New or Used: Tough Love for a Spoiled Brat

I’m having a bit of a dilemma in the car buying/selling front. First off, I’m a 21 year old college student. Last year, using money gifted to me by my wealthy grandparents (yes, I’m a spoiled brat. Sorry) I impulsively purchased a 97 Mercedes C36 AMG (yes, I’m an awful spoiled brat). It had a plethora of problems including the previous owner installing a faulty air intake, improperly lowering the car and damaging the suspension, and some thermostat issue. Several thousand dollars later, my mechanic got it back to speed. It hasn’t had any problems since, but I definitely can’t afford to fix it if anything else were to happen. Furthermore, premium gas is a bitch, especially here in Vancouver where gas is at an all time high. It doesn’t snow often here, but I’m not comfortable driving it when it does. I am contemplating selling the C36 and purchasing something more practical (I’ve had it listed on classifieds for months, but eh, no bites)

My mother, who I live close to, owns a 03 Chrysler Town & Country which she no longer drives because she now drives her New Beetle. She is trying to sell it, but is concerned she may at times need something with more cargo space than her VW. I considered perhaps if I were to sell my C36 to purchase a station wagon or crossover so that I could have a practical car that my mother could borrow if she needs cargo space.

Any advice? Should we just hold onto our vehicles? Should we sell both and buy something inbetween? And what should I buy if I do? Many thanks!

Sajeev Answers:

You need not apologize for being a spoiled brat! The mere fact that you (foolishly?) restored a spendy modern classic to non-ricer specs means you have the heart of a genuinely good person. That kind of self-awareness is worthy of Mike Brewer’s admiration.

It sounds like both the C36 and the minivan need to go for valid reasons. So put them out there, see which one sells first. If you are paranoid about the next big bill on the Benz, leave it in the spot where Mom keeps the minivan. Drive the mommy-mobile for a while!

As you might have already learned from your inheritance, money is fleeting. And college is expensive. You need to buy things that matter: books, tuition, food, nice clothes, etc that prepare you for a career and, um, potential girlfriends. You don’t need a nice ride in college, women are down for a smart guy who takes care of himself and dresses like a champ.

I would get a cheap CUV for your C36+Van replacement. Look at vehicles around USD $10,000. The Canadian market is significantly different than what I know, so all I can offer is a 5-7 year old CUV from Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Ford or GM. Don’t be picky, just buy one with service records! Parts will be cheap and easy, and none of them will do you wrong for a long time to come.

Steve Answers:

No one here will blame you for going after a dream. At least not the two of us. But you should be unceasingly thankful that your dream didn’t turn into a never-ending nightmare. A lot of folks who bought high priced wheels from the post-1995 dark ages of Mercedes can’t say the same thing.

With that in mind…sell it. Get rid of the thing and don’t even look back. You’ve had fun and the unintended consequences that go along with Das Daimler. As for your new wheels…

You live in Vancouver which, if I vaguely recall from my time at the Canadian Consulate, is the largest city in the entire world without a freeway. The place actively discourages car ownership. Throw in the fact that you’re in college, and I’m sure that whatever you get will still cost quite a bit even if it’s a cheap car.

My advice to you is hold off until you graduate and have a good job. Take the money you get from selling this car and invest it. The next car should be on your dime and ‘mom’ shouldn’t have to be your automotive resource. If you must buy something else… look at the owner. Get it independently inspected, and avoid debt like the plague.

Need help with a car buying conundrum? Email your particulars to mehta@ttac.com, and let TTAC’s collective wisdom make the decision easier… or possibly much, much harder.