Mercedes has the honor of being able to trace its family tree all the way back to the very first modern automobile ever built. No other car in the world can make that statement. Karl Benz is credited with inventing the first modern automobile in 1985. Run by a gasoline engine, it ran on three wheels. His company, Benz & Cie, secured a patent for the design, and by 1893, two dozen had been made and sold.

About this time, another German car maker entered the automobile market. Daimler Motor Company was founded by two German engineers, Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach. It was their company that produced the first car to bear the Mercedes name in 1902.

The companies existed apart from one another for a couple of decades, but World War I and the economic slump which followed sent the two manufacturers into tentative talks. In 1924, they agreed to work together and standardize production, purchasing, and marketing while maintaining their own brands. In 1926, however, they merged together into Daimler-Benz, calling the cars they manufactured Mercedes Benz.

Today, the Mercedes name is synonymous with wealth and power. The name has been worn by some of the finest automobiles ever made. Car collectors search the globe for highly favored models, and enthusiasts excitedly analyze each new model unveiled. Owning a Mercedes has long been a symbol of high rank.

Buying a brand new Mercedes is cost prohibitive for most people, but a quality used Mercedes may be quite within the realm of possibility. Anyone considering purchasing a pre-owned Mercedes will enjoy browsing the listing of vehicles online. There are hundreds of luxury cars listed, along with a wealth of information on each separate automobile. You can even see 360 degree views of the interiors of cars that strike your fancy.

Shopping for used vehicles has never been less hassle. You do not have to waste gas driving to every used car lot in town; you do not have to spend hours on the phone calling all over to locate the kind of vehicle you want. The online site even lets you make a date for a test drive, apply for financing, and eventually schedule maintenance visits for your "new" Mercedes!