I'm looking at a 2000 S500 right now with 74000 miles on it. I know that the car was a lease vehicle. I've been told to stay away from lease vehicles... what do you guys think? Anyone with any advice would help. The car is located at a dealership that guratees its vehicles.. ie.. they are not lemons and that they "have no flaws thatwe are aware of". This vehicle has been to the dealership and passed inspection. Oh yeah... 19000 for it.

 

Have your own personal mechanic take a look at it, have all fluids changed and any services taken care of before it rolls off the lot. Good luck!

 

hi... i'm thinking buy new mercedes but i saw the 2008 mercedes C class. i loved it...
i will wait the new C class..

and yee yang if you wanna buy it you should explore any mechanic problem or accident...

 

heh, you and me both, I'm actually looking for an S430 for the added MPG. From what I've learned, the 2000 and 2001 S430 and S500's were plagued with air suspension and electrical problems. Google is your friend. Also, I'd request a carfax just to give you a glimpse of the vehicle history. Multiple air suspension / electrical service issues usually signal trouble. I don't even want to know how much it would cost to repair these items out of warranty! So my question is, when did Mercedes finally resolve these issues? I'd rather pay ~$5,000 more upfront fora 2003 if they resolved the issues by then?

 

Godfather, which grille are you going to get? I like the C as well, less complicated than the S. I love it and might move to one in the fall too. Diesel or 4 matic, hmmm.

Lease it and bail out at the end of the warranty is the mantra of new MB owners, how sad. The star is indeed tarnished and we can't blame Chrysler.

 

Wouldn't you guys think that a car with a extensive repair history means that all of the kinks have been worked out? I'm really interested in this car, but the possibility of a break down really scares me. This particular car I'm looking at has this for a carfax history, tell me what you guys think?









Date:
Mileage:
Source:
Comments:

05/12/2000
14
FloridaMotor Vehicle Dept.Roanoke, TXTitle #0081168836
Odometer reading reported for titleor registration

06/15/2000

FloridaMotor Vehicle Dept.Roanoke, TX
Registered aslease vehicle

06/15/2000

FloridaMotor Vehicle Dept.Roanoke, TXTitle #0081168836
Title issued or updatedFirst owner reportedLoan or lien reportedRegistered as lease vehicle

08/30/2000
2,047
Service Facility
Vehicle serviced

01/09/2001
5,034
Service Facility
Vehicle serviced

02/09/2001
5,960
Service Facility
Vehicle serviced

03/18/2001
6,720
Service Facility
Vehicle serviced

05/17/2001
8,749
Service Facility
Vehicle servicedSuspension system servicedElectrical system servicedAir conditioning serviced

08/23/2001
10,378
Service Facility
Vehicle servicedEngine servicedSuspension system serviced

01/17/2002
13,420
Service Facility
Vehicle servicedSuspension system serviced

02/25/2002
14,338
Service Facility
Vehicle serviced

08/10/2002
17,768
Service Facility
Vehicle servicedEmissions system servicedEngine servicedSuspension system serviced

04/17/2003
23,693
Service Facility
Vehicle serviced

07/22/2003
25,133
Service Facility
Vehicle servicedElectrical system serviced

09/24/2003
27,217
Service Facility
Vehicle serviced

10/16/2003

FloridaMotor Vehicle Dept.Deerfield Beach, FLTitle #0081168836
Registration issued or renewedLoan or lien reportedRegistered as commercial vehicleVehicle color noted as Blue

02/27/2004
30,063
Service Facility
Vehicle serviced

04/26/2004
31,413
Service Facility
Vehicle serviced

05/12/2004
31,473
Auto Auction
Sold at auctionin FloridaListed asa fleet vehicle

05/15/2004

Dealer Inventory
Vehicle offered for sale

06/23/2004
31,940
Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned Dealer
Offered for sale as a Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned Vehicle Midnight Blue ExteriorJava Nappa Leather Interior











Purchased:
2004

Type:
Commercial

Where:
Minnesota, Florida

Est. miles/year:
---

Est. length owned:
9/14/04 - 2/3/07
(2 yrs. 4 mo.)








Date:
Mileage:
Source:
Comments:

09/14/2004

MinnesotaMotor Vehicle Dept.Burnsville, MNTitle #K2580S229
Title or registration issuedNew owner reportedLoan or lien reported

09/23/2004

FloridaMotor Vehicle Dept.Deerfield Beach, FLTitle #0081168836
Registration issued or renewedLoan or lien reportedRegistered as commercial vehicleRegistered as lease vehicleVehicle color noted as Blue

02/03/2007
74,740
Dealer Inventory
Vehicle offered for sale

02/21/2007

Mercedes-Benz USA, Inc.
No recalls open for repair

 

Looks a lot like my S430 carfax, lots of service history under warranty then none. Mine had similar suspension sercvices. Nothing after $50K. I wanted mine badly and rolled the dice. So far so good. I got mine almost a year ago with the same miles for $22 which now seems high.

You want it, seems like a good deal, roll the dice and go for it, you only live once and if it needs repairs it's only money (it will need repairs at some point). Or you could play it safe and get an 07 Accord Value Edition for the same money, where is the excitement in that?

 

II Kings,

Your right on! I want this baby bad, and my wife wants it also. We just don't know if it'll treat us right. I want to know what some if the other mercedes veterans think. I don't want to get an accord, already have one and it's reliable, but it's not a Mercedes....

 

Well it all depends. If you notice the same part being replaced over and over and over, then it probably just indcate that either the previous people didn't know what they was doing, or that there is or was a problem that have not been found. Of course things break once or twice or three in a cars life time depending what it is, but no way should the air matic suspension be breaking once a month on the repair history. Then again, it may too indicate that maybe someone have finally got it right. Me personally would like to know the procedure and try to talk to the mechanic about what he found and what he did and stuff, but that is not always possible. Hell, screw it, in reality, anything you buy is a roll of the dice. Anything can happen and life itself is a risk. If you want the car, and feel that it is worth it, buy it by all means. If and when something breaks, take it to your mechanic and make sure it gets fixed good and drive on.
As far as the Accord versus Mercedes, man, the Mercedes usually have ten times as many features modules, wires, technology stuffed into it than five accords combined. Some of the stuff you find in Mercedes you won't find in a accord until ten fifteen years later if you are lucky. Such as the features of the Mercedes 2000 versus the 07, seven years difference and I can gurantee the accord doesn't have the gadgets and feel that the mercedes have, can't even compare imo. But with respect to that, everyone knows that the more things you have, the more things that can break.

And for $22,000 or even $19,000 I would always pick the Mercedes over the accord. Lets see, do I want to have a nice car that cost above average to fix or should I die of bordom driving the Accord? Either way, any car no matter what it is will break some day anyways. Might as well go with style.