The Mercedes is going to cost more. Parts and repairs will cost more. An oil change on a Mercedes diesel runs about $120 for a top of the line filter and 13 quarts of Mobile 1 oil. NAPA will sell the specified oil for less at various times of the year.
Servicing any modern vehicle requires specialized knowledge, you basically have to go to school. Maintenance can still be done.
Most of the Mercedes maintenance parts are available from sources other than the manufacturer. Parts from alternative sources will generally be reasonably priced. For instance a alternator will be available for most common Mercedes from NAPA etc. Peach Tree Parts and others are suppliers of parts for these vehicles.
No foreign vehicle is going to have the dealer support of the big three. That includes Toyota, Honda etc.
In metropolitan areas there are plenty of service sources for Mercedes, both factory and independent sources. I find that Mercedes and BMW mechanics are generally highly qualified and well trained, whether they work for a dealer or are independent.
In the boondocks its going to be more difficult to find a mechanic who is skilled in working on any of the modern vehicles whether its a KIA, Ford or Chevy, unless there is a dealer in the area. I would be hesitant to take any vehicle to an independent mechanic unless ASE certified in the type of vehicle and that type of problem.
We have owned at least one Mercedes or BMW, often more than one since 1993, eight BMW's or Mercedes vehicles. They have been good cars, very reliable and we have over 500k miles total and have not had a break down on the road. We had a brake issue in Wichita, KS that was taken care of by the dealer for a reasonable cost, we drove it into the shop. No different than when our crew cab dually, needed an alternator in Dubuque, IA.
If you break down in Green River, UT, this has happened to a friend and his Ford V-10 and we have had trailer problems in Green River, unless its a generic part eg. tire, fan belt etc, the mechanic is going to have to order it in. Most likely the part for either a Ford or Mercedes will be coming from either Grand Junction or the Salt Lake area, hopefully the next day or the day after or maybe the week after in the case of the V-10 or for that matter any vehicle.
When looking at MH, we looked at Ford, Chevy and Mercedes and chose the Mercedes. The others are very good alternatives and if our floor plan was available in a Chevy we might have bought the Chevy. We presently own two Ford vehicles and like them.
Good Luck!
Rick
