Mercedes C300 or RX350? I need your input!!!

[nowstime]

Hi!

I have a 2007 RX350 and thinking about going to a 2008 Mercedes C300.

The reason for the trade is that I don't need the extra space...I thought I did but our family expansion plan is not going as schedule and I just don't like the boring ride of the RX350. Quite but boring.

Another factor is RX350 is up for a redesign next year and I'm thinking this will affect the resale value of RX350. I'm thinking C300 will have a better resale value for the next 3 years (my next change of vehicle).

Any experience with Mercedes or am I crazy switching to a MB?

I'm getting $33000 for my 2007 RX350 and getting about a 2 grand discount on the C300...so I will be paying $3000~4000 for the trade including tax.

[ajkula66]

I've owned a variety of Benzes, and will state that no car in my experience matches their durability and tolerance for abuse, and there are many nice cars on the list of my "ex"-es.

They also seem to hold their value extremely well on the used car market.

That being said, I know quite a few people who find Benzes boring in the long run, especially "run of the mill" examples. Make sure that you find C300 exciting enough to keep it as long as it can serve your purposes.

Just my $0.02

Good luck.

[bhurley]

If it were me, I'd buy a used Toyota, pocket the $15,000 savings and use it to take my family on a round-the-world trip.

I used to care about what I drive and have owned some nice cars, but as I've grown older I've come to realize that there are much better things I can do with my money.

[Rob Mayercik]

Another factor is RX350 is up for a redesign next year and I'm thinking this will affect the resale value of RX350. I'm thinking C300 will have a better resale value for the next 3 years (my next change of vehicle).

Just because they redesign it doesn't automatically mean the resale on yours will go down - after all, there's a reason people say "don't buy the first year of a model."

For my own edification (because, frankly, I'm baffled), would you be so kind as to enlighten me as to why you're going to change cars again in three years? My thinking is more along the lines of "drive it until the wheels fall off" (alternately "drive it until just before the wheels fall off, and then go trade it in), so I'm not sure what your goals are - unless you buy one that came off the line on Friday afternoon or Monday morning, I can't think of a single car that's not going to last three years.

[RealBlackStuff]

Why not buy a slightly used Lexus or Honda Accord instead?
More bang for your buck.
My father got a new Merc every year for about 20 years (1950-1970) and each new model was worse than the previous (a trend that still continues IMHO).
He finally saw the light and changed over to Mazda. He drove several of those till he passed away in 2001.
As someone who grew up in Europe, I consider Mercedes a taxi.
Germany is a prime example.

[AlphaKilo470]

Get a Lexus or Infiniti.

[Trekk69]

I just wish I had the money right now to be debating with that decision!!
Ahhh...the life as a student....in time!

[AlphaKilo470]

Well, you could buy a used one. My Infiniti is over ten years old and could still probably take on some BMWs.

[skitty4gzus]

well i have driven a new MB r500 for quite a few miles and i can say that thing is one boring vehicle. i call that thing the ROBOT car because EVERYTHING is drive by wire and a million and a half buttons to do simple functions. it is by no means a drivers car. anyways, I own an is300 myself and i bought the car with a few mechanical issues that i still havent put attention to. with that being said i drive the car like a scalded dog. i NEVER drive easy, im on the brakes hard, and i drive the car in manumatic mode all the time. i engine brake the car hard and all the things you dont do to a car to make it last. And, that car is still kicking and kicking hard. Every aspect of the car is built well and solid and made to last. Lexus didnt cheap out anywhere on that car that i could find and the is300 was their baseline car so i would safely assume their higher scales vehicles are built with the same level or higher quality.

[j-dawg]

The new C-Class is a nice-looking car, but I don't like the level of gadgetry that goes into newer German cars.

If you're worried about resale value, the Lexus will probably hold its value better than the Mercedes just because it's a Lexus. The prices some older Lexuses still get is ridiculous; meanwhile, a five-year-old Mercedes is worth a third of its original price.

Personally, I'd get the Mercedes just because I don't like Japanese cars and I have a soft spot for Benzes, but it's not really a good practical decision to make.