The Finch Formerly Known As Gold

25 July 2005

So get specific already

In one of my infamous Vents, I made reference to a "$90k ... automotive toy," which prompted Mike to pick one of his own and perhaps suggest between the lines that I ought to do the same.

Criteria:

The stipulation being that you must use the vehicle for at least five years, and you forfeit any balance of the $90K not used to purchase the car.

Fair enough.

Let's contemplate, say, a Mercedes-Benz CLS500, base price $64,900. Add the following gewgaws:

  • 321 AMG Sport Package — $4,950
  • 326 Premium Package — $3,650
  • 219 Distronic Active Cruise Control — $3,130
  • 317 Comfort Package — $1,500
  • 530 DVD COMAND Navigation — $1,240
  • 319 Lighting Package (w/cornering fog lights) — $1,220
  • 022 Sirius Satellite Radio — $699
  • 819 6-Disc CD Changer — $430
  • R66 Mercedes Extended Run Flat Tires — $200

Add $775 destination charge and $1300 Federal gas-guzzler tax and we're looking, before tag, title and whatever, at $83,994.

I might also point out that $17,019, the total price of the optional equipment on this particular Benz, exceeds the price I paid for my current car, which is, um, five years old.

Posted at 7:24 PM to Driver's Seat


If automotive toy means something I pull out of the garage on a nice weekend to go on a cruise down country roads, without a requirement that it replace my current $600 daily driver as well, then I'd go with one of these and forfeit the $75,000 left over.

Posted by: triticale at 9:13 PM on 25 July 2005

Distronic cruise control -$3130!? I had to look that up.
"Example you set the Cruise at 90km/h, some car cuts you off doing 70km/h the distronic sense the obstacle in front of you and adjusts the speed accordingly, it even brakes the speed down if necessary the Distronic have access to 20% of the brakes potential and can save many situations but its not idiot proof.

Sheesh!! I take it you didn't have enough money left over for Distronic steering control.

Posted by: MikeH at 9:22 PM on 25 July 2005

Actually, this is probably a little more gee-whiz than I wanted, but I figured the next owner would probably wonder how come I cheaped out. :)

I have exactly one gee-whiz feature on my current car: the center air vents oscillate. Takes passengers by surprise, on those rare occasions when I have passengers.

Posted by: CGHill at 7:04 AM on 26 July 2005