I'm having a baby and I don't like SUVs or Minivans. My search has been narrowed to these two wagons. Volvo is a favorite given its safety, Mercedes is considered for safety and everything else Mercedeses are all about.
I'm faced with the following questions:
1 - MAINTENACE - If the price of the cars is about the same, is maintenance any different? I'm hearing scary stories about regular oil changes (usually priced about 30 for my Honda Accord) are about $100 for Mercedes since they use Synthetic oil.2 - TUNE UPS - Is the price of a full tune up (spark plugs, wires, gas filters, etc) much different on a Mercedes. Here I'm once again being scared with 200 for my Honda versus 600 for a Mercedes. Is there any truth to this?
3 - Now the most important question, notice how I'm comparing maintenance expenses with a Honda. Is the maintenance on a Volvo cheaper than on a Mercedes?4 - What should I look after when purchasing an E320. What are the next huge schedule maintenance, say at 100K.
5 - Which of the two cars tends to hold on to their value better.6 - What other reasons should I consider when choosing between these cars?
By the way, the reason I'm getting a Station is my dog and the 3rd seat I use with all my nieces and nephews.
Thanks for all your help. Will NYC