garygnu

hi - my CPO 2016 S550 is hovering around the lemon law territory, and i'm trying to decide what i want to do regarding MB. i can either try to have them cooperatively make me whole (let me trade the car in, unusually high redemption to make me whole, and then usual lease on a new S560) or i can attempt to "force them" ala lemon law - in which case i'd never get another benz. like i will never get another VW or Audi. but i digress...
Some folks have said the 2018 is vastly superior to the prior years (transmission, upgraded software, etc.) and others have said the prior years might be quieter, some like the prior headlights better, etc.
i STILL can't figure out if i came out better with the CPO than a lease with tax deductions, etc. - if i went lease, i'd put money back into my pocket and i wouldn't own after 3 years.
if i stay CPO, i'd sell August 2022 (extended warranty would run out October 2022) and i'd sell before then - though i predict the 2022s will be a new model which could really depreciate the value of my 2016.
I'd appreciate any thoughts or suggestions one way or another. i wasn't displeased with my cream puff at all - and never noticed a transmission issue - but 19 days in the shop is a lot (and i've only received the car march 3 - they've had the car almost as long as me!)
i HAVE lost confidence in my particular vehicle - and yes, i acknowledge even a brand new car out of the showroom can also have issues.
thanks for any suggestions or advice.

superpop

It is either a math question or an emotional question. A math question depends on your specific situation. In my state, and with my job, I get no real break other than a break on WSST on a lease. In most cases a lease is almost always a losing proposition vs buying CPO. Most folks lease a car because they cannot afford to buy it, or they get a tax advantage from a lease. These are all math problems but if you are trying to make a decision based on financial factors than a very strong argument can be made for the car you already own. The emotional question is different in that you are willing to spend more money to get a brand new car. Most folks take both of these factors into consideration when buying and land on what they want. A CPO car under warranty until you sell gives you very predictable spend and it will be much less than the same predictable spend on a lease for a new car. In the end you have to decide if you are OK spending the money on a new car, and what financial implications it will have on your specific situation. I would get your car fixed, get it back, and enjoy it for a while before making any rash decision.

garygnu

thanks superpop - spoken like a true accountant
emotionally - new always wins, right?
before i got the 2016, i was about to order an E400 - and once i drove a 2015 S550, and then sat in an E300 - i was done. (i thought the E300 blew away my BMW 5, and the E400 a little more so, but neither can touch the S).
i felt the CPO, with warranties would put me in pretty good shape. i DO expect some stuff to go wrong but i expected it years from now - this motor or that motor. not the transmission.
note, if they REPLACED the transmission i'd probably feel better, but still have concerns.
i DID experience computer glitches which affected the suspension - as in the car was driving VERY poorly when it went bad - not "gee, i felt that bump harder" but more like i believe the suspension locked - was REALLY bad. later, the suspension locked into sport mode (not the end of the world) and the error message came up "automatic headlights not available" or something like that.
at the end of the day, it's the 19 days rebuilding the transmission causes me to question not if, but WHEN the next issue will arise, and how bad it will be.
with 19 days in the shop, i'm just one day away from a pure lemon law claim (though i'd rather not go that way).
emotionally, i was fine with a 2.5 year old car that i was to hold for another almost 4 years. though i HAD considered, when i sell it in the future, would i get another CPO? now i'm not inclined, and by NOT getting it, i'd get a roughly 7 year newer car, with 7 year newer tech (and now likely a new body). and that new body may push down the value of my 2016 if it's a new body for say, 2023.
really on the fence on this one - how much i want to push.
meanwhile, i'm supposed to pick up my car today so if it works well, i have one path/decision tree - and if there are problems, it sort of takes care of the decision for me. i think.
i believe leasing a new bad boy would have the most depreciation, and cost about $60k for the 3 years, and i can write off just about all of that.
with my purchased, i had hoped to avoid some of that depreciation ding - though i DID pay extra for warranties, and then i shipped the thing, so the savings are a tad more clandestine.
thanks for your thoughts - i'll re-read your post again, but i think it makes a lot of sense. THANK YOU.

superpop

I would probably go to the dealer and tell them to let MB know that they either need to replace the tranny with a new one or take that car back on a lemon law claim. They DO NOT want the car back on a lemon law claim so I would think they would just replace the tranny.

garygnu

johndong888

Yeah have them replaced the tranny and see how it goes. Oh a side note, I saw my 18 upgrade as a vast improvement over the 15s. Nothing wrong with the 15 tho.