what do you know about used Mercedes Benz cars> NGC

[fotoguzzi]

What about used squad cars? there's plenty of them F/S with around 95k.. $3,000 to 5,500. Crown Vic's - run away?

My dog would look pretty cool in an X canine black and white with a no squirrels badge on the door..

[father guzzi obrian]

The times I was looking at a used Mercedes, I would talk to Todd Haven (RIP bud) and he would give me the scoop on them, I ended up with a Miata with a retractable hardtop for the same money and zero repair costs.... Another service provided by the friendly folks at MPH!

[blackcat]

What about used squad cars? there's plenty of them F/S with around 95k.. $3,000 to 5,500. Crown Vic's - run away?

A friend of mine had one of those Crown Vic's and it was free from his brother. Lasted a couple of years(similar mileage) and then the engine went. Just stopped. Nice ride but not nice enough to put in another engine even with it being a free car. Just one example so who knows.

[ponti_33609]

We have always had Acura/Honda's primarily for the past 20 years.  My wife wanted a BMW forever so she got an X3 (300 HP Turbo ;D).  Quick little SUV.  I only relinquished due to their 4-year free maintenance program.  I took it in for it's annual maintenance last Friday (2 yrs and 13 K miles total).  The service guy told me it would have cost me ~$1,400 if not under their maintenance plan.  It is the funnest car I have driven but not sure I spent $1,400 in maintenance on my Japanese cars over the past 20 years combined (probably a slight embellishment but not too much).  We typically do not keep a car more than 4 years but I do believe the European vehicles require more pampering than others IMO.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

I'm currently looking to replace my '79 300CD with one a bit newer. Won't be anything newer than a '93, reliability after that seems to have taken a serious nose-dive. Right now an '84 190D 2.2 with five speed has my interest the most.

[segesta]

What about used squad cars? there's plenty of them F/S with around 95k.. $3,000 to 5,500. Crown Vic's - run away?

I bought my son a '05 Crown Vic Police Interceptor, formerly of the Boise Idaho police department. Made its way to Chicago somehow and I picked it up a few years ago (from Motorsource in Highland Park) for ~$5500 and 95,000 miles. Used government vehicles are typically well maintained despite the high miles. Be careful of Crown Vics that are former taxicabs though.
Except for a problem with the heater (which required a $15 part and $400 in labor to remove the entire dash assembly) it has been--pardon the pun--bulletproof.

[Lannis]

I bought my son a '05 Crown Vic Police Interceptor, formerly of the Boise Idaho police department. Made its way to Chicago somehow and I picked it up a few years ago (from Motorsource in Highland Park) for ~$5500 and 95,000 miles. Used government vehicles are typically well maintained despite the high miles. Be careful of Crown Vics that are former taxicabs though.

Hard to believe that anyone would have access to a Crown Vic that was a "former taxicab".   They generally start out as police or fleet cars for the feds or the state, then when they have a lot of miles on them, the county and city police get them, then when they have about 250,000 miles on them, the local school board or animal warden gets them ....

... then when they're too worn for civil service, they get cleaned up and auctioned and a private party gets them, they get traded two or three times until they're completely beat to pieces, the suspension is gone, none of the gauges work, they're burning oil ...

.... THEN they go into taxicab duty with a coat of paint in taxi livery and some seat covers.   By the time those boys are done with them, there's usually not enough left of them to drive.    :D

Lannis

[fotoguzzi]

nother twist, wife's friend has a 99 Suzuki Vitara.. 129k Might be able to get it cheap. (under 1500.). looking wed night.

[rboe]

Rented the Suzuki one summer to drive to Duluth. Similar year, rode very nice on the road, seemed to track better than Buicks I had rented. I was disappointed in the mileage; I expected more.

That's my only data point on that. :)

[fotoguzzi]

Rented the Suzuki one summer to drive to Duluth. Similar year, rode very nice on the road, seemed to track better than Buicks I had rented. I was disappointed in the mileage; I expected more.

That's my only data point on that. :)

at least it was summer, bet that was a relief to go from Az to the N Shore..

[Dean Rose]

If you have to ask you can't afford them.


Dean

[not-fishing]

I was thinking of somewhat the same thing only I remember my ford aerostar minivan was a great van until I blew it up @ 230,000 because I didn't take care of the cooling system

Other options I have been looking at is a Grand Caravan (Chrysler not trailer for those of us who drive on the right side of the road) and Honda Element.

In California they make an interesting pop top to use as sleeping quarters.  The only problem is you have to be limber enough to use it.

[LaMojo]

Hard to believe that anyone would have access to a Crown Vic that was a "former taxicab".   They generally start out as police or fleet cars for the feds or the state, then when they have a lot of miles on them, the county and city police get them, then when they have about 250,000 miles on them, the local school board or animal warden gets them ....

... then when they're too worn for civil service, they get cleaned up and auctioned and a private party gets them, they get traded two or three times until they're completely beat to pieces, the suspension is gone, none of the gauges work, they're burning oil ...

.... THEN they go into taxicab duty with a coat of paint in taxi livery and some seat covers.   By the time those boys are done with them, there's usually not enough left of them to drive.    :D

Lannis

Ford built NEW modified Crown Vics for taxi service, state and local police and other government agencies.  An example: http://www.caranddriver.com/features/taxi-tough-a-look-inside-an-nyc-cab-shop-feature

[freedom]

I currently have a CLS 550 (bought new in 2012) and I haven't had any problems with it. Before this one I had a 2003 C240 and I do not remember having any major problems with it either. With the newer cars though there is nothing you can work on. You pop the hood and the engine is a block, I wouldn't know where to start.

[Two Checks]

I had the opportunity to ride in a Crown Vic taxi the other day.
The driver didn't baby the car at all and I commented on how it seemed to run pretty well.
He said it had 365k on it and the drivetrain was original. The rear end startedto howl at speed and he commented on how a lube change helped it when it got loud. He said if the rearend made it to 400k they would retire it then. Meanwhile he was going to flog it. They regularly run them 400k+. And these are ex cop cars, so you know they have seen a lot of idling and WFO operation.
The interior was even in good shape.

[Lannis]

Ford built NEW modified Crown Vics for taxi service, state and local police and other government agencies.  An example: http://www.caranddriver.com/features/taxi-tough-a-look-inside-an-nyc-cab-shop-feature

In our little city, I don't think any of the 4 taxi companies operate more than 5 cabs, and 2 of them are 1-man operations on a shoe string, driven by dudes just making a living.   NYC cabs are probably different .....

I got in late to the Denver airport one night, and missed the last bus into town for the night by 30 seconds.   Had to take a cab to my apartment in Lone Tree, and it was a ragtail Crown Vic.   

NO suspension at all, steering wheel shaking in the driver's hand at 80 MPH down the deserted tollway, and either it was flat out of gas and had no thermostat, or the speedometer was the only working gauge.   $95 +$12 tip and I was glad to get home in one piece, I know that ....

Lannis