FF8888

Good Day,

I am willing to buy an S class for renting and chauffeur purposes. Right now I am looking either at a 2016 model ( 150,000km ~ 110,000miles) for 32k, or a 2013 model (180,000km ~ 120,000miles) for 26k.

Is the 6000eur gap worth it? Spec for both is pretty similar, as well as both are Long s350d.

The thing I am worried about is that I will "save" 6k by buying an older and more used model, and get my profits/savings eaten up with maintenance costs.

I am free to some tips related to renting / chauffeuring as well, as all of this will be something new to me, right now just studying everything. Thanks

Sumfuncomet

I use a 2017 S550 for a limo business in Northeast US. When this one is ready I will get a S450,, just to save on gas. Personally I wouldn't own one with more than 100K on it

FF8888

Thank you for the reply! I get where you are coming from, but IMO the situation is a little bit different in my country - Latvia. The maximum you can earn by renting an S class is 250e per day, (simillar as a chauffeur) and the service is not that expensive. Al though car prices stay the same... Which means slimmer profit margins, so I dont think I have an option to get a >100k car. + not that many rich people who can afford to rent / chauffeur.

badq45t

Over 100k you will get to learn about parts you have never heard of wearing out that start to go. Go for lower miles

Sumfuncomet

I live in Portland Maine, drive to Boston, 5 hour roundtrip. 450.00 total charge. Its hard to think of buying a car with that many miles 100K I NEVER would. What about a Avalon? or a Lexus LS460? I would not want to maintain a Mercedes past 100 K, that's why they are cheap at that stage in their service life!

MB221

Im in the same bussines as you, taxi, and if 250 a day is nominal i wouldt even concider an S. A saw my collegues come and go with an S. Or a 7. Or an A8. Those with a Pheaton were gone in 60 seconds btw, thóse are expensive. Youll be working for the car mate believe me. Only possible if its an hobby.There is no cheaper S than an expensive S. Hence the letter S...Sonderpreise. Especially if you use it as an taxi. Ask yourself why you dont see them anymore as taxi. The good old days they were the best, reliable and reasonable to expoit as an taxi are gone.
Smal hint: want to have a good S, buy a 350 with around 60K miles nowadays in Germany and export it to LT. Then there is a slight chance you hit 1000E a month servicing/writeoff/etc. Seen good roads and those ex-rentals are most dealer-maintained. There are more diesels than ever sold on Mobile.de. Their prices completely dropped.

FF8888

Thanks for your input! I would not necessarily be a taxi, but a chauffeur, don't know if that a synonym in UK. 1000/month seems really much for maintenance etc.
I will definitely search for a low mileage one more then, if I really can't find anything, I guess I will have to go with the 140,000km option (86k miles). One thing that is better here in Latvia though is that doing work is pretty cheap, for example, you can change suspension for 500eur.
Yesterday looked at the 86k miles 40,000EUR option, and it seemed really good. Had some minor issues related to front seat heating though.