Untertürkheim

Cars in Germany tend to hold their value relatively well since there are very strong cultural imperatives regarding service and maintenance. On the other hand, people in Europe always order a car, if you buy something on the lot it is like buying clothes “off the rack” i.e. at a significant discount versus a car “tailored” to the owner.

Japan is a bit of an anomaly though, there is no used car market, people there simply do not want a car that has been used by anyone else.

trumpet1

Thanks for the insight. I've often wondered about that.

WSH

Real question is, in an effort to determine value, what is total cost of daily-driving a new S600/65, replaced every 1-2yrs?

I suspect in US, cost of either 600/65 is fairly cheap (gotta love power/efficiency of US mkt such that German mfrs are forced to "dump" their stuff in US mkt, no matter what the dollar does), esp when one considers safety/daily tq advantages/aesthetics of a well-powered/finished MB....know a couple guys in CA who use '08 S65 as their daily commuter car/kid-hauler/wkend sports car (and have owned numerous AMG/F/P) and who seem fairly pleased w/value proposition of 65....and know guys in Greenwich who use 600 as their winter beater car (w/appropriate girlie winter tires/wheels)/kid-hauler....and have CLs/S65 for other 7mos/yr use w/summ perf tires/wheels....

Doubt anyone who can afford 600/65 wants any underpowered, plasticky 550....despite absurd claims in media, tq is rather daily-appreciable/enjoyable, even in congested, relevant commutes like Manhattan-Greenwich or Chic-LkForest/Winnetka; and I'd rather have winter tires/ABC/better brakes on a 600 than any S550 4Matic (which comes std w/no-season tires) in NYC/Chic.....and superior interior finishes are enjoyable daily, esp when stuck in traffic....

LETO

I think you are now exhuming the horse and beating it

Hope you are copying and pasting by now