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Bangernomics - £1k Merc (or less) Discuss

Gucci

Gucci

MB Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 28, 2007
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1,951
Location
London
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Jaguar XF 3.0 Ultimate Black
Further to my scooter thread - I was looking at alternative ways of commuting to my new job. The ML stays with my wife and bubba for the day - and to be fair - not the best choice for trundling through the Blackwall tunnel.

I then passed a second hand car dealer - saw a BMW 3 series for £1050. Blimey - less than a one year travelcard.

Here are some factoids:

• Trains + Tube = £1,704 per year (1hr 20 minimum journey time)
• Car = £1000 initial cost + ??? fuel, tax etc (40mins minimum journey time)

C-Class £980 190E £700 seen on Autotrader.

I'd prefer to drive. What reckon? Oh, and parking is free at work :bannana:
 
Drive. 190D Auto, they are about out there. Your own space in the car (no standing either) your own music (if you wish) Journey time so much shorter.
 
I'd try driving from your S London home to Walthamstow during peak times and then decide.

I've a Friday commute to Nottingham. If I leave at 6.30am it takes an hour to get to the m1. If I leave at 7am it takes up to 2 hours.

And then there's the C zone costs or avoidance of it.

On the bike I can almost halve the times.

Ade
 
I'm considering doing something similar. I've recently replaced my C180 with a MX5 :ban: (typical since there's a meet in Wolverhampton which I’ve just noticed and would have been convenient :p) but it would be nice to have something to use on wet winter days that still has good levels of comfort. I've been considering either a W202 or a W124. I could probably stretch to a W210 but I don't think I’d get a good one (i.e. rust free) for the price I’d be willing to pay and looking at insurance for them it doesn't seem to much given my age (21).
 
How effecient are these old Mercedes?

For that sort of journey I'd be looking for a car that could give me at least 50mpg. It pains me to say it, but if cost was the only option then something like a Mk2 Mondeo would be a good choice.
 
I agree with TrapperJohn, a 190D is probably your best bet that would be within your budget. If you want to eek out extra mileage then a manual one is what you should be looking for - but test drive one first as many find the manual change in 190s to be an "acquired taste". You should be able to get around 30-35mpg depending on how you drive.

I've got a 2.0 190E Auto. Don't bother, in thick London traffic I get around 20mpg. The 1.8 Auto doesn't fair much better either - perhaps if I couldn't find a 190D I might suggest a 1.8 manual.

I think you should really go for something non-Mercedes, if you are looking for an old banger. There are so many cars out there that are £1000 and under that will do far more mileage than any diesel or petrol Merc of the same era do.
 
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A mate decided on a 400 quid citroen ZX TD for his banger for commuting. For that particular journey, I assume you can't claim the cost back on expenses? As said, I'd see whether you'd be spending the whole time in traffic jams?
 
If you're prepared to do some mechanicing, there are some nice enough cars on e-bay, cheap because they've got faults, my C220 elegance cost £435, & my latest acquisition E230 elegance estate £370,mind you, that one needs a lot of work !
 
Everyone seems so scared and sceptical about "bangers" I've driven very little else in the 18 years I've been driving, and never had a dud yet. Just go for something you know to be reliable, buy on condition alone.Forget whats faster,better looking or more spacious. A perfect Yugo will be a far better banger than a 12 owner,abused and never serviced Vectra for the same price, think "outside the box". Saab 9000, Volvo 850, Audi 90, even a good Rover 800. Do some homework. A clutch on a £500 Mondeo will kill it, where as worn out brakes all round on a 190 will leave change from £100. Service it as you would a modern expensive car, and keep on top of all the little problems, but use quality aftermarket parts and even scrapyards. I've owned 4x4's, prestige, 2 seater sports convertables,American cars and Classics, and all under £1000, had fun along the way, and even made some money from time to time. Only even broken down properly once. Its great fun, and beating the system!
 
JonMad said:
A mate decided on a 400 quid citroen ZX TD for his banger for commuting. For that particular journey, I assume you can't claim the cost back on expenses? As said, I'd see whether you'd be spending the whole time in traffic jams?
Click to expand...

Good choice. I had a ZX about 6 years ago when I'd just bought my first property. It was a non-turbo diesel with something like 180K on the clock but it had been serviced on the dot, every 10K, since new. It was slow to get moving, but cruised fine on the motorway and never turned in less than 50 MPG.

Obviously you're not going to get 50 MPG driving in town, but with London traffic speeds performance is pretty irrelevant so how about this one:

1997*CITROEN ZX 1.9 D SX*

They are comfortable cars, but fairly conventionally engineered.. no complicated GS-type gas spheres here. Auto box would be my preferred solution for town driving and this one has plush velour seats as well.. as opposed to my poverty spec ZX which had lovely deck chair type material :)

Cheers,

Gaz
 
Why is it that the cheapest bangers never seem to go really wrong? :doh: It's almost as if they know that they'll be scrap should they misbehave too badly :o

Will
 
trapperjohn said:
Drive. 190D Auto, they are about out there. Your own space in the car (no standing either) your own music (if you wish) Journey time so much shorter.
Click to expand...

I agree totally.It`s a no brainer.
Happy motoring.
Regards
John
 
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Cheapest SMART on Autotrader is only £1500, I'll bet that you could get one in budget with a bit of haggling.

Godd for city travel and parking?
 
Jeez, I didn't think they'd come down that far yet!!
 
By the way - would you go 3rd party only, going down the bangernomics route?
 
You'd be surprised how little you save, plus its worth it to go Comp. for windscreen cover, which can be the ruin of a banger.
 
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