Considering buying a used B Class - US - Battery Concerns?

[rbsmith77]

I'm looking at some super clean B classes...
2017 - 9,900 Miles - $26k
2014 - 1,200 Miles (Hard/No Start Condition listed on Car Fax) - $18k
2014 - 12,000 Miles - $17k

I'm having my local MB dealership confirm the eligibility of the 2017 for a battery warranty by running its VIN.
I already know the 2014's did NOT get the annual service, and therefore I would be taking a $18k gamble on them (in my mind).

Would you buy a used B-Class if the Battery Warranty is void? Is that a dealbreaker? How likely is a complete battery failure versus just degradation?

My commute is all of 10 miles roundtrip so I don't mind if the battery degrades. I'm just afraid of spending $18k and end up with a brick on the driveway.

Thanks,
Rich

 

[rbsmith77]

In some ways, no battery warranty is an advantage. If they aren't going to stand behind it, I know I can get a post OEM fast charger installed. LOL.

 

[JeffRay]

RBS,

I had a 2014 and the battery was checked under warranty each year. Who told you this was not so? The dealer can access their system to confirm if it was or was not done and what the readings are. The battery after 1200 miles is barely used, what is the story with that?

What does Hard/No Start mean? If it has any warranty left, this would be covered. Make them do it before you buy it. If you are in snow country, would recommend you get one with the range extender option.

Frankly all three have low mileage so I would go for door number 1 and negotiate the price down to $23ish. The 2017 has the range extender as standard.

 

[rbsmith77]

RBS,

I had a 2014 and the battery was checked under warranty each year. Who told you this was not so? The dealer can access their system to confirm if it was or was not done and what the readings are. The battery after 1200 miles is barely used, what is the story with that?

What does Hard/No Start mean? If it has any warranty left, this would be covered. Make them do it before you buy it. If you are in snow country, would recommend you get one with the range extender option.

Frankly all three have low mileage so I would go for door number 1 and negotiate the price down to $23ish. The 2017 has the range extender as standard.

On the two 2014's, I asked the MB dealership selling them can they confirm the battery warranty was still valid in writing. Specifically, I pointed out the section in the battery warranty fine print about the annual service. Sadly, they would not put it in writing as both of them missed at least one of the annual service checks. I'm willing to settle for the dealer themselves standing behind the car, but they wouldn't go that far. In the 3 months, I have been looking, I have only seen one B-class show up in the Certified Preowned sections nationally. I'm fairly convinced this is a compliance car that MB would rather just turn its back on. The 2014 - 1200 miles one is really intriguing. That thing NEVER got drove at all. However, it spooks me because how long did that car sit between charging or use? The No-Start condition listed on the Carfax is probably because someone probably let the battery go to 0%. While the charge cycles might be low on the 1200 mile one, I wonder if the battery was left neglected which also would shorten its life.

The 2017 I will need to travel to see. I told the dealer there, I want to see the service records PRIOR to 6 hours round trip in a car for me. The salesman there is a bit too reassuring that OF COURSE it's in warranty, we do the 3000 point inspection on all the cars we buy. Blah Blah Blah. End of the day, I want to confirm it for myself. I'm leaning towards the 2017 as long as I can get the right price. It's been on their lot since March so it's not moving.

2017
Upsides - it has the 12 color ambient interior lighting package and otherwise loaded.
Downsides - No heated seats (not much of downside because there's instant heat in electrics) - White (I like blue, but I haven't seen a rich Lunar Blue B-class yet)

2014's are south seas blue, which is alright. Equally clean for their age. The dealer seems to be more willing to stand behind it for service.
My local Mercedes dealer in my burb was pretty much "You buy any B-class, and expect us to service it... I will take us weeks potentially"

I will most likely decide in the next week or so between one of the three. If the 2017 is confirmed in battery warranty, I will negotiate hard. Otherwise, the 2014s would be almost 10K before any haggling.

Thanks,
Rich

 

[GlennD]

The battery warranty is only tor a complete failure. It does not cover loss of capacity. Figure 5-10% per year of loss. If the car will fill your needs than great just do not expect mew range.
.

 

[Dracula]

By the way, I drove my 2015 B-Class for 3 years, 27,000 miles with no discernible loss of battery capacity - through the end of the lease the range, bot for normal and extended charging, was the same as new. These cars are robust

 

[rbsmith77]

My commute is 6-10 miles.

My main concern is horrible luck. I dont know how long the battery unit as a whole will last. If it fails completely, the car is a total loss without insurance/warranty.

I dont know the failure rate for the batteries. It sounds rare, but it still spooks me.

 

[JeffRay]

RBS,

Love the "blah, blah, blah"

In the 4 years in this forum, I don't recall a battery failure. We have had motor failures but those were covered under standard warranty. The dealer who said it could take a couple of weeks for repairs is being honest. There aren't that many of these around. These are Tesla batteries so you may want to search both forums.

Someone backed into the front quarter of mine this weekend. My main concern was how long it will take to get the replacement front bumper, quarter panel and headlight assembly. My mechanic called MB and they said they had the parts in stock, in the US or Germany?

 

[GlennD]

The nice thing about Mercedes dealers is that they supply loaners. My stupid wide U turn took 2 months and all of the parts came from Germany. I had a loaner the whole time. It just hurt to buy gas!

 

[rbsmith77]

Update
Localish dealer - Been very upfront and patient.
Ultra low mileage 2014 - sold to someone else around $18.5k
12k miles in 2014 - still for sale around $18k

Dealer 1
White 2017 - 9k miles for $26k. Battery warranty status unknown - dealer not being upfront on service records.

Dealer 2
Blue 2017 - 9k - $27k - reached out to chat them up. small accident on its record.

Open question for owners of the MB 250E - given the market place for electrics, would you buy one new or used again?

 

[JeffRay]

RBS,

First, I favor the range extended versions which not all 2014s had. Second, I favor the 2017s at a lower price than indicated for the following reasons.

I considered buying out my 2014 when lease expired in 2017. Wanted to pay $15K+ to dealer but instead MBFS sold at auction at roughly the same price. Saw the car in FL listed for about $20K. The pros for buying used was the knowledge that no motor issues had cropped up, the con was new tech risk down the road with no service solutions, i.e. battery, motor, etc. So I ended up leasing a new 2017 for two years to bridge to 200 mile range vehicles to come.

I enjoy driving the B250e despite its kindof stiff suspension. Lots of room for all including cargo with rear seats down.

If it were me, I would go for a clean 2017 with residual warranty, negotiate the price down and buy an extended warranty. You can presume that the dealer acquired the car for roughly $15K and work from there.

 

[rbsmith77]

RBS,

First, I favor the range extended versions which not all 2014s had. Second, I favor the 2017s at a lower price than indicated for the following reasons.

I considered buying out my 2014 when lease expired in 2017. Wanted to pay $15K+ to dealer but instead MBFS sold at auction at roughly the same price. Saw the car in FL listed for about $20K. The pros for buying used was the knowledge that no motor issues had cropped up, the con was new tech risk down the road with no service solutions, i.e. battery, motor, etc. So I ended up leasing a new 2017 for two years to bridge to 200 mile range vehicles to come.

I enjoy driving the B250e despite its kindof stiff suspension. Lots of room for all including cargo with rear seats down.

If it were me, I would go for a clean 2017 with residual warranty, negotiate the price down and buy an extended warranty. You can presume that the dealer acquired the car for roughly $15K and work from there.

Thanks! Yeah. As much as brand new/tax credit is appealing, there's a $$$ impact for driving it off the lot new regardless. Right now, if I can find a used 2017 with the battery warranty still intact, I probably would snatch it up even if it meant shipping the car back to Chicago.

The white 2017 has been sitting on the dealer lot since March - he didn't seem interested in even countering when I offered 23k. So h*ck 'em as the doggo lingo would say.

 

[GlennD]

23K was likely below cost. I know my lease was subsidized and it has a large payoff. In truth it will not pay to keep it. Also since there is no 2018 the dealer may not want to deal on the 2017.

My car listed for just under 49K and I leased it for 33K. That included the fed credit and Mercedes and dealer discounts. In a CARB state you get better lease deals. Especially in California.