Mercedes

Why r/BuyItForLife recommends Mercedes

11 mentions from real owners

• #1Nov 6, 2025

  This couple took their g-class on a 20-year road trip through 177 countries

  Definition of a BIFL engine. This g-wagon is in Mercedes’ museum. I wanna say about 2 million km on the odometer

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• #2Nov 6, 2025

  This couple took their g-class on a 20-year road trip through 177 countries

  That's not just an ordinary G wagen. It's a 300GD with the OM617 inline 5 diesel engine. One of the most bullet proof reliable engines ever made. That thing was in nearly every 1980s diesel Mercedes. I had an 81 300sd with that engine. I bought it with 300,000 miles on it and have so far put 200,000 more on it. Other than oil changes and valve adjustments, I've never done anything to the engine. 

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• #3Nov 6, 2025

  This couple took their g-class on a 20-year road trip through 177 countries

  Read a book a while ago called Adventure Capitalist - written by a former hedge fund manager. He went on a round the world trip in a custom SLK mounted to a diesel g wagon chassis. His reasoning was “there’s Mercedes dealerships and mechanics in places where there aren’t even roads” Good book. He had an earlier one called “investment Biker” same concept except on a BMW motorcycle- this was pre- Long Way Round.

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• #4Nov 2, 2025

  What’s a purchase that’s not fun, not flashy but now you swear by it?

  I have a 1993 4runner with a mercedes diesel engine... this will definitely run forever.. doesnt even need can. I can throw transmission fluid and oil in the gas tank and it will run. lol

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• #5Sep 6, 2025

  Brands That Used to Be BIFL — But Aren't Anymore?

  This is good to hear. I have owned many cars and this was only the second car that I had this level of failure. The first was a Cadillac. Mercedes handled the repair quickly. GM didn't. I have avoided both since the incidents but will consider MB in the future. I do like BMW's. Thank you for your reply.

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• #6Sep 4, 2025

  Brands That Used to Be BIFL — But Aren't Anymore?

  Mercedes W124 was something extraordinary in BIFL history. Now not so much

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• #7Jun 2, 2025

  Your BIFL item from third world and developing countries?

  The Sinai area of Egypt has a strategic reserve of long body W123 Mercedes diesel cars. No idea how much one would be and how hard it would be to exfiltrate. Further south they have all those Peugeot 504 cars from the factory that got the tooling from France at some stage. Also worth a look. It is pretty common I think for people to go to India to buy the Enfield clones they sell there. Some people even ride them home.

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• #8Apr 12, 2025

  Should I buy this 1982 Mercedes 300D for $5,500? 150k miles

  Diesels don't Die !! That's a good price !! I've been driving an '82 300 Turbo Diesel for 29 years !..The fuel is a light oil which lubes the cylinder wall when injected in before the power stroke explodes it, using no spark to do so.. No tune ups, no smog test, no Cat, no distributor, no plug wires, 20MPG..on and on ! A non-turbo may be slow on take off, but they go and go and go ! Bilstein shocks last forever !! These are little Panzer tanks !! Long as there's no rust you're rolling in classic style !!! No lie !! This one looks Fab !! 14" rims are tough finding used tires for..Great wheels/no stupid plastic hub caps. The suspension and handling are A1 as well. If this was maintained as well as she looks, GO GET her ! No lie...They don't die....Mark, L.A.

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• #9Feb 7, 2025

  What brands do you trust to always deliver a high quality product?

  Mercedes 240D is nearly unstoppable. The AC system is shit, and little trim bits and handles will rot off, but the basic power train and chassis is good for half-a-million. A lot of them still in taxi service in poorer countries around the world

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• #10Feb 6, 2025

  What brands do you trust to always deliver a high quality product?

  Not too sure about BMW but the car buffs say that a Mercedes built in Germany is generally much more reliable than one built elsewhere. Same for Lexus built in Japan, to a lesser extent. I have a friend with a old Chrysler Crossfire, built in Germany (when Chrysler was owned by Mercedes) and it has been super reliable, and it is generally well-known as being "bullet-proof" amongst auto enthusiasts.

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• #11Jan 5, 2025

  Has everything we buy reduced in quality over time? Has anything increased in quality or stayed high quality and durable?

  Depends on what you're buying. A 20,30, 40 year old Toyota or Honda will give less major headaches than one you can buy post 2020. A 40 year old Mercedes is a better reliability bet than anything German vehicle in the past 20 years. American cars have always had the, "hey shit breaks, go buy parts and fix it". Now cars are iphones, "this thing is going to be great until the very minute your lease is up"

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