New Car + What to do with a the old one.

[Vectrolosys]

Hello,

After nearly a year of very successful, cheap W124 ownership, I decided to buy another one, with 12 months MOT.

This time round, I have opted for a 1992 300TE. I currently have a 200TE and after taking the 300 for test drive, was pretty much sold on the extra power and lazier drive. The colour is also Artic white, but there is far less rust underneath the car, on the various suspension components and on the rear wings than my 200TE. It has the light grey interior, 7 seats, all round electric windows, sunroof and the expensive, optional proper walnut trim (not the standard wood). Drives very smoothly with a far more supple rear than my 200.

Which brings me round to the 200. The MOT is due next month (April 24th), tax is due in May. Underneath, the rear suspension self levelling pipe work has seen better days (i.e. , very flaky), plus the ride is quite hard at the back (Accumalators probably). In parts, this is already knocking on the door of £200 or so, if they were to fail the MOT on the pipework, which is likely. The front wishbone bushes seem to be knocking badly over poor surfaces, though a cheapish part, I have to remove the wishbones to replace the bushes. It also needs an exhaust front section, mid section and possibly backbox, so a complete system pretty much.

In my situation, what would everyone else do?

I am personally tempted to take the car for a pre MOT check, so I have an idea of what needs replacing. Source and fit the parts using good, second hand items, then MOT the car and sell it complete. However, what have others done faced with a similar scenario?

James

 

[Deleted member 11979]

Congratulations on the new machine, it sounds nice!

I had a 200TE with 258k miles, similar suspension problems etc, put it on eBay and some bloke paid me £200 for it and took it on a rally to Mongolia!!!!!

The old girl is probalby still alive over there, even if it is just as a chicken shed!

It depends on how attached you are to the car and how many bits it has that are in good working order of any value, sadly old TEs now seem to be well and truly in the banger territory, shame to breeak it, but maybe for the greater good!

 

[Vectrolosys]

Funnily enough, that's exactly what the trader told me to do. He said rip off as much as you can, then send the rest away to be crushed. Unfortunately, I can't break a car needlessly, if there's still a chance of it going on to lead a useful life somewhere, but, there is a point that you have to draw the line. I'm not overly attached to it, but do rather like it, if that makes sense, but I don't hold the same kind of 'I'll never get rid of it, ever' kind of feeling I hold for my XJ40 (that I have had for seven years now!).

Items like switches, some of the better panels, compatible engine bay parts, etc could be handy to have around I guess....are the autoboxes the same out of interest?

 

[SilverSaloon]

i'd stick it on ebay as-is. It still has some MOT.

if it doesnt sell at the right price, end the auction early and repair it and have it MOTd and then re-sell it.

this is what i did with my saloon - i fixed up the stuff i could easily (bodywork) and then sold it with 2 months MOT left. if it didnt sell i would of them MOTd it. i didnt have any reason to think it would fail though.

congrats on the new car. make sure you swap anything worth swapping over (ie interior trim) that is better on the old car vs the new one before selling!

thanks

derek

 

[Frank O' Phile]

Well done on the 300, I did the same, started with a 200 and was quite happy until I spotted a 300 and now I dont thinkI could go back.

As for the 200, I put mine on fleabay expecting it to pass an MOT. It didnt but the winning bidder still wanted it (at a reduced price, natch) as he was going to export it to Nigeria. Expect to see it in a future episode of Top Gear.

So Ebay it, list the faults, Any ticket left on it at the mo?

edit: yes 24th apr. List it soon. The any buyer can still drive it away.

 

[Will]

I'd just flog the 200 as it is - £200 in parts, plus MOT costs (and any additional jobs) might not recoup the extra spend vs what you'd get for it as it stands.

How much did the new 300 cost you with the 12 months MOT? I bought a 300TE last year also - very handy cars

Will

 

[Vectrolosys]

Hi,

Thanks all for the replies so far. I'm going to eBay it as suggested, seeing as it does have a bit of MOT and some tax left. Just need to get some nice photos of her .

The 300TE has set me back £1290 , with a full 12 months MOT. It's very clean underneath, has had a recentish head gasket change and is pretty solid, though there is some rear offside wing rust under the window, that needs dealing with as it will go through, however, it's better in this area than my 200TE. The interior is a light grey on the 300 and a dark blue on the 200TE, so no opportunity for swaps, apart from switch gear .

Thanks again,

James