My 2000 S-500 had only 76 miles as I drove away from the dealership in December 1999, and only driving it in the weekends, now it has only 58000 miles. The car has been maintained meticulous by Mercedes mechanics and inside outside still looks new.
It runs like a dream needless to say.
The $112000 car’s Blue Book value is now only about $5000 or so, but I pay $2000 for insurance annually.
I was wondering if it’s worth keeping this car anymore, as we drive electric cars for regular driving needs.
My friends tell me that as this car is aging, it will be hard to get parts in the future and some folks look down on non-electric cars in California too.
Should i just sell it and save my insurance expenses and future expensive repairs for a 22 year old car?
Why is the insurance so high?
Do you still enjoy driving it? You didn’t say.
Sounds like a fun car, you are probably used to expensive repairs, If toe 2k insurance is killing you yes look at alternatives. I would guess parts would be available from an independent if not the dealer, for a 2000 I would consider parts a minimal concern.
I love driving it, except for maintenance surprisingly this car never had any major repairs. I used to insure it to the hilt as I did not want to shell out a lot for any accidents.
I kept the car also because of the memories of taking my kids driving weekends. I also used to tell my little boy I was saving it for him.
Just last weekend when my son came back from his overseas deployment and told me non-chalantly
that he would have no use for it and that i should just sell the fossil-fuel heap for the $5000. Hence, my question to you.
Smart kid, for $5k I would keep it around for kicks, or find a friend with a barn, park it there for 20 years and see what it is worth then.
It’s costing $2000+ a year, I can think of better ways to spend $2000+ a year just for kicks.
I had mentioned previously finding a better deal on insurance, or now even suggesting switch to liability only. Or park it in a buds barn, no insurance nolicensing then see what it is worth in 20 years.
Drop the collision part of the insurance, you don’t need it. Anything more than a ding would total it. With only EVs you’ll need a gas car for unexpected long trips. I’d keep it.
California and MB S-500, kind of says it all there.
With manufacturers trying different configurations, systems, and power systems, some even newer electric vehicle parts are hard to find and expensive.
What others think is not a good reason. Who cares your car your money do as you want.
If it was me, any in a way it is. I have a 2008 BMW 650i convertible with only 31k miles on it. I love it, and love driving it. I only keep liability insurance on it and suspend the tags and insurance on it for the winter months when it is off the road. Ultimately it is a decision for you and only you make. We have no idea what your circumstances are.
There is no financial reason to keep it.
Peer pressure to sell it, in my opinion is no reason to sell it.
There seems to be a sentimental reason to keep it, but your son doesn’t want it.
Seems the only reason to keep it is your sentiment. Only you can decide if that is enough.
Yes, keep the car. And find cheaper insurance. $2k per year to insure one car is beyond absurd. I pay a little more than that, about $2200, to insure four vehicles for two drivers. Of course, I don’t live in CA, though.
My parents used to take us for Sunday drives and I hated every minute of it .
2000.00 a month for insurance on a vehicle worth 5000.00 . Spock says that does not compute .
This a vehicle that should be a first day at Mecum Autions.
If garage space is not an issue, and your wife doesn’t have an opinion against it, I’d keep the car. It’s a known quantity, and it obviously brings you some happiness.
However, I would see about getting some cheaper insurance. That’s awfully high for a 20+ year old car that doesn’t get driven much.
I’m so glad I came here, thank you all for your kind opinions and observations.
My son knows the maintenance on this car will not be cheap in the future. Everyone nowadays drives either the cheap Chevy EVs or one of the Tesla models, we have a huge Tesla plant here near us in Northern California.
I was just so sad he and his girlfriend got a chuckle out of it.
The car still purrs like I picked it up yesterday and the 8-cyllinder German engine is nothing short of a beast, but it is no match for the modern cars I’m sure. I couldn’t even find a slight scratch on the body anywhere this morning as I was reminiscing.
I will take your advice and get rid of all the extra insurance and just keep it with a battery
Slow charger for a bit longer, as far as sentiments, it’s definitely a mixed bag of great memories cruising down hwy 101 by the coast
while my two kids in the back fighting with each other!
As long as I have a kid at home who is under 18 and a new driver, the insurance is going to by kind of high! The weather here is pleasant year round so winters are just some rain here and there, all the snow that you see in Northern Cal are in the mountains and most of us just go there to ski and not live year round.
That is a good idea, no barns around that I can park and our garages are all full thanks to my kids, some of them will probably never move out after getting used to living with us since the pandemic! May need to rent a storage type for cars. I dont think they make sedans as big as this car anymore. The backseat area is like a living room.
The BMW 650 is enviable, that is another genre altogether, I would have no doubts keeping that muscle-bound classic, I wish you would post a picture of it sometime in the future.
Thank you, what a gorgeous car, definitely a keeper and will probably keep it’s value better than the lumbering s-500.