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IMO, here's why the cars are so cheap:
1) The main reason is the way cars are bought has completely changed in the last 25 years. Up through at least the early 80s, cars were mostly bought, not leased. They were therefore designed to last a long time, because people tended to keep them a long time (high end cars, like MBs, 911s, etc).
2) That's not the case anymore. Almost all MBs are now leased. Therefore, the owner only cares about how well the car lasts for3-4 years. It would be silly, in this environment, for a manufacturer to build a car designed to last for 30 years/300,000 miles. So they don't.
3) I think even with the big Mercedes, they COULD be good DIY cars, in theory. The problem is, they aren't bought by used enthusiasts (almost never). So no DIY culture will develop around them, little aftermarket support, little to no real repair info on the 'net, etc. This is a big deal for anyone thinking about buying something like a used late model big MB, and DIY'ing. It is very, very difficult when there is no info available, no aftermarket support, etc. It's not fun.
Things like 997s are also complicated, but IMO they will retain some value, and they will be DIY'able in the future, because a DIY culture and aftermarket support will develop, based on demand.
One thing for sure, the prices on high end used stuff, like big MBs, Maseratis, etc. can be unbelievably low.
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