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While I drive Volvo's, Mercedes and BMW's are also great cars. Just avoid all cars produced later than the mid 90's. The newer the car, the more likely that both the service tech info as well as the engineering specs that go into production, are mostly now proprietary.
This means that nearly all of your mechanical work will have to be done by the
dealer. Hopefully over time this will lessen and car manufacturers will loosen up on the info for aftermarket parts and the needed specialty tools as well. but the trend doe not look promising.
A good example would be the new Volkswagen Passat. Suppose you have a rear seal go out on the transmission. You could take it to an aftermarket transmission shop and have it repaired for a couple of hundred dollars,right? Unfortunately now the shop can not just go out and buy the replacement seal. VW only sells complete rebuilding kits for their newer transmissions to outside vendors. This levels the playing field price wise for the VW dealer and could eventually put all the private garages and shops out of business once us die hards kill off whats left of the pre- mid nineties cars..
One more thing about Mercedes. My brother had a full size 1991 Mercedes sedan without side impact airbags.. His daughter was broadsided in the drivers door. The other vehicle was going over 45mph. My niece was literally pushed into the center of the car with her seat belt on. The Mercedes did what it was designed to do. The center hump collapsed, while the the sides of the car that are structurally tied together provider her protection. She walked away with a few bruises. Her only complaint was that the doctor wouldn't allow her to play high school soccer for a week.
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