File this under "might be too good to be true." We test drove and it seemed good and everything appears to be very well maintained and squeaky clean apart from the ****ty Escort install. What do you all think? Wife is looking to upgrade from an Outback.

http://www.mercedesbenzofwarwick.com...-16454753.html

 

Crazy Price !
3 owners isn't that big a deal, but they are selling AS IS. That may be SOP for cars over 80K.
Ask to see the work orders on recent repairs - they may highlight some anticipated big $$ work needed.
What does MB charge for an extensive extended warranty?

Who knows, you could win big if the whole emissions thing blows up...

Good Luck!

 

LOL yeah, with VW and now BMW wrapped up in that whole thing, I've been watching, waiting for M-B to get sucked into the mess.

 

Are you an experienced Mercedes-Benz owner?

 

great looking car, good packages inside too, good luck

 

Not at all, that's what brought me here. I drive a BMW 328. I sat in a number of M-Bs in the showroom and although they were certainly well-appointed none of them felt right. I will admit I liked the ML when we test drove.

 

Be sure to do some thorough research on the OM642 engine as applied to Mercedes-Benz passenger cars. Also, be sure to ask the dealer about the vehicle's service history, especially as it relates to the timing chain and tensioner.

 

You know what they say, right? If it's too good to be true, it prolly isn't.


As was mentioned, ask for a service history and title search. If everything checks out, then you're one lucky SOB!

 

No mention of the "big three" oil cooler rings, tensioner or timing chain on the carfax but I'll check those things with the dealer.

I'll research the engine further as well. Thanks for the replies!

 

No problem, Alec Trevelyan! It's a pleasure.

 

Buy it!

 

Well, when you put it like that...!

 

Got the service history. Doesn't look like the oil cooler o ring, drive chain or tensioner have been serviced.

Title search also comes back clean.

 

If you are comfortable with spending $1,000-$2,000/annually or every 10,000 miles on maintenance and repairs coupled with the possibility of a $3,000 timing chain and tensioner replacement, go for it. You will love the Mercedes-Benz experience. If you are uncomfortable with that, you might want to look at another make and model.

I personally own and drive a 2011 R350 BlueTEC, as well as two other Mercedes-Benz models.

 

My feeling on it is that's what you get with used cars. To get the extra room she wants and the added luxury, and given the price compared to new, it makes sense to use this approach. I can also see her upgrading once the kids are in grade school when I'm sure she'll want a third row, so it's not a forever thing.

 

Remember that we Mercedes owners don't get any complimentary maintenance buying or leasing new either. It's usually as expensive as I mentioned from the start of ownership, at least in my experience. It looks like you are leaning towards a buy. I'm glad.

 

Yep, price is good until Tuesday so we're pulling the trigger. We bimmer owners don't get complimentary maintenance either, by the way. It's a paid option on new cars, but not on 68K mile used ones like mine was when I bought it.

 

I was always under the impression that up until they recently changed their program, there was "No Cost Scheduled Maintenance" on new BMW vehicles. My father, a recent Mercedes-Benz convert, was very proud of the fact that he didn't have to shell out a dime in maintenance expenses on his leased 2013 5 series.

I test drove a 2018 Volvo V90 Cross Country this week (comparing their V90 offerings to the Mercedes-Benz E400 Wagon), and the salesman started talking about their complimentary maintenance, so it's been on my mind. Yawn

 

Maybe it's automatically included on leases to increase eventual resale value or likelihood of qualifying as CPO?

I took note of the fact that this particular ML qualified after its first owner.

 

How did you like the Volvo?

 

They were nice, but probably not nice enough. Volvo has come a long way since we owned an 850 Turbo in the mid-90s. The brand has definitely gone in a more luxurious direction to compete against Mercedes-Benz in particular. However, I think that they are falling short in a couple of areas. I'll start with the positives about the Volvos. I think that the Volvos probably present a better value. For example, Mercedes-Benz DRIVE PILOT is limited to vehicles equipped with the top-of-the-line Premium 3 package, whereas Volvo's Pilot Assist II is standard. Therefore, with the V90s you can get the latest technology at a lower price point. The E400 Wagon equipped with the Premium 3 package at my local dealer is $82,000. A fully-loaded V90 T6 tops out at about $69,000, according to the salesman I met with. The fit and finishes of the V90s are very nice. However, without some of the optional upholstery upgrades, you are still left with a lot of plastic finishes that are reminiscent of vehicles from the first part of this decade and earlier. The V90 cabins are quiet and the ride comfort is good, even without the optional air suspension. I drove them across some pretty rough roads in a forest preserve. I think the biggest drawback for the Volvos lie under the hood. I do not think that I am fan of the T5 or T6 engine options that are currently available for the V90s. Volvo has essentially the same 2.0L Inline 4-cylinder engine across its line-up. With the T5 you get turbocharging. With the T6 you get turbocharging and supercharging. With the T8, you get the engine plus an electric motor. Unfortunately, the T8 is not available in the V90s. The T8 is currently only available in the XC90, which I have not driven. The acceleration in both the T5 and T6 felt slower than what I am accustomed to as an owner of relatively high displacement Mercedes-Benz V8s. The engines sound like 4-cylinder engines, which means that they sound strained at times. Volvo has a very good track record for engine durability, but I am worried that these complicated engines may not live up to that. The E400's V6 is a better performer that is actually not that much less fuel efficient. I think that the V90s are definitely worth considering if you are comparing them to an E400 without the Premium 3 package and/or interior upgrades. If you are considering an E400 Wagon with the Premium 3 package, you are looking at something more luxurious and powerful than anything Volvo currently has to offer. Please let me know if you have any questions.

 

Thank you for the full information you provide us with. My impression of new Volvos is exactly the same - nice interior, quite expensive with numerous interior and exterior trims and packages, unfortunately only 4 cylinder engines. Here we drive more diesels especially speaking about SUV and the D5 is pretty inadequate for a over two tones XC90.

 

Love that smokey wood interior, wood wheel and the pushbutton start...this one looks fully loaded with rear seat heaters too! I say go for it. Knowing that it's from an mb dealer even makes me that much more confident. $23 is a good price, based on nada/kbb, especially if they can prove some serious service was just done (rotors/brakes, B service, new tires, etc). I say go!

 

Overall it's fine, but make sure:
- required transmission service ($550) has been done at 70k miles;
- how often oil has been changed (for such engine (OM642) - every 5K miles);
- check any oil leaks (from oil cooler, turbo) caused by overheating the engine.
Go ahead and read this to understand the car and common problems of BlueTecs: http://www.stephensservice.com/bluet...ssuesproblems/
Good luck!

 

Is this really Sean Bean??