Mercedes-Benz cars last a long time if maintained correctly. Well, most of them do. It’s no secret that many Mercedes models are stepping into the multiple hundred thousand miles realm without the need for any major maintenance.
But for the most part, if you want a car lasting this long, you need to make sure that proper maintenance is being done. Furthermore, you need to take proactive action in some areas, such as corrosion, because these types of defects can easily shorten the lifespan of a car.
How many miles does a Mercedes last
Of course, there are many different examples of various Mercedes models stepping into 200k miles or more without any major maintenance. But if you want to maximize the lifespan of your Mercedes, proper maintenance is a step you can’t neglect.
—>>> So is it a good idea to buy a 10-year old Mercedes-Benz?
Maintenance
For example, a car’s battery might degrade over time if the car is not being used all that often. This is often the case for many Mercedes classics in hibernation over the winter months. A flat battery might cause issues like engine management failure, which could shorten the lifespan of your Mercedes.
You also need to make sure that the vital car parts work as intended. You should check the spark plugs in recommended intervals, the same goes for leads. Furthermore, changing your fluids often will most definitely make your car capable of lasting a long time.
Older Mercedes models were known for many corrosion problems. Corrosion is a serious problem, and if it’s not taken care of in the early stages, it might shorten the lifespan of a car considerably. Repairing cars that are impacted by significant corrosion usually isn’t worth the expense.
For that very reason, you should rust-proof your Mercedes, especially if you own a 90s Mercedes, which are the Mercedes models most vulnerable to corrosion.
Driving habits and driving styles
It’s fairly obvious that the manner in which you use a certain object influences the lifespan of that very object. Mercedes cars will last you a long time, especially if you achieve “mechanical symphony” levels of understanding of how some parts operate and wear over time.
You should always prioritize smooth and precise driving compared to aggressive and abrupt driving. It also makes quite a big difference for specific car parts such as brakes, clutches, or many different engine components.
Anticipating the road ahead and making sure you shift gears in a controlled manner will extend the lifespan of your clutch and your brakes. You shouldn’t sit on your clutch pedal for a long time as well. Try to put your car in neutral as soon as you come to a stop.
Modern Mercedes cars are a lot more complex compared to older models. They are constructed out of a lot more parts, all of which can pose problems if they start failing. However, many problems can be avoided or postponed if you drive conscientiously.
Older Mercedes models vs newer ones
All of the aforementioned steps should be considered when trying to extend the lifespan of a car. But you simply can’t compare older Mercedes models to newer ones. Older Mercedes cars were built with different priorities in mind.
These days, the priorities of the car industry are efficiency and innovation towards newer means of traveling such as hybridization and electrification. But in the old days, Mercedes was mostly concentrated on making reliable cars with bulletproof engines.
Mercedes used to make solid engines capable of delivering hundreds of thousands of miles with little to no maintenance. These days engines are a lot more complex due to forced induction and strict emission regulations, which sometimes put a strain on the engine from the get-go.
This isn’t to say that modern Mercedes cars won’t last you a long time if maintained correctly, but they certainly can’t match the reliability of older Mercedes models.
Get the answer to this question too: Is it expensive to own a Mercedes-Benz?
More about driving cars long term
Are modern cars less reliable?
Contrary to popular belief, newer cars can be more reliable compared to older models. However, they don’t last as long. This is mostly because modern cars are incredibly complex. So, if a modern car starts having problems, it’s a lot more difficult to fix them.
Older cars are a lot simpler compared to newer models, but they are not constructed in a way so modern-day diagnostics tools can identify their issues. That’s the reason why most old cars are still being fixed by old school mechanics, and newer cars are primarily being diagnosed through complex ECU readings.
What’s the longest-lasting Mercedes model?
Old school Mercedes models like the Mercedes Benz 300 (W123, W124) equipped with diesel engines are known to last longer than most cars today ever could. These cars were made in the 70s through the 90s and are a clear example of how Mercedes used to make cars that simply couldn’t break.
The Mercedes 300 is pretty much the longest-lasting European sedan of all time. Even after all these years, many countries around the world are still packed with these, and will probably continue to be packed with them, long after many modern-day Mercedes models go extinct.
A more modern version of the 300 is the 2008 E-class model. These models were incredibly popular when they came out. Many say the 2008 model is the last year of production Mercedes managed to perfect. They sold a ton of 2008 E-class vehicles.
Is it safe to drive a high mileage Mercedes daily?
High mileage cars are usually older models that managed to stand the test of time. As such, they are not as safe as modern-day Mercedes models. In the past 20-30 years, car safety has changed dramatically.
That’s not to say those older Mercedes models are not safe, but they simply can’t compare to a modern automobile. But, if you maintain your car often, and you do your due diligence in servicing and making sure that all of the components work as intended, you should be adequately safe driving an older car.
Of course, the vehicle won’t have many of the standard safety features found in new cars today, so keep that in mind.
