My father has just offered to buy my brother a '98 Mercedes SLK 230 owned by one of our friends because my brother got into Harvard. It has 30,000 miles on it and the price is $30,000, while the book value is ~$35,000. The car is white with a red/black interior, which I think is beautiful (ironic that we buy a German car with traditional Japanese colors). Practicality is not a concern because hey, he's a college student. The small 230 engine is not a problem because he doesn't race. What do you guys think about this purchase?

I'd be all over it as long as the previous owner wasn't abusive and your brother likes the Mercedes.

The only virtues the wee Benzer have are the tristar hood ornament and the neat top. It's engine sounds like it belongs in a John Deere tractor, its transmissions are crude (the automatic is just another slush box and the manual reportedly feels like it is lubricated with dirt). It's performance is pathetic even with der kompressor whirling away. It's a car which could only command such a price on the previously owned market by reason of its brand label.

Just my 2 pfennigs.

2x6spds

2x6spds is right on this one. The 30K can easily buy a more enjoyable ride.

Two mutually opposing features.

With the top down you can't fit your owners manual in the trunk, let alone a set of Big Bertha knock-offs.

DON'T DO IT!
("Babe magnet" factor ignored, on this one)

I drove one and was very unimpressed. The top is cool, and it was comfortable, but it def. didn't feel like a sports car. I'd even rather have a Miata or MR-2.

Why not work on Pop to pony up another $3K and get a brand new stook?

But other than that you like it? :)

I think I also could find better places to spend $30K than a 3-year old, 30,000 mile bottom-of-the-range Mercedes convertable. How 'bout a pristine 280SL? Or a used 3 series Bimmer convertable? No S2K's if he's not interested in performance, however.