How to Get the Best Deal on a Used Mercedes-Benz Car
Giancarlo Perlas November 13, 2020
Luxury cars are a status symbol. They depreciate as rapidly as the more mundane cars but start at a much higher price point. If you’re constantly trading up or trading in cars, you’re losing money. The solution is to buy a used luxury car that has already experienced most of its depreciation. You can find nearly new ones, but they have a fraction of the price of new ones.
Here are a few tips on how to get the best used Mercedes-Benz car:
1. Know the Sweet Spot for Buying Used Luxury Cars
The best deals are when you find barely used two to three-year-old cars. These cars have already experienced their worst depreciation. Yet they have a long life ahead of them. They may even look new or still be under the manufacturer’s warranty. Avoid cars more than four years old. Odds are that they’re too worn out to be worth it.
2. Buy from a Reputable Dealer
We’d recommend against buying used cars directly from the owner because you don’t know what its condition is. Have they had the warranty work done? Have they done the necessary maintenance? Did they take the car to a repair shop that knew how to work on a luxury car and used the correct replacement parts? The solution is to buy used cars from Echo Park or another seller who vets every car they purchase.
A side benefit of going to a used auto dealership is that they’ll have a relatively wide selection. You could check out used luxury SUVs as well as luxury sports cars. You may even find upgraded conventional vehicles with tons of amenities. Think converted low-rider trucks with premium sound systems.
3. Take Advantage of Incentives
Dealers may have incentives. Used car lots and dealerships may mark vehicles down when they have too many in inventory. This is on top of the discounts you can receive at the end of the month by salespeople needing to make a quota and dealers eager to reduce inventory before the end of the year. Note that used cars go down in price once a new model year comes out, though the car is barely older. This is why a 2018 car goes down up to ten percent the day the 2021 models come out, though it is still in great condition and hasn’t been driven a mile.
4. Understand the Terminology
If you’re a Mercedes-Benz fan, the brand itself is considered a mark of quality. However, there are still differences between vehicles beyond age and mileage. For example, certified pre-owned cars differ from used cars. A used car is simply one that isn’t new. A certified pre-owned vehicle has gone through a thorough inspection to verify it meets new or like-new performance standards. They’ll verify that all warranty work and recalls have been done. They may replace the windshield wipers and make other repairs. This is why pre-owned cars are far better than the generic used car.
5. Have It Checked Out
Have every used car inspected by a mechanic before you buy it. Run a vehicle history report, because you don’t want to buy something that was flooded or salvaged.
