I have heard that Mercedes cost a lot to keep running, is this true?

[tripleblack]

Not necessarily, though it WAS once true.

As cars have become more complex in general - now ALL cars have multiple smart systems and computers on board - intricate safety systems - high tech drivetrains and transmission, etc...

Mercedes haven't really gotten any CHEAPER to maintain - its just that the competition has gotten a lot more LIKE the Mercedes.

Mercedes parts are sometimes more than comparable brands - but they can also be CHEAPER. I recently purchased some parts for my ML500 (I do most of my own maintenance and repairs), and was pleasantly surprised to learn that most of the parts were quite reasonable - and several were actually cheaper than the comparable parts for my Mustang!

Of more importance than the ultimate cost of each repair, seems to me, is the FREQUENCY of repair.

In 100,000 miles with my ML500, I have had one episode where it failed me - and even then, it limped to the dealer for the repair. A transmission module fried, and it was a cheap part surrounded by $500 worth of labor to replace it.

The other notable maintenance chore with these SUVs are the brakes, which are part of the Electronic handling system (invented by Mercedes and now widely used throughout the industry) that applies individual offsetting brakes to improve handling and prevent instability or the danger of a roll-over. Good news is that the thing handles at speed like its on rails... Bad news is that it eats brakes, about 1 set of pads every 20,000 miles or so.

Overall I think these are pretty cheap to maintain cars, compared to their competition, but that's overall. The hourly rates at the dealer are high (I'd say about 25% higher than the Ford Dealer, for instance), so if you have the dealer do all the maintenance, the costs will be higher if for no other reason than that. Parts imported from Germany can be pricey, particularly given the power of the Euro, too.