balthus

Hello -

25+ year MB owner and up until a few years ago my husband and I both had MB's.

We tend to keep our cars and maybe put 10,000 miles tops a year on each car.

If it weren't for our dealership having an accident with our 2010 wagon five years ago we might still be driving it!

That wagon was replaced by a 2013 wagon which I drive and currently has about 34,000 miles on it.

My husband's 2010 GLK was totaled in an accident 3 & 1/2 years ago when he was hit by a truck and he didn't care for the newer SUV styling so he bought a new (2016) Subaru Outback (he's from Seattle and everyone in his family drives one and at the time we got enough of insurance settlement to practically pay for the Outback) which now has 18,000 miles.

Factory warranty on my wagon is expired and the additional 1 year runs out later this year.

Quirky things are starting to happen even at low mileage and I have had the car in for service for one thing or another every month since August and it went back in today for a "clunk" noice that started a few months ago when the steering wheel adjusts getting in and out of car.

They have lubed and adjusted the steering wheel linkage but I had read quite a few posts in the W212 forum about this and I worry I might have an issue post-warranty.

Also have had "vehicle rising" light come on a few times. Both rear air bellows and rear valve block were replaced.

Since the car has been in so many times for service, it becomes increasingly noticeable how the E class styling and technology has changed let alone the C as I have usually get one or the other for loaners.

I have been keeping my eye out for a newer CPO wagon but they are few and far between here and the price point for a 2-3 year old CPO vehicle with low miles keeps inching up.

I was snooping around the used cars today after I dropped my car off this morning and saw a 2018 E300W CPO with 11,000 miles in a color combo I love. It has the P2 package (which I guess has changed for the 2019 models), AMG exterior, 19" AMG wheels, Burmester surround sound and a few other small options. The original invoice was almost $62k - base about $53K and about $9k in options. I thought the AMG/sport package would be too masculine or sporty but on this car it looks stunning and the seats were very comfortable.

I did a quick test drive and it was really really nice but it is such a different vehicle and I was a bit overwhelmed by everything and had to take off and my usual salesperson wasn't there so I will need to call him Monday.

Was hoping I could get some answers to a few questions here before I talk to him.

What would be a good price to pay for this car.

Does this sedan have the same (or higher or lower) ground clearance as my 2013 wagon which has no sensors and which does not like cement curb bumps much. Do the sensors really help with alerting you when to stop when you are pulling into a parking spot?

Will I miss not having 4MATIC?

When I talked to my husband when I got home, he said he'd take my wagon and we should use the Outback for trade-in. I think he misses driving an MB but I don't think that makes much sense as the Outback is 3 years newer, has almost half the miles and has way more safety features than the 2013 wagon.

I had considered another car a few months ago and the dealership only offered me $20k for the wagon which I thought was low considering mileage and condition but I think at this point the trade-in value on the wagon will really start taking a hit and the potential for high repair costs exists once warranty expires.

The resale value on the Outback is great compared to purchase price and the dealership is constantly after us to trade in for new car as you can't find a pre-owned Outback.

Appreciate any insights into the 2018 E300, trade-in value the 2013 wagon, pro's or con's on which car to trade, etc.

I was tad bummed out that the 2108 CPO does not qualify for the current 1.99% interest rate/1 more free promo and sales guy said he thought I could get rate in high 3's which is about what Bank of America and our credit union is offering. We have had all our prior loans with MBCC.

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

balthus

Hello - I noticed there have been multiple views of my post but no replies. Have I asked something wrong? If I did can someone let me know. Thanks,

rbrylaw

No, you didn't say anything wrong. You gave a lot of information though...........

Before you decide to move forward with this car, I would recommend you see if you can drive a 2018 E400 for comparison sake. Many are just fine with the 4 cylinder E Class, but I have to be honest, we had one and traded it fairly quickly for the 6 cylinder. Again, for many the E300 is fine and all they need. In terms of your other questions:

What would be a good price to pay for this car. - Expect to pay about 20% less than the sticker price. See if you can do better.

Does this sedan have the same (or higher or lower) ground clearance as my 2013 wagon which has no sensors and which does not like cement curb bumps much. Do the sensors really help with alerting you when to stop when you are pulling into a parking spot? - They sit low. The car you're looking at has parking sensors, so use them. If you have the 360 degree camera system, even better. You'll be able to see in front and all around you when parking. I can't compare a 2013's height though sorry.

Will I miss not having 4MATIC? - If you live in a cold climate with snow or ice, yes, you likely will. If you live in a warm climate like Florida, probably not. Note that the E400's all come with 4Matic and is another reason you should at least drive one to compare.

Don't get me wrong, you can't go wrong with an E300 and it sounds like you've found one you like. Do come back and let us know what you decide to do.

mballiet

I own a 2017 E-400 wagon with Sport pkg and Premium 2 options. Have had the car for a year and it is the best car I've owned. I believe all the wagons come with 4-matic so you might not have to miss-out. The 329 HP 3.0 litre is a great engine and feels just as powerful as the 4.2 liter V8 I had in my Audi A8. If you drive in Comfort mode it is very sedate, quiet and comfortable. I think it is a purchase you definitely would not reget. I also advise getting out of air-ride problems early. That is an expensive fix and the reason I got rid of my A8 (which I loved). As for clearance, the Sport package has the AMG styling on the front and definitely is low. Not a lot of ground clearance so you need to be careful. However I think that styling makes the car so I deal with it.

rbrylaw

The 400's all came with 4Matic, but the OP is looking at a E300, not 400 and I don't believe they all came with 4Matic.

mballiet

Couple other thoughts. Our wagon was similarly equipped but may have had a few extras as the list price was just under $70K. $62K seems low for original list price. I think 20% off would be an incredible deal. I would expect the dealership to be looking for only 10% off original list due to low miles. With the CPO program you get an extra year on your warranty and unlimited miles so that's valuable. Lastly, I just got 2.99% for 48 months from Mercedes Benz financial on an 11K miles CPO GLC300, and they are making my first payment as part of a promotion. That effectively eliminates 1/3rd of my total finance costs so the rate is equivalent to 1.99%. Check with the finance person at your dealership. I'm in California but I think that was a Mercedes Benz USA program.

rbrylaw

No offense, but 10% off MSRP is not a good deal for a used Benz. I did better than that on an ordered brand new E450.

mballiet

Lastly, I always use Kelly Blue Book to get the trade in value. "Excellent" condition (3% of vehicles) with your low miles is worth about $25K as a trade-in (California). Try kbb.com and put in your area to see. However, I think you're right that $20K is a bit low.

mballiet

Sorry. I thought she was looking at a wagon when I read 300W. My mistake. That explains the price difference. Also, the wagon's do pretty well on resale but the E300s are plentiful so I agree on your 20%.

JTK44

Couple of observations:

On my new 2019 E450, MSRP of $70,205 my cost was $63,098 9.9% off of list. I took delivery on December 27, 2018. So I would expect a minimum of 20%/25% off of MSRP. on a CPO - a used car.

If your cost was $60,000 for 48 months, you monthly payment is $1250 plus interest at 2.99%, $1794 per year, $149.50 per month, 4 years total $7176. If the dealer paid the first month that is a savings of $1399.50. That would reduce the total interest payment to $5776.50. That is an effective interest rate of 2.4% not 1.99%.

mballiet

I was talking about my GLC purchase. Total finance cost was 1,600 for 4 years, payment is 589 so pretty close to what I presented.

Cao Black

Hello -

25+ year MB owner and up until a few years ago my husband and I both had MB's.

We tend to keep our cars and maybe put 10,000 miles tops a year on each car.

If it weren't for our dealership having an accident with our 2010 wagon five years ago we might still be driving it!

That wagon was replaced by a 2013 wagon which I drive and currently has about 34,000 miles on it.

My husband's 2010 GLK was totaled in an accident 3 & 1/2 years ago when he was hit by a truck and he didn't care for the newer SUV styling so he bought a new (2016) Subaru Outback (he's from Seattle and everyone in his family drives one and at the time we got enough of insurance settlement to practically pay for the Outback) which now has 18,000 miles.

Factory warranty on my wagon is expired and the additional 1 year runs out later this year.

Quirky things are starting to happen even at low mileage and I have had the car in for service for one thing or another every month since August and it went back in today for a "clunk" noice that started a few months ago when the steering wheel adjusts getting in and out of car.

They have lubed and adjusted the steering wheel linkage but I had read quite a few posts in the W212 forum about this and I worry I might have an issue post-warranty.
I'm not sure exactly how that works, but if you alerted the dealer to the condition before your warranty expired, wouldn't it continue to be covered beyond the expiration date?

Also have had "vehicle rising" light come on a few times. Both rear air bellows and rear valve block were replaced.
See above, but air ride is an expensive repair and seems to have a high percentage failure (or wear-out) rate.

Since the car has been in so many times for service, it becomes increasingly noticeable how the E class styling and technology has changed let alone the C as I have usually get one or the other for loaners.

I have been keeping my eye out for a newer CPO wagon but they are few and far between here and the price point for a 2-3 year old CPO vehicle with low miles keeps inching up.

I was snooping around the used cars today after I dropped my car off this morning and saw a 2018 E300W CPO with 11,000 miles in a color combo I love. It has the P2 package (which I guess has changed for the 2019 models), AMG exterior, 19" AMG wheels, Burmester surround sound and a few other small options. The original invoice was almost $62k - base about $53K and about $9k in options. I thought the AMG/sport package would be too masculine or sporty but on this car it looks stunning and the seats were very comfortable.
Sounds like a very nice car.

I did a quick test drive and it was really really nice but it is such a different vehicle and I was a bit overwhelmed by everything and had to take off and my usual salesperson wasn't there so I will need to call him Monday.

Was hoping I could get some answers to a few questions here before I talk to him.

What would be a good price to pay for this car.

Does this sedan have the same (or higher or lower) ground clearance as my 2013 wagon which has no sensors and which does not like cement curb bumps much. Do the sensors really help with alerting you when to stop when you are pulling into a parking spot?
I don't know about the height differences. I find the sensors effective/helpful when parking. Where curbs or "wheel stops" are concerned they are of no use when 'unparking". Likewise they are useless in a situation like leaving a sloped driveway. The taller the object they are detecting the better they detect. They aren't perfect.

Will I miss not having 4MATIC?
Truly depends on where and how you drive. I don't drive in snow and ice (ever) and even though AWD can help even in dry conditions, I don't think it makes a huge difference in "normal driving" unless you do have snow, ice, or a lot of rain. Do you drive the Outback? Compare the RWD E300 to that.

When I talked to my husband when I got home, he said he'd take my wagon and we should use the Outback for trade-in. I think he misses driving an MB but I don't think that makes much sense as the Outback is 3 years newer, has almost half the miles and has way more safety features than the 2013 wagon.
E350 wagons aren't that common in the used car market either. Maybe consider selling it yourself?

I had considered another car a few months ago and the dealership only offered me $20k for the wagon which I thought was low considering mileage and condition but I think at this point the trade-in value on the wagon will really start taking a hit and the potential for high repair costs exists once warranty expires.
See above. A quick check on AutoTempest in the LA area only showed 2 E350 wagons like yours. $20K doesn't seem that far off as a trade-in value.

The resale value on the Outback is great compared to purchase price and the dealership is constantly after us to trade in for new car as you can't find a pre-owned Outback.

Appreciate any insights into the 2018 E300, trade-in value the 2013 wagon, pro's or con's on which car to trade, etc.

I was tad bummed out that the 2108 CPO does not qualify for the current 1.99% interest rate/1 more free promo and sales guy said he thought I could get rate in high 3's which is about what Bank of America and our credit union is offering. We have had all our prior loans with MBCC.

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

The debate about 4 cyl turbo vs. V6 is never ending in this forum. I think the 4 cyl performs as well as the V6 used in the W212 (E350) series cars in all normal driving conditions. If you are used to a more powerful V8, it may not be for you. I have a 2018 E300 equipped the same as the one you describe and think it is a terrific car. I have had zero problems, while others in this forum have. Take it for a longer test drive before making your decision. Good luck...and welcome.

balthus

Thanks for the info about the 400 but I checked mbusa and don't see an '18 anywhere near me - actually not many preowned 400's vehicles in my state - and I think they will be out of my price range. Based on my driving and needs, I think the 300 will be fine.

Do you really think I could get 20% off what the dealer is asking for the 18 E300? I have checked a few price guides and put in the packages and options and they seem to be asking a fair price. What seems to be low is the trade-in they gave me for my '13 wagon.

I plan to follow up with salesperson later today and will let you know. Thanks again.

balthus

Thanks everyone for the feedback. Yes I am looking at an E300 sedan not a wagon. I'd love to get another wagon and have been looking on mbusa for 6 months but none have come up anywhere near where I live and I have never bought a car without seeing it and then have the issue with my trade. Unfortunately the current CPO promo of 1/99% & 1 months payment does not include 2018 vehicles. I did find a '18 You have all given me great info and I will let you know what happens.

guhvies

Just a couple of points: it would help if you say what state you're in. That would give an indication of your market area and possibly someone could point you in a better direction to look. How amenable are you to looking outside your state? Would you consider taking a trip to view a car and making the purchase then?

balthus

Morning - I live in Texas and would want to stay within the state so we could drive to a dealer and do our trade and make things easier with sales tax, registration, etc. Thanks.

cetialpha5

If you're worried about repair costs, you do realize you can buy an extra 2 years of CPO coverage assuming that was a Mercedes CPO right?

It's mentioned a lot in the extended warranty subforum. Just contact some of the vendors mentioned there for a quote.

https://mbworld.org/forums/extended-...extension.html

https://mbworld.org/forums/extended-...-warranty.html

balthus

Thanks but unfortunately my extra 2 years is what is expiring this year. My car went into service in 2012 and I did the extra 2 years when I bought it. I'd have to do 3rd party warranty.

rbrylaw

I think he meant buy two more CPO years on the new car. I could be wrong, but that's what I thought.

balthus

Thanks everyone and I did want to follow-up on my post. I found out last week I need to have surgery in early March so decided I don't want to make any major decisions until I am healed and on the mend. I will probably be back with W213 questions in the spring or summer. Appreciate everyone's advice and info.

rbrylaw

Sorry to hear about the surgery. I hope it goes well and we look forward to hearing from you soon afterwards.