£5k summer fun - Blimey!

[E55BOF]

Every tyre has the week it was moulded on it if you know what to look for. It stopped me buying "new" tyres that had been at the tyre place for nearly 3 years!!!!

Yes, I know, but I can't read the númbers on my screen with any certainty (if at all; I think one of the rears is 48/23, but can't make out any of the others...) in those pics, so I wasn't going by that. If they were all fitted in 2023 they should be fine, which would suggest the cheapo-cheapo Ditchfinder has been fitted recently to get the car sold after one tyre had to be scrapped. The ones on the front don't look to have much tread, mind... I'll find out on Monday.

I don't think these alloys were diamond cut as standard, and in any event, this style has AMG set well back from the lip.

I think if redoing the powder coat finish they appear to have currently, this is much more forgiving and they could withstand quite a few refurbs?

The depth of the AMG logo looks quite shallow, which suggests it has been machined at least once already. That's very probable on a fourteen-year-old car with 113k miles on it, I'd say.

It won't look as good in the metal as in the pictures, of course; they never do...

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Yes, I know, but I can't read the númbers on my screen with any certainty (if at all; I think one of the rears is 48/23, but can't make out any of the others...) in those pics, so I wasn't going by that. If they were all fitted in 2023 they should be fine, which would suggest the cheapo-cheapo Ditchfinder has been fitted recently to get the car sold after one tyre had to be scrapped. The ones on the front don't look to have much tread, mind... I'll find out on Monday.



The depth of the AMG logo looks quite shallow, which suggests it has been machined at least once already. That's very probable on a fourteen-year-old car with 113k miles on it, I'd say.

It won't look as good in the metal as in the pictures, of course; they never do...

On my MacBook Air I could see that two tyres have 2023 date stamps. Being fond of low mileage older cars, it's something I routinely check. (Although condition is just as important as the date stamp.) Combine that with the choice of brand and you've got some more information on how the current owner has maintained it.

It's that kind of close up that made me wonder whether the wheels had already had too much wear and rot, hence the comment about swopping to excellent used wheels, which seldom cost more than refurbishing existing wheels.

I must get out more.

On the other hand, let's just see if there's anything interesting on Autotrader....

 

[E55BOF]

Those 2023 date stamps will be the two rear tyres, one Conti and one Ditchfinder, I assume, and fitted by the current owner. I can't see anyone fitting them as a pair....

The two fronts would seem to have been replaced since being MoT advisories in 2023, 7k miles ago, so they should be OK. I'll see on Monday.

I don't think you'll get a set of excellent used staggered 18" AMG wheels for that car for anywhere near £275, and that price includes refitting the tyres and balancing. Best I've found on Ebay is one, refurbished, for £230 and two, used, for £250 each. Non-AMGs are much cheaper, but still about £400 for a refurbished set.

I'm keeping away from Autotrader; I might see something else I like...

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

I don't think you'll get a set of excellent used staggered 18" AMG wheels for that car for anywhere near £275, and that price includes refitting the tyres and balancing. Best I've found on Ebay is one, refurbished, for £230 and two, used, for £250 each. Non-AMGs are much cheaper, but still about £400 for a refurbished set.

My man maths includes the income from selling the old ones.

So it's refurb cost vs buying good used minus sale of poor ones.

(But in my case it's usually been about refurbished wheels on the E91 330i )

 

[E55BOF]

Well, I bought it. It's plainly been well looked after, with a full service history, all but the last two main dealer. Nice condition, only a few marks (which T-cut should easily sort out, I'd say), three good Continentals, one barely-run-in Ditchfinder. It runs well, everything works, decent discs (fronts barely worn), quiet engine, no vibes or nasty noises, no fault codes, drives nicely - quiet and smooth. The only thing that surprised me is that the gearbox is a bit reluctant to change down on part-throttle from low revs, then drops two or three gears and is off with a rush, but apart from that it's fine.

A result, I'd say.

 

[fabes]

Glad to hear it went well.

If it wasn't main dealer, was it an indi for the last two who could talk to you about the gearbox?

Has the box been serviced?

 

[Spider10]

Saw this the other day

Auto Trader UK - New and Used Cars For Sale

Find your next car with Auto Trader UK, the official #1 site to buy and sell new and used cars. Over 400,000 cars online. Simple, easy, quick!

www.autotrader.co.uk

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Saw this the other day

Auto Trader UK - New and Used Cars For Sale

Find your next car with Auto Trader UK, the official #1 site to buy and sell new and used cars. Over 400,000 cars online. Simple, easy, quick!

www.autotrader.co.uk

And? Is it watertight, for example?

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Well, I bought it. It's plainly been well looked after, with a full service history, all but the last two main dealer. Nice condition, only a few marks (which T-cut should easily sort out, I'd say), three good Continentals, one barely-run-in Ditchfinder. It runs well, everything works, decent discs (fronts barely worn), quiet engine, no vibes or nasty noises, no fault codes, drives nicely - quiet and smooth. The only thing that surprised me is that the gearbox is a bit reluctant to change down on part-throttle from low revs, then drops two or three gears and is off with a rush, but apart from that it's fine.

A result, I'd say.

The auto gearbox thing "might" be something to do with the way its been driven, a proper adaptive gearbox reset "might" transform it.

 

[E55BOF]

The auto gearbox thing "might" be something to do with the way its been driven, a proper adaptive gearbox reset "might" transform it.

You may be right about that; I hadn't thought of it. I can't see the cause of the hesitation as indicating it needs a transmission oil change, but you never know. The main dealer service history runs up to 98667 miles, with transmission oil changes at 30K miles/3 yrs and 38K miles/6 yrs, which seems a bit unlikely, but as the Adblue was supposedly refilled at 66K miles rolleyes:...), the record may not be correct in every detail. I can't find a detailed A207 service schedule online, but it is probably due about now.

That said, though, in my experience MB auto boxes seem to be able to exceed oil change intervals and still work fine. I'll run it for a while and see how it goes; it may improve as it adapts to how I drive.

 

[MrGreedy]

You may be right about that; I hadn't thought of it. I can't see the cause of the hesitation as indicating it needs a transmission oil change, but you never know. The main dealer service history runs up to 98667 miles, with transmission oil changes at 30K miles/3 yrs and 38K miles/6 yrs, which seems a bit unlikely, but as the Adblue was supposedly refilled at 66K miles rolleyes:...), the record may not be correct in every detail. I can't find a detailed A207 service schedule online, but it is probably due about now.

That said, though, in my experience MB auto boxes seem to be able to exceed oil change intervals and still work fine. I'll run it for a while and see how it goes; it may improve as it adapts to how I drive.

Does it have E/S/M gearbox mode selection available?
If so, try running around in it in S for a while. I find there is no hesitancy in the S mode.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

You may be right about that; I hadn't thought of it. I can't see the cause of the hesitation as indicating it needs a transmission oil change, but you never know. The main dealer service history runs up to 98667 miles, with transmission oil changes at 30K miles/3 yrs and 38K miles/6 yrs, which seems a bit unlikely, but as the Adblue was supposedly refilled at 66K miles rolleyes:...), the record may not be correct in every detail. I can't find a detailed A207 service schedule online, but it is probably due about now.

That said, though, in my experience MB auto boxes seem to be able to exceed oil change intervals and still work fine. I'll run it for a while and see how it goes; it may improve as it adapts to how I drive.

Just try the reset. It takes no time or effort. Ideally followed by a nice drive somewhere.

But if that doesn't work / settle down within a month, then onto the next step. But, agreed, if the ATF hasn't been done for 60k it should be done too. It's wise for the long term but unlikely to be the short term issue.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Well, I bought it. It's plainly been well looked after, with a full service history, all but the last two main dealer. Nice condition, only a few marks (which T-cut should easily sort out, I'd say), three good Continentals, one barely-run-in Ditchfinder. It runs well, everything works, decent discs (fronts barely worn), quiet engine, no vibes or nasty noises, no fault codes, drives nicely - quiet and smooth. The only thing that surprised me is that the gearbox is a bit reluctant to change down on part-throttle from low revs, then drops two or three gears and is off with a rush, but apart from that it's fine.

A result, I'd say.

Congratulations!

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Saw this the other day

Auto Trader UK - New and Used Cars For Sale

Find your next car with Auto Trader UK, the official #1 site to buy and sell new and used cars. Over 400,000 cars online. Simple, easy, quick!

www.autotrader.co.uk

Wonderful little cars.

 

[Spider10]

And? Is it watertight, for example?

View attachment 167501

Thought the thread was £5k summer fun and thought this fitted the bill

 

[E55BOF]

I think it does too, but quite apart from the fact that I wanted a four-seater convertible, I doubt I'd fit into it, even if I could manage to get into it...

 

[Spider10]

Yes I think id struggle I missed that part about a four seater

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Yes I think id struggle I missed that part about a four seater

With the roof bars on they do require either a small frame or reasonable dexterity to get in or out. The door also needs to be wide open too, so not good for small parking spaces.

Gordon Murray is a decent size and he used to get in and out of his L, although he did have to remove the seat to be able to drive it, and if I remember right he drive it for 15 years!

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

With the roof bars on they do require either a small frame or reasonable dexterity to get in or out. The door also needs to be wide open too, so not good for small parking spaces.

Gordon Murray is a decent size and he used to get in and out of his L, although he did have to remove the seat to be able to drive it, and if I remember right he drive it for 15 years!

6’4” but a chiselled whippet.