure. And the salt on the roads can stick to your car’s metal parts, causing them to corrode.
As a result, the prudent decision of many Mercedes owners is to purchase a beater car that’s ideal for cold-weather driving. Even beyond winter’s eroding impact on cars, having another significantly-cheaper car gives you something else to drive year-round that you don’t worry too much about damaging.
The Beauty of Cheap Cars
When driving a car you love, alloys are always a concern. You’re wary of even touching the curb, in fear of an expensive repair to your Mercedes. A cheaper car can actually allow the curb to be a guiding point for parking, without worrying too much about the alloy.
In addition, cheaper cars can chug along on basic gas, typically providing more bang for the buck than premium. That makes these fuel-efficient cars inexpensive to operate. Speaking of saving money, parts for cheaper cars are, naturally, cheaper.
If you love off-roading, chances are you aren’t doing it in a beautiful Mercedes. But a cheaper car poses less risk in the rugged terrain. And in parking lots, the selectivity process for a proper parking spot is a lot less daunting. You would carefully consider where to park your Mercedes. But any open spot will do for a car that already has nicks and dents. There’s much less fear of side-swipers.
Clearly, cheaper cars can provide you a much more stress-free experience when out and about, with cost savings too.
Incredible Cost Savings With Cheaper Cars
From a purely profiting standpoint, it’s unlikely you’ll lose much money when purchasing a used, older car. You’re likely purchasing it at a fair and low price anyway, so the financial consequence is minimal, if something did happen. Meanwhile, when purchasing a new Mercedes, or any other new car, the car’s value drops by thousands even when just driving it home. And the value drops every time you drive it thereafter.
Another huge appeal of having a cheaper car is the ability to use aftermarket parts without fear of ample consequence. Original equipment manufacturer parts (OEM) are 50-100 percent more expensive than aftermarket parts, so the expenses to repair or improve a cheaper car aren’t nearly as much as repairing a new Mercedes.
Save your Mercedes for warmer months where driving is more stress-free and you don’t have to worry about the conundrum of winter-related automobile damage. With cost savings and more ease of mind while driving, a cheaper car to use during the colder months can be a great, low-risk investment.
CHECK OUT: What Forum Members Are Saying About Buying a Beater
