I suppose if you bring it to the stealer for everything, yup, a $125.00 an hour for 25 yoa green technician can get very expensive.
For those that need to use a tech, an Indy's hour is the same for a Benz as a Toy Yoda. The scheduled maintenance may be more intensive, but other stuff just does not break that often. Most of the scheduled maintenance is filters, fluids (yes, change you brake fluid every two years, you'll never replace a caliper), and normal wear like brake pads, alignments, etc.
And the car will go 350,000 miles, no problem.
I do almost everything on my cars, except paint repairs, alignments, wheel balancing, and tire mounting.
I buy my cars used. I expect my current DD to last until 350,000, meaning I'll have put 260,000 in it. I expect all costs, except insurance, to cost me about 20 cents per mile, assuming zero residual, and buying the premium oil (M1, gold cap), filters, tires ( Eagle F1 and Blizzaks) and brakes (Akebono) that I buy, and following the service schedule.
I can not find a cheaper car(s) to operate for 260,000 miles.
And I certainly can't find one that fits the above bill, and is as safe and as comfortable as a Benz. I am surrounded in air bags, have electronic stability, brake assist, and all the other safety features not found in most cars.
I figure 3 more years with my current DD, 2001 E430 Sport, then I get the 2010 CLS63. That one will cost me a bit more per mile, but not much more.
I totaled my ML a few years ago. Had I been in anybody else's SUV of that size, I swear I would be crippled, or severely damaged. I walked away, and was not even sore. Put a cost on that.
Cheapest car you'll ever drive, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it!
PS B - Between me and my kid - 4 190s now! 2 stock 16v 2.3, and 2 hi-po cars - 1 um, lets call it a 2.6 6cyl, and another that the kid has gutted and is going on nuts on.