Getting close to pulling the trigger on a 2008 S65 from a dealer sight unseen. Price is right, warranty is private label CNA which many members here swear by, clean carfax with one owner, & photos look clean.

Before I do, I know most of you get a 3rd party inspection. If the dealer claims a 125 point inspection pass with 5 day return policy and I'm getting it with a warranty up to 125K miles, do I really need the inspection. If the car has problems and its under warranty after purchase, I could just take it to a local MB dealer and say fix it right? My buddy owns a PDR and tint shop so minor dings he can massage out.

What else should I be worried about? Thanks in advance.

 

A few things:

1. Never trust a seller. 99.999% of sellers lie. Some lie because they are dishonest and will do anything to sell their product so they hide or lie about problems. Some lie by minmizing any problems and pretending it'll be a cheap and easy fix. And some lie (and granted this is not a real lie) because there are problems they don't tell you about because they do not know about them.

2. If I told you that you could spend $250 and protect yourself nearly 100% when making a $50K+ investment, would you do it? I thought so. That's what a PPI is. Send the car to an authorized MB dealer that YOU find and YOU pay that works for YOU to find problems. DO NOT BUY THE CAR WITHOUT A PPI FROM A BENZ DEALER....YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

3. From the Benz dealer doing the PPI, ask them for a VMI which will show you every time the car has been to a Benz dealer for maintenance or repairs. You can get a sense of how the car has been treated.

4. Make sure you know what warranty you are getting. CNA is a decent company, but they have different plans, and you ONLY want an exclusionary plan for that car. Ask the dealer to see the contract, and get verification it's exclusionary and has no more than a $150 deductible. If you'd like a competitive quote on a great exclusionary plan, email me the car's VIN# and current odometer reading to brucem105@comcast.net.

5. Warranties DO NOT cover pre-existing conditions. So if you buy that car and it pops an ABC warning two days later, and it's found to have had that problem prior to your purchase by a warranty inspector, it will not be covered. That's another reason to do your own PPI...because then you have a paid-for inspection proving the car was 100% at the time you bought it.

6. Are you buying the warranty or getting it with it already attached to the car from the prior owner? If prior owner, and you're buying from a dealer as you stated, keep in mind 99.9% of 3rd-party and CPO warranties terminate if the car is sold through a dealer. Make sure you check that out.

Good luck, and keep both eyes wide open.

Bruce

 

bruce always provides some great information and suggestions for members!!!

 

Please take Bruce's advice.... He is no joke.

-Chris

 

Thanks guys for all your advice. As I was working the logistics on the deal, someone else stepped in and snatched it. This deal is going to haunt me for a while...

 

If it were me, I'd only buy a 65 with MB warranty. I don't trust 3rd party companies and I feel better about having MB standing behind what I'm driving- especially considering the cost of repairs on it.

 

I've been lurking on Cars.com for the past 15 months and nothing. Ready to buy one. PM me if you're thinking or interested in selling yours. Thanks in advance.

 

There is an 08 on cars with very low miles for 42k. Likely the closet thing to a deal to be found for that car. There was an extremely nice 09 for mid 60s but it sold.

 

A 2008 S65 w/low miles for $42,000??? That MUST be a scam or a salvage title. Even a 2009 in the mid 60's sounds extremely low. I've started looking for an 2008+ S65 and best I've found was a 2008 with 45,000, no warranty, for $85K. Are these cars really selling in the 60's?

 

No, they're not. At least not 08-onward. Thats a scam. You can def find 07s in the 60's, but as you mention the warranty becomes an issue with the older ones. I was fortunate to find a cpo'd 07....then extended the warranty until July 2014 or 135k miles. I sighed with relief once that was done.

 

I doubt that particular one is a scam. The carfax can be pulled to see if its damaged goods. Most of the ones on cars are overpriced imho. There was an immaculate 09 that sold this time last year for 92k. People said no way but it was a clean carfax and sold extremely fast. With the new s class on the way downward pressure will continue. A 09 sold last week on cars for 69 and it sold fast too. There are other issues involved but going by mb residuals 45 k or is about right for 08.

 

I just went on cars.com to see for myself and it is definitely a SCAM, no doubt about it. The same car is advertised about 3-4 different times in different cities under different ads but yet with the same pictures. With 17,000 miles and assuming it is in good condition it should be selling in the $80K's. Oh well, guess I'll have to keep looking. BTW congrats on that great find Busa, they are hard to come by.

 

Dude, c'mon. Do you have any idea what these cars sell for? A W220 2006 with those miles will sell for $45K+, much less a 2008 W221!!!

2008 S65's in nice shape with miles in mid 40K's go through the dealer auction all day long for mid $80K's. The carfax means little in general, but means ZERO when the seller is a thief looking for a Western Union deposit. And there was not a 2009 for $62K either. You are looking at scam ads.

Sure someone may have dumped an 09 for $92K a year ago, but you don't know if the car was repainted, in poor cosmetic condition, passed a PPI, etc. But even then, you're talking $92K vs. $45K??

Bruce

 

Finding a 07 under 70k has been hard to find in the past 4-6 months. Most of the low priced ones linger in the 70k range. I've seen a few 08's in the 85k range, but extremely rare. About 9-15 months ago, you would see 35+ for sale. Lucky if you find 20 for sale now. Picking are getting slim.

 

Thank you.....you saved me from writing that. Anyone that thinks 45k is a reasonable price for a 221 s65 has never shopped for one , or bought one. Its common sense.....if it's too good to be true, it usually is. Car faxes are a decent tool, but I'd never, ever buy a car based on a car fax.