Buy or Lease Your Next Mercedes?

Mercedes CLS

Countless hours searching on the internet will unfortunately not yield a black and white answer as to whether it is more cost effective to lease or buy your next car.

It all depends on a number of factors, such as which car you want, how long you want to keep it for, how many miles you plan on doing and what your current financial situation is. For these reasons each car must be assessed on its own merits and correlated with your finances.

There are a number of leasing calculators that can help you with this and we’ve outlined some of the possible options available for would be Mercedes owners.

Why Mercedes?

Mercedes-Benz have been manufacturing cars since 1939 and thus there is a certain prestige to owning one of these beautifully crafted vehicles. More than that however Mercedes have a great history of building durable cars to a very high quality.

This has contributed towards exemplary fuel efficiency and reduced CO2 emissions, which ultimately leave more money in your pocket when it comes to running costs. From the A Class to the Viano Mercedes have a wide range of vehicle options available.

Mercedes-Benz C Class C180 BlueEfficiency SE 4dr Auto

A competitor to the BMW 3-Series the Mercedes C Class C180 underwent some revisions during 2011 to give the car a bolder look on the outside with the interior dashboard being given a major overhaul.

The drive is typically understated with an engine designed for relaxation and a quiet ride rather than a full throttle rollercoaster. And if comfort at a relatively affordable price is what you’re after then this could be the car for you with plenty of interior space. Overall the C Class is therefore quite adequate as a family car whilst not looking out of place on business trips.

Lease

Deposit: £717
Monthly cost: £239
Total cost for two years/20,000 miles: £6,214

Buy

Price: £26,270
Target price: £23,086
Estimated value after two years: £17,338
Total cost for two years (cash): £5,748
Monthly cost (car loan): £1,029
Total cost for two years (car loan): £7,352

Mercedes-Benz C Class C63 4dr Auto

On the opposite end of the C class scale the C63 AMG is a beast of a car, fine-tuned for extreme performance reaching 60mph in a mere 4.5 seconds. Four oval exhausts and special AMG wheels are just the tip of the ice berg with this power oriented machine, which boasts a 6.3 litre V8 engine beautifully locked away under the shimmering aluminium bonnet.

With blistering speed the C63 AMG still manages a firm yet comfortable ride with powerful breaks and loads of grip to keep you feeling firmly in control. This car is always going to be compared to the BMW M3, which is said to possesses a more “dynamic” driving experience, and a test drive is certainly in order before you choose your favourite.

Lease

Deposit: £2,001
Monthly cost: £667
Total cost for two years/20,000 miles: £17,342

Buy

Price: £56,930
Target price: £52,308
Estimated value after two years: £37,574
Total cost for two years (cash): £14,734
Monthly cost (car loan): £2,326
Total cost for two years (car loan): £18,246

Mercedes-Benz E Class E220 CDI BlueEfficiency Sport 2dr Tip Auto

The Mercedes E Class Coupe is a more than capable car taking over the reins for the Mercedes-Benz CLK in 2009. This diesel version possesses good fuel efficiency at 53.3mpg couple with low CO2 emissions making this vehicle a tax friendly choice.

Lease

Deposit: £1,164
Monthly cost: £388
Total cost for two years/20,000 miles: £10,088

Buy

Price: £38,545
Target price: £32,749
Estimated value after two years: £25,440
Total cost for two years (cash): £7,309
Monthly cost (car loan): £1,454
Total cost for two years (car loan): £9,447

Conclusion

When it comes to leasing versus buying any car the margins are fairly small and that’s why you need to evaluate each car and finance package on its own merits. If you want to have a brand new car and will be looking for something new again in two to three years then leasing could well be the way to go. However if money is the overriding factor then consider that much of the cost of owning a new car is due to depreciation, which is most dramatic in the first year of ownership for a new car. Therefore purchasing a used car, with cash or finance, would be an alternative allowing you to bypass that initial depreciation drop.

Sources:

https://www.whatcar.com/car-reviews/ (price and target price)

https://www.glass.co.uk/Buy/Budget-Calculator/ (finance calculations based on a good credit rating)

https://www.instantautoquotes.info/ (estimated value for a car bought two years ago)