[Sanidhya mukund]

A free ML350 is definitely a tempting proposition, but as D-BHPian Androdev said, the number of miles the car has covered is a very important consideration.
The following things need to be considered:

-Delhi registered car- Has it been deregistered? Can an NOC be issued? Can it be registered again?

-This is no regular 4 cylinder C-Class. It is an ML350 with a 6 cylinder heart and an air suspension. Besides stupendously expensive part failures that are bound to arise, even the periodic maintenance is not cheap. Transmission oil every 4 years, Poly-V belt and pulleys every X kilometers, battery and auxiliary battery replacements every few years etc. Even wear and tear parts like tyres and brakes cost significantly more than a regular car. We aren’t even talking about accidental repairs. 10+ year old cars like this can get totalled even in relatively minor shunts because the cost of repairs often exceeds the IDV.

-Is the current owner the first owner? If yes, where has he serviced it? Have any periodic maintenance aspects like transmission oil changes been ignored? How many kilometers has it done? The long term implications of ignored maintenance manifest themselves later in the cars life. I have previously seen a 7 year old Audi Q5 at a garage with a shot gearbox because the transmission oil wasn’t changed on time.

At the end of the day, you are the best judge. If you have a trusted mechanic who has experience working on Mercs, can afford the pricey spares and are okay with breakdowns and resultant downtime, then you should go for it if the car has been taken care of early in its life.

[UD17]

Originally Posted by Vicky85

what can be the downside of owning a decade old Mercedes. What would be the service cost and how frequently is it needed.

You need to be a serious car enthusiast to take such venture. I see the temptation:

1. Its a Merc
2. Its history is known to you
3. Its FREE

Ask yourself a question, if this car is offered to you at some price (lets say 5 lakh or so), would you be willing to take a plunge knowing the age/mileage of the Merc?

I see this a greater financial risk. Even if you are capable to take some financial hit, its future disposal will become a headache + you still need now an additional car for your daily chores with this Mercedes. This equation will become further blurry if i consider the delhi RTO NOC & reregistration hassles at Hyderabad.

Do consider.

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by Vicky85

I was planning to buy myself a XUV 300 but then I was offered a 11 years old ML 350, for free by my brother-in-law. The car is registered in Delhi and since it cannot be driven there anymore he wanted someone within the family to have it instead of selling it off.
And what would be the cost of re-registration in Hyderabad/Bhubaneswar?

Originally Posted by ajmat

I[*]First check if you get an NOC and check the remainder tax to be paid in Hyderabad[*]Spend Rs 10000 on a Mercedes Used car assessment
[

If it's over 10 Years old, NOC cannot be issued now even if you tell them that this needs to be re-registered elsewhere. That time has gone now.

Gifts within relations is usually tricky, especially where your wife/ sister is concerned. The maximum your BIL will get is scrap value. The best is to get it valued first, and then if you have to take an obligation (which may not be valid at this time but at a later date) a value must be known. If he is ok with that pay him or just tell him that whatever you get at the time of sales, you will pay him.

You can drive the car in Hyderabad or anywhere else where NCT rules are not applicable without additional taxes, as Delhi RC validity will be 15 Years. After that, there are no chances of getting it extended. You can scrap at that time.

Regarding maintenance, as others have pointed out, running ML350 can indeed be very costly as remember, the spares are priced based on the original costs of the car. This car can be a good weekend car or for occasional social use (flaunt ) but I won't use it as a daily drive.

[condor]

If you can get the NOC from Delhi, do it quick - and use the ML350. If repair costs get too much, scrap it.

If it is in Delhi, it will have to be scrapped anyway, and soon. You could try use it a little longer. However, do factor in the re-registration cost when you decide. If that alone will cost a bomb - and more than what you can get if it is scrapped, then it's a no-go.

You could also use the approach suggested by @Turbanator: Drive around outside the state. without re-registration. But after the end of the 15 year period, it is scrap.

[anjan_c2007]

The Mercedes ML 350 cdi will be in a different league and is way above any Mahindra presently available. And for free its too good but only if the Merc gremlins are yet to manifest themselves to cause agony to its owner. Hence it needs a thorough check by an expert.

If it's an 11 year old diesel it has already been deregistered by the Delhi RTO. Hence, getting its NOC for transfer elsewhere is a mirage. The Merc ML 350 cdi papers cannot be regularised if that's the case.

[charanreddy]

I would say take your BIL on the offer.

There is no upside to rejecting it.. your BIL may get a peanuts scrap value. Pay that value if you are particular about not wanting to take favours. Take it, use it as an weekend / special vehicle. FYI, the depreciation in your XUV300 for the first 1 or 2 years will be the same as the upkeep costs for the Merc, so relatively you are not loosing anything. If things get too expensive , sell it off for scrap or to a used car guy.. no point jumping the gun now.

[AKSarkar1]

If you are getting it for free then I would say go for it, worst case scenario, you will have the ability to sell it off (albeit for a low figure). You can keep the car for weekend drives or the fancy restaurant runs from time to time. Trust me, keeping a special car in the garage always keeps you content from the new car itch.

Let me share my personal experience with you: I used to own a GL350 CDI (2013 MY) and by the time it entered it's 7th year of ownership the service costs due to failures started surpassing the value of the car. Sure Merc makes some extremely reliable cars but this generation of GL/ML isn't what I personally consider reliable but there is no sure way of telling.

Take a shot if the car is for free

[dhanushs]

Damn, I should have more relatives in Delhi and other metros.

Well, just remember you arent really getting the ML350 for free. Whatever the scrap value of the car is, your BIL is donating it to you. Be prepared to carry/payback the weight of it.

If you plan to take it:
- You can use it for four more years, so I'd suggest spend only on essential maintenance, and not on keeping the car new.
- Make sure you can use it the way it is used and not baby it.
- You can easily spend the money of the XUV300 on this for maintainance.
- Be prepared to have a second car in case the car is in the garage for days. Which will not be rare.

In short, make sure it does not take a physical and emotional toll on you. And you have fun!

[The Rationalist]

I feel you should avoid this risk, it ain’t worth taking. This one is going to be a bottomless money sinking pit. You will get frustrated down the line. The EMI and service cost of XUV 300 will be less than the amount needed to keep the ML in shape. A 11 year old car is no match to a new car in terms of reliability. If your annual income is in mid 7 figures, then you can give it a thought.

[EV NXT]

There’s an old saying which, when translated from the vernacular, reads “If you dont like someone, present him with an elephant”.

A 11 year old ML 350 would be the equivalent of a white elephant for someone looking to buy a new XUV 300.

Your relative would be well meaning but the rest of the implications would run true in this case.

[audioholic]

I would only touch this car as long as it is in perfect condition without the need for immediate repairs. Otherwise don't even come close to the car. It will become a money pit in no time and even if you sell it you will hardly recover the costs. The car might be offered to you for free but it is still a 70L rupee car to own and maintain. So unless you can at least afford a car half that money, stay away from such deals. Same applies for any used expensive car which would have depreciated. Only the vehicle's value will depreciate but not it's spare parts costs and service costs. Even if you pool the EMI of an XUV300 as a maintenance fund it will still be eaten up in no time and end of the day you will be left with nothing. If you pay EMI for the XUV at least it will hold it's value better.

[yedukrishnan199]

The maintenance of the ML 350 is going to be your biggest issue and with the car being over a decade old, issues are bound to arise. Moreover, even a small part replacement would cost a huge amount.

[OPMaurya]

You can even source spare parts from Palika Bhawan or Khan market in Delhi through your BIL
. Identify a local independent garage having a good reputation and build relations with them. Will be helpful in long run.
First and foremost is assessing the paperwork and expense required for transfer.
I believe the vehicle to be in good shape as your BIL is offering it to you and you should be aware of the history of the vehicle.

[Comrade]

I am guessing you figured out the legal aspects of owning 10+ years Delhi car.

From financial angle, my “guess” is taking it won’t be such a blunder. Your maintenance costs @ 1L per annum may be similar to annual depreciation of a brand new XUV.

But take it only if you have the mental patience to deal with downtime and repairs. Also, you would need an alternate transport when its down for repairs, and having car in garage for too many days can be agonising mentally (even when financial outflow is not high). Forget it if you want a reliable daily driver.

If you are prepared to take it, consider many german shops available in Hyderabad for maintenance. Here are few shops that I bookmarked based on good feedback. Some owners after few years start neglecting many add-on features and only spend on most necessary items like mechanicals etc. You might consider that route if for example, electric tail gate fails but you are fine to open it with your hands. You don’t need to necessarily fix such items and can avoid expensive bills.

https://instagram.com/mandmachine

https://instagram.com/gearheadzhyd

[bhargav2015]

My 2 cents from owning a couple of 10 year old VAG cars [A6, Skoda Yeti]:

- If you are not the type who likes to get his hands dirty - DO NOT TAKE THE CAR.
- If you consider the car as something to take you from point A to point B and nothing more - DO NOT TAKE THE CAR.
- If your daily running is 15 to 20km in stop-and-go traffic and parking is a *?* DO NOT TAKE THE CAR.

The reason I say this is because the journey will have its LOWS, and you have to have GENUINE LOVE IN YOUR HEART to push through the obstacles and challenges. If you take it half-heartedly, unsure of wanting the machine, you will be running away from the car in no time.

In the meantime, pick up a Maruti for everyday use, if you don't want to be disowned by your family.

From personal experience, I used to cycle to work and picked up the German just for weekend morning drives out on open roads. As luck would have it, Covid happened and the car was a game-changer on MULTIPLE 1000KM drives from Mumbai to Mangalore.

This is where it gets interesting. On the open highways and long cruises, the mundane cars CANNOT hold a candle to the Germans or for that matter, other Jap / European cars [MB/VAG/BMW/Volvo/JLR] - be it the way these cars munch miles, driving pleasure, creature comforts.

Please remember, to keep this car in the long run, you need:
1. Rs. 5L in an escrow/ rainy-day fund ready and available - because YOU WILL NEED IT.
2. Reliable folks to source parts at decent mark ups - open market is usually ready to chew us apart.

Let's face it, the AVERAGE COST OF MAINTENANCE IS INR 1L a year. That is, with no part / system failures. And the German car parts start fail at around this time.

IF YOUR HEART SAYS YES, GO FOR IT. Why do I say this??
I believe, " It is better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all".

Would I do it? In a heart beat. Call me foolish but the love for cars is and has been the fuel that's kept me going through the worst times of life. I'd rather be broke and in love with my car, than broke with no hope or aspirations in life.