Just a silly poll, I'm sure most have several reasons for their choice, but which was the most important factor in making your decision?

I picked up SWMBO's 210 Wagon for less than half the going retail price. It met all of her automotive needs and exceeded mine, even though it was 10 years old.

Value for me.

The neighbors bought a riding lawnmower, so I had to upstage them--what was I thinking?

Prestige then.

Vanity...[extra spaces]

I couldn't stand having lots of extra cash around, so I bought a 2002 C230K. Problem solved!

Being German it's a no brainer. What better to advertise this than driving behind the three pointed star. VW and Audi are also OK but BMW is out of the question as that is Bavarian and not real German. I suppose it also helps that my family is from Mannheim and my Great grandfather knew Karl Benz.

I suppose it's just knowing that I'm driving the best of the best. That is any Merc built up to the late 80's anyway. I especially like my 300TD's truck like quality, it gos well with my MAN truck.

There’s nothing like the Prestige of a Merc.

you cannot faulter German enginerring thats always a good selling pouint.
i heard somewhere that Mercedes spend £1 million a day on research and development, that is an investment for great cars.

Fuel economy. 32+ MPG in a diesel versus ~12 MPG in my Land Cruiser. That and I got it "for the price of... on the house."

Just a silly poll, I'm sure most have several reasons for their choice, but which was the most important factor in making your decision?

hehe, why not "all of the above"?

hehe, why not "all of the above"?

+1. All are valid reasons. One can also consider build quality and dealer service. I've even gotten a fair price, IMHO, for what was received.

BMW's are ugly. Lexus is to plain and ordinary. Audi's are ugly. To make a long story short...nothing looks good or make's me feel good driving it unless it's a Benz. Well....I do like the new Cadiliac's but they burn way more gas and have way more problems. That's the only other vehicle that I do like. Bite me.

I don't care for BMW or Lexus either. We have friends who like theirs, but they all look the same, and at least Mercedes-Benz offers a car line that fits various personalities and needs/wants. However, I do like Audi as they make some of the most fuel-economical vehicles there are (The Audi R8 is the top-rated supercar in this factor) and they make a few nice-looking cars, especially with those LED's on the headlight runners. My least-favorite car make from Europe would have to be Volkswagon, though. They make ugly, independable, noisy pieces of junk typically driven on the Autobahn by idiotic teenagers who think they're driving a Mclaren or so. VW might own some amazing car manufacturers, but it doesn't mean the actual VW's are nice cars.

I bought as I needed an Van which is safe and have a 7 seats.Honda and Toyota are too plain to buy.I could only see R350 as the only van I need and I took it it is safe and modern.

Ahh yes....I see those Audi's with smily headlights. I'm sorry, but I dont like those either. The car looks bubblie and it must be expensive to keep those 20 to 30 tiny light bulbs lit, clean, and crack proofed. LOL And you can see that car coming a mile away in the daytime. Its more sporty than luxury. What type of Audi is that in the movie "The Transporter"? That one looks real nice and luxurious.

The R350 has 7 seats? I will have to take a look at the vehicle again the next time I'm at the dealer. Not to keen on the look of the vehicle tho.

The Picture of your BENZ is nice. Thanks for that.

It has 2 variants 6 & 7 seater.

Ahh yes....I see those Audi's with smily headlights. I'm sorry, but I dont like those either. The car looks bubblie and it must be expensive to keep those 20 to 30 tiny light bulbs lit, clean, and crack proofed. LOL And you can see that car coming a mile away in the daytime. Its more sporty than luxury. What type of Audi is that in the movie "The Transporter"? That one looks real nice and luxurious.

I've never seen the Transporter, we didn't get that movie in our region of Germany, but it's most likely either an RS6 Avant or the R8 - those two are common in action films since they make loud noises and look sexy with explosions, or so they say back in the US. And I know what you mean about the Audis, but the bulbs are LED's and won't go out until the car's falling apart of old age anyway, haha. And I personally prefer bubbley cars since most of the fastest supercars have a bubbley form for the superior aerodynamics. If you're a need-for-speed freak like I am, then bubbles is your thing. ;)

I wonder if rust is still a problem in Audi's. I can remember my dad's Audi 80 back when we lived on the old country near Bremerhaven. It was near new but the rust was bad.
I think they are fully galvanised now but am not sure. I'm not too keen on the new stuff. Mainly due to the electronics in vehicles now days. It;s all nice and plush but once something goes wrong, thats it. That goes for all makes.

Yeah I have the same problem with my '99 ML320, but the 2008 C-class is built totally different and rust isn't a problem at all. My fiance's grandfather has a 2005 A4 Limo and it looks and runs fantastic as though it's fresh off the lot. And his cousin owns a 2000 A4 Avant that's in very good condition, too. It seems to me that German auto manufacturers improved quality in 2000 and up just to meet the demands of a new millennium.

Here in the state of Illinois, the speed limit is 55mph. In other states, its 65 or 70 mph. Those fast cars will cause people to get speeding tickets which cost 75.00 dollars for the first 15 miles over the speed limit then go up to 100.00 dollars for 20 to 30 miles over that speed limit and then add county fees, etc and you can easily get your self with a ticket that cost 2 to 3 hundred dollars. Not a lot of fast cars around here. LOL

......in fact my E320 is the fastest on the road. I get a big kick out of outrunning BMW's and Cadiliac's ( the only fast cars I ever see) from a stop light. My E320 does not dissappoint and I get 29 miles to the gallon on the highway. That's about the most of car racing I get a chance to do. Would love to drive the AutoBaun in Germany. I hear there is no speed limit.

lol well when I was driving my ML320 in Oklahoma before I moved, I got a $400 ticket for going 35 over, and I payed it off in a couple days, so it's nothing big. I was actually proud to get that old jug going 112mph on the highway. (He clocked me at 107, but I was already slamming on my brakes hehe)

Talk about cheap speeding fines.

Here in AUS the Highway Gestapo will soon be cutting off fingers and toes, additional to monumental fines and double demerit points in holiday periods.

Years ago I got busted doing 160k's in a 60 zone and got $132.00 +2 points. Nowdays it's summary roadside exicutions.

I'll be adding rotating number plates to my 123 soon.

Doesn't sound too nice. Only way you get traffic fines in Germany seems to be for idiodicy with an occasional ticket for speeding near the villages if you aren't paying attention, but nothing horrid.

We first purchased our first Mercedes back in the late 70's. Always loved the looks of them. I like how they are differant then other cars. They dont copy others and they have their own design to them. They are a blast to drive and they have soul, character, history, pedegree, ingenuity and yes class and prestige. I did not buy mine for prestige. You cant really buy a Mercedes for prestige because there are tons of other luxury cars out there to say one buys luxury for prestige is silly. Does that mean everyone that buys one wants status? No. I love the style of them, interiors are of great quality except I dont like the(old ML, W202, W204) They feel cheap to me. They are always comming up with new ideas and if you go out and buy a 2001 S600 you will still be getting more options and technology and a better ride they 95% of new cars out there. They are years ahead of others. They did have a rough patch thanks to Chysler era. Having been in a family with over 40+ years of Mercedes experiance. Owning, buying, selling, working on and now more recenlty, racing :D. In the summer time I race down in Florida on track and do some auto X as well.