kirealkim

MBNUT1

You know it really just depends on your tolerance for a potentially big repair bill. With your current car the likelihood of one will be pretty low. I have a 2010 E3504matic which I bought a year and half ago with 93k miles and other than replacing the thermostat I have only had to have routine maintenance so the car is basically pretty reliable and built ten times better than a Hyundai but if it needs any significant repair it will be very costly. For example if the transfer case has an issue I am looking at a $7K bill because the transfer case and transmission are a matched unit.

On the other hand there is absolutely no comparison in the driving experience of the two cars. I hate it when people say you have to pay to play but its pretty true.

kirealkim

kajtek1

You will have to learn modern technology going from 2015 Hyundai to 2010 MB.
You did not post options on MB, but those are luxury cars and luxury cost in maintenance even if you don't have failing parts on 8 years old car.
How much can you DIY? If you plan to take car for service to shops, better keep Hyundai.

ItalianJoe1

The 212 E class is a very solid car, they are about as reliable as the Hyundai, but when the parts break they will be more expensive. Much nicer to move upmarket, but you are still going from a 3 year old car to an 8 year old one, and coming out of pocket.

homeofstone

I have had both. Still have my E63 and love the power and luxury. However, I owned a 2011 Hyundai Genesis 4.6 V8 from new and put 213,000 miles on it (just traded in recently) and in all those miles only had to replace the gas tank sending unit and of course tires and brakes. The Genesis V8 never leaked oil, never used oil and the transmission shifted like new still at 213,000 miles. My Mercedes E 63 has needed several expensive trips to the dealer for repairs and the 2011 Mercedes only just hit 70,000 miles.

Mud

Solid comments from someone that knows these cars well.

MBNUT1

This is good to hear. It is consistent with CR recommendation, my experience and a friend of mine at work who also has one.

cetialpha5

The early ones still had some cosmetic issues, but mostly minor. In 2012 they went with a direct injection engine so hp went from 268hp in 2010-2011 to 302hp in 2012-2016. I think there are only some minor differences between 2010 and 2011, you may have to work it a little to enable bluetooth audio if it's not already enabled. Faded wood trim was common up to 2013. Open the door and check the color of the wood hidden by the door vs the exposed trim. Ripped driver's seat if MB-tex is also common. Even if it comes with a warranty, check for those items because it might not be covered by warranty and be considered cosmetic.

Otherwise, a fun car to drive,

kirealkim

My Hyundai has scratches and dents on the hood and front fenders. That Mercedes is in very good condition inside and outside, it’s 4MATIC sport version. I can’t DIY much that’s why I want warranty to be included. They also giving a free 90 day warranty. But I’m not sure if it’s a good deal or not... with 4K on top of my Santa Fe .

kajtek1

IF YOU ARE NOT DIY, DON'T BUY USED MB TILL YOU FIND TRUSTWORTHY INDY WHO WILL NOT DRAIN YOUR HOUSE EQUITY. !
Used car warranties do have lot of small print and they cost few thousand$$$ up front, so that is not going to be cheap either way.
You are posting here, so looks like you will do your homework when repair will be necessary, but the reason why you can buy used MB very cheap (comparing to sticker) is becouse shops will milk MB owners dry.

mnje350

Mud

I'm of same mindset as the above post. My 2011 has 55k with ELW till 11/18 or 100k. Has been very reliable with a few minor items. Unless the car completely turns to cr@p between now and then I don't see a need to replace it. Its cheaper for me in the long run to keep and repair rather than flip to a newer car.
But these are subjective comments about cars we know. Don't know the numbers associated with your particular case. But taking a general swing at it, small utes/crossovers seem to be the latest craze, less sedans being sold. I might go in at even trade or add $500 and negotiate from that point. And prepared to walk away. $4k seems like a lot of money on the table. Again though that's just my view. Good luck on your path forward 👍
Oh, something else, suggest you do your own due diligence and check the VIN at a dealer. They can tell you repair and maintenance history on the car, may be enlightening. And going a step further you can pay a few bucks at independent shop that knows MB to have 3rd party check the car. I say that thinking about your comment that you don't really do DIY. That can be a game changer if your taking it in for everything. Not criticizing you at all just adding some considerations that may help.

Johnny Rad

..and for these reasons, I'm out. Keep piling the 20K mi/yr into your Santa Fe and keep your $4K.

Just wondering, do you need out of the Santa Fe because it's leased?

Thanks and good luck!

kirealkim

homeofstone

My daughter has a Santa FE with over 270,000 miles on i tand It is still reliable. So IMO if $4000,00 seems a lot to you then stay away from any luxury car over 5 years old that is loaded with expensive to repair electronics and options.

John Choi

I have 2 Hyundai Genesis , 2 BMW x5 E53, and 2003 MB CL55amg. Hyundai has been most reliable car by far margin... I am currant having issue with EIS and its pretty much dealer only fix. It could be either key fab or switch module.

mnje350

kajtek1

Point is that with this model it doesn't take much from full joy to teeth grinding.
Even DIY we are at mercy of dealers with SCN coding.
2 failed sensors taken to dealer can leave you $3000 shorter. And yeah, the car (unlike Hyundai) has lot and lot of sensors.

300SE1993

My 2 cents on this topic:

I recently bought a 2011 E350 4Matic from the 2nd owner. It had 173K miles on it when I got it and 181K now. Still drives like new. Prior owner told me the only thing that went wrong with it since 66K miles (when he bought it) was a headlight. I tend to believe him. There was some deferred maintenance that I tended to, but the car is rock solid and so far reliable. I think the quality of the W212 is on par with the best. Make sure it has a good service history and that the transmission fluid has been regularly serviced. The new transmission that came in the 2011 model seems to be a little more forgiving.

As others have mentioned, it is best if you are a DIYer. As an example, I did the transmission fluid flush myself, saving probably $400 vs. dealer cost.

(Note, if there are any hyperlinks in this post, i did not put them there. The forum did)

nhoj_yelbom

reliability is very good on the W212 but yes more expensive to maintain vs a hyundai (kia). ask yourself if driving pleasure, safety, and looks matter. the mercedes with advanced traction control (ESP) and all other driving systems can help you avoid accidents.

W212M276

I'm also of the opinion that, if you are not a DIYer, you should stay with your Santa Fe. My concern is always deferred maintenance on these luxury vehicles. Because many owners lease and trade up, and because preventive maintenance at the dealer is so expensive, the proper PM is rarely performed. For example, changing the air filter on the Hyundai takes 60 seconds: flip a couple of clips and swap out the filter. On the Benz, it takes me the better part of an hour, and I had to buy special tools to do it. If you pay someone else to do all the PM that has been neglected, it will quickly add up to the price you paid for the car. It seems ridiculous, but it's true. A dealer quoted me $550 to change the spark plugs, $350 to perform a transmission service, $100+ to do an oil change, etc. This is why, when you look at the CarFax, you will see that the oil change intervals have been 12-15k and more, transmission fluid, filters, and spark plugs have never been changed, brake fluid was maybe changed once early in the life of the vehicle, etc.

Just my two cents.

llcd

DFWdude

Curious to learn how kirealjim made out on this.

I own both a 2014 Hyundai Sonata and a 2016 E350. My garage is really bi-polar...The Hyundai looks at the Benz and says, "Yea, but I'm much more reliable than you, and at half the price." The Benz glances back, "Sure, but you're still just a Hyundai..."

I love both cars. But they are two different kettles of fish. The suspension is not at all refined on the Hyundai (every jiggle in the road is felt, while the MB soaks them up without drama). But the Hyundai is the trip mileage leader by far. The Merc may get 30mpg on the highway, but the Sonata will top 40mpg easily. And as others have observed, maintenance is much cheaper with the Hyundai. You definitely need to be a DIYer for the mundane maintenance items for the MB (oil changes, air and cabin filters, thermostat replacements, etc.) Tedious to do but I consider it part of my Mercedes 'Hobby."

There's an old adage about Autonation, and if you haven't heard it before, I'll coin it now... "ALWAYS sell your old car to Autonation, but NEVER buy a car from Autonation." I've sold three cars to Autonation, and they consistently offered better cash buyouts than a conventional dealership. BUT they will always pass it along on anything they sell. Prices for used cars there are insane. Best to pocket the trade-in money and shop for the new car independently.

If OP wanted to minimize the angst over the age gap between the the older Merc and the newer Santa Fe, I would sell the Hyundai to Autonation, and then buy a 2-3 year old E-Class from a dealership specializing in off-lease returns purchased from MB Financial, like these guys... www.texascarsdirect.com They currently have 2, 2014 E-class sedans under $25K (one with pano-roof).. A face-lift 2014 is far newer than a 2010 model.

bob2011

W212 is a tank! Check if the proper maintenance was done, get a PPI, and if you're heart is set, buy it and don't look back! It's going to be a world of difference between your Hyundai and the Benz!