Shock Valuation!
Recently I had been thinking about perhaps changing my car for one last time and today I started that normally long drawn out process. It didnt last long!
I have had my Mercedes 300ML CDI for nearly 5 years now. I put it on the road in March 2011 new at £44K.
Since then it has covered 58K miles and is absolutely spotless. I paid extra for a high gloss paint finish and I have to say that the car still looks brand new as a result and the fact that it has suffered no paint blemishes or blows during the 5 years I have had it. I also entered a maintenance contract to ensure it receved all servicing on the dot etc. All the above was calculated that it retained its maximum value when I needed to trade it in.
Finding a suitable new car was even more difficult. Today they all have "Toy Engines" ofmaily well below 2.2 Litres whereas I wanted a 3 Litre V6. Evem my Merc now has a weedy 2.1 litre 4 cylinder instead of my 3 litre V6. But I tried an 19 month old ML350CDI slightly more powerful than mine and it was fine!
BUT THEN CAME the SHOCK! They only offered me £14K for mine!!!!! That put an end to it! Its still a beautiful car averaging 34/35 mpg solo and towing like a train but £14K No way Hose!
Even the Shogun dealer offered more! Could sell it privately I suppose but its a hassle.
There is clearly no point in looking after a car. This one is washed & dried every week. Parked miles away from all other cars and is maintained & kept in as new condition Yet when being valued its what that book says not what it has taken to keep it that way. Whats the point of looking after it?
No we are going to stick together!
TF