VANewOwner

So I'm just about to graduate college this May, and come August 2014, I will be starting a job in the Washington DC area. I will be looking to buy a used car from now until December 2014, but I must purchase one by December.

I have narrowed my search down to two (completely different) cars. I currently drive a 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee and I really like the look of the 2011-2014 model Grand Cherokees. At the price point I am considering, I will be able to afford a vehicle that has all of the options that I would consider "deal-breakers", such as the system similar to KEYLESS-GO.

I am also considering a 2012 C300 Sport. Here's where y'all's expertise comes in. Again, at the price point I am considering, I will be able to get almost all of the features I desire (only a few less options then the Jeep, surprisingly).

Here is the issue:

In short, will the cost of maintenance and repairs on the Mercedes be vastly greater than the cost of maintenance and repairs on the Jeep?

Explanation:

While I know I can afford both cars and the costs associated with those cars (gas, insurance, etc), what really worries me is the cost of maintenance and repairs with the C300. In looking at Edmunds, the cost of owning is vastly greater than the cost of owning the Jeep. However, Intellichoice paints a much rosier picture of the Mercedes. And before I get jumped on for "buying a car that I cannot afford", let me note that I am just a careful planner with my finances, but I am not afraid to spend money on a quality product. Also, I fortunately will be making enough money to "afford" maintenance and repairs for both vehicles, I just don't want to throw money down the drain.

Further Information:
Looking at 2011 Grand Cherokee Laredo 4X4
Looking at 2012 MB C300 Sport 4matic
Each with 36K miles at time of purchase
Will only drive between 3k-8k per year
Plan to keep the vehicle for 6 years
Both will be parked in a garage at night

Thanks again!

shotgun_banjo

The Cherokee is a snow plow. The C300 is like Kiira Korpi on ice. You will be expecting close to $600-$1800 yearly on maintenance depending on the service type for the C300. It might be cheaper on the Cherokee.

If you want to look good on the road go with the C300. If you want to be a brute on the road and carry more buddies and ladies go with the Cherokee. I think you will carry more ladies on the C300.

One thing for sure. If you will get the C300 make sure to get the transmission flushed properly (it is mandated every 40k miles) and be part of the deal. Also get the extended warranty if you are planning on keeping it for that long.

MB300AMG

I used to own an 2008 C300 Sport and my family had a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee from April 2011 until November of last year. We now have a 2014 E350 4Matic Sport and previously also had a 2008 ML320 CDI (diesel). I can say without a doubt that you should go with the C300, and I can give you a few reasons for it.

Firstly, they are worlds apart in the way they drive. The Jeep has a lot of roll when you turn the wheel and the steering to me isn't great. It seems to be the opposite of what you'd expect in that it seems heavy at slow speeds and appears to get lighter the faster you go - not what I'd prefer and not what I experience owning Mercedes cars. It just seemed more of a handful to drive overall and I can say that from experience since I was the one who drove it the most. The C-Class was great to drive, especially on long road trips and had little to no road noise depending on the speed. It'll be noticeably less refined in the Jeep.

Unless you're buying a recent model of the Jeep with the new transmission, I wouldn't go for that car based on that alone. The 5 speed automatic was clunky as hell, especially at low speeds and the throttle and brake response meant I had to change my driving style since there was about half an inch of slush before the brakes would grab, or the car would accelerate (partly due to the transmission programming as well).

I know that Mercedes cars can be expensive to fix because of parts costs, but with that in mind if you buy one I recommend getting the extended warranty and the maintenance package if you can since they're worth it based on my research and experience. I've only every had one problem with my car and that was that the fuel pump broke and I lost all power - though that was because the car was the first of a brand new generation so I could understand that. After that was fixed the car never had an issue again apart from one tail light fix before I parted with it at around 40,000-50,000 miles.

In contrast, before we sold the Jeep we got it up to about 50,000 miles and the ownership experience was way different. The trim from the sun visors and on the console began peeling/coming off altogether. The fit and finish was nowhere near as good and the way the console was put together showed panel gaps as well as less attention to detail (the buttons didn't align straight for example). The sunroof had a stain because it leaked so I guess there was an installation issue. On top of that my family began to get really annoyed having to bring it in because the rear tail lights kept burning out and we had to continually get it replaced. It was a really big pain and that brings me to another issue:

If you do have to bring these cars in, the disparity in service between Mercedes and Jeep is enormous. The buying experience for me was horrible since they actively tried to swindle and strong-arm you at Jeep and then when you took it into service at the dealerships here they were very unfriendly and acted like you were bothering them. They also nickel and dime you for anything and everything. In contrast the Mercedes dealerships I've dealt with were all very polite and accomodating, and the dealerships were beautiful to be inside.

Another big factor you need to consider is fuel consumption. When we bought it the diesel versions weren't available so we got the Pentastar V6. We do a lot of driving and I can honestly say that combined with that transmission the car drinks fuel and it will undoubtedly cost you more to run it based on that. My C300 got up to 32mpg on the highway and typically cleared around 18-22mpg in the city when the engine warmed up. Sure you can use regular gas for the Jeep vs. premium gas for the C-Class, but since you aren't driving it a ton I think the savings in mpg's will make the Mercedes more worth it despite that.

Now due to these complaints it sounds like I hate Jeeps. In actual fact I really liked the way the new Jeeps looked at the time and admired them from afar, which is why I suggested we try it out when we were shopping for an interim car. We needed an interim car temporarily that wasn't super expensive due to personal issues. We're European and typically stick to European cars, but have driven many rented and some leased American cars. However, the ownership and dealership experiences I had weren't very pleasant so I won't be purchasing another one. With that said, I did like the car for the most part if you don't consider the maintenance issues.

In comparison I loved my C300 and wish I still had it. Sure it wasn't really optioned out and wasn't as sporty as the 3-series, but it was still a great car to own and fantastic on road trips.

At the end of the day I can wholeheartedly recommend getting the C-Class provided it didn't have any major issues with its previous owner(s) and has been thoroughly checked out. Just make sure you get the extra packages because if something does go wrong it should save you a significant chunk of money.

Just my two cents. Let me know if you have any questions.

spyked

OP -

I hate to say this, but the 2012 C300 has the refreshed interior and exterior, but uses the old 7G Tronic with 4MATIC. That is a ticking time bomb apparently. The Jeeps, from 11-13, use the old robust Mercedes 722.6 5G Tronic.

I would try to stretch and get a 2013 C300 with the updated 7G Plus (have to assume while working on transmission they fixed the 4MATIC components too). Or get an Audi A4.

Problem with the Jeeps is they are just junky. All the late models I've been in have been falling apart on the inside. I've got a Wranger with the Pentastar and MB 5 speed auto, and the drivetrain is the best thing about it, I will say that.

Andriy242

You know there is only one thing to say. If you can afford the car you can afford the maintenance that may come with it. Another point is made in Germany vs made in USA by bill and bob out of a shed.

Not to put down domestic cars but they are nothing compared to German made vehicles.

Pete7874

In short, yes, unless you DIY. If the cost of maintenance and repairs is the only thing you care about, do not buy a Mercedes. There are many reasons to buy one. Low cost of maintenance and repairs is not one of them.

VANewOwner

I appreciate all of the great advice and input. The real reason I am concerned is that this is the first car I have ever owned and fully paid for everything involved, not that I won't be able to afford it, as that's not the issue.

shotgun_banjo: who doesn't want more girls?? haha

spyked: any more information or know where I can read more about the "time bomb" of a transmission? That sounds like something that would be good to look into.

MB300AMG: Never thought I would get a Jeep review on a MB forum! But in all seriousness, I really appreciate your input. In your opinion, do you think the issues you had with your Jeep was just a fluke with your actual vehicle, or could you see those issues possibly being a more frequent problem? I'd rather put money into making a Benz (or a Jeep I guess too) run better as opposed to fixing cosmetic issues. Also, do you think the C300 would be easier to drive around a city (such as DC where I will be living) than the Jeep? Thanks again.

VANewOwner

Also, any idea of how much it costs to get the transmission flushed at 40,000 miles? Just trying to put a budget together for the next few months.

Pete7874

My local dealer's standard price is $350, but I've seen others charging more.