MB vs. BMW resale value shootout!
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,823
Likes: 1
From: GA
'06 Lexus GS300 RWD, '07 Camry SE V6 auto, '91 190E 2.6 auto
MB vs. BMW resale value shootout!
Autospies does a resale shootout every week. This week it was MB vs. BMW...
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,823
Likes: 1
From: GA
'06 Lexus GS300 RWD, '07 Camry SE V6 auto, '91 190E 2.6 auto
Sadly, I think this thread would be filled with lots of comments from the local Benz-haters had the result been skewed badly against the MB 
Administrator
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 15,769
Likes: 37
From: www.Traben-Trarbach.de
MPG+ ROLFCOPTER
Originally posted by Jim Banville
Sadly, I think this thread would be filled with lots of comments from the local Benz-haters had the result been skewed badly against the MB
Sadly, I think this thread would be filled with lots of comments from the local Benz-haters had the result been skewed badly against the MB
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 6,211
Likes: 2
From: Laguna Niguel, CA
Amdeutsch, sorry I wasn't able to chime in earlier, hope this meets your expectation.
Even with the C240, the story is similar, while last year's C240 is worth more, it costs more (in MSRP) to begin with. But that's just half the story. The truth is that you can get a much larger discount on the C240 vs. the 325i so in the end as you can see below, the price would be about the same at the dealer so the MB would fair better in real price paid vs. resale value, something many of the stats ignore.
I took the '03 price of these vehicles where the only option was an auto trans. The resale values are KBB.com private party sale prices for 2002 vehicles with 15K miles and auto trans. The carsdirect.com prices are for my area code, 949.
325i = 27,185 used, 29,770 msrp, 28,569 carsdirect
C240 = 28,150 used, 31,945 msrp, 28,609 carsdirect
Even with the C240, the story is similar, while last year's C240 is worth more, it costs more (in MSRP) to begin with. But that's just half the story. The truth is that you can get a much larger discount on the C240 vs. the 325i so in the end as you can see below, the price would be about the same at the dealer so the MB would fair better in real price paid vs. resale value, something many of the stats ignore.
I took the '03 price of these vehicles where the only option was an auto trans. The resale values are KBB.com private party sale prices for 2002 vehicles with 15K miles and auto trans. The carsdirect.com prices are for my area code, 949.
325i = 27,185 used, 29,770 msrp, 28,569 carsdirect
C240 = 28,150 used, 31,945 msrp, 28,609 carsdirect
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,823
Likes: 1
From: GA
'06 Lexus GS300 RWD, '07 Camry SE V6 auto, '91 190E 2.6 auto
Let me revise this post...
When comparing the 325i to the C240 (both "standard"), the C240 has the following standard features, which would have to be added to the 325i: trip computer ($300), wood trim ($500), and automatic headlight control ($?).
The following are standard on the C240, and can't really be added to the 325i without going all out on the "full" option: 3/4 power seats, leather seating inserts (approx. total $2500).
The following isn't available on the 325i, even as an option (as far as I can tell): rear side airbags.
Finally, you would need to add an in-dash CD player to the MB to make the two more equal.
Would this affect the resale values?
I was actually surprised to see the E-class hold its own against the BMW in the referenced shootout, since I really hadn't researched it. I remember some people around here were talking trash about how the new E-class wasn't selling and its resale had already tanked.
When comparing the 325i to the C240 (both "standard"), the C240 has the following standard features, which would have to be added to the 325i: trip computer ($300), wood trim ($500), and automatic headlight control ($?).
The following are standard on the C240, and can't really be added to the 325i without going all out on the "full" option: 3/4 power seats, leather seating inserts (approx. total $2500).
The following isn't available on the 325i, even as an option (as far as I can tell): rear side airbags.
Finally, you would need to add an in-dash CD player to the MB to make the two more equal.
Would this affect the resale values?
I was actually surprised to see the E-class hold its own against the BMW in the referenced shootout, since I really hadn't researched it. I remember some people around here were talking trash about how the new E-class wasn't selling and its resale had already tanked.
Last edited by Jim Banville; Aug 19, 2003 at 09:00 AM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 6,211
Likes: 2
From: Laguna Niguel, CA
Sure, but at that point your are nitpicking, wood in one car vs. a CD player in the other. The truth is very few cars like this are sold stripped, most have sunroofs and other stuff but the options seem to cost about the same for both marques and the used car values for having these options goes up evenly. What's nice to see is that if you bought a 2002 C240 for a decent price like from CarsDirect.com, you can sell it as a private party add for pretty close to what you paid for it, not too shabby.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,823
Likes: 1
From: GA
'06 Lexus GS300 RWD, '07 Camry SE V6 auto, '91 190E 2.6 auto
Sure, but at that point your are nitpicking, wood in one car vs. a CD player in the other.
.The MB seems to have alot more "value added" items in the standard car vs. BMW. I just didn't know if adding these items, which would increase the MSRP price of the comparable 325i, would affect its resale value negatively. In other words, I'm unsure as to whether "options" lose value at the same rate as the base car itself. Example - where a base C240 (with all incuded base model features) may lose 1/4 value in one year, does the value of add-ons, such as heated seats (which would have to be calculated in when figuring the used value of the car as opposed to being included in the price of the standard car), lose 1/2 their value in the same period. Just curious
Trending Topics
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 6,211
Likes: 2
From: Laguna Niguel, CA
Many options lose 3/4 of their value in short order. Take the Navigation system as an example, $2,000 when new, $500 on a 2001 C320. If you want to see what the best deal is in resale value, look at rental or fleet cars, they are equiped for maximum resale value by bean counters. No sunroofs, navigation, extra frill type option (like sport packages, wood trim, upgraded stereos), just vanilla. If they thought a certain option would rent more cars or resale better, they do it. Doesn't mean I won't pay extra for C7 wheels, it's just that they add no resale value on trade in. It may make it easier to sell as a private party though.
MB World Stories
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
7 Craziest Things AMG Gas Ever Built
Verdad Gallardo
New Electric Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe Unveiled: 10 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
6 Mercedes Models That Did NOT Age Well (But Are Somehow Still Cool)
Verdad Gallardo
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Verdad Gallardo
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction
Verdad Gallardo
Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,823
Likes: 1
From: GA
'06 Lexus GS300 RWD, '07 Camry SE V6 auto, '91 190E 2.6 auto
Well, they did another shootout between MB and BMW. Can you guess who the winner was?
Where are those people that claim that BMW's have better resale then MB?
Where are those people that claim that BMW's have better resale then MB?
