Merc advice?

[Captain Jack]

Hi all,

Today, I decided to put in my old map file back on as the modified one is just too much. Made my clutch slip on hard acceleration and make the car shake violently. As I went for a test drive on my original map, I thought "Wouldn't it be nice to have a look at a newer car?". So I went around to Peugeot dealers in Tunbridge Wells. They had a 407 2.0L HDI in stock, but it looked quite plain inside, no leather and no sat-nav. All mine for £7000. Nahhh..

Next stop, Honda. I didn't have a great time with my only Honda but thought I'd have a look at what they had. Answer: nothing. Next, Mazda dealer. They had a lovely looking (on the outside) Mazda 6 diesel sport there but the car looked so boring inside, I didn't even bother taking it further. However, they did have a lovely looking Mercedes CDI 220 Avantgarde SE for £10k. It was a 2007 model and so is one of the older models. It had pretty much everything inside, including leather seats, which is nice. It didn't have parking sensors or sat nav.

What are they like reliability, performance and build wise? I haven't actually test driven it yet, as it's a little out of my price range but I am sure I could get it down. They could only offer me £1000 for my '6 (que?)! Is there something better I can get for this price range with similar features (BMW/Audi maybe?)

Cheers!

[waue1978]

From what I've read & heard, only the newest generation of Mercs are starting to get back towards the solid build quality of old ones. Not too sure how a 2007 will do, but I've seen plenty of 02 plates (same shape) starting to rust & with electrical & gearbox problems.

I've had several Mercs over the past few years & believe it or not, the best was the oldest. I had a 95 E280 which was rusting in places & had a suspect head gasket after 150k, a 98 C240 with rust everywhere that had just had a recent gearbox replacement at 140k & my 91 190E was utterly faultless for £550 with 135k. The fellow over the road bought a 97 E280 with 120k a couple of years ago & spent £4000 maintaining it within the next 6 months.

When it comes to build quality in German motors over the past few years I think BMW & Audi have overtaken Mercedes as there don't seem to be all that many rough ones kicking around.

[steve_earwig]

I think it's between 2002 and 2004 that C classes were built in South Africa and they forgot to rustproof them. It'll all be on Honest John anyway.


No CJ, don't do it!! Don't buy a Merc, you'll forget all about us!! (other road users that is )

[steve_earwig]

Here we go:

South African 2000-2001 build quality niggles. Check paint very carefully for starring, particularly solid colours. All W203 C-class to April 2002 (saloons and estates) were manufactured without door / seam sealant. Since August 2002 C-Class models, produced in Bremen, were completely sealed on all panels. Inspect the seam on the bootlid and round the bottom of the doors. Despite the fact that they are rusting from the inside out it is NOT classed as perforation and ONLY repaired.

Looks like 2007 puts it between two models (W203 & W204).

My dad bought a 1989 W124 300TE 4-MATIC in 1994, I did a few things on it, including putting right some idiot's bodge job of an alarm and it was definitely the most well put.together car I've ever worked on. I was outraged when my dad sold it on in about 2002 for peanuts, even though it still looked like new, but he wouldn't let me buy it off him. 2 months later the transmission blew up

[omega]

a good car to look at is the audi a4
good build quality,between 40-48 to the gallon on a diesel and they handel well

[Doggy]

But what you really, really want is a coupe, isn't it?

(the merc will still get mistaken for a taxi).

[NollingtonHards]

My friend's got a 190e 1.8l and it is an amazing car, nice interior, goes like a rocket but when he went to a merc breakers to get a replacement interior dash trim (just the vinyl) he got quoted £100 and the car drinks fuel (though he does drive like a loon). But the moral of my story is they are very nice cars, you don't get the stigma of a BMW but you get the quality but it costs you big time. Any who good luck with the car search

[FarmerPug]

I cant really afford to move upmarket yet, but what bhp was your car modified up to?
Anyhow on the merc issue, 2007 is good, really they stopped building rubbish in 2004 all the rubbish they make now is kept in a single model called the a class which is reliable but rubbish. The new c class is a good buy, they hold their values well, and should be quite relaible ive relatives with the e class and they speak very favourably about it, and the old e class estate i rallied round the field was a tank, 1988 and the doors still closed better than most cars today.
But if your looking a new car, the skoda octavia is actually a good buy, this new 2010 model my dad had with the ambulance service is very nice, lots of aluminum bits here and there, soft touch plastics, the tdi engine isnt a clatter machine like the old ones, its solid and cheaper than a useless and ugly current generation passat.

[Welly]

What you want is a nice Volvo V70 D5

[Captain Jack]

There was actually a 55 plate Vulva - colour just like yours, Welly. No idea what engine was in it as I stopped looking when I saw it had an auto box. Leather seats and everything else though, which was nice.

What are auto boxes like on Volvo's?

[Welly]

There was actually a 55 plate Vulva - colour just like yours, Welly. No idea what engine was in it as I stopped looking when I saw it had an auto box. Leather seats and everything else though, which was nice.

What are auto boxes like on Volvo's?

As far as I know they're good, there's a 'Powershift' thing and a 'normal' auto, I think the poweshift is some kinda flappy-paddle thing.

The Volvo's come out well priced normally for a 'prestige' kinda car and my local dealer can't do enough for you I've not had any bother with mine at all.

[Captain Jack]

Hm, OK. Just so everyone can see what we are talking about ...

Merc
Volvo

Chances are I won't be buying anything in the near future - it's just mind games really! There's too much stuff to do in the house to justify buying a new car. And considering I work from home 90% of the time, I don't even need a car let alone a new car.

[TooT]

Merc looks a little more special to me. Dont Vulva D5's have problems with the DPF pissing diesel into the sump?

[FarmerPug]

er dont know how to put it, but thats the old c class model howl out and wait for the newer shape to fall into budjet youll get a much, much better car both better looking, and better to drive. The volvos a nice car but its petrol, wouldnt hold its value as well.
But what power was your car putting out when remapped?

[STALLED]

Vauxhall Monaro - Man up son!