Looks like I'm "coming back"

[GSMGuy]

Well after almost 2 years of pretty much fault free motoring in the XC90, apart form an £1800 radio module.... and lots of tyres.... I am now looking to change cars, and specifically I REALLY fancy an E320 Avantgarde Estate with the 7 seater option, preferably one of the V6 ones...

The Volvo, whilst it's been a great car, is depreciating too much for my liking at the moment... It was worth maybe £16k 9 months ago, more like £10-£11k now... And I ove £16k+ on it... So as I've paid more than a third, it'll be getting handed back to the finance company...

Anyway, I'm trying to find out the approx date that the E320 went from a straight six to a V6, and if there are any pitfalls... I think I am right in presuming that the 7G-Tronic box only came with the V6, and I'd realy like this - Is it a "conventional" auto, or a dual clutch manual similar to the VW group DSG box??

Oh, and I'll be wanting to run it on Bio too... Have been making my own (tested and excellent quality) since Feb last year, and the Volvo has run like a dream on B100...

Hopefully the Merc will do the same....


Mike

 

[renault12ts]

Explain the bit about having paid one third and then handing it back. I know someone in the same position. An ML which currently owes £22000 but is now worth c.£19000

 

[verytalldave]

Well after almost 2 years of pretty much fault free motoring in the XC90, apart form an £1800 radio module.... and lots of tyres.... I am now looking to change cars, and specifically I REALLY fancy an E320 Avantgarde Estate with the 7 seater option, preferably one of the V6 ones...

The Volvo, whilst it's been a great car, is depreciating too much for my liking at the moment... It was worth maybe £16k 9 months ago, more like £10-£11k now... And I ove £16k+ on it... So as I've paid more than a third, it'll be getting handed back to the finance company...

Anyway, I'm trying to find out the approx date that the E320 went from a straight six to a V6, and if there are any pitfalls... I think I am right in presuming that the 7G-Tronic box only came with the V6, and I'd realy like this - Is it a "conventional" auto, or a dual clutch manual similar to the VW group DSG box??

Oh, and I'll be wanting to run it on Bio too... Have been making my own (tested and excellent quality) since Feb last year, and the Volvo has run like a dream on B100...

Hopefully the Merc will do the same....


Mike

A good source of info.............
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_E-Class

 

[hawk20]

IIRC on an HP deal you have the right to hand it back and stop paying after you have paid at least half of the Total Amount Owing under the agreement. This is on regulated agreements (which IIRC used to be on agreements under £25k, but I think I read this has changed quite recently and may therefore cover higher values). Someone who knows the details of defaulting on HP deals may come in. If not ask your finance company or read the T's and C's?

 

[ramit]

Explain the bit about having paid one third and then handing it back. I know someone in the same position. An ML which currently owes £22000 but is now worth c.£19000

IIRC they class it as a Voluntary Repossession!

 

[GSMGuy]

Explain the bit about having paid one third and then handing it back. I know someone in the same position. An ML which currently owes £22000 but is now worth c.£19000

IF it's a conditional sale agreement (ie HP) and not a personal loan or unsecured loan, then under the consumer credit act, once you have paid one third of the total amount payable under the agreement (includes deposit/px and interest) then, provided you have taken reasonable care of the vehicle, you can legally hand it back to the finance co and have the agreement terminated - This will not affect your credit rating, as you have simply excercised your right to early termination.

A LOT of finance co's are now trying to get peeps onto unsecured or personal loans for this very reason - ALSO in the event of a major fault with the vehicle, if you have HP, then the finance company ARE liable for the cost of repairs - Had the auto box replaced on our Galaxy, and over £2k work carried out on our ML - Also Black Horse paid £1800 for a new Infotainment Control Module for the XC90 last year...

Not many people are aware of their full rights, and the finance company's obligations in respect of a HP agreement.

Get your friend to dig out or request a copy of their original agreement - The "halfs and thirds" figures will be clearly stated on the agreement.

Mike

 

[GSMGuy]

IIRC they class it as a Voluntary Repossession!

No, it's early termination - I am pretty up on the contractual side of HP agreements, I was a Finance manager for a large multi franchise dealership for 5 years.... One of my fave tricks to swing a deal was early termination, esp where they had negative equity on the swapper! Wipes it out in one go!

Mike

 

[Mactech]

I can very much recomend the V6. It comes with a conventional 7 speed auto...only smoother. The V6 cars appeared in 05 and most 55 cars will be V6. The easiest way to tell is that the old straight 6 will be listed as a 3.2 litre not 3.0 litres. Unless there were any really old stock around all cars on an 06 plate will be V6.

 

[hawk20]

I think there is confusion about the one third rule and the one half rule. Read below.

Here’s quite a useful website: -
http://www.consumerrightsexpert.co.uk/WhatYouNeedToKnowAboutHirePurchase.html
Extract 1: - Although your goods can be repossessed if you don't make your repayments, you have protection there too. If you've paid one-third or more of the total amount due, then the lender will need a court order for repossession. Moreover, he'll need a court order to enter your home.

Extract 2: -Ending The Contract Early

There are a couple of reasons you might want to end the HP contract early. The first is that you want to pay it off ahead of schedule. That's fine and if you look at your contract, it should give examples of how much an early pay-off costs. But you'll still need to contact your lender for the exact amount and you'll also have to pay the credit for whatever insurance you've taken out.
The other reason is because you can't afford the repayments and here things become a little more complicated. You can only end your agreement early if it's for less than £25,000 and you've already paid at least half the total (the figure should be shown in a box on the front of your contract). Write to the lender and tell him what you want to do - terminate the agreement and return the goods. From that point you'll only be liable for any payments you've missed, the credit you took out for any insurance and for any damage to the goods. You shouldn't be charged to return the goods. If you have to physically take them back yourself, then it should be somewhere "within a reasonable distance of your home."

 

[renault12ts]

No, it's early termination - I am pretty up on the contractual side of HP agreements, I was a Finance manager for a large multi franchise dealership for 5 years.... One of my fave tricks to swing a deal was early termination, esp where they had negative equity on the swapper! Wipes it out in one go!

Mike

So is the info Hawk20 has kindly supplied incorrect, or was the deal on your car less than £25000?

 

[hawk20]

From April 2008 new agreements will normally be covered by the Consumer Credit Act 1974 even if you have borrowed more than £25,000, (unless the loan is for business)

http://www.nationaldebtline.co.uk/england_wales/factsheet.php?page=16_how_to_deal_with_hire_purchase_debt
YOU END THE AGREEMENT

You have the right to terminate and end your agreement under Section 99 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 at any time before your last instalment is due, although you will have lost the right to terminate your agreement if the creditor has already terminated it or if the full balance of the agreement has become payable.
If you decide to terminate your agreement voluntarily and hand back the goods to the creditor, you should only have to pay up to half of the total amount payable under the agreement, minus sums that you have paid and sums that are due. Sums that you have paid include any deposit plus the instalments that you have paid; sums due are any arrears/missed payments due at the time of termination.
INFORMATION
The one half or 50% figure is stated on the agreement in the box headed 'Termination: Your Rights'.
You will then also owe any arrears/missed payments plus damages if you have failed to take reasonable care of the goods (over and above normal wear and tear). The creditor might argue that there will be an extra charge for damage or unusual wear and tear. It is important to look at any charges to see if they are reasonable.


Here’s another useful website: -
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/ManagingDebt/DebtsAndArrears/DG_10013226
Extract 1: - If you fall behind on your payments, a creditor may ask you to return your goods. However, if you've paid more than a third of the total debt, they have to go through the County Courts first (or the Sheriff Courts in Scotland).

Extract 2: - Ending the HP agreement yourself

In some cases, it's more realistic to end the agreement - especially if you can't make reasonable payments.
When can you end a HP agreement?
You can end a consumer HP agreement (ie not a business to business agreement) at any time before making the last token payment. (All but the final one of your payments is for rent; the final payment is split between rent and a token amount to actually buy the goods.)
How do you end a HP agreement?
You can normally do this by handing back the goods. However, creditors may ask for up to half the total figure of the original agreement (less what you've already paid) - regardless of when you end the agreement. You'll also have to pay for the arrears and any damage (such as unusual wear and tear on furniture).
Your agreement paperwork will detail any special conditions the creditor has for ending an agreement.

 

[renault12ts]

From April 2008 new agreements will normally be covered by the Consumer Credit Act 1974 even if you have borrowed more than £25,000, (unless the loan is for business)

http://www.nationaldebtline.co.uk/england_wales/factsheet.php?page=16_how_to_deal_with_hire_purchase_debt
YOU END THE AGREEMENT

You have the right to terminate and end your agreement under Section 99 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 at any time before your last instalment is due, although you will have lost the right to terminate your agreement if the creditor has already terminated it or if the full balance of the agreement has become payable.
If you decide to terminate your agreement voluntarily and hand back the goods to the creditor, you should only have to pay up to half of the total amount payable under the agreement, minus sums that you have paid and sums that are due. Sums that you have paid include any deposit plus the instalments that you have paid; sums due are any arrears/missed payments due at the time of termination.
INFORMATION
The one half or 50% figure is stated on the agreement in the box headed 'Termination: Your Rights'.
You will then also owe any arrears/missed payments plus damages if you have failed to take reasonable care of the goods (over and above normal wear and tear). The creditor might argue that there will be an extra charge for damage or unusual wear and tear. It is important to look at any charges to see if they are reasonable.


Here’s another useful website: -
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/ManagingDebt/DebtsAndArrears/DG_10013226
Extract 1: - If you fall behind on your payments, a creditor may ask you to return your goods. However, if you've paid more than a third of the total debt, they have to go through the County Courts first (or the Sheriff Courts in Scotland).

Extract 2: - Ending the HP agreement yourself

In some cases, it's more realistic to end the agreement - especially if you can't make reasonable payments.
When can you end a HP agreement?
You can end a consumer HP agreement (ie not a business to business agreement) at any time before making the last token payment. (All but the final one of your payments is for rent; the final payment is split between rent and a token amount to actually buy the goods.)
How do you end a HP agreement?
You can normally do this by handing back the goods. However, creditors may ask for up to half the total figure of the original agreement (less what you've already paid) - regardless of when you end the agreement. You'll also have to pay for the arrears and any damage (such as unusual wear and tear on furniture).
Your agreement paperwork will detail any special conditions the creditor has for ending an agreement.

Many thanks

 

[Roger Jones]

"I'm trying to find out the approx date that the E320 went from a straight six to a V6"

From the Wikipedia pages, it looks like the diesel V6 came in with the W211 in 2002, as there's no V6 listed on the W210 page. Is that correct?

 

[hawk20]

"I'm trying to find out the approx date that the E320 went from a straight six to a V6"

From the Wikipedia pages, it looks like the diesel V6 came in with the W211 in 2002, as there's no V6 listed on the W210 page. Is that correct?

The V6 came in the 211 partly because they could not get the wonderful straight six 3.2 litre diesel into the ML class. I had the straight six in the S320cdi. Fabulous engine. Mind you the new V6 is the quietest, smoothest diesel you can imagine. Stand near it even with the bonnet open. It is magically quiet.

The facelift E class is worth going for if budget permits. There were 2,000 changes made -some important.

 

[hawk20]

According to a What Car report: -

Mercedes claims the updated E-Class due to go on sale this summer will be free of the reliability bugs that have affected the current model since launch in 2002.

The revised car has been put through the most intensive testing schedule Mercedes has ever undertaken with a single model.

It features 2000 new parts compared with the outgoing car, including five new or revised engines and improved safety aids (see separate stories).

Mercedes has also been working with component suppliers to ensure uniform quality standards at every company which provides parts for the E-Class.

Its target is to reduce warranty claims to a lower level than those at Toyota, a company renowned for outstanding reliability.

Electrical glitches are among the most common problems experienced by the current E-Class. Mercedes claims to have ironed these out by testing every component separately outside the car to ensure durability under all conditions.

The braking system has also been changed. The 2002 E-Class had a part-electronic mechanism that was the subject of a recall campaign, but this has been dropped. Mercedes says it can now get the same braking effectiveness by conventional means.

In all, 1000 pre-production versions of the new E-Class were tested for a total distance of nearly three million miles. This will now become the schedule for every new Mercedes.

 

[renault12ts]

"I'm trying to find out the approx date that the E320 went from a straight six to a V6"

From the Wikipedia pages, it looks like the diesel V6 came in with the W211 in 2002, as there's no V6 listed on the W210 page. Is that correct?

Correct. The v6 did not appear in the W210. As Hawk says the straight six could not fit in the ML, fo the V was developed. The CDI engine comes in two 3 litre versions, one called 280cdi with 190 BHP and the other the 320cdi with 224BHP.

 

[hawk20]

"I'm trying to find out the approx date that the E320 went from a straight six to a V6"

From the Wikipedia pages, it looks like the diesel V6 came in with the W211 in 2002, as there's no V6 listed on the W210 page. Is that correct?

Correct yes and correct no. Just so you don't get misled. The V6 did come out in the 211 E class and not in the 210. That is correct. And the 211 started in 2002. That is correct.

BUT the V6 did not come out in the 211 in 2002. First the 211 had the 3.2 litre straight 6 engine. And had a 5 cylinder 270cdi (which I owned for a while) Only later did they change to the 3 litre V6 and then the bigger engines were called 280cdi and 320cdi (though both were 3 litre, just differently tuned).

Question: - anyone know if the V6 was in the 211 series before the facelift in 2006? I have a feeling it was. Could be wrong.

 

[st4]

Question: - anyone know if the V6 was in the 211 series before the facelift in 2006? I have a feeling it was. Could be wrong.

Yes, it was in some pre face lift 211 cars. I know this as someone has a pre facelift 55 plate 280cdi in helensburgh