2018 Benz S560 - I'm getting old

[zeitgeist57]

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2018-mercedes-benz-s-class-turbocharged-all-wheel-drive

 

Pro: 5000lb sedan that does 0-60 around 4 seconds, sub-13sec 1/4 mile, 26MPG highway. What a glorious time we live in.

 

Con: This article was well-written in a way that made me feel REALLY OLD. Considering not a ton of youngsters post regularly on CR these days, I don't feel bad admitting that.

 

I will still lament the need for our society to churn out good-for-right-now product that doesn't have to stand the test of time (i.e. China owning Jaguar, Volvo, Land Rover). It's just got to last the lease period. Of course, manufacturing processes and products have advanced considerably, and time will tell if a 2018 Benz still looks the business 20-30 years from now...but does that matter? I'm sure this sort of rant makes the youngsters that read this article think of us as "old"....maybe that definition, beyond age, changes with the speed of society as well.

 

 

 

TL;DR - Damn fine car, comparison to older models makes you realize how old we're becoming.

[STEVE-O]

All the new cars are getting cooler and cooler and I’m still trying to figure out how the hell these brands are selling cars at the price of a house

 

 

Diesel f-150 YES f-150 is 70k like wtf

[zeitgeist57]

All the new cars are getting cooler and cooler and I’m still trying to figure out how the hell these brands are selling cars at the price of a house

 

 

Diesel f-150 YES f-150 is 70k like wtf

 

1) 96-month financing

 

2) I had heard a couple of years back that 78% of all new Mercedes vehicle sales volume is done via leasing.

[CRed05]

I must not be old enough yet to appreciate MB interiors :barf:

 

Engineering Explained dude talked about expensive cars and reliability a bit

 

[BIGGU]

cool car but that color though....

[Geeto67]

I must not be old enough yet to appreciate MB interiors :barf:

 

old mercedes/bmw interiors are wonderful, but that was back when they followed the ethos that luxury was highest quality materials instead of technology. Old mercedes perforated leather on spring seats or recaros where you are looking into a set of chrome bezel clocks in a real wood dash is fantastic and interesting. Plastic interiors full of pixels and touch screens isn't all that great. I kinda feel like the 80's were the last of the great German high quality interiors. Don't get me wrong every german car, even VW, still makes a nicer feeling cabin than anything japanese or american, but there is something decadently old world about sinking into this:

 

http://www.classiccarstodayonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Interior-1977-a.jpg

 

while all the new cars are fantastic, I feel like Mercedes interiors are made for people who would much rather be anywhere other than being in a car, but as long as they are stuck in a car they might as well be comfortable.

[TTQ B4U]

1) 96-month financing

 

2) I had heard a couple of years back that 78% of all new Mercedes vehicle sales volume is done via leasing.

 

On new cars, financially, most everyone is better off leasing anyway. If you're going to buy, buy used and keep it a while. It really all boils down to a cost to drive per month no matter how it's done and it's just a matter of priorities and what one is willing to pay to commute. Decent rule of thumb for leasing is about 1% of MSRP being a decent deal. Anything lower is a good deal and anything higher is just a premium that may be associated with a premium high demand car or one that is a little too risky for lenders.

 

when I shopped back in Dec. new mid $60k Audi's were commanding a premium of $700-850mo lease, MBZ in the same to a little higher on a slightly more expensive car, but then along came Inifinit's giving away $64k cars for sub $600mo. My wife's car was the same way, <1% MSRP making it a really good deal. Key is to go in with ZERO down. never put a cap cost reduction on a lease. bad move. Stick to no more than 36-39 mos.

 

OT with this Benz, it really is damn nice looking ride. Would love to have one. Just this week cruising in some rentals and then my car, I am coming to grips with the desire to have a larger more subdued ride that also has plenty of power. Larger land yachts that cruise like an airliner but have enough power to move themselves quickly are more of my interest now than smaller more nimble cars. Not that a 4,000lb turd is small and nimble, but yeah, larger with a softer ride and still oomph to put the pedal down......what I may be moving to in my next ride. Funny what age drives us to like.

[CRed05]

old mercedes

 

Aahh yes, I know that interior well. My step dad had a W123 but of course for me it looked more like this:

 

(right hand drive, but seats were perforated)

 

I do remember not liking it as much as my dad's 16V Jetta as a kid, even then I thought it felt like an old man car I guess. The seats were for sure very springy compared to any other car I've ever been in and the goofy parking brake lever next to the steering wheel = lols #memories #deutcheautosuberalles

[zeitgeist57]

BiL has been getting his last 3 or so cars through http://www.swapalease.com. His last car was a 550i M Performance and he just picked up a 2018 M550i X-Drive for $750 a month...PO only had it for 4 months!

 

I ride around in his cars, they are amazing. As a driving enthusiast what he gives up not turning his own wrenches, he's making up for in finding some really solid cars for around $700/month. I can't fault his logic considering he's not driving a ton of long-distance trips...

[Fiji ST]

BiL has been getting his last 3 or so cars through http://www.swapalease.com. His last car was a 550i M Performance and he just picked up a 2018 M550i X-Drive for $750 a month...PO only had it for 4 months!

 

I ride around in his cars, they are amazing. As a driving enthusiast what he gives up not turning his own wrenches, he's making up for in finding some really solid cars for around $700/month. I can't fault his logic considering he's not driving a ton of long-distance trips...

 

I've always been curious about this. What's his reasoning for doing this compared to getting one fresh of the lot? Is he really saving any money?

[zeitgeist57]

I've always been curious about this. What's his reasoning for doing this compared to getting one fresh of the lot? Is he really saving any money?

 

If you catch a good deal - where someone may have paid money down, only driven a limited amount of miles relative to the lease deal, or struck a great lease price - you can both take over payments and release yourself from the same lease within a fervent group of SwapALease people.

 

I don't know how much he's saving per se...but he's accessing some pretty specifically-spec'd out performance cars for a budgeted amount, under warranty, that allows him to get new cars every 1-2 years through a very popular online platform that makes this relatively easy.

[TTQ B4U]

I've always been curious about this. What's his reasoning for doing this compared to getting one fresh of the lot? Is he really saving any money?

 

If you catch a good deal - where someone may have paid money down, only driven a limited amount of miles relative to the lease deal, or struck a great lease price

 

Clay nailed it. tons of people go into lease deals with money down in order to get to a payment and by coming in late on their deal one gets to benefit from that and as a bonus have an even shorter commitment than the original driver.

 

I have friend/coworker who took over an Audi A7 ($82k car) for $550 for 18 months. How sweet of a deal is that! Beautiful car for nearly 40% less than they would go for new.

[Trouble Maker]

Do you even potato bro? http://www.swapalease.com/lease/details/2018-Audi-RS-3.aspx?salid=1238285

[Geeto67]

this one kind of surprises me:

 

http://www.swapalease.com/lease/details/2014-Harley-Davidson-FLHX.aspx?salid=1113694

 

I knew HD leases existed but I've never actually seen one before or known anybody who had one. Seems like a pretty sweet deal considering you can rack up 4K miles a month for the remaining 11 months.

 

on the other hand:

http://www.swapalease.com/lease/details/2017-Porsche-911.aspx?salid=1280178

daily driver porka anyone?

 

Am I crazy or does this seem like both a good lease deal and one of the best BMW color combinations evah:

http://www.swapalease.com/lease/details/2016-BMW-M4.aspx?salid=1263797

It's, stick, its a vert, its an M car, and it was special ordered (only way to get that color combo), instant cars and coffee cred.

Edited August 15, 2018 by Geeto67

[Doc1647545523]

The thread was timely for me .... thanks Clay.

 

I test drove a Benz AMG GT C drop top this week. It has a terribly complex interface with the electronic systems including voice, rotary knobs, buttons, touch pad which clicks, pinches, swipes and reads handwriting. I asked what the touch pad costs to replace and the salesman honestly answered, "you'll want that to be under warranty."

 

With a RENNtech flash, it's a formidable ride, though. :burn:

Edited August 15, 2018 by Doc

[Otis Nice]

 

Am I crazy or does this seem like both a good lease deal and one of the best BMW color combinations evah:

 

I was with you until this one.

 

 

 

 

The thread was timely for me .... thanks Clay.

 

I test drove a Benz AMG GT C drop top this week. It has a terribly complex interface with the electronic systems including voice, rotary knobs, buttons, touch pad which clicks, pinches, swipes and reads handwriting. I asked what the touch pad costs to replace and the salesman honestly answered, "you'll want that to be under warranty."

 

With a RENNtech flash, it's a formidable ride, though. :burn:

 

 

Also, if you could recap your trip with the Jeep sometime either on here or in person I would be much obliged and indebted to you for, like, a cup of coffee or something.

[Fiji ST]

If you catch a good deal - where someone may have paid money down, only driven a limited amount of miles relative to the lease deal, or struck a great lease price - you can both take over payments and release yourself from the same lease within a fervent group of SwapALease people.

 

I don't know how much he's saving per se...but he's accessing some pretty specifically-spec'd out performance cars for a budgeted amount, under warranty, that allows him to get new cars every 1-2 years through a very popular online platform that makes this relatively easy.

 

Clay nailed it. tons of people go into lease deals with money down in order to get to a payment and by coming in late on their deal one gets to benefit from that and as a bonus have an even shorter commitment than the original driver.

 

I have friend/coworker who took over an Audi A7 ($82k car) for $550 for 18 months. How sweet of a deal is that! Beautiful car for nearly 40% less than they would go for new.

 

Makes sense. I was seeing a lot of cars with an "$XXXX Incentive" applied and now I'm guessing that comes from the seller instead of the buyer.