Even if buying a used a car is an easy decision to make, buying a used Mercedes is questionable as you may be unsure where you can get the reliable car for a reasonable price. While buying from a certified pre-owned car program from Mercedes or from a local used car dealer are the two common viable options, each mode of purchase has its ups and downs.

• Mercedes certified cars:

Buying from a Mercedes certified Pre Owned (CPO) program would mean that the car has been verified by Mercedes for sale. While the price at these stores will be a little higher than the regular used car market, every penny would be worth the deal because the car would have had to meet a certain set of requirements before being put up for sale. Mercedes take back cars for resale only when the primary eligibility criteria for car age and mileage have been met. These cars then go through various levels of inspection, and the trained technicians repair or replace components as necessary. Once all the mandatory checks have been done then the car is rolled out for sale with a warranty and maintenance records of the vehicle handed over to the buyer. When a car comes for resale from the auto manufacturer themselves, the value of the car can never be matched in a local market.

Local used car dealer: It is not every day that a used Mercedes is up for sale at a local used car dealer and if the price is good they get taken off the block pretty soon. While you may get a 30-day standard warranty to return the car in case of major functional problems, the warranty is not effective and the chance of repair cost is slightly high. Most of these used cars are just put up for sale in a working condition and the history of the vehicle as to the number of ownerships, maintenance, damages, etc, may not be readily available to the buyer. However, the chances of finding a suitable maintained car would also be possible provided the buyer puts in the effort to research and inspect the vehicle.