Buying a used E350 - a few Q's, advice appreciated
05-10-2011, 10:44 AM
#1
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Buying a used E350 - a few Q's, advice appreciated
Not for me, although I'm also in the market to upgrade my aging 02 ML320, but my father in law started out looking at Fords and Hondas, and I convinced him to go have a look at a used E-Class for the same money and I think he's interested.
I don't know much about the E-Class though, and I've never bought anything CPO or used from a dealer for that matter (either new, or private sale used).
He's interested in one we saw, an 08 E350 with very low mileage, from what I can tell only the P1 Premium and 333 Sport Package installed.
Car looked clean inside and out, but the mileage seemed almost concerningly low (less than 7k miles). Asking price is $39k.
So a few Q's for the crowd, any input is appreciated:
Like I said, any input, advice, solace, condemnation, ridicule or input of any sort is greatly appreciated
I don't know much about the E-Class though, and I've never bought anything CPO or used from a dealer for that matter (either new, or private sale used).
He's interested in one we saw, an 08 E350 with very low mileage, from what I can tell only the P1 Premium and 333 Sport Package installed.
Car looked clean inside and out, but the mileage seemed almost concerningly low (less than 7k miles). Asking price is $39k.
So a few Q's for the crowd, any input is appreciated:
- What should I expect as far as flexibility with price? KBB and Edmunds were all over, ranging from 35k-40k.
- I was told the extended warranty runs $3k for 2 years - I know those are pure profit for them, what's a reasonable price to pay?
- Is there anything in the 08 E350 I should keep an eye out for while test driving or looking at the car? Anything along the lines of maintenance records, inspections, CarFax that I should ask for from the dealer?
- Is it worth considering a 3rd party warranty instead of the manufacturer's warranty?
- We've been looking at 07's-08's - any reason we should bump up a level and look at 09's as well? 10's just probably cross the cost barrier (want to stay around $35k, +/- $2k)
- Is it standard for CPO to only add a year onto the existing vehicle warranty? Would seem to me that other manufacturers go longer, but there might be fine print I'm missing (and have never bought anything CPO)
Like I said, any input, advice, solace, condemnation, ridicule or input of any sort is greatly appreciated
05-10-2011, 01:13 PM
#2
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Ft. Lauderdale Area, USA
Posts: 5,017
Likes: 0
Received 15 Likes
on
15 Posts
2015 ML 350
07's 8s & 9s are rock solid cars.
MB Extended warranty is strongly reccomended-- repairs, when necessary are horrifically expensive, and MB warrantys cover everything, aftermarket list only what they will specifically cover..
09's have the next generation COMAND/phone BT integration, earlier cars had to be pre ordered for phone.
its possible for a car to have 7,000 mi on the clock. An older guy, maybe who died and the spouse didn't go out much... or it was in a household with several cars.
Routine service is "expensive" and not included. There are no $29.95 Quick Lube deals, although you only get 1 L/O/F a year. Brakes are expensive. Tires are expensive. Wiper blades are almost $50.00, unless he will search the net for alternate sources. They take a second to install, but unless they're part of the yearly service package at the dealer, they'll charge full price for the blades and charge him 1/4 hr labor to install them!
MB Dealers rarely will negotiate on the Warranty price, (some sort of unwritten partnership the dealers all have) but you should try. Some dealers ask twice what they pay for the warranty. Some dealers have a lot of inventory on hand and will do what they have to to move it. Don't revere the car, treat it like Iron & Steel in your mind. There's more profit in a used car than in a new one.
Check the Carfax
Unless the guy will enjoy the ride, pride and feel of an MB around him he's better off with a new "something else" of his choosing rather than something you want. If its "just a car" to him, he's not going to be getting anything "extra" in buying the used Mercedes rather than say a new Taurus/Avalon/Maxima, etc.
MB Extended warranty is strongly reccomended-- repairs, when necessary are horrifically expensive, and MB warrantys cover everything, aftermarket list only what they will specifically cover..
09's have the next generation COMAND/phone BT integration, earlier cars had to be pre ordered for phone.
its possible for a car to have 7,000 mi on the clock. An older guy, maybe who died and the spouse didn't go out much... or it was in a household with several cars.
Routine service is "expensive" and not included. There are no $29.95 Quick Lube deals, although you only get 1 L/O/F a year. Brakes are expensive. Tires are expensive. Wiper blades are almost $50.00, unless he will search the net for alternate sources. They take a second to install, but unless they're part of the yearly service package at the dealer, they'll charge full price for the blades and charge him 1/4 hr labor to install them!
MB Dealers rarely will negotiate on the Warranty price, (some sort of unwritten partnership the dealers all have) but you should try. Some dealers ask twice what they pay for the warranty. Some dealers have a lot of inventory on hand and will do what they have to to move it. Don't revere the car, treat it like Iron & Steel in your mind. There's more profit in a used car than in a new one.
Check the Carfax
Unless the guy will enjoy the ride, pride and feel of an MB around him he's better off with a new "something else" of his choosing rather than something you want. If its "just a car" to him, he's not going to be getting anything "extra" in buying the used Mercedes rather than say a new Taurus/Avalon/Maxima, etc.
Last edited by Barry45RPM; 05-10-2011 at 01:19 PM.
05-10-2011, 04:07 PM
#3
MBWorld Fanatic!
07's 8s & 9s are rock solid cars.
MB Extended warranty is strongly reccomended-- repairs, when necessary are horrifically expensive, and MB warrantys cover everything, aftermarket list only what they will specifically cover..
09's have the next generation COMAND/phone BT integration, earlier cars had to be pre ordered for phone.
its possible for a car to have 7,000 mi on the clock. An older guy, maybe who died and the spouse didn't go out much... or it was in a household with several cars.
Routine service is "expensive" and not included. There are no $29.95 Quick Lube deals, although you only get 1 L/O/F a year. Brakes are expensive. Tires are expensive. Wiper blades are almost $50.00, unless he will search the net for alternate sources. They take a second to install, but unless they're part of the yearly service package at the dealer, they'll charge full price for the blades and charge him 1/4 hr labor to install them!
MB Dealers rarely will negotiate on the Warranty price, (some sort of unwritten partnership the dealers all have) but you should try. Some dealers ask twice what they pay for the warranty. Some dealers have a lot of inventory on hand and will do what they have to to move it. Don't revere the car, treat it like Iron & Steel in your mind. There's more profit in a used car than in a new one.
Check the Carfax
Unless the guy will enjoy the ride, pride and feel of an MB around him he's better off with a new "something else" of his choosing rather than something you want. If its "just a car" to him, he's not going to be getting anything "extra" in buying the used Mercedes rather than say a new Taurus/Avalon/Maxima, etc.
MB Extended warranty is strongly reccomended-- repairs, when necessary are horrifically expensive, and MB warrantys cover everything, aftermarket list only what they will specifically cover..
09's have the next generation COMAND/phone BT integration, earlier cars had to be pre ordered for phone.
its possible for a car to have 7,000 mi on the clock. An older guy, maybe who died and the spouse didn't go out much... or it was in a household with several cars.
Routine service is "expensive" and not included. There are no $29.95 Quick Lube deals, although you only get 1 L/O/F a year. Brakes are expensive. Tires are expensive. Wiper blades are almost $50.00, unless he will search the net for alternate sources. They take a second to install, but unless they're part of the yearly service package at the dealer, they'll charge full price for the blades and charge him 1/4 hr labor to install them!
MB Dealers rarely will negotiate on the Warranty price, (some sort of unwritten partnership the dealers all have) but you should try. Some dealers ask twice what they pay for the warranty. Some dealers have a lot of inventory on hand and will do what they have to to move it. Don't revere the car, treat it like Iron & Steel in your mind. There's more profit in a used car than in a new one.
Check the Carfax
Unless the guy will enjoy the ride, pride and feel of an MB around him he's better off with a new "something else" of his choosing rather than something you want. If its "just a car" to him, he's not going to be getting anything "extra" in buying the used Mercedes rather than say a new Taurus/Avalon/Maxima, etc.
Last edited by WEBSRFR; 05-10-2011 at 04:09 PM.
05-10-2011, 04:23 PM
#4
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
07's 8s & 9s are rock solid cars.
MB Extended warranty is strongly reccomended-- repairs, when necessary are horrifically expensive, and MB warrantys cover everything, aftermarket list only what they will specifically cover..
09's have the next generation COMAND/phone BT integration, earlier cars had to be pre ordered for phone.
its possible for a car to have 7,000 mi on the clock. An older guy, maybe who died and the spouse didn't go out much... or it was in a household with several cars.
Routine service is "expensive" and not included. There are no $29.95 Quick Lube deals, although you only get 1 L/O/F a year. Brakes are expensive. Tires are expensive. Wiper blades are almost $50.00, unless he will search the net for alternate sources. They take a second to install, but unless they're part of the yearly service package at the dealer, they'll charge full price for the blades and charge him 1/4 hr labor to install them!
MB Dealers rarely will negotiate on the Warranty price, (some sort of unwritten partnership the dealers all have) but you should try. Some dealers ask twice what they pay for the warranty. Some dealers have a lot of inventory on hand and will do what they have to to move it. Don't revere the car, treat it like Iron & Steel in your mind. There's more profit in a used car than in a new one.
Check the Carfax
Unless the guy will enjoy the ride, pride and feel of an MB around him he's better off with a new "something else" of his choosing rather than something you want. If its "just a car" to him, he's not going to be getting anything "extra" in buying the used Mercedes rather than say a new Taurus/Avalon/Maxima, etc.
MB Extended warranty is strongly reccomended-- repairs, when necessary are horrifically expensive, and MB warrantys cover everything, aftermarket list only what they will specifically cover..
09's have the next generation COMAND/phone BT integration, earlier cars had to be pre ordered for phone.
its possible for a car to have 7,000 mi on the clock. An older guy, maybe who died and the spouse didn't go out much... or it was in a household with several cars.
Routine service is "expensive" and not included. There are no $29.95 Quick Lube deals, although you only get 1 L/O/F a year. Brakes are expensive. Tires are expensive. Wiper blades are almost $50.00, unless he will search the net for alternate sources. They take a second to install, but unless they're part of the yearly service package at the dealer, they'll charge full price for the blades and charge him 1/4 hr labor to install them!
MB Dealers rarely will negotiate on the Warranty price, (some sort of unwritten partnership the dealers all have) but you should try. Some dealers ask twice what they pay for the warranty. Some dealers have a lot of inventory on hand and will do what they have to to move it. Don't revere the car, treat it like Iron & Steel in your mind. There's more profit in a used car than in a new one.
Check the Carfax
Unless the guy will enjoy the ride, pride and feel of an MB around him he's better off with a new "something else" of his choosing rather than something you want. If its "just a car" to him, he's not going to be getting anything "extra" in buying the used Mercedes rather than say a new Taurus/Avalon/Maxima, etc.
I've owned used and new MBs over the years, so I'm familiar with the costs of service. I have a local mechanic I take mine to, haven't been to the dealership in quite some time. I'm assuming he can cover this car as well, although I am hoping his rotors last longer than my MLs (which get 2 years on average).
I brought my f-i-l to MB because he was unhappy with what he was being quoted with the domestic manufacturers and does not want to buy a Japanese car. He's owned a MB in the past, so he's no stranger to the brand.
It's less 'one of his' and 'one of mine' as much as it is he's only bought a handful of cars in his life, and all were new. But at this point, he's at a fixed budget and I think he'd consider the MB if he felt he was getting more value for his money, car-wise.
IMO, in terms of comparing the value - I'm a family guy, and my paramount concern is safety. Again IMO, nobody does safety better than MB. The used E350 4-Matic he'd get would run what he was quoted for a Ford Edge without 4WD or stability control, not to mention . The visibility in the E-class was much better (per his feedback).
I love mine. Best car I have ever owned. (07 E550)
05-10-2011, 11:17 PM
#6
MBWorld Fanatic!
Love my 08 E550.
Wipers are $30 on parts.com and my dealer installed and adjusted them free. They work 10x better than the wipers on my 4Runner, so they are worth the cost.
Service A is what .. $129 or so (13k miles/1yr)? compare that to getting my oil changed on my 4Runner every 3,500 miles for $30 each time.
Until 08, the 39k transmission service was required just once. On the 09's its required EVERY 40k miles or 4yrs.
09's have the updated electronics which I would pay an extra $2k for ..
Wipers are $30 on parts.com and my dealer installed and adjusted them free. They work 10x better than the wipers on my 4Runner, so they are worth the cost.
Service A is what .. $129 or so (13k miles/1yr)? compare that to getting my oil changed on my 4Runner every 3,500 miles for $30 each time.
Until 08, the 39k transmission service was required just once. On the 09's its required EVERY 40k miles or 4yrs.
09's have the updated electronics which I would pay an extra $2k for ..
