MattB

Before any of you get outraged and call me some spoiled rich kid, I'm just going to make it clear that I WILL BE PAYING FOR THIS CAR 100% MYSELF FROM SAVING MONEY FROM SUMMER JOBS FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

Now that that's out of the way, I am currently considering a W202 2000 C280 Sport. My parents (I'm a college student and thus everything still has to be run by them) don't want me to get one. They think it's a stuck up, show off thing to do and that Mercedeses are unreliable and expensive to maintain/insure. I counter that it's not stuck up if I'm paying for it by myself from working summers and that the 2000 W202s are listed as being pretty reliable by JD Power.

Any suggestions on arguments I can make in favor of the W202? They want me to get a Honda Accord and might begrudgingly be willing to let me get another Infiniti (I paid for my current car myself from summer job earnings too).

BENZBOSS

HONDA????Too much money for nothing.GO for MERCEDES or change the home.

MattB

Yeah, I want a W202 2000 C280 Sport. My parents are convinced it will be too expensive to maintain/insure and is too show offy despite the fact that I would have earned all the money to pay for it by working summers.

MercedesFTW

G35 coupe isn't a bad car. Consider it.

JLP

If its your money then buy whatever you want........but maintenance will be a little bit more than the Honda or Infiniti.
Try telling your parents that Hondas are among the most stolen cars in the US and you want the MB for its superior crash worthiness and resale value.
If that doesn't work then grow some cojones and buy it anyways, I'm sure they'll get over it!

BENZBOSS

My twin brother drive Civic 2001 1.7 manual transsmision - 26-30 mpg Market price $7000+,new from the dealer $13000+ He has 98 000 miles

My E320 1994 was $2700 with 93 000 miles,200+ HP - 22-26 mpg.New from the dealer $40 000+

170$- Synthetic engine oil,transmission oil,fuel filters,oil filter,transmission filter + gaskets,windshield wiper,spark plugs,engine belts,coolant.................Original Mercedes parts.Try to do this in some Honda store

First My Mercedes was 1979 240D with 370 000 miles,second one is 1977 300D with 270 000 miles......................Third is E320 1994 with 98 000 miles Looking for S320 1995+


Honda?????What is this HONDA????

HLG600

A C280 Sport a nice sporty Mercedes sedan with stellar reliability and great fuel mileage. Also, it is a much safer car than the Honda or Infiniti. Just be sure the price is right and history is checked out. Have an independant MB specialist examine the car too. Just highlight the key points to your parents and be understanding to their concerns.

Well Engineered
Solid Drivetrain - Excellent Reliability
Fuel Mileage
Safety!

Good Luck

MattB

I'm definately considering another Infiniti, I've been thrilled with the service and reliability I've gotten with my current one. G35s are great cars, just out of my price range unfortunately. I'm basically looking at the Infiniti I30/I35, Acura TL, and Mercedes C280 Sport. The C280 is closest in size to the G20 I'm driving now which is a plus for me.

Brunelleschi

When I bought my first mercedes (i too was in college), my parents didn't even know about it until about a month later. they were disgruntled for the same reason as yours, but they got over it

MattB

I wish I could just do that, but unfortunately I'm going to be buying a car while I'm home for the summer and there's no way I could hide it. My parents didn't really like the idea of me having an Infiniti either when I first bought it, but they've gotten over it. I'm hoping I can convince them with the "I have to drive 500 miles to school in the fall and a Mercedes is the safest car for the trip" argument.

Brunelleschi

that is a good argument to pursue!

MattB

It's a start, but I still have to figure out how to get past their dislike for the three-pointed star on the hood.

1985mb

Are your parents paying for or helping pay for college? If they are, then it's worth remembering that that is what gives you the relative luxury of being able to spend your summer earnings on a car.

It's a fine line that most people walk as they grow up. You want to be more assertive and be treated more and more as an adult as you grow up. However, you're still dependent on them (not just financially but in many ways). So you also want to pick your battles.

Whichever way you go, you'll probably get over it (your parents getting over your buying a C280 or your getting over driving an Accord). However, contrary to what some other people are saying, there's nothing wrong with driving a Honda. Especially while you're in college. I would have considered myself lucky to have had an Accord in college. Dissing Honda on a MB forum sounds just a little elitist, at least to me.

mick1

I don't get it. You are paying for the car, not your parents, so why do their opinions matter ? If it was me, I would just go ahead and buy the car I want.

MattB

I have nothing against Honda, I would gladly buy an 03+ Accord, they just hold their value so well that I can't afford anything newer than '01 or '02. Hondas are great reliable transportation, but really haven't been much fun to drive until the latest generation of Accords (240hp, 30mpg, regular fuel). I'm not dead set on a Mercedes, and if my parents put their foot down and say I can't buy a Benz I'm not going to feel like it's unfair or anything. However, if possible I would like to convince them that a Mercedes isn't a bad car.

Jakpro1

I think if you really really want it, make a formal presentation to them just many of us business people do each day. Sit them down and sell them on it. Hand them a typed up proposal and present all the safety information and positive points for why they should agree to this. What you are going after is the "look how much I have researched and worked at this....aren't you proud of your boy" angle. You will not so much be selling the car as you are selling yourself as a responsible young man, or if you've been pretty wild, how much you are growing up. If they are the parents I think they are, they should bite on it. Don't forget.....really sell it... business attire and everything and if they are hammering you during the presentation...don't get pissed. Treat it just like a client. If they are still "absolutely NO WAY" at the end, try to guilt close and just calmly pack up your presentation and tell them it's okay, you just wanted to try and throw the head and shoulders down and walk away real bummed out. They'll feel horrible that they shot you down after you have worked so hard.

1985mb

LOL,

Brunelleschi

I think the new civic looks kinda cool...at least in the commercial where it is hopping from building to building!

MattB

The new Civic Si is a total rocket...over my winter break from school I got to drive one of the preproduction models at my summer/winter break job (sales assistant for a Honda dealer). It's very fast, revs to 8000RPM, has one of the best shifters ever IMO, and is sure to be easily modified and reliable. Great car, just way out of my price range.

Brunelleschi

i haven't priced them...what is the new si running?

raymond g-

i'll have to tell ya, that if I were that age and in your position, I'd go for a
Honda or Huyndai Sonata or something. if you get the Benz, it'll only be
luck/chance seperating you from an expensive fix, relative to a well made
Japanese car. Heck, get a Lexus or Acura or something. with the Benz
you may want to consider getting a good extended warranty as insurance.
or sock away extra $ each month into an escrow fund for fixes. then, if
it's not needed, you can roll it over towards school.

sure, they're paying for your school...and all the money you earn is your
own sweat. but as earlier poster stated, it's a numbers game. they *are*
subsidizing your tuition which is the ONLY reason why you even have a
positive balance on your savings right now. do the mature thing and respect
their feelings as well. you are not a wholly owned subsidiary. get muh drift?

having a Benz may not be a snooty thing, but fact is it does have its share
of target practice in terms of attracting keying, scrapes, etc. it'll only take
one occurance to set you back a few $$.

when you get out of college and get a good job, there will be ample time
for you to get a Benz....something you can really enjoy like an AMG.

1985mb

I would think more than $20K....

davis449

Just be aware that your repair bills, should it break, will be expensive. There are several little things that go wrong with the w202 that cost a good amt. of money to fix like control arm bushings, MAS, and some tranny isues. I'm not going to tell you not to buy one, cause despite all the problems, I love my car. But I also love my warranty. It's just my policy that I would never buy a German car without a warranty. Keep this in mind.

AsianML

They've all covered everything basically.

PROS:
-Safety (Check out the Safety forum here)
-Gas mileage
-Very well engineered

CONS:
-If something does go wrong, it may come out pretty expensive

Good luck on your next car.

MattB

Yeah that's about right, they're running around $20-21K IIRC.

And as for a warranty, I've got that computed into my budget. I would not buy a Mercedes without a bumper to bumper warranty. Even if I end up going for an Infiniti I'm buying an extended warranty. I want the peace of mind from knowing that if something goes wrong I can drop it off at the dealer and not worry about a huge repair bill.

And weren't the W202 transmission issues '97-'98 or so? I'm only looking at the 2000 C280 Sport.