LOL

Hype your latest sig photo makes me finally understand why men spend so much money on aftermarket wheels!

LOL!!! Jesus!!!! why are women so NICE????

K-A wrap the front end of your car. That should look after the maintenance of road chips etc. Pay the penalty for the additional mileage and enjoy your car. It's still cheaper than insuring and maintaining an extra car. Plus you have to factor in depreciation and the opportunity cost of the second car.
When the lease expires negotiate the next lease with the proper mileage. Leasing is a commodity and the car should be used and not "saved" for the next guy.

Just pulled this thread up and was coming to the same conclusion. The E is just such a perfect car it seems a shame to "settle" for something lesser at a higher total cost. If you are planning to spend $20k for a second car with estimated life of 5 years you are looking at $10-15k of covered excess mileage charges and your pansy a$$ would be comfortable for every single one of them.

Perfect car for a Mercedes traditionalist...2006 CLS500. In my opinion one of the best looking Mercedes. Power, luxury and great looks.

BINGO!!

W211 is the best second car.

Very wise words, thanks. I've been trying to convince myself to do this as well. I can't tell if it's more me convincing myself that I "need" another car, when it's just that I "like having" another car, lol.

Even with 10K over mileage, I'd be paying $2,500 with the .25 penalty, and with 20K over mileage, it'd be $5K. At the rate I'm going now, I'd probably be about 15-20K over I think, however, things can always change (i.e needing to drive less, or even more I guess, in the future). Also, sometimes Dealers will eat the mileage when you turn a car in, which is another factor I can gamble with.

Idk, it's kinda been driving me nuts, this whole thing.

I'd love a CLS as a second car! Unfortunately, the limited headroom up front isn't enough for my height, and probably mostly due to that, I can't seem to feel "fitted" or comfortable inside a CLS, the old or new one. The W211 I've been thinking about too, would be a great companion to the W212! Only problem with that one is the $$$$ factor if things break on all those drives.

KA- Just remember this: these things are built to be Moroccan taxi cabs. Think of the punishment and E taxi gets. You are never going to abuse your vehicle like that. I am planning on running the wheels off of mine. 1 yr. 25K miles. Body and interior is tight and solid. (mine went through a period of little nuisance rattles and creaks, but they disappeared as the car settled in.) Just a well engineered, well bolted together, comfortable vehicle. You paid for a lot of ruggedness,, so you might as well use it and get what you paid for.

True that. I don't doubt the ruggedness of this car. I followed its development process vehemently, and it was apparent that durability was rule #1 with this car. I definitely don't want to shove it in a garage as "garage-art", but I dunno, I'm getting tired of scraping the MASSIVE bug death off the front of my car after every trip, and dealing with touching up little nicks here and there. I could always clear wrap the front, but I've never liked how they looked (I can notice them). The mileage isn't my worry, aside from Lease-overage, because I have NO doubts that this baby can do 200K+ Miles and still look and run like brand new, if maintained.

Also, like I said, the whole "getting sick of it" aspect. Which has already started to rear its ugly head. In fact, it just so happened that I didn't drive my E for a few days recently, and when I got back into it, maaaan did I re-appreciate everything about that car again. Financially, however, driving it 'till I get sick of it, and prematurely trading it in/spinning the Lease off into something else.... Which I then rack up lots of initial mileage on, and get sick of, then spin off into something else.... etc., would probably be the smartest bet! I guess that would be literally using the concept of Leasing to my utmost advantage.

I agree with you on being able to see the clear-bra. The problem is when people stop 1/3 the way up the hood. Either cover the entire hood or don't cover it at all, because that line of dirt is unsightly. Your white car would only magnify it.

Or just set aside $1500 or so every few years to get the front end re-sprayed. That's what I do. Fresh paint is better than a clear bra that has to be done every 3-4 years.

This is how I see keeping my DD is perfect condition:
-Spend money to keep it perfect
-Spend money to get it back to perfect

Very sound tips.

Yeah, the 1/3 thing with clear bra just doesn't look right indeed. It also takes away some pop from the paint, not to mention, the inevitable probable yellowing will stand out on a white car.

so whats it going to be KA!!

K-A go back to your original posts when you initially leased your car. You were going to use it as a DD and no more second car. That was your main purpose for leasing. The extra $5,000.00 for mileage is nothing compared to the cost of a second "used" car as a DD. The wrap on a white car is barely visible and if it bothers you do as the OP says wrap the entire hood and use a brillo pad to clean the bugs.

Yeah, I remember, lol. I guess my "old rule" is now coming in and creeping in on my "new rule". I have been good so far though (5 months). Realistically, I can see me talking myself out of this. I think I just have an addiction of looking at or buying cars, so this kinda just allows me to keep spinning my wheels.

To keep playing along, here's a review from today:

So, I drove the new Focus tonight....

Unfortunately, I just don't think I can get fully comfortable with that size factor. Things like the B-Pillar being so close to my head, when I'm used to some more ample space in areas like that, might make me long for more size, even in a beater/commuter.

Aside from that, the thing actually hauled a$$ for a 4-banger, and I was surprised that the motor actually wasn't Turbocharged (according to the Salesman ?). The car is really fun to throw around too, very much a performance oriented Commuter car, fun to drive. The Tech was cool for a car like that, with the Sync Voice Control, etc. stuff.

Cons were that this particular car (15K Miles, 2012, Hatchback, Certified Pre-Owned) was a POS. Rattles all over the interior, the engine sounded like it wanted to conk out when idling, etc. Gave me that "POS beat down Ford" vibe, which was unsettling, as Ford has apparently made such strides lately. I'll assume that it was just a bad and/or beat down example.

I also checked out a Jeep Grand Cherokee. Man, for $20,900, with even 25K Miles (2011), you really can't beat that value (Certified). I don't like SUV's as "Passion Cars", but for a long distancer, I can see myself appreciating the Utilitarian nature and higher ride height, while a Truck would make me extra appreciate the sleeker road carving of the E. It's just a burly, purposeful Truck. The interior is great for an American car, still lots of cheap areas, but more than appropriate for what it is and that price especially. The exterior is actually Benz-esque in how its carved, which makes sense as well (kind of disconcerting as a Benz fan, but you can't deny how refined it looks). Problems with this are that even at such a great price, it's still more than I wanna spend (by about $4K.... but man is it literally worth it), and the Gas Mileage for all those drives will suck.

Also, checked out the Ford Taurus (2010). So cheap and functional (perfect) for what I need. And HUGE, damn, like an SUV. Problem is, it looks like a weird Ford interpretation of the E-Class, so talk about redundant.

Still convincing myself to forget about it and just drive the E until it makes me sick, but can't make up my damn mind!

are you a hoarder or a collector KA??

I'd like to say both, but I think the lack of space that I have (to park the cars) makes me a "Trader".

My plan was always to have one car that I can always keep for "feel good drives", keep clean, keep for a while, etc., and one that I swap in and out of (the work horse) constantly. That plan is all messy now, lol.

At the same time, I keep chewing away at my "Second Car fund" by buying up more AAPL Stock as it keeps falling.

Please buy a little more sir. I have several 2012 calls that could use some help.

I got your back, SG. Just make sure you keep 'em as Calls so we all go up together.

Cooper S! You just can't be tired of it. I've driven across Europe in mine, no problems and I'm 6'3.

Here are some pics of my 2011 MCS if you are interested: http://www.garaget.org/?car=235702

Interesting. The gentleman who bought my 1999 Volvo S70 sold a Mini Cooper S.

Wayne

Whats the deal KA?

Pepper White for the win! Great looking setup. They are such a blast to drive!

I C in your not too distant future...

Surprise surprise...

ANOTHER white W212...

Seriously tho, I still can't stop admiring the nicely modded W211s whenever I c one...