The classic challenge...

[shadowninja]

Afternoon all,

I set myself a challenge to find an older Mercedes for under £3k. The older the better. What can you find on Autotrader or in local UK independent dealers? Has to be within 10 miles of your house.

I'm thinking one of those CEs but would it be quite ropey for the price?

-Darren

 

[Alex M Grieve]

Afternoon all,

I set myself a challenge to find an older Mercedes for under £3k. The older the better. What can you find on Autotrader or in local UK independent dealers? Has to be within 10 miles of your house.

I'm thinking one of those CEs but would it be quite ropey for the price?

-Darren

I don't want to be a spoilsport Darren, but I have always thought these looked good value, and there is a choice for £3K!

I have absolutely no interest to declare!

http://www.realmercedes.co.uk/ab/index.php

 

[shadowninja]

Thanks for the link.

I found this which is tempting:
http://atsearch.autotrader.co.uk/ww...ry=cars&channel=DEALERPAGE&id=200918333470473

 

[Alex M Grieve]

Thanks for the link.

I found this which is tempting:
http://atsearch.autotrader.co.uk/ww...ry=cars&channel=DEALERPAGE&id=200918333470473

That looks nice. I suppose the point of the question is to consider the downside, as it is all too tempting to be seduced by the car, and lose objectivity when you view it as an aspiration?

The pics look good, the mileage and provenance too. On the downside, if it has lived in Kingston upon Thames all its life, the miles would have been harder miles than a car kept in a rural environment (cold starts, shorter journeys, more combat experience in Tesco's car park, tougher on-street parking, risk of kerbing alloys, few lock ups, on street parking on busy urban roads, not deigned for parked cars - wing mirrors vulnerable).

The pics are not 100% clear, but have a good look around the lower part of each wing, just above the polythene skirt - looks although that could be the seat of some rust, but hard to tell from these pictures.

As for the rest, it is a matter of how it drives and how much you like it. Take it to the A30 (not far away) or the M3 and give it a good blast. Does it run straight and rattle free. These cars often need a firm foot on the throttle and a good kick to activate the kick down - it was just a feature of the model.

Beyond that, if all is well (all electrics work, sunroof OK, A/C, if fitted), no leaks around the windscreen seals (front and back), no water ingress to the boot - then you can let the heart start to take over from the head - but not until the haggling is over - when does it need it's next service, how many miles left in the tyres.

The vendor may well be in tears by this point, but don't let up!

We love to hear of a good result - we look forward to hearing how you get on! Good luck.

 

[shadowninja]

Wowsers. Thanks for the reply!

 

[outsmartsmart]

then you can let the heart start to take over from the head - .

For £1400 or less the heart wins:lol:

 

[bibamus]

I`m going to look at a 1984 280SE this week. It looks really nice with 91000 miles and full SH. I`m not telling where though and all for £1495!

Its probably a little too old and thirsty for what I want, so am really looking for a nice early 90`s E230. Nothing within 10 miles of home though.
Allan

 

[Sam.slc]

Go for a W123

Shadowninja
My advice would be to go for a W123, 3k will find you a nice Saloon or if your lucky a coupe, ok it will not be within 10 miles of where you live but the pleasure that you get from this Retro Classic will be immense. There aren't that many around now.
I pulled into a Petrol Station today in my Coupe and a Guy next to me driving a Jag convertable (brand spanking new) just looked at me salivating and said thats beautiful... go for it You will not regret it

Sam

 

[RiceBurner]

is 1991 "older"??

Bought a 1991 230TE for £1300 (appros 10 miles from us too) at Easter.

Pristine, with 130K on the clock - well happy (mostly) so far.

 

[shadowninja]

Shadowninja
My advice would be to go for a W123, 3k will find you a nice Saloon or if your lucky a coupe, ok it will not be within 10 miles of where you live but the pleasure that you get from this Retro Classic will be immense. There aren't that many around now.
I pulled into a Petrol Station today in my Coupe and a Guy next to me driving a Jag convertable (brand spanking new) just looked at me salivating and said thats beautiful... go for it You will not regret it

Sam

The saloon looks a bit too big for me. Will look for a coupe.

 

[popuptoaster]

W114/5 stacklights are available at that money in good nick, a top class, top of the range all options mint condition coupe with MB history will only go about 7 grand, £3000 will easily get you a good condition road worthy saloon, or a coupe maybe needing a few bits and bobs doing, my coupe was way under a grand but was a runner just needing some tidying, reassembly and a paint job.

Seriously undervalued cars, easily capable of being used in modern traffic (mines my only car) MPG not great from the 280 but they have 180bhp so its worth it.

Anyway, heres a selection of older mercs for under 3g from the first site i looked at, all from when Mercedes were still building cars properly, most parts still available next day delivery from a dealer at reasonable prices. If your gonna get a classic, get one with some character and style, not something thats still modern.


1984 Mercedes 230 E
http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/classic-car-page.php/carno/58271


1983 Mercedes 300 D W123
http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/classic-car-page.php/carno/57966

1980 Mercedes 450 SLC
http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/classic-car-page.php/carno/57930

1972 (free road tax) Mercedes 280 S
http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/classic-car-page.php/carno/57416

1972 Mercedes 280 E W114
http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/classic-car-page.php/carno/56015

1985 Mercedes 230 CE Coupe
http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/classic-car-page.php/carno/54867

 

[shadowninja]

Crikey. Thanks! Wonder if a 1970s one is reliable enough as an everydayer?

 

[television]

Crikey. Thanks! Wonder if a 1970s one is reliable enough as an everydayer?

My 1927 Rolls never broke down once

 

[Dosco]

My 1927 Rolls never broke down once

Well I hear you had had it from new so not surprised really given your dedication to the cause :lol::lol:

 

[popuptoaster]

Crikey. Thanks! Wonder if a 1970s one is reliable enough as an everydayer?

mine is, as long as you keep it serviced no reason it should let you down, they were everyday cars back when they were built. To be honest most of mine have been at least as reliable or sometimes more so than a lot of my friends cars, mines doing a 30 mile per day commute as well as runs out and about (60 miles to kent yesterday to look at another vehicle) and i never worry its gonna let me down, my current coupe is Efi but any of the carbed ones will be a fair bit eaiser to fix than a modern car if they do break down.

Lots of user servicable parts on them too, for instance my fuel tank sender comes out the top of the tank through a hole in the boot floor, and is rebuildable, headlight lens £16+VAt next day delivery from mercedes, new coil was £60, dont really know about any other prices, nothing else has stopped working yet.

 

[Top Cat]

Has to be within 10 miles of your house.

I'm thinking one of those CEs but would it be quite ropey for the price?

-Darren

This is a bit more than 10 miles away, and a very tidy example of a classic W123 pillarless coupe

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/280-CE-Beauti...ms=66:2|65:2|39:1|240:1318|301:0|293:2|294:50

 

[shadowninja]

With something like 150k miles on the clock, what sort of bills should I expect?

 

[Mr Teddy Bear]

When your looking take some one you can trust perhaps some one from the forum? who idealy is aware o fthe foibles of that particular model.
Anyway certainly cant cost anymore than Gurmot has paid out??

 

[shadowninja]

TBH for the sort of figure I'm looking at paying, if it lasts just 6 months I've won. (I lost £5k a year on the old CLK.)

 

[popuptoaster]

budget for a cam chain change and full service and check EVERYwhere for rust, make sure all the electrical goodies work, and if you buy a coupe that all the trim is on it as its quite expensive to replace, the heater blower motor is hard to dig out of the dash if its packed in, so check that works, 150k miles on a W114 or W123 is nothing though, barely run in at that milage.