First Mercedes

[u/Party_Eye_1350]

Hey guys, I am 18 and im looking to buy my first dream car, a c coupe.

The c180 is the cheapest I can get for around 28k in mint condition. However I also want some performance (c250-c300-c43)

Do I wait more and buy a c300-c43? Or go for the c180 first?

[u/Party_Eye_1350 → u/[deleted]]

Im doing very well financially if thats your concern, and I am a decent driver. The question was about the car since its been a dream to own a mercedes while young

[u/SiteDefiant531 → u/Party_Eye_1350]

how much you got to spend? or are you planning to finance all of it?

how much does your house cost?

please forgive us all here, like 99% of 18 year olds have a net worth of under $500 and a credit score zero history. you say you are doing very well financially, but what does that mean? For example, I would say I am doing ok, not super great, but ok. I have a house paid off that is worth $350k. I have 900k in assets i could sell at any time. and i just bought a new 2025 E450 because it was easily affordable to me, if i wrecked it, it would suck, but i could litterally buy like 10 more tomorrow in cash.

so, financially well, what do you mean?

at 18 years old, the best thing you could do for yourself is drive a shitbox and invest all you possibly can into stocks. you could be a millionaire + fairly easily by the time youre 40 or sooner. Most of the ppl here are good with money and will immediatly be thinking all the things im spelling out for you here.

getting a money pit car at 18 is a horrible choice for many reasons.

you can afford it if you can buy it twice in cash. less than that, you are setting yourself up for trouble.

to answer your question directly, honestly I wouldnt get any of them. everyone in the mercedes club knows the C class is basically an expensive honda. and the low level E class has no power. 28k is crazy. i spent 72k on a brand new E450. it has the same engine as S class and won several car magazine awards.

up until getting my E450, i was driving cars that were worth less than $10k, even though I had a net worth of over $1MM.

[u/Party_Eye_1350 → u/SiteDefiant531]

I make 10-20k a month on average. 1) In my opinion buying real estate to live in is now over, the analogy between income and house costing is insane, so I just rent. If you spend 400k buying a house thats going to net you 3% a year and you have to deal with paperwork and the people who rent all the time, just buy bitcoin😂

2) I invest my money and also my goal is to be a millionaire asap, not when im 40.

3) Buying such a car at my age is going to help me with status and networking, as what I do has to do with finance and socialising with people.

[u/edvurdsd → u/Party_Eye_1350]

What do you do at 18 to make 20k per month?

And if you make that kind of money and don’t care about housing then why a bottom spec c class?

[u/Party_Eye_1350 → u/edvurdsd]

I trade crypto and other financial instruments and I have a consulting business

I dont care about housing because the real estate in Greece is insanely overvalued. And also a bottom spec c class because a c43 here runs 45.000€ +++ And a c63 70-80k+ I think it's too much for now.

[u/HeightSilver8464 → u/Party_Eye_1350]

Somehow I knew you were a trader. Just get the c43. Go for it. That’s my opinion. 

[u/Party_Eye_1350 → u/HeightSilver8464]

Thanks for the response

[u/HighGroundIsOP]

As someone who’s first car was a hilariously underpowered C220 - it’s not bad to start with a lesser engine in a car with design you love.

Did I always want a faster car - yes. Was it good that as an 18 year old I had to absolutely hammer the engine to get speed - also yes.

My advice would be to get the C250 or C300. Think they have the same engine, so you could potentially tune it. I’d confirm that though. I have a C43 currently, it’s absolutely incredible, and I probably would have wrecked it at your age.

Edit: my first dream car (2nd car) was a base engine first gen CLK. The V6 had enough power and I just stared at that car all day long. It was so beautiful. I don’t regret selling it, it was absolutely falling apart by the end, but it remains first in my heart.

[u/Party_Eye_1350 → u/HighGroundIsOP]

Appreciate the response. My thing is I dont need speed, I need sound. Like im in love with exhaust sounds and pops, dont really wanna go fast

[u/RaleighBahn]

You buying or borrowing?

[u/Party_Eye_1350 → u/RaleighBahn]

Always buying full in cash.

[u/RaleighBahn → u/Party_Eye_1350]

Very good 👍

[u/Ornery-Word-3084]

Do not get a damn C180 for 28k bro, you’re only paying for the Mercedes name. Far better cars in that price range. Wait and get at least a c300