Hold or fold

NickP

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Surrey and St Jacques Des Guerets, 41800, France
Your Mercedes
W205 220d sport estate Premium plus 2017
Now here is something for all you Mercedes “experts” to get your teeth into. I started my Mercedes life with a 190E 2.6, best car I have ever had or likely to have. That got jumped upon by a very large French lorry, end of 190E. I replaced it with a 220CDI, very practical and good motorway cruiser; especially as it does Loire Valley to Calais at least ten times a year. Now the 220 is getting on a bit, 10 years old and 170,000 miles on the clock, and although it still runs very well I am reaching the time when soon I must make a decision, do I spend £20,000 of my pension money on another more modern Merc. (Second hand of course) Or do I spend money on the old one and keep it, if I go down this road what do you guys think are the things to replace now to prolong the life of my much respected 220. After all in these financially tight times would keeping the old one be a viable proposition, I don’t have a problem with not having a status symbol, obviously, but as a pensioner have to look after my pennies, I would be interested in other people’s opinions. By the way Mercedes Direct offered me peanuts for the 220 in part exchange, and the salesman’s dialogue was classic,” I love these old cars” Do they really think that a potential customer wants to hear this? They really are planks.
 

bigasotonuk

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56
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Southampton UK
Your Mercedes
C43/55 AMG 1999 / C230K 1997
Hi,
Generally the 202 chassis is bullet proof, but do suffer from rust around this age, I think if you decide to keep it I would be spending money on the bodywork and getting any rust that is appearing dealt with by a reputable body shop, get the car wax oyled too, then a good "B" service from a trusted MB independant, to deal with any mechanical issues.
May even be worth a trip back to blighty to get this done by a forum recommended mechanic such as Olly near Portsmouth or SAM UNIT whose near Southampton. (chose these two as they are on the south coast but there are others around the country).
 

television

Always remembered RIP
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Daventry
Your Mercedes
2002 SL500, 216 CL500, all fully loaded
Hard question in some ways, low mileage second hand cars are the cheapest that they have ever been, but what would you replace it with, bigger or smaller. What is the condition of the body work
 

teddycatkin

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cheshire cheese country
Your Mercedes
W107-SL W124-220te W123-230e W201 2.0
You keep the £20k --just run yours until it expires naturally?
(I would begin now though looking for a really good W124TE)
 
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NickP

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Surrey and St Jacques Des Guerets, 41800, France
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W205 220d sport estate Premium plus 2017
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Hard question in some ways, low mileage second hand cars are the cheapest that they have ever been, but what would you replace it with, bigger or smaller. What is the condition of the body work

I would replace it with a 220CDI elegance saloon, as I no longer need the Estate. My present one has very good bodywork, virtually no rust; a very small blister on the bottom of the tailgate. and has perfect history, everything that has ever been needed has been done, and has been serviced superbly by a French Mercedes Garage, the best Garage I have ever had the pleasure of dealing with, and you won't believe this, labour charges are 53Euro an hour including VAT. (Eat your heart out Mercedes Walton on Thames) I will probably go for a newer one, but I keep looking at the old one and thinking why? Then I think of the suspension, all the rubber bushes and the steering etc. Of course if I get those numbers right on Saturday, I won't have to worry anymore. Thanks for your suggestions guys keep em coming.
 

MarkF

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58
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Rhyl, North Wales
Your Mercedes
ML 270CDi
Keep the old one and enjoy it until it gives up then worry about a replacement.
 

jberks

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M1, Outside lane, somewhere between Leeds and Lond
Your Mercedes
Jaguar XF 3.0 S, LR Freelander 2, Fiat 500 & Fiat Panda
The problem you face is that whilst it's perfect at the moment, it will suddenly start costing money at some point. You know how it goes, no problems at all for years, then suddenly 3 unrelated issues at once. You stump up and fix the first, the second crops up, you curse your luck and stump up again, then the third arrises and you start to wonder if you're throwing good money after bad, but you're too far in and wouldn't get the cost of the first 2 fixes back....

You're at 170k now, so some things are approaching the end of their lives and will need fettling. Its when these things occur and the car starts to get unreliable and you're trapped because you can't sell it with a misfire/blown turbo, slipping gearbox etc and don't want to pump any more money in either.

The cheapest option overall is always to keep what you have and continue to maintain it, but as Malcolm points out, prices have never been and will never be as cheap as they are today.

So, if looking to change in the next couple of years (as I suspect you will) then now is possibly the best time to do it.

I'd not trade it in. Its not the sort of thing a dealer can move on, so he' going to value it based on rock bottom auction prices, which on a superficial valuation is a 10 year old 170,000 mile car - and hence pretty worthless. Rather, beacuse there's no rush and classics like yours are still sought after, I'd sell it privately to someone who can appreciate the qualities and history of your particular car.

Then, armed with cash, screw a really good deal out of MB for the next one. With a budget of 20k, you're well into the 06-> ranges which puts you well clear of any quality issues and back into the long lasting models. Then sit back and enjoy for the next 10 years.
 
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NickP

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Surrey and St Jacques Des Guerets, 41800, France
Your Mercedes
W205 220d sport estate Premium plus 2017
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You live in France and dont need an Estate car ?????
Funny you say that, the kids; when I suggested I may get a saloon demanded to know how I intended to deliver their wine supplies back to the UK. So I'm afraid if if goes to a vote it will be another estate, democracy never seems to work out my way.
 

television

Always remembered RIP
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Your Mercedes
2002 SL500, 216 CL500, all fully loaded
For most of my life I have been forced to run an estate car, I always envied those who run a saloon, just on the grounds that a saloon is quieter to ride in. Also I tend to keep my main business tools in the car all of the time, so in a way I kept a car inastate.

After a lifetime of this, what do you do with the garden rubbish etc, fill the SL up with the roof down ?? maybe I am too old to change my ways
 

hawk20

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Your Mercedes
ML250 BlueTEC Sport
Now the 220 is getting on a bit, 10 years old and 170,000 miles on the clock, and although it still runs very well I am reaching the time when soon I must make a decision, do I spend £20,000 of my pension money on another more modern Merc. (Second hand of course) Or do I spend money on the old one and keep it, .

You do long trips and quite a big mileage. I would consider the huge advances in safety made in the last ten years. Crash a recent car against 10 year old cars and you would be amazed how differently they now respond.

But I would want, ideally, the facelifted 211 series becuase they made a lot of significant improvements, including raising the performance of the 220cdi from 150 to 170hp and the difference is quite beyond anything I expected. Well worth a drive. (The 320 is great too of course!)

Having driven the estate and the saloon quite a few miles, I think you need a very good ear to hear the difference. Don't know how they've done it, but they have. A truly quiet estate.

BTW you don't need to go to £20k at the moment. Try the MB website search engine for approved used and you'll see 2006 estates with sensible miles from around £16k asking price. That is £15k or less with no part ex and even a mini haggle. See Stevenage MB dealer. E220cdi Avantgarde only 37k miles. Full approved-used 12 month warranty. Asking sixteen and change. Stunning value nowadays.
 
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