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<title>What Will Happen To All These Cars? High Mileage Mercedes Repair
Costs</title>
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<center><big><big><b><i><font color="#3333ff">Giammalvo Files</font></i></b></big></big></center>
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<p><i><font color="#000000">Mark Giammalvo specializes in driveability
diagnostics </font><font color="#000000">at his family
business, Sam Giammalvo's Auto Sales & Service,
Inc. in New</font> <font color="#000000">Bedford,
MA. </font> </i> </p>
<p><i><font color="#000000">Mark, who has been with the business for
over 20 years, is an ASE
Master Technician and Parts Specialist. He also holds the ASE
L1 certification, and has an associates degree
in business</font> <font color="#000000">management.
<br>
Mark is also a writer for Motor Age Magazine
and is the past secretary of the Alliance of Automotive Service
Professionals, (AASP).<br>
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<big><big><b> <big> What Will Happen To All These
Cars?</big></b></big></big>
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<p align="center"><small><i><font color="#000000">(Printed in the Journal
of The Alliance of Automotive Service Providers, AASP) <br>
<br>
</font></i></small></p>
<div align="left">It was a simple question. A question posed by my brother
Glenn, a 30-+ year veteran of the automotive service industry. <br>
<br>
Glenn was commenting on a Mercedes that I had just driven into the shop.
The vehicle was a 1996 Mercedes 3 series with 189,000 miles. The owner was
interested in trading it in for one of our vehicles in inventory. I found
that the car ran well considering it was nearing 200,000 miles. The only
problem I noticed on the test drive was the brightly lit check engine lamp.
<br>
<br>
My father had me describe the car over the phone to several wholesalers
that we sell the trade-ins to. One vendor was scared of the service issues
of a "High mileage Benz." Unfortunately, the other vendor was only willing
to pay a maximum of 2,000 for the car. <br>
<br>
Hearing this, the owner became upset. At first blush, I couldn't really
blame him. He questioned as to why the offer was only $2,000 when the car's
wholesale book value was closer to $5,000. My father commented that not all
dealers are comfortable paying the "book" price on a car with such high mileage.
Then came the subject of the check engine lamp. My father questioned the
customer about what the problem was. The customer said that he had taken
the car to the Mercedes dealer and they said they could fix the problem.
Again my father probed the customer: "And, how much did the dealer say it
would cost to repair?" The customer sheepishly answered: "About $3,000 dollars
for a new control module." At that point my father said: "Well, theirs your
$5,000 book value: $2,000 for the car and $3,000 to make it whole again."
<br>
<br>
You sure can't blame the wholesaler for shooting low. Euro cars are big
bucks to fix!<br>
<br>
Now, let me go back and address my brother's question. Glenn was raising
a valid point. This car can't get an inspection sticker because the check
engine light is on. Not that the check engine light should be such a problem
but were talking about a big dollar repair here. These high-tech cars are
getting really expensive to repair let alone if some can be repaired at
all. What is going to happen to all these problem cars? How many people
are going to invest $3,000 to put out a check engine light so they can get
a sticker? Glenn said that they will probably become the new age artwork
on their owner's front lawns. Instant contemporary art. Park it in the yard,
open the moon roof and plant a tree inside. If you can't fix it, plant
it!</div>
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