A difficult decision

[DITTRICH]

I have a very difficult car related decision to make. After 10 years of ownership and 140k miles I will be facing some big bills sooner or later:-

1 The autobox is just beginning to slip a little when cold.
A refurbishment through the main dealership might stretch to £2k
2 Rust starting to appear in wheel arches and will need 2 new front wings to be safe. Rust starting to appear at bottom corners of 2 doors.To put the car back in showroom condition with little dings also dealt with would potentially involve a full respray if it were done properly. Unofficial verbal estimate from a knowledgeable and approachable member of staff at the dealership £5k including all 4 wheels totally refurbished.

Economically, the decision is a no brainer. I could spend £2k sale proceeds + £7k repair bill = £9k on a newer car, albeit one which won't "fit" my plate. But even though I am an accountant, it is difficult for me to decide because:-

1 It was and still is my "first" car.
2 It has a unique plate MB C230K on it: it is a C230K w202 saloon.
3 Her indoors is very attached to it.

I am trying to look at this objectively.

Any advice or suggestions gratefully received.

Les

 

[wemorgan]

In my eyes you've 2 options:

1 - keep the car as is and only repair if/when the gearbox fails. Ignore the rust.
2 - sell the car and plate separately then buy something else

W202 C230K are nice cars but not worth spending the kind of money you're talking about IMHO

 

[buccal]

I agree entirely with Will,

Run it till it breaks then sell the plate, forget about the cosmetics.

I think you may be surprised how long it will soldier on for.

 

[flango]

I have a very difficult car related decision to make. After 10 years of ownership and 140k miles I will be facing some big bills sooner or later:-

1 The autobox is just beginning to slip a little when cold.
A refurbishment through the main dealership might stretch to £2k
2 Rust starting to appear in wheel arches and will need 2 new front wings to be safe. Rust starting to appear at bottom corners of 2 doors.To put the car back in showroom condition with little dings also dealt with would potentially involve a full respray if it were done properly. Unofficial verbal estimate from a knowledgeable and approachable member of staff at the dealership £5k including all 4 wheels totally refurbished.

Economically, the decision is a no brainer. I could spend £2k sale proceeds + £7k repair bill = £9k on a newer car, albeit one which won't "fit" my plate. But even though I am an accountant, it is difficult for me to decide because:-

1 It was and still is my "first" car.
2 It has a unique plate MB C230K on it: it is a C230K w202 saloon.
3 Her indoors is very attached to it.

I am trying to look at this objectively.

Any advice or suggestions gratefully received.

Les

I think you have a few other options if you are flexible.

Gearbox ovehaul by an Indie (some good ones on here) £1500 max

Travel North to get the paintwork done I have not seen it but estimate £1k - £1.5k to sort at a good body shop near us. (Doubt if it will need a full respray I'm sure there are areas paint correction can sort (boot , roof etc)

Wheel refurb £40 per corner

Total bill £3660 Max

Still a lot to spend on the car but if you are attached to it then a damn site cheaper than £9k

Just a thought

 

[DITTRICH]

Thanks for that post flanaia1.
I was establishing a maximum cost and was hoping that crafty people on the forum would point me in the right direction.

 

[mykulmerc]

I have a very difficult car related decision to make. After 10 years of ownership and 140k miles I will be facing some big bills sooner or later:-

1 The autobox is just beginning to slip a little when cold.
A refurbishment through the main dealership might stretch to £2k
2 Rust starting to appear in wheel arches and will need 2 new front wings to be safe. Rust starting to appear at bottom corners of 2 doors.To put the car back in showroom condition with little dings also dealt with would potentially involve a full respray if it were done properly. Unofficial verbal estimate from a knowledgeable and approachable member of staff at the dealership £5k including all 4 wheels totally refurbished.

Economically, the decision is a no brainer. I could spend £2k sale proceeds + £7k repair bill = £9k on a newer car, albeit one which won't "fit" my plate. But even though I am an accountant, it is difficult for me to decide because:-

1 It was and still is my "first" car.
2 It has a unique plate MB C230K on it: it is a C230K w202 saloon.
3 Her indoors is very attached to it.

I am trying to look at this objectively.

Any advice or suggestions gratefully received.

Les

Get 3 trade in values
1) Car only
2) Car and plate
3) Car,plate and "her indoors"

 

[mickl]

the box is the main thing that might stop you from using the car. take it to an indie to have a look at it, it might be a cheap fix. when my C36 started to thump its gear change, I took it to an indie who recommended a transmission specialist who managed to solve the problem for a couple of hundred quid.

 

[bouncer]

I see it this way
1 Keep the plate and buy another C230K w202 saloon
2 Keep her indoors happy and give her the old one.

sTeVe

 

[clk208]

If you are prepared to have localised repairs to the paint by a specialist rather than whole panel resprays you could be talking < £300 to get this done. The rust will come back in a year or two but there is every chance this will happen anyway and if necessary you could have the same repair done again.

 

[rees_A]

I'd probably drive it until it breaks and ignore the small amount of rust. All MB's rust eventually, its part of our ownership.. Buy car, it rusts, gearbox breaks, electrics fail etc etc LOL

 

[martin_a]

sometimes... better the devil you know... how can you be sure a different car won't have reliability issues?

Worth getting a decent independent to look at the rust issues, don't sound too bad. Do you use the car to take clients about? If image is important then get it sprayed, if you can wait a bit, get some decent doors etc from other cars and have those fitted (assuming thats possible).

I went to a auto specialist about a Ford box once that had dropped several gears (2nd and 4th) quote was £700 to fix it so might not be the disaster you expect...

m.