Looking for advice regarding mercedes glc 250, or any crossover

Anyone who's had to pay for BMW/Merc/Audi repairs has regretted it. It's nice that you'll give her a car, but will your pay her service and repair bills?
Why not go for a Lexus?
Even a brand new Corolla would be a huge step up for her.

If you're already worrying about repair bills you're looking at the wrong brands.

Like @engineered says there's a reason everyone recommends Lexus for reliability. It's definitely not as nice/luxurious as the competition but it'll last forever and won't break the bank for maintenance/repairs. Also the new top trim Rav4 is pretty nice haha.

Islapaste wrote: ↑ Hey guys, so I want to get my mom a nice little suv type thing since shes always drove corollas her whole life, and the one right now is a 2001 so i need to get her something safer. She liked the glc 250 and i've seen some around the 35-40k range (same price range as the new rav4 which i also really like), the interiors are insanely beautiful in these benz which is whats drawing me to these over the rav.

I had a rental cla250 once and was blown away how nice the interior was with the pan roof/ambient lighting. Didnt think you can get base cars this nice looking. However, id personally never own them myself because i need reliability no matter what, so ive only driven toyotas

Anyways has anyone regretted buying a base level benz before? At most itll need to do +100,000kms. I'm freaked to hell about all these benz/bmw reliability stories, especially since you can't even work on these yourself without special tools. Wat do?

A used Mercedes is one that the previous owner no longer wanted to pay the maintenance bill for or that the pre paid maintenance has expired and they have to pay for it now. That and it needs premium gas. You are not doing your Mom a a favor by buying a used Mercedes and having her tied to a Mercedes dealership for her driving pleasure.
If you have rented a Mercedes and you wont have one because you are concerned about maintenance and reliability, why would you stick your Mother with that problem?
For the same money you can get a Rav4 or Subaru and it will be new with all the warranty that goes along with it.
Oh and, you are buying it for her or you are steering her towards spending her money to buy it? LOL

If you're calling a GLC250 interior "insanely beautiful" with ultra-tacky ghetto-fabulous tablet-glued-on-dash look, you must be accustomed to driving some real garbageboxes, lol. Like what year is the most recent car you've driven other wise, 1992? CLA250 is even worse, that bucket of bolts!

Islapaste wrote: ↑ I had a rental cla250 once and was blown away how nice the interior was with the pan roof/ambient lighting. Didnt think you can get base cars this nice looking. However, id personally never own them myself because i need reliability no matter what, so ive only driven toyotas

I get to see these CLAs and the Bs when they're out of service...they hold up really poorly. Bad rattles, trim pieces that fell off, plenty of strange check engine light problems and the worst serious problem were the B-class turbos overheating despite low mileage. I'll note I also dislike how user unfriendly the tech options are on Mercedes vehicles. If I were old, the last thing I want is a frustrating vehicle to use...and I'm not even old and I still don't like it...

There's the other issue, if you're looking at a GLC250, at the bare minimum you're going to be maintaining a vehicle that costed $47K, if its a higher spec than a base model it will be even higher. Even if you get an old Mercedes now worth $5000, if it was originally a $60K car...you're still paying repairs and maintenance as if it were still a $60K vehicle. So even if you got the perfectly most reliable Mercedes, when you add up all the costs of just running it...it may start to look similar to a Corolla that actually wasn't reliable. This is the pitfall of any expensive vehicle, even the good ones like Lexus will still cost more to simply run than the typical Toyota. You will have to budget accordingly, and if your mom is used to the more thrifty Corolla upkeep...Mercedes upkeep is quite a lot worse.

Personally I would actually rather opt for the Corolla hatchback to replace your mother's Corolla. Unlike previous Toyotas, the Corolla hatchback aced all the safety tests, so if you're concerned about a 2001's safety, today's 2019 hatch is unquestionably superior both in safety tech(the important ones come standard) but also crash worthiness. Likely it will be a massive upgrade to the 2001, without it actually seeming to be any larger(its only 4 inches longer), and its probably likely easier to park. Unlike going with a Mercedes or even any CUV, there's a very good chance going with a new Corolla will decrease costs like fuel and even some maintenance items. Frankly its an amazing option especially if your mother still enjoys that 2001 Corolla. Starts at about $22K but the worthy upgrades go up to about $25K depending on the options you want. There's still the XSE at $27K...but I think its overpriced fluff, heck I actually think the base car is fine.

Islapaste wrote: ↑ Hey guys, so I want to get my mom a nice little suv type thing since shes always drove corollas her whole life, and the one right now is a 2001 so i need to get her something safer. She liked the glc 250 and i've seen some around the 35-40k range (same price range as the new rav4 which i also really like), the interiors are insanely beautiful in these benz which is whats drawing me to these over the rav.

I had a rental cla250 once and was blown away how nice the interior was with the pan roof/ambient lighting. Didnt think you can get base cars this nice looking. However, id personally never own them myself because i need reliability no matter what, so ive only driven toyotas

Anyways has anyone regretted buying a base level benz before? At most itll need to do +100,000kms. I'm freaked to hell about all these benz/bmw reliability stories, especially since you can't even work on these yourself without special tools. Wat do?

Why not lease the benz? That will cut costs and less worry over maintenance. If you’re looking to buy - maybe an RDX could be a good option, or an X1 (although similar reliability as benz), even infiniti has a good looking crossover (q30?).

Lots of options there but if I were in your shoes I’d be looking to lease.

Won't your mon hate wasting money .... on "costly" repair (if any) and maintenance???
What's her (or your, if you're paying) budget on those things?

Unless you pay all maintenance and repair bills through the course of her ownership, just go with something more mainstream. If the last car she is driving is a 2001 Corolla, every single maintenance or repair bill would shock her and she would be worried about what the next bill is.
Lexus may be more reliable, but their parts and labour (if done at dealership) are no cheap either.

If you just want her to experience something luxurious, lease one with some pre-paid maintenance package. That would cover repair and maintenance during the lease term.

Just a suggestion, if you really want a nice interior and good looking suv consider mazda cx 5. If you get the base with awd with all the safety features and cameras, it'll come to around 34k all in.

The blind spot, rcta, ldw, etc are all good features and are helpful. If I'm getting a car for a parent in 2019, I'd like them to have all those.

Get her a brand new Japanese CUV or SUV, it will last her another 10yrs + with less risk of stuff breaking down.
There is a reason why the used MB, BMW are cheap, because everyone is getting rid of them after warranty expire or lease is over.

You can get a 2010 E550 for $19k just barely over 100k KM, it is so tempting, but I personally don't have guts to bring any of those home. I want a car that brings me around, not a car that tell me that it needs to go to garage for repairs.

I don't think your mom is a mechanic or a DIYer or someone that likes to go to garage often.

The GLK250 (or GLA)??'s interior is not that much better than a Japanese.
Any car can be luxury now if you are willing to add all the options and packages on it.

There is a reason all those cars are luxury, the maintenance fees are ridiculous

Stay away from German cars

DealCanuck wrote: ↑ There is a reason all those cars are luxury, the maintenance fees are ridiculous

Stay away from German cars

I would say stay away if the car is used with expired warranty and you are not a DIY person or a mechanic.

The Brand new one, you can lease them and enjoy the problem free period (for most of the time)

What is a GLC250?

GLK250 or GLC300?

ES_Revenge wrote: ↑If you're calling a GLC250 interior "insanely beautiful"...

JeganV wrote: ↑..., if you're looking at a GLC250, at the bare minimum ...

Guys there is no such thing as a GLC250. OP experience was positive with cla250, so GLA250 would be good for him as well.

GLC300 interior far better then GLA250. Where as A250 has brand new design and looks different with digital dash.

peteryorkuca wrote: ↑ Guys there is no such thing as a GLC250. OP experience was positive with cla250, so GLA250 would be good for him as well.

Right and wrong. OP is to blame here--look at the thread title. You're right the GLC250 is apparently not sold here, it starts at GLC300. However there is a GLC250 model, it's just sold in other places in the world.

peteryorkuca wrote: ↑GLC300 interior far better then GLA250. Where as A250 has brand new design and looks different with digital dash.

Their interiors both suck ass. And the A250 is even worse than the other two with it's even larger ghetto tablet making up the whole IPC plus the other functionality. Garbage. These guys should have to do jail time. Might as well just get your 1998 Corolla/Civic and plug in an OBD-II and then silicone a tablet to the dash, load up Torque, and pretend it's "luxury" and "beautiful" More like lazy and pitiful.

DealCanuck wrote: ↑ There is a reason all those cars are luxury, the maintenance fees are ridiculous

Stay away from German cars

Have you owned one to make such a statement? I’ve owned a few now and have never paid ridiculous fees or repairs unless it’s done at the dealer.

EP32k2 wrote: ↑ Have you owned one to make such a statement? I’ve owned a few now and have never paid ridiculous fees or repairs unless it’s done at the dealer.

BMW 430i 2012 total POS, the tranny went out after 4 years mark, burning oil and ton of many other electronic issues.

Tires only 18" because of brembo brakes more money for winter tires

Sold that POS after the tranny went

What model and year do you have?

DealCanuck wrote: ↑ BMW 430i 2012 total POS, the tranny went out after 4 years mark, burning oil and ton of many other electronic issues.

Tires only 18" because of brembo brakes more money for winter tires

Sold that POS after the tranny went

What model and year do you have?

Currently own a X3 28d which has had issues with the emissions system lol. But I knew that going in, not a bmw specific problem just that the emissions systems on diesels are overly complex. Had a 2011 335d with zero issues and also a 2008 M3 with no issues. My father has only owned German for the past 20 years and has a 2006 330i with 250,000kms and aside from regular maintenance he has had to only replace the water pump and coils and this one has the GM auto in it too.

There’s no arguing that German cars are not as reliable as Toyota but I’ve been lucky I guess? I can’t say much about my GT3 as I only drive it around 2000kms per year but I’ve only had to do fluid changes.

jerbhu wrote: ↑What is a GLC250?

GLK250 or GLC300?

peteryorkuca wrote: ↑ Guys there is no such thing as a GLC250. OP experience was positive with cla250, so GLA250 would be good for him as well.

GLC300 interior far better then GLA250. Where as A250 has brand new design and looks different with digital dash.

I suspect he is looking at a older model GLC class vehicle (250?) , a used vehicle. He did say he saw "the glc 250 and i've seen some around the 35-40k range "