Several years ago, a relative of mine acquired a Mercedes E220 for himself. The vehicle, around five years old, was rather impressive; his typical preferences are the Honda Accord or Nissan Primera.
This was his first prestigious German automobile, and he was understandably excited. He guided me on a tour and took me on a drive. What emerged from his mouth astonished me. He informs me that this Mercedes requires servicing every two years or after 18,000 kilometres, indicating low operating costs. He typically drives approximately 5,000 miles, resulting in no funds available for two years. He informed me that this car will entail lower service costs compared to his last Honda Accord.
He was willing to maintain the Mercedes less regularly than the Honda, which he would service for every MOT, despite having spent a considerable amount on the car. I attempted to suggest that he disregard the service indicator and invest some funds in car maintenance; nevertheless, he was unyielding, since the computer dictated otherwise.
Three decades ago, driving a BMW or Mercedes was regarded as a symbol of prestige, particularly when the streets were predominantly populated by Ford Sierras and Vauxhall Cavaliers. Prior to the Mondeo and Vectra. One required substantial financial resources (in my region, akin to a drug king or pimp) to operate a BMW or Mercedes.
They have now extended the program to include three years of complimentary access. Over a span of three years, BMW may perform only one oil change, resulting in minimal costs for them. A recent acquisition of a BMW now appears comparably priced to a Mondeo and Vectra.
Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear stated that BMWs will be more prevalent on the streets than Mondeos.