[Vicky85]

Dear friends,

I was planning to buy myself a XUV 300 but then I was offered a 11 years old ML 350, for free by my brother-in-law. The car is registered in Delhi and since it cannot be driven there anymore he wanted someone within the family to have it instead of selling it off.
I do not have the slightest of idea on luxury vehicles and i am looking for suggestions here. The car is well maintained with regular servicing being done. I would like to know from you all on what can be the downside of owning a decade old Mercedes. What would be the service cost and how frequently is it needed. What would be the annual expenditure like? And what would be the cost of re-registration in Hyderabad/Bhubaneswar?

[Pankajm]

My 7-8 year old E200K started having issues and every showroom trip costed me 1.5-2.5 lac or I can say 2-3 lac a year. So had to sell it of at the end of 11th year.

Just my experience, would love to know what were other owner's experience?!

[Stolidus500]

Originally Posted by Vicky85

And what would be the cost of re-registration in Hyderabad/Bhubaneswar?

First check if RTO in Delhi is issuing NOC for 10+ year old vehicles to Hyderabad/Bhubaneswar as it's the biggest hurdle. NOC for 10+ year old diesels is issued for selective states only.

As for re-registration costs, it will be calculated on pro-rata basis. You'll have to pay tax calculated on then value of car for years remaining. Ex: if tax on new one was 1,50,000 for 15 years, then you'll pay for remaining 4 years, around 40,000 ± various cess applicable.

Regular service can be managed anyways, if any body part needs to be replaced, it will be a huge expense both monetary and time wise.

[ajmat]

Originally Posted by Vicky85

I do not have the slightest of idea on luxury vehicles and i am looking for suggestions here. The car is well maintained with regular servicing being done. I would like to know from you all on what can be the downside of owning a decade old Mercedes. What would be the service cost and how frequently is it needed. What would be the annual expenditure like? And what would be the cost of re-registration in Hyderabad/Bhubaneswar?

If you are getting it for free - worth a punt!

• First check if you get an NOC and check the remainder tax to be paid in Hyderabad
• Spend Rs 10000 on a Mercedes Used car assessment
• Identify a good local specialist
• Ensure you have a standby car while waiting for parts in an eventuality

The EMI's for the XUV can be used for maintenance as the capital be redeployed

Do the Math

[GTO]

You are getting the car for free, but it will cost you. An 11-year old luxury vehicle usually runs 1.5 - 2 lakhs in upkeep per year (averaged). Reliability will also be iffy.

As your primary car & daily driver, get the XUV300 only. Since you are getting the ML350 for free, take it just out of fun, as long as you are fine with spending 1 - 2 lakhs a year. You will also need a good independent garage that is well-versed with German cars.

Go for it, spend a little, live a little . But get a mainstream model like the XUV300 as your reliable daily driver.

[Shreyans_Jain]

Got for it, man. You are getting it for free.

For upkeep, as long as you have access to a good independent garage or someone well versed to Mercedes cars, you’ll be fine.

Your brother in law would have gotten 50k for scrapping the car, he chose to offer it to you just to keep the car going. Sounds like a person who cares about his car. Ergo, the car should be well maintained and in decent shape.

[rbp]

My brother has a 2012 ML350, fine car, but the crooks at merc service centres are a pain, every normal service costs upwards of 1L, recently he had to replace the airmatic suspension and few other stuff, bill was around 5L. Off late the ML's exhaust got damaged and needed replacement, he waited for close to 3 months for the suspension, no ETA from merc, they are mute. I even tweeted to merc, absolutely no response . Every time the car goes to the service center they keep telling something or the other has to be replaced, he has lost faith.

He is so fed up of these German vehicle's, he has gone ahead and booked a Lexus 350h just for peace of mind. I did not have the heart to suggest another geman brand again.

[Karaboudjan]

Hi Vicky85,
I feel its a no-brainer.
Here are my two cents:
1. You are getting a Merc for FREEEE! and that too from a known person. You know the history. Even if there is a problem or niggle, you have someone reliable who knows the history.
2. As pointed out by the more experienced people here, check out the bureaucratic angle of getting the car.
3. Enjoy it to the fullest.
An eleven year old Merc would have similar features to today's cars. Over a period of time you can get used to it and will eventually find a reliable mechanic / workshop who can take good care of it.
Looking forward to your review of the Merc.

[Raghu M]

Don't want to sound a little over the top but the reliability of the 3OO is far far better than that old German. The segments are not the same and the comfort of the German will always be a few notches above but there is also something called peace of mind and ownership satisfaction. I don't think the German will be cheap to maintain, even so there will be occasions where it might be sitting in the workshop waiting for a spare. I have been using the 3OO for the last 2 years and trust me, it's an amazing car. The engine, overall refinement and the premium interiors have all been well done. It's a very safe car too. If I were you, I wouldn't look at the German for even a second, even if I got it for free.

[boniver]

You mentioned it's a Delhi registered car, so it has already been deregistered. If yes, it will be illegal to use it anywhere in the country with an invalid registration. If not, enjoy the free Merc!

[androdev]

You didn't mention the mileage of the car - which is more important than the age of the car.

It's worth a shot if you can afford a two car garage with a "regular" car for daily needs and this Mercedes for "fair weather" use. Don't bother if you are planning to have a single car for everyday use as the Mercedes will surely have plenty of downtime.

6L for registration (in Hyd, assuming original ex-showroom price of 60L - roughly 10%)
0 to 1.5L depending on the pending service items - tires (70k), battery (15K), wipers (10K), oil (15K), brake job (40K), etc.)
Rs 50K yearly avg service in a pvt garrage

If it develops any serious issues that require repair, you will have to write off all the money you spent, close the chapter, take it on the chin and move on. You have to be a serious car guy to venture down this path :-)

[TheARUN]

If you are a TeamBHPian, then you would have no problem living with the Merc since we love our cars and don't hesitate to get our hands dirty

Number one thing. The Merc cannot be your daily driver or primary car. You might have to get the XUV300 after all. This is too good an offer to pass off though. Get the Merc down to your place please, for the sake of the car. The 10 year diesel ban is so unfair on brilliant vehicles that can run on till they turn even a hundred

1 lakh a year has to be set aside for routine maintenance. It would help if you have a 5L limit credit card to help with any uncertain expenses that would come up. There are many garages outside the Dealership that can help you keep your Merc in fine fettle, but they are a hit or miss. My advice, keep an ownership thread going here on TBhp and the knowledgable members here would give you brilliant advice on how to go about living with the Merc. Maintaining it at the Dealers is extremely expensive. Cannot blame them.

1. The parts are of extremely good quality
2. The tools are also of good quality and the staff are well trained. All this is expensive
3. All taxes have to be paid
4. They follow the rule book and do a lot of preventive maintenance

Finally, its your call. Hardly 1% of the population in the world gets to park a Merc in the garage, don't pass on this opportunity please

[Engine_Roars]

I see it becoming a liability down the line, it is a Merc, 11 year old, even if it comes for free, you will have to spend significant money to maintain it and if you don't maintain it the way you should, it could quickly turn into a sore point between you & your brother-in-law.

I would stay away from it personally.

[Vicky85]

I forgot mention that my daily drive is my 9 years old beat petrol or 7 year old alto k10. The Merc is only for those occasional drives.

[revsperminute]

The car might be free but the maintenance will be eye-wateringly expensive. If I am not mistaken, the ml350d comes with AirMatic, replacement costs are very expensive. Although nothing feels like a Benz and I’m a huge advocate of keeping these old girls on the road, keep in mind that you’ll be maintaining a German which is way past its warranty period. Just for reference, my GLE got both tail lamps, the headlight sensor and the driver side seat motor replaced in the past 12 months. It’s a 2018 car. It has also gone through a steering rack and 2 speakers in the past.