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IntelliChoice Value Rating
The chart above shows the purchase price versus ownership cost for each car from a specific vehicle class. The cars with better than average ownership cost/purchase price correlations are the best values, and these best value cars are represented by the dots below the curve. (i.e. the cars that have a lower ownership cost compared to its purchase price.) Those cars, which are worse than average or poor values, appear above the curve.
One way to view the graph is to draw a vertical line through any purchase price. You may see several dots that fall on this line - each of which is a car with a similar purchase price. However, notice the difference in ownership costs of each car represented by the vertical position of the dot. Two cars with the same purchase price can have thousands of dollars difference in ownership costs. This is what separates "good value" cars from "poor value" cars.
What is a good car value?
A "good car value" is one whose cost to own and operate is less than expected. The lower the cost to own and operate a car compared to what is expected, the better the value of that car.
But how do we know a car's "expected cost"?
For each car in the class, IntelliChoice plots the car's purchase price against the total five-year cost to own and operate it as determined by IntelliChoice research. Each dot on the above chart represents a specific car. Generally, we find that as the purchase price of the car increases, the cost to own and operate that car increases. This is why the dots on the graph tend to rise upward and to the right. This phenomenon also makes intuitive sense - as the purchase price rises, financing costs tend to rise, as do insurance, depreciation, taxes, and most other car ownership costs.
This is an important concept. It's normal for car ownership costs to rise as purchase price rises. Therefore, we can't just establish one "average" ownership cost number for each class, since cars in the class have different purchase prices. (This is why the "Relative" shown on each chart is different for cars in the same car class.)
Using statistical techniques, IntelliChoice "connects the dots" to form a curve that defines, for this car class, the relationship between the car's purchase price and car's ownership costs. This curve is our "expected cost" curve. The curve defines, for any car in the class, the five-year ownership cost that we would expect to see at each possible purchase price. If every car in the class were an average value, then all the dots would fall exactly on the curve. However, it's rare that any dot is exactly on the curve. Some dots are a little higher or lower, and some are a lot higher or lower. The dots that are a little lower are better than average car values, while the dots that are a lot lower are excellent car values (A dot that is a lot lower than the curve has ownership costs much lower than expected for a car of its purchase price). Conversely, a dot a little higher than the curve is a poorer than average car value, while a dot that is much higher than the curve is a poor car value.
Value is a relative term, not an absolute term. It is performing better than the logical expectation.
So is a Mercedes-Benz E320 expensive to own and operate? Certainly in an absolute sense. Most other cars cost less. But, when its cost to own and operate is plotted against cars with comparable invoice prices, the E320 costs less. So the E320 is not expensive to own and operate - it is a good car value. The Mercedes does not have low ownership costs, but it has low ownership costs for its invoice price.
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2008 Mercedes-Benz M-Class Packages & Options
2008 Mercedes-Benz M-Class Packages
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318
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Leather Seating Surfaces Package
- $1,975
Leather seat upholstery with additional leather; Wood & leather steering wheel; Excludes: [323] Heating Package And [908] Ash Alcantara Inserts w/ MB-Tex And [901] Black Alcantara Inserts w/ MB-Tex And [101] Black MB-Tex And [104] Macadamia MB-Tex And [108] Ash MB-Tex And [922] Interior Appearance Package
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323
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Heating Package
- $1,370
Heated steering wheel; Front facing heated rear seats; Includes: [873] Heated Front Seats
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922
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Interior Appearance Package
- $510
Leather seat upholstery with additional vinyl; Luxury trim alloy look on doors and alloy look on dashboard; Sports pedals; Sports driver and passenger seat; Premium interior lighting; Excludes: [318] Leather Seating Surfaces Package And [208] Ash Leather And [204] Macadamia Leather And [201] Black Leather And [101] Black MB-Tex And [104] Macadamia MB-Tex And [108] Ash MB-Tex
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P01
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P1 Package
- $3,750
Windshield wipers with automatic intermittent wipe and rain sensor; Electric trunk/hatch pull down; Harman/kardon audio system with satellite; Twelve upgraded speaker(s) harman/kardon; Hands-free cellular phone; Voice activating system; Navigational systems : information type: full map and voice and knobs/touch buttons controls DVD, color and 7.0; Parking distance sensors rear and camera; Steering wheel mounted & rear remote audio controls; Rear separate audio control; Excludes: [864] Rear Seat DVD Entertainment System
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P02
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P2 Package
- $5,650
Automatic operation rear view mirror; Electric foldable mirrors; Electrically adjustable steering wheel easy entry; Memorized adjustment with three settings on door mirror position and steering wheel position with five driver's seat positions and four passenger seat positions; Bi-Xenon headlights; Cornering lights/curb illumination; Headlight control active; High pressure headlight cleaners; Underbody protection for engine; Includes: [P01] P1 Package
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P03
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P3 Package
- $8,600
Driver selectable responsive suspension; Front and rear suspension with air springs; Interactive front and rear suspension levelling; Air conditioning with climate control and rear control for climate control 3; Rear air conditioner; Rear heater; Load restraint net; Includes: [P02] P2 Package
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2008 Mercedes-Benz M-Class Options
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052
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Roof Rack Basic Carrier (PIO)
- $245
Roof Rack Basic Carrier
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053
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Cargo Tray Including Box (PIO)
- $160
Cargo Tray Including Box
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054
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Polished Side Step Bars (PIO)
- $990
Chrome side tube step; Excludes: [846] Running Boards
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056
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Rear Seat Entertainment System (PIO)
- $1,250
DVD/VCD; Display screen single rear middle; Remote control; Wireless headsets; Excludes: [864] Rear Seat DVD Entertainment System
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057
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iPod Interface (PIO)
- $375
Connection to ext.entertainment devices ipod
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064
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Chrome Grille Guard (PIO)
- $830
Chrome Grille Guard
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067
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Illuminated Door Sills
- $550
Illuminated Door Sills
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068
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Wheel Locking Bolts
- $89
Front and rear wheels locking wheel nuts
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070
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Chrome Door Handle Inserts
- $85
Chrome Door Handle Inserts
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219
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Distronic
- $2,200
Cruise control with distance sensors; Excludes: [064] Chrome Grille Guard (PIO)
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220
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Parktronic
- $770
Parking distance sensors front and rear
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396
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Voice Recognition
- $510
Voice activating system includes radio settings and includes phone; Requires: [819] CD Changer And [P01] P1 Package; Or [P02] P2 Package; Or [P03] P3 Package
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550
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Trailer Hitch
- $510
Trailer towing preparation includes tow hook
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819
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CD Changer
- $450
Disc autochanger glove box and 6; Audio system with Disc Autochanger and six-disc remote changer; Requires: [P03] P3 Package; Or [P02] P2 Package; Or [P01] P1 Package
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846
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Running Boards
- $510
Side platform step; Excludes: [054] Polished Side Step Bars (PIO)
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864
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Rear Seat DVD Entertainment System
- $2,670
Rear separate audio control; Display screen back of front seats; DVD/VCD; Two 7" screens; Excludes: [056] Rear Seat Entertainment System (PIO) And [P01] P1 Package
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873
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Heated Front Seats
- $710
Heated driver and passenger seat
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889
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Keyless Go
- $1,110
Smart card / smart key automatic, includes central locking and includes ignition starter; Card key power locks
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A
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Metallic Paint
- $710
Metallic paint; Excludes: [J005] Standard Paint Type
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J005
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Standard Paint Type
- $0
Gloss paint; Excludes: [A] Metallic Paint
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