How long will you keep your car for?

[Pweb]

I was just wondering - How long will you keep your car for?

[Mark08859]

I try not to keep a car for much longer than 5 years. Usually, the more expensive items start to break down or need replacing in the fourth and fifth years.

The four year MB warranty gives me extra peace of mind. But Consumer Reports has maintained for years that extended warranties aren't worth the paper upon which they're printed.

[Pweb]

I try not to keep a car for much longer than 5 years. Usually, the more expensive items start to break down or need replacing in the fourth and fifth years.

Are you saying that Mercedes cars are not reliable? Then why did you buy one? :)

[Mark08859]

I try not to keep a car for much longer than 5 years. Usually, the more expensive items start to break down or need replacing in the fourth and fifth years.

Are you saying that Mercedes cars are not reliable? Then why did you buy one? :)

Not at all. I'm referring to normal wear and tear. Replacing parts in the first few years of ownership would indicate a lack of reliability.

Replacing exhaust system parts, as an example, would not be considered abnormal after 4-6 years of ownership. By trading in the car after 5 years, one just might avoid that expense. Also, with me, my trade in is usually a substantial part of my down payment. So, I wouldn't want to keep the car for 8-10 years. By trading in earlier, I may be able to "move up" in my automotive choice. I am anticipating the MB coupe will hold its value well so I can afford something better when the time comes. Perhaps a C320 or low level E Class. :)

[d.w.]

by then, i'll be movin' on up...but 4 years is perfect for this car. :D

[young]

depends on the car. the coupe, i plan to keep for 3 year (maybe a little longer) and sell it w/ some warranty still left.

[JasonTrux]

I havent had my 2002 c230 for too long, but i love it already. I am not sure how long I will have it, but i financially possible, i would keep it and make regular upgrades with it; building a collection of gorgeous german automobiles.

-jt

[tifosiv122]

I will have well over 100,000 miles in three years and would need to sell the car. I know I will take a huge hit since I bought it new, but thats why I got a MB in stick...whoever will buy it from me won't be concerned that its a stick, it'll sell for the price of a civic.

Erik

[Fenix]

i'm keeping my 240d till it craps out on me and it would cost more to fix it than to get a 420SEL, or maybe a 300D, i kinda like diesel :)

[hlea34]

i plan to keep my car till it dies with me. Eventually i might get a different car in the next 10-15 years but i will still keep this car too.....but then repairs and maintenance eventually will get really expensive......hmmmm.

[Beavis]

No more than 3 years.. probably two. I put almost 600 miles/week on my car so I'll take a hit on mileage (even though it is all gravy highway miles), and if I wait much longer than that it will lose way too much value. Hopefully I will trade up to a C240 sedan.. but if the coupe is still around I would also consider buying a fully loaded C230K again.

[thomas]

I will keep my car at least 4-5 years. I do not put many miles a year on it a average of 7500 a year. My wife has let me do my mid fourties car fling with two cars in less than three years. I had a accord coupe v6 a very well built car, however sexy it was not . My wife said you will keep that car long she was right. The mercedes c230 coupe is a sexy car, she loves it. Now with her car needing replacing in maybe two years, it will be her turn. Who know maybe she will get her own mercedes.

[ziza]

:oops:
Truth be known, probably 'til I die. I have a tendency to keep cars waaaaayyy too long and I love this car so much, I'll either die in it or from (un)natural causes!
~ziza
ps I turn 41 next week. My little SLK230, I think, is my entry into mid-life crisis. Yes, women get it too!

[93mb300ce]

Till the wheels fall off.......... :)

[mangrum]

I just picked up a 1982 300D Turbo with 123K and got the vanity plate 200K2G0.

[victor20170]

Just 3 years... since I am leasing it :P Just on time for the next generation 8)

[rikquin]

:) Till I die...I still have all the cars I ever bought, starting from the Kia :wink:

[Saint]

This is easy....till it dies..period...end of subject.

Cars and trucks are meant to get you from point A to point B. Everything else is arbitrary.

I have always believed that you should buy your vehicle outright. The money you save on car payments, and more expensive insurance, will allow you to buy another vehicle when this one dies. You have to know when to say when. You do not toss $5000 to repair a car, when you can buy a nice used one for $8000 to $10000.

My experience has been that you want to buy diesels whenever possible. They are just plain tough. My old truck has a 6.2 diesel, and tons of miles, and it just keeps right on going.

If your buying a used car, it MUST be a Mercedes...period. Why? After a great deal of research, the one thing that came up over and over again, is that Mercedes owners take the best care of their cars. My 1990 300TE is of course 13 years old. The paint is near flawless. The engine has 165k on it and it runs perfect. It is clean, it does not leak any fluids. The upholstery is in excellent condition. ALL the electrical works, and I mean all. Mercedes owners take care of their cars.

I would tell anyone who asked....spend 10k on a used Mercedes before ever plunking down 15k-25k on some new car that is not nearly as good.

Just my 2 cents :D

[willy2004]

you guys...come on, DIESEL drivers keep the car FOREVER and then some...which generation are we talking about here? My grandkids or their grandkids? haha

[BodhiBenz1987]

I picked the "til it dies" answer, but I hope it never does. I'd rather sink a pile of cashola into my '87 300D than buy anything new. Ever. I'd like to put a million miles on the thing, but I've got a ways to go ...

Keeping stuff runs in my family. We still have my dad's '75 240D, which I'm eventually going to get fixed up. And of course, we have my dad's dad's 1936 Chrysler Airflow ... which both my grandfather and father drove to college when they were my age.

Some of the new Benz' look great, but I'm more for restoring oldies than chucking them for newbies. If I buy anything it will be as a second car, not a replacement, and will likely be an older diesel.

But my current car, I plan on keeping my whole life in one form or another. It would kill me to see it go.

[DieselWagonR]

you guys...come on, DIESEL drivers keep the car FOREVER and then some...which generation are we talking about here? My grandkids or their grandkids? haha

It's true! When we were looking at a cracked head, we were thinking it was time to pull the plug. Then we started driving "replacement" vehicles and really didn't find anything that a) we liked as much, or b)wouldn't be making monthly payments that make the repair cost seem small.

It's true that most MB owners are very stringent on keep up their vehicles (my wife would be rolling her eyes at the understatement here), but they really last! At least the older ones do.

I do have to say that I was on an MB lot yesterday in S. Cal and was kinda amazed that about 1/3 of the brand new cars had a ton of moisture inside them (not just heavily fogged windows, but actual drops on the windows inside!). I noticed quite a number of right rear tail lights in the E class that clearly had water inside the lenz too. While we've had a ton of rain (literally) out here, that made me wonder how well the new ones were put together...and how well they would stand the test of time.