I think I may need to risk a COVID plane ride and roadtrip this Merc back to New England.
Since my kids and I started skiing last winter I’ve been looking for a good deal on an E-Class to replace, or augment, my 2009 Toyota Highlander. The Highlander is a great car in only two ways; it’s roomy and reliable. In terms of driving dynamics and comfort it’s a refrigerator on wheels, which makes it unpleasant to drive the couple of hours each way to the nearby mountains. Every weekend this winter I would daydream of being in a big, safe, and quiet 4-wheel drive Mercedes wagon with my skis on the roof.
Like all E-Class wagons, this one has the rear-facing 3rd-row seats. I’ve never used them, but I assume they’d only be comfortable for only a short time and then only if you’re a short person. At least they’d be there in a pinch.
I was told by a used car salesman that, for the money, it’s generally better to buy an older luxury car than a newer economy car. Their logic went that someone who could afford a more expensive car is more likely to be able to afford ongoing maintenance as well. With the car residing in Texas there’s also less chance for rust (although on one hand these Mercs have a reputation for being rust-free long after other cars, on the other hand, Houston is a port city so there’s more exposure to saltwater than, say, a Dallas based car)
Assuming the CarFax shows doesn’t show anything meaningful, at $9,800 this 2011 Mercedes E-Class wagon looks like a great deal. I need to check how many frequent flyer miles I have.