Hello All - Long time listener, first time caller.....I went to the dealership on Friday to order my 6MT coupe (IP/nav/prem) and the dealer found one on another dealer's lot and agreed to do a car swap. So, instead of having to wait 60 days for delivery, I can have the car in 2 days. I'm paying a little more that doing the VPP with Grubbs, but again can get the car quickly. This is all good except....

I was presented with the opportunity to purchase a 2002 CLK55 AMG w/ 45,000 miles on it for 2 grand less than the cost of the G.

I typically keep my cars for 10 years as I need two cars (one for the wife), but only want one car payment at a time. Both deals expire tomorrow. Any thoughts?

 

45,000 miles is a lot on a car that may have been driven hard by people you don't know. How long is the remaining warranty and how much does it cover? This was not likely the classic "driven by a little old lady only on Sunday" type of car. Check this site for stories about how cars were raced, etc. I've got my flame suit on.

And why should the deals only be good until tomorrow? Unless someone else is about to buy the AMG, the deals should not evaporate. This is a not uncommon dealer pressure tactic designed to make you buy something you might not really want. There will be another G35 available! The rumors are that sometimes dealers will make better deals at the end of a sales period (end of the month, etc), but this doesn't sound like that.

Good luck.

 

IMO it comes down to the condition of hte CLK and how it was driven. Given that only the former is really ascertainable, it is somewhat of a shot in the dark. Would you be ok with an AT (although the CLK's AT is FAR, FAR better, with a fully locking TC in all gears I believe).

But, if you keep the car for 10 years or so, I'd go for the G... kind of a tough call

 

You should inquire as to how many miles are on the 6MT coupe on the other dealer's lot - if it has been used for a lot of test drives I would personally rather wait 2 months and get a car with 10 miles or less on it - especially if I planned on keeping it a long time. As far as the Benz goes, 2002 was the last year before they gave it a facelift, and I don't think the styling on it is as nice as the G. But it does have a V8 engine with 50 HP more. The MSRP on the car in 2002 was $69,000 and the retail value of it today is about $46,000, so if you are able to buy it for about $10,000 less than that, that is a good deal.

Personally I would go with a new G.................

 

ahem...maintenance costs on germans...

 

Thats a nice benz, Infiniti is a nice car, but the upperclass benz's are really really nice. Look at that benz real good before you deside on the G.

 

45K on the Mercedes is nothing. Their engine is made to last. I have a 300E with 300K on the clock and can still runs over 90 mph all day with no problem. As much as I like my G, I don't know if it will last as long as any German engineering in the long run. My SL has 75K on the clock and is trouble free so far. I will not hesitate to buy a Mercedes with over 100K anytime.

 

Yeah, but how much does it cost to maintain? I realize German cars can last a long time, but you can't tell me they are maintenance free and repair free. German car parts are wicked expensive, and some of the cars are a biatch to work on (major labor expense).

 

Yes, since it is an AMG engine, you'll want to check out the cost of maintenance. Remember, a new G35 will have a 4-yr warranty...

 

Thanks for the responses. I decided to go with the G (IP/nav/prem/aero about 12 miles on the odometer) and plan to pick it up tomorrow. I'm of the older set on this forum (40+), but have learned a lot from many of the "youngsters" on the board.

I'm not going to ask if I got a "great deal" because I know that I got a great car and that's what matters to me.

Thanks again....

 

I'm in the older older set of the forum, ie 50+. Planning to also get a G coupe MT, IP color. What is the interior color of your G. Haven't decided whether to get the wheat or stone colored interior. I like both colors.

 

Say, watch who you call a youngster!-I'm 60!

All kidding aside, congratulations on a fine choice.

 

The car has a wheat interior. My previous car was white with a gray interior and I wanted a lighter color. Previous car = 1992 Ford Taurus w/ 170,000 miles. It was time for an upgrade.