Help Jimmy find a new car!

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jimmy

MB Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 8, 2002
Messages
2,316
Location
Northamptonshire
Car
Discovery 3 TDV6, Discovery 300TDi - Plaything!
The time has come when I am now going to start looking for a new motor. Well I have had mine nearly a year!:D

I am not in a hurry but what I want will be hard to find. Spec as follows:

C-class 202 estate.
Engine size C230K or bigger, C240, C250TD or C220CDi considered.
Leather interior.
2000/V-reg or newer.
Aircon or climate (but then most have that)
I would prefer a Sport but I guess an AG would be OK, don't like the Elegance trim.
Mileage 75K or less preferable.
Price......no more than £15K, £16K would be stretching it, £14K would be better.

Not too fussed about alloys or sound as I already have that and they can be swapped over.

I have been looking on autotrader and just missed a C240 Sport with leather and Vivianite green :crazy: seemed a good price too. There are a few C220Cdi's and C250TD's about, but not with leather. Found a nice C280 but it is an elegance and the running costs of a 2.8 are rather daunting.

Would really need to do a PX unless whoever is selling the car could wait whilst I sell mine.

Keep your eyes open.:rolleyes:
 
There's a nice Azurite Blue C280 Sport Estate with 17" AMG's in MB Enthusiast mag this month....I was really tempted....
Take a look.... The mags at home so I can't tell you anymore....
 
Jimmy,

I wouldn't be put off a C280 due to the running costs if you're considering a C240 - my C280 is cheaper to run than my last C240!! Insurance is more or less the same, servicing the same, and MPG is better on the C280!!!
 
According to the figures in the mb brochure , my C180K should do 39mpg :bannana: :bannana:

and still have 163 lb/ft at 2000rpm
 
Originally posted by jimmy
The time has come when I am now going to start looking for a new motor. Well I have had mine nearly a year!:D


I know that feeling and it's dangerous. The poor C200 only lasted 12 months!


You are moddest, but I'm sure you can stretch to £20K for a nice C43 Estate :p
 
Jimmy,

It doesn’t meet your minimum spec but I’ve seen how you weed your garden, so how about this versatile little run-around?

SS1%20Fireshow.jpg
 
Originally posted by Koolvin
W202's never came in Avantgarde.

Are you sure? There is some on autotrader...............I think.........................yeah I looked at some earlier.

@ Simon, very good, not sure where the dogs would sit.:p

I might look at some finance figures tomorrow, just been talking to my dad and he reckons money is cheap at the moment:p Evidently the garages are doing great finance packages, might take a look at a C270cdi after all.
 
Originally posted by jimmy
Are you sure? There is some on autotrader...
They don't exist! Classic, Esprit, Elegance, Sport. Those are the only "trim levels" there are for the w202! There is an avantgarde trim level for the w203 though.
 
Jimmy, what do you reckon of this one mate?Link :bannana: :bannana:
 
Originally posted by GRAV888
Jimmy, what do you reckon of this one mate?Link :bannana: :bannana:

Brmm, Brmmm very funny.:p

I have worked out some figures and I reckon a diesel will save me about £1500 a year just in fuel costs. So I have been ringing round after C220Cdi's or C250Td's, there are very few estates about in Sport trim and with leather upholstery, found four and all are sold.

Anybody know what the 220CDi's are like? I know the 250TD is good but have never driven a 220.
 
The C220 Cdi is superb. There is a lot of power there and if you can keep your foot off the pedal , 43mpg is realistic in normal driving with it.

ALl you basically need is a cloth car with heated front seats. Leather is about 1200 - 1500 to retrofit into it and thats using OEM materials to do it as well.

Have you thought about a T210 ? Facelift x reg models are getting quite cheap. Especially the V6's .:bannana: :bannana: :bannana: :bannana:
 
Jimmy,

Richard W has a 220CDI Estate and he has chipped it 170brakish....I've been in it and it is very impressive....

Greg
 
Jimmy,

How about the British Car Auctions site in Peterborough. I wouldn’t mind having a look myself.

I’ve tried to find out online when they have Mercedes days and this was the reply:

To obtain information about a vehicle, sale or service, please contact our National Customer Services Department
on 0845 6006644, where they will be able to assist you.

Kind regards
British Car Auctions Ltd.


BCA
 
Originally posted by Simon
Jimmy,

How about the British Car Auctions site in Peterborough. I wouldn’t mind having a look myself.

I’ve tried to find out online when they have Mercedes days and this was the reply:

To obtain information about a vehicle, sale or service, please contact our National Customer Services Department
on 0845 6006644, where they will be able to assist you.

Kind regards
British Car Auctions Ltd.


BCA

Good idea Simon, before I bought this one I went to BCA in Northampton, huge place with hundreds and hundreds of cars but never what you want. When a nice car comes through people seem to get carried away and will pay more than the car is worth.

I used to buy alot of cars at the auction, run them for six months and sell them on, made a fair bit of money and then got my fingers burnt on a dodgy Astra cabrio.

@ Fuzzer, thanks for that, I now have my mind set on a C220CDi, trouble is I am not being offered much for mine, I thought that might be the case trying to shift a C180, Esprit without air.:mad:

@ Wheelie, Hmm I have already discussed the chip option with someone, evidently it is most impressive.:bannana:
 
Jimmy

A few up for auction ATM

MERCEDES C220 2.2 CDI AVANT GARDE SE Estate, GREEN, 5 Doors, Semi-Automatic, Diesel, 7833 Miles, VAT Qualifying.
**52*** Registered 29-10-2002 Blackbushe
28-03-2003
New: £26010
Ret: £25000
Cln: £22950
Avg: £21850
Blw: £20600

Reckon on £21k - but money is cheap :)



MERCEDES E240 2.4 ELEGANCE V6 Estate, TITANITE RED, 5 Doors, Automatic, Petrol, 46264 Miles, Marginal.
V241*** Registered 29-09-1999 Nottingham
28-03-2003

No Guide pricing - looks quite nice and not far away !


MERCEDES C240 2.4 SPORT Estate, RED, 5 Doors, Automatic, Petrol, 37324 Miles, Marginal.
R771*** Registered 30-04-1998 Paddock Wood
25-03-2003
New: £29980
Ret: £12250
Cln: £9975
Avg: £9025
Blw: £8075

Older - but low mileage and cheap !


MERCEDES C220 2.2 CDI SPORT Estate, GREEN, 5 Doors, Manual Transmission, Diesel, 70581 Miles, VAT Qualifying.
V502HSG Registered 23-12-1999 Edinburgh
14-04-2003
New: £25830
Ret: £11750
Cln: £9500
Avg: £8525
Blw: £7550

Long way to go -


MERCEDES C230 2.3 SPORT KOMPRESSOR Estate, GREEN, 5 Doors, Automatic, Petrol, 46877 Miles, VAT Qualifying.
W81*** Registered 01-03-2000 Bridgwater
26-03-2003
RV015

Long way to go - but trades at under £12k !!



HTH

Mark
 
Update

Well, yesterday I went to the dealer where I bought my car, they were ever so keen to do a deal but only on a new 203.:confused: Took a C200K and C270CDi estate for a drive and they are lovely cars but just too expensive for me.........something to work towards.

Have made lots of phone calls and looked at about 7 cars, Spent most of today looking and have found what seems like a nice one, it's a 2000/W reg C220CDi Sport Estate, Silver with black leather, climate, electric power and heated front seats, tiptronic auto, 16" alloys full MB history and.....................................XENONS

The car drives very well, sounded a little rattly when started from cold but it is a diesel. Performance was quite impressive and MB claim about 40MPG:) The ride was smoother than mine and quieter when cruising.

The bloke was reluctant to take mine in PX but did make an offer on what he would want to take from me to change, needless to say I made him a completely different offer which he strangely found unacceptable. I reckon I could do a deal with him for £4K to change, now I reckon I will save about £900 a year in fuel costs by running a diesel so that makes it sound attractive and I would plan to keep it for 3 or 4 years at least.

The only negative is that it is due an A service and the previous owner must have been a very heavy smoker, there are a few fag burns around the gearshift and the car really stinks!! a full seats out valet should sort it.

So I have got some serious thinking to do and hard work trying to convince the misses of the benefits of spending that much money again.:p :p

So what do you reckon? The car has the spec and extras I want, the 220CDi seems lively enough and could always be chipped if and when funds allow and it should be an economic car to run. Need to be quick as I am off on a touring holiday next week and need a few days to install the sat nav, sills, rear speakers and phone kit.
 
Originally posted by GDC200
Why not keep your car and mod it some more .....Brabus B1 kit? Leather interior? Cheaper than changing!


I doubt it.
 
Originally posted by GDC200
Why not keep your car and mod it some more .....Brabus B1 kit? Leather interior? Cheaper than changing!

I have thought about it but:

Retrofit Air/Con = £1100
Leather = £ £1200
Turbo/Supercharger = £1500 (guesstimate)

For much less money I could get a newer car, less mileage and totally OE.

I drove a Vito van with the 220CDi engine for 3 years and have had mainly diesel cars before that so I feel at home with diesels. Plus I have another plan concerning fuel.:bannana:
 
Jimmy,

It sounds very nice, A good valeter will get rid of the smell and restore it back to new, you can also get the fag burns fixed by those companys that fix seat burns etc....
If it was going to cost me 4K to trade up I'd jump at it...its everything your looking for and your going to save a shed load of wedge in fuel and also its probably allot quicker than your humble old 180....

Also its rare to get a 202 with climate and lecky seats!!! The "A" service is nothing, negotiate it within the deal, if he's any half decent salesguy he won't let you walk away....

Treat yourself mate
 

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