Alternative To Benz

Bluegrass

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Your Mercedes
W210 E320 Avantgarde 2000
Apologise if this offends as this a Benz forum.

I’m getting nowhere finding the reason why my car cuts out at lights and whilst driving, having already spent about £500. It’s got to the stage of replacing parts till cause is found. Even the indie doesn’t know. The car is due for new brake pads all round and 2 tyres soon, so about another £300.

To cut my losses I’m going to get rid of it. I’m looking for something more reliable and affordable to maintain. Also it needs to be ULEZ friendly. I do mainly short journeys and up to 5000 miles a year.

Can any member who has a second car advice on a make or model that would meet this criteria? The budget is £2000.

Thanks.
 

daveenty

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The Frozen North :(
Your Mercedes
2019 AMG S Class Coupe
Sounds like you need another indie?

Throwing money at it by replacing random parts in the hope that one will fix it is not the way to go really. As for the brakes and tyres, most cars will need these at some stage.
 
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Bluegrass

Bluegrass

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Your Mercedes
W210 E320 Avantgarde 2000
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I'll give another local indie a go before making a final decision.
Regarding parts what I meant was that for this car they are more expensive.
 

sl500amgsport

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Essex
Your Mercedes
SL500 2014
When I was 18 I fell in love with a Mercedes W114, I could afford to buy the car but my father told me the cost of keeping it on the road would be beyond my budget as one of the most expensive cars of it's time for parts and repairs.

Ever since I have steered clear of anything Merdedes more the 6 years old and had very low running costs, seems the advice still stands true!

Mercedes SL500 R231
 

noonboots

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Your Mercedes
R230 SL 500 2003 M113 5.0l
In your price range you will have to buy a petrol car to be ULEZ compliant. I'd go for a Ford Mondeo or Focus. Cheap to maintain, good on fuel and surprisingly well equipped. Also ULEZ compliant.
 

Craiglxviii

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Cambs UK
Your Mercedes
970 Panamera Turbo; W221 S500L AMG Line, C215 CL500, W251 R350L AMG Line, plus several more now gone
I'll give another local indie a go before making a final decision.
Regarding parts what I meant was that for this car they are more expensive.
I’d seriously contend that last statement. My VW, Audi and Nissan cars were all as expensive as my MBS have been, part for part.
 

DSK

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Jan 31, 2019
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Your Mercedes
CLS 320 CDI, S350 Bluetec
Sorry I don't know much about the ULEZ (even though I should) but, for that money, I'd be looking at a Lexus/Honda, with low numbers of owners, full/comprehensive service evidence.
 

mercmancdi

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Location
templepatrick - co antrim
Website
www.schnauzersinireland.com
Your Mercedes
2009 E250 cdi 08 cls320 cdi ,2007 e280 cdi '2005 E 280 CDI ,VW TOUAREG ,JAGUAR S AND xTO NAME A FEW
I'll give another local indie a go before making a final decision.
Regarding parts what I meant was that for this car they are more expensive.

If you are prepared to buy your brake parts and bits like that off e c p when they have discounts on at up to 50%
then it’s not so dear and you don’t need to buy big branded tyres now a days to get good safe quiet tyres ,
I have had good enough tyres at £55
And there’s even cheaper but that suited me. Need to weigh up buying another car at £2000 or take the money and fix yours right .
Don’t get much for £2000 now unless you hit it lucky.
 

bembo449

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Location
gainsborough , lincolnshire
Your Mercedes
Mercedes Cl500, shitron dispatch
and ! you could easily end up with a lemon that costs you money too ! I also agree your indie isn't upto much if he cant find the issue , assuming they are equipped with a star machine to diagnose it with ?
 

LostKiwi

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Location
Midlands / Charente-Maritime
Your Mercedes
'93 500SL-32, '01 W210 Estate E240 (RIP), 02 R230 SL500, 04 Smart Roadster Coupe, 11 R350CDi
Given your ULEZ concerns I'm guessing you live near London.
If so AMF at Dartford, Wayne Gates hear Harrow or if further out Star Motors near Reading.
 

JBell

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Torquey
Your Mercedes
C350 CDi Estate (GAD Edition)
I’d seriously contend that last statement. My VW, Audi and Nissan cars were all as expensive as my MBS have been, part for part.

Same here, my Audi and VW cars all had expensive parts
 
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Bluegrass

Bluegrass

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Your Mercedes
W210 E320 Avantgarde 2000
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Given your ULEZ concerns I'm guessing you live near London.
If so AMF at Dartford, Wayne Gates hear Harrow or if further out Star Motors near Reading.

I used Wayne Gates last year when the problem started as he was able to arrange for recovery (other indie didn't know any recovery people). He fixed the engine turning over but not firing up issue and replaced a couple of breather pipes for good measure. Car was OK for a few days before the non-start issue came back. Was stuck in Costco car park (not far from him). Called them up told them the problem. They didn't want to know. Eventually started went to original indie charged me £80 for a relay. Problem came back again. Then another £150 for CPS and £30 MAF. And now back to square one, except that now it starts.
 
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Bluegrass

Bluegrass

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Your Mercedes
W210 E320 Avantgarde 2000
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If you are prepared to buy your brake parts and bits like that off e c p when they have discounts on at up to 50%
then it’s not so dear and you don’t need to buy big branded tyres now a days to get good safe quiet tyres ,
I have had good enough tyres at £55
And there’s even cheaper but that suited me. Need to weigh up buying another car at £2000 or take the money and fix yours right .
Don’t get much for £2000 now unless you hit it lucky.

I have to balance the high cost of maintaining this make of car, the ULEZ thing and the fact that it's rusting away. When it works its great particularly the power & smooth gear change but since I only do local mileage now and then this power is wasted. Added to this is the high insurance £800 even with more than 15 years NCD, because of the “nice” area that I live in.

My neighbour half my age pays £600 for an old Peugeot and travels all over Europe with it.

My past vehicles were high mileage SAABs and Volvos which were very reliable and low cost in that I didn’t need to replace stuff apart from service items.
 

A.J.

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Norwich. UK
Your Mercedes
UnMerc - 2020 VW Polo 2.0t GTi Plus, DSG. Flash Red, Traditional VW GTi Tartan seat trim.
I have to balance the high cost of maintaining this make of car, the ULEZ thing and the fact that it's rusting away. When it works its great particularly the power & smooth gear change but since I only do local mileage now and then this power is wasted. Added to this is the high insurance £800 even with more than 15 years NCD, because of the “nice” area that I live in.

My neighbour half my age pays £600 for an old Peugeot and travels all over Europe with it.

My past vehicles were high mileage SAABs and Volvos which were very reliable and low cost in that I didn’t need to replace stuff apart from service items.

That to me sounds a heck of a high price, particularly with your driving record. I currently pay £270.00 Fully Comp for mine albeit a 'C' Class, but, with a much higher value. I know it is geared to your post code and we don't know where you are, but even then. :confused:
 

ajlsl600

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france
Your Mercedes
clk3202001,sl6002003 with everything regrettably sold ,A class 170cdi auto. NG/TF1800 ML250
most "normal" running parts for benz are not too bad sourced carefully. bits for my double cab toyota were dearer than my G wagon.! .. not impressed with benz new,to me anyway, heated fuel filter costs but i WILL be finding a solution to that idea. generally servicing costs are not bad
on insurance i did get a shock. 03 SL600 fully comp eu cover was 198 then 230 then this yr 270 and 2012 ml 250 came in at over 340 with eu cover yet its 205 hp v 500 hp and no ABC v ABC , THAT DID SURPRISE ME..
keep away from lights that see round corners lots of sealed LED and such faff and i dont see yr older benz running costs any worse than others .my 01 clk320 costs me b/all to run , still on original exhaust !! 18 yr ,bet theres NO chance that happens again.
 
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Bluegrass

Bluegrass

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Your Mercedes
W210 E320 Avantgarde 2000
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That to me sounds a heck of a high price, particularly with your driving record. I currently pay £270.00 Fully Comp for mine albeit a 'C' Class, but, with a much higher value. I know it is geared to your post code and we don't know where you are, but even then. :confused:
I'm near Wembley. Have a friend in Derry. Checked his address for my car and it came to £150.
 

A.J.

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Norwich. UK
Your Mercedes
UnMerc - 2020 VW Polo 2.0t GTi Plus, DSG. Flash Red, Traditional VW GTi Tartan seat trim.
I'm near Wembley. Have a friend in Derry. Checked his address for my car and it came to £150.

I guess I didn't realise what a difference a post code can make :rolleyes:
 

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