Number of owners.......
Discussion
Found the car I want; rare spec' and hard to come by... it's a 12 plate from a Mercedes main dealer and comes with an Approved Used warranty so there'll be nothing wrong I'm sure. But, in 4 years, 3 owners; average of one owner every year and a bit. It doesn't feel right.
Am I bonkers?
Am I bonkers?
It's actually something more boring than all of that; it's an ML in a certain spec with air suspension and with the right media spec / wheels and the like; it's for trekking to and fro to Europe and so I think I'm paranoid of getting a lemon; the Mercedes guy thinks it odd that I've even brought it up; but I said well; 3 owners in 4 years gets my spidey sense tingling!
2012 model? At 4 years old any work on it should be warranty work or regular servicing - check that too.
I bought an ageing E500 with several drivers but low miles and good history. I bought on condition and had a proper service done by an independent specialist which gave me a bit more peace of mind.
Being an ML you might find the previous owners have left a few free clothes pegs in it too :-)
I bought an ageing E500 with several drivers but low miles and good history. I bought on condition and had a proper service done by an independent specialist which gave me a bit more peace of mind.
Being an ML you might find the previous owners have left a few free clothes pegs in it too :-)
LDN said:
Found the car I want; rare spec' and hard to come by... it's a 12 plate from a Mercedes main dealer and comes with an Approved Used warranty so there'll be nothing wrong I'm sure. But, in 4 years, 3 owners; average of one owner every year and a bit. It doesn't feel right.
Am I bonkers?
Is it one owner every year and a bit? Or are you just guessing that? Am I bonkers?
It is probably...
Dealer 0-3 months.
2nd owner from 3 months to 27 months
3rd owner from 27 months to 47 months.
Which is what I would expect from a car like that.
Now, if it was first owner to year 3 and then 2 more in the space of 10 months I would question whether something is up.
What ML is it?
12 plate could be the last of the W164s, or first of the W166s.
I know many on the Merc forums are surprised the 350cdi is 24mpg round town and only just 30 on a run, and tend to not keep them all that long.
On something as boring as an ML I would walk away. I am currently looking at a GL and there is one on autotrader that has been on for months - rare spec 5 years old 31K on the clock, 2 owners. Something doesnt add up so not even going to ring.
I would bet with yours that the first owner isn't a dealer. Dealers stopped high specing their demonstrators years ago when the financial crisis hit so on a 12 plate this was bought by a customer. The key thing as already mentioned are the individual time periods for owner 1,2 and 3 if they reduce in time then somethings up.
John
I would bet with yours that the first owner isn't a dealer. Dealers stopped high specing their demonstrators years ago when the financial crisis hit so on a 12 plate this was bought by a customer. The key thing as already mentioned are the individual time periods for owner 1,2 and 3 if they reduce in time then somethings up.
John
W166 prices are sky high at the moment, last year there were loads of 62 plate 350cdi's for £21-23k with 30k miles on them, you struggle to get one with 75k miles on it for that now.
I would hold out a bit if I were you, wait for spring again, I reckon they will be sub £20k by then and £24k will buy a really nice 2013 with the new cluster and some decent toys. I'm amazed how crapply specced many are, no xenons, Becker Nav rather than Comand, no bluetooth audio and fake leather on most.
I would hold out a bit if I were you, wait for spring again, I reckon they will be sub £20k by then and £24k will buy a really nice 2013 with the new cluster and some decent toys. I'm amazed how crapply specced many are, no xenons, Becker Nav rather than Comand, no bluetooth audio and fake leather on most.
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