hey guys, I am planning to buy a year or two old c230 model. i was wondering if this class is reliable?

is it expensive to maintain?

a little bit of my financial situation and maybe u guys can help decide for me whether it's best i buy it or not. I am 22 years old right now in Iraq and wont be back in the states till march 2010. I'll be 23 years old when i buy this car, if i decide to buy it.

In my bank account ill have at least 56-58 grand when i get back to the states. I also have an 05 accord that is paid off (05 LX with 51k miles) and i plan to trade it in for the 06-08 c230 model. i plan to spend about 22 grand on this used model (that's how much I am seeing them go for at the moment). My accord trade in is going to give me about 6-7 grand. So, 22 grand minus 6-7 grand, plus maybe i can talk it down a grand would leave me at an estimated total price of 14-15 grand for this car (assuming taxes and fees are already calculated).

so 56 grand minus 15 grand would be about 41 grand left in my bank account. i am not in any debt whatsoever. the only thing I am going to pay for is my cell phone bill, car insurance, and food. I plan to live with my dad while i go to school for two years (an associates in physical therapy assistant). Schooling will be free for me so i wont have to worry about paying for school. And i plan to work part time at a store while I am at school. Full time in the middle of summer.

So as far as my financial situation goes...will i be able to afford the repairs and maintenance of this car? when i think of mercedes i think every expensive, including parts, labor, and etc.

1 would it be expensive for me to maintain this car as far as routine maintenance and repairs?
2 do i have enough money with 41 grand left and just working part time to maintain this car?
3 how reliable is this class?

iam trying to do some good research now before i make a decision. buying a car is a big thing and i dont want to pick the wrong one. like one i cant afford to maintain. the retail price isnt what iam worried about, it's the maintenance and repairs that is going to kill the bank. any advice/ help would be much appreciated. thank you guys

 

First of all, thank you for your service to our country and we wish you good luck.
I think if you asked a hundred people these questions, you'd get 100 different answers.
As a 2005 C230K owner, I can tell you that the 2006 models and up with the V-6's are more reliable generally than the supercharged four cyl. they used to have. Are the V-6's pricey to repair when they break? Oh yeah. Most German cars are no matter what you buy. My take on your situation is probably not going to be one you're going to want to hear, but I'll give it to you anyway as something to think about. The key statement in your post was that you already had a Honda that's paid for with 51K miles on it. Bingo! You are still very young and if it were me, I would keep that car, drive it and maintain it well, and being a Honda you should be able to get 100K out of it easily. My advice then would be to take whatever cash you have and put it in a SAFE investment vehicle not worrying about the interest rates which are low right now, but moreso in protecting the cash, and keep that aside for something like a down payment on a home, which is going to be a heck of a lot better investment down the road than a Mercedes. In 2010, you will have your pick of homes with reasonable interest rates still in effect and great prices. Then watch your investment grow over time, unlike the car. You can buy a car any day of the week. I know you said you'll be living with your folks, but......this may be your big opportunity to put that money you saved to work later on for you. If this doesn't sound like something you want to do, I still would not buy another car to replace the Honda. I know...most young people want what they want and it has to be now. And I'm not preaching to you here.
But realize that although these are nice cars, do you really need it or can you put your hard earned money to work for you instead of against you. Think about it.

 

That last reply was WELL SAID!!! BUT...... i still love my 2004 C230K. Owned a 2000 c230k before and loved that too. the 4 cylinder kompressor has better fuel milage than the 6 cyl and its also a touch faster. Mines a 6 speed manual so its real fun to drive. Turn off the esp and pop the clutch from a stopsign in 1st, and you will leave the stop sign SIDEWAYS!! Depending on your winters the c240 4 matic is all wheel drive so take that into consideration.