It never rains ... but it pours

[fossyant]

Tricky one.

Should have bought a Nissan !

 

[gbb]

This graph should always be borne in mind when buying complex engineered products like cars. There is a sweet spot somewhere between 3 and 10 years where there is less hassle with a car. It should be reflected in the depreciation too e.g. JD Power ratings. Where your car is on the graph, only you can guess.

View attachment 764074


By Bathtub_curve.jpg: Wyattsderivative work: McSush (talk) - Bathtub_curve.jpg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7458336

My old manager loved bathtub curves, he brought a whole new perspective to assessing equipment maintenance and failure modes. It does translate to everything of course, I used to take pool carsbto the garage for their servicing etc and it shocked me how often parts were replaced on cars, alternators etc, that had less than 30k miles on them. Infant failure...

 

[Electric_Andy]

Buy newer? Leasing? It's becoming even more about the finance

I would tend to agree, that's how it's marketed. I bought the newest car I've ever had (a 2014 which was 7 years old at the time) thinking that this was new enough to last, but not old enough to be a walking repair job. Turned out I was wrong; even though it spent its first 4 years as a motorway car doing 25k a year, it still ended up costing me £175/month as I mentioned upthread.

A quick look on a leasing website would get me a similar saloon (Skoda octavia) which is petrol not diesel, but for a £2k initial payment, £232/month. That's not a lot more than mine cost me to keep, and you get the peace of mind that it's not your car to repair if anything goes wrong.

So I think the middle ground is suffering somewhat i.e. it's either bangernomics and pray, or lease new

 

[presta]

Now that older generation cars are the ones with all the electronics and non user serviceable gizmos, to cause expense and headaches as they age, the DIY motorist on a budget is being left with less and less choice. Buy newer? Leasing? It's becoming even more about the finance, and a car is just one more interchangeable commodity amongst the other consumer products available today.

This is why I'd be sorely tempted to find a well restored classic, and buy that. Something that's not a laptop on wheels, something mundane and easy to repair like a Cortina perhaps, after checking what the owner's club knows about spares availability.

 

[Jameshow]

This is why I'd be sorely tempted to find a well restored classic, and buy that. Something that's not a laptop on wheels, something mundane and easy to repair like a Cortina perhaps, after checking what the owner's club knows about spares availability.

Volvo 940 would suit.

Looks at eBay!🤣🤣🤣

 

[presta]

Volvo 940 would suit.

Looks at eBay!🤣🤣🤣

How about this one?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

My car is 15 years old and just keeps rolling …

 

[mistyoptic]

To address the OP, you could argue you’ve done it all now so may as well get some value from it.

My 2017 4 series didn’t put a foot wrong (apart from an affinity for nails/screws etc. tyres not cheap) until the electric steering rack gave up (not a pleasant experience) and I then ended up with a 4k bill.

Toss a coin. Buying one you know nothing about could be worse

 

[Jameshow]

Volvo 940 would suit.

Looks at eBay!🤣🤣🤣

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/28637211...tixoXeJTeO&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
Or this one. Why it's a 960 with a 2.3?🤔

 

[Bristolian]

Sadly Mercs from the late 90's have a poor reputation for finish and reliability. I recall fondly when the Rover 75 beat every single MB model in JD Power, and the 45 best the similarly sized C class.

I'd be innclined to repair it and punt it on. If you want a similar motor a 5 series or, even better, a Lexus are liable to be less painful alternatives.

Unfortunately, I have owned 5-series (from new) and a Lexus IS250 and wouldn't give either of them house room again. Shoddy build quality and cheap materials in supposedly premium brands. In any case, Lexus don't have a car that will carry the wife's mobility scooter and it will only just fit in the 5-series estate.

Thanks for your suggestions though

 

[Bristolian]

£1,750 in parts In little over a year 😲

I have probably just spent that in ownership of our car in 6 years. Those are mainly several sets of tyres

Get rid, buy an EV

Please don't swear

 

[Bristolian]

I ran a 2017 BMW 330d touring until April last year when I retired from full time work. I was doing around 25000 a year, I won’t bore you with all the details but it cost an absolute fortune to run, and that excludes the depreciation, lovely car but anything older and German costs a lot to maintain.

get it fixed and run it for a couple more years to at least get your money’s worth.

View attachment 764071

The 3-series is far too small for the wife's mobility scooter - small even than the C-class. I've owned both 5-series and 7-series cars before (both from new) and wouldn't entertain another Beemer if they were the only cars still in production. I know many people swear by them ... I just swore at mine and got rid before the lease was up on both.

 

[Bristolian]

Sell it and get a Skoda superb just as nice to be in plenty of space and much cheaper to run.

A 2.0tdi dsg is nice or if you like petrol and don't do many miles a3.6 V6!!!

The Superb was one of the cars i had on my short list before getting the E-class. I guess my excellent experience with the C-class (2009 model with close to 250,000 miles on the clock when I traded it in) swayed my decision making. IF I decide to move this one on then it will get another close look

 

[Bristolian]

Agree with much of the above, subtract the costs for batteries, brake work, even the suspension bushes and a MAF sensor could be considered consumables...lots of the above would be at the point of replacing on any car.
The head gasket?..unfortunately and moderately expensive and awkward no doubt but I've known a few people with newer cars that had them fail
I'd soldier on personally, a newer Mercedes isn't going to be any cheaper for the parts and you'll have to face most of those costs again in the medium term if you change cars.

Kinda the way I'm thinking right now

 

[Bristolian]

I wonder if head gaskets is a problem with mercedes, my wife has one (a mercedes that, her head gasket isnt failing) when the manufacturers 3 year warranty ran out we took out an extended 2 year warranty, one of the exclusions in that warrant is the failure of any gasket!

I will add that her car is coming up to 5 years now and 30k, and it hasn't been any bother at all, and nor should it have been the money they cost - she will probably get another

My van is 16 year old and there always seems to be something wrong with it now, spent 700 last year keeping it going, which seems a lot, but then far less than the depreciation on a new one.
Rusts getting the better of it now, i doubt it will pass its next MOT in dec.

There are a number of "known" issues with W212 model but head gaskets isn't one of them. My garage owning friend is a Mercedes specialist and he gave the car a good once over and used his MB diagnostic tool to check over the car before I committed to buying it. If the Steel Seal fails then he will be giving me the "benefit of his experience" in doing the head gasket