Painful decision .. next car! What makes the most sense?

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AlanD

Active Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2011
Messages
609
Location
London
Car
CLS55 AMG IWC
So, it's getting to that time where 100,000 miles is only a year or two away on the C55 and I may want to think about getting rid of it. It's also got to that time where an estate or similar would be very useful for transporting bikes with the kids, etc. Something the C55 saloon is useless at!

Now we're currently a one car family (the London pull of the Tube!), but given the cost of having a "nice" car used as a runabout for shopping and school, that may change. If I had to chose *one* car, I'd probably settle with a C63 touring. If I could choose three cars, C63 touring, TVR Tuscan S and some small thing like an A class or whatever. I can't afford/justify that!

So ... and this must be a common dilemma for those with a need for speed .. what to buy if 2 cars!? If I got a cheap but respectable estate, it would be a slightly awkward runabout and very useful transport/bikes/holidays car. But then I'd need to get something special like the TVR to justify not using it all the time! If I got a really nice estate like the C63, then that's better in many respects (apart from the cost of large European trips!), and a little runabout would probably make sense.

Then perhaps, keep the C55 for now, and get a cheap estate? I dunno .. to justify getting a 2nd car, it needs to be cheap enough (prob. under £2.5k), cheap to run, cheap to repair, cheap to insure/tax and RELIABLE (my last "cheap" Focus cost more than the C55 in garage bills!!).

The other thing in support of the latter idea is that C63s just don't seem to be dropping under £25k in price, whereas my C55 is probably a bit short of £10k now, leaving quite the gap!


Help please :) I can't be the only one! :dk:
 
How about a powerful SUV? ML 55 ?
 
Hmmm .. never really looked into it. I guess I could. If it's a powerful car, I generally prefer one that can go around corners too ;) Perhaps I'm being unfair, but at least the AMG touring models fair well against the standard saloons ..
 
For >£2.5k I would purchase a Renault Scenic or if you want more space a Grand Scenic. Our `57 plate Scenic has been faultless (apart from an electric window motor) since we purchased it , in 40k miles it has had two full sets of tyres (@ £200 per set) and a set of front + rear pads . It gets an annual service at MOT time and that is it.

It has proven invaluable doing the "Ikea" run , numerous tips to the dump , holidays and picking up white goods as and when required.

With the seats down it is like a van and with them up it will take five adults in comfort , maybe not to the south of France but 450 miles in a day was doable (Glasgow - London) , it averages 30 to the gallon and is a 5 star NCAP rated car so there is a bit of safety there which is good if there is going to be kids in the car.

Now I have the CLS , my daughter has her Clio and my son is starting to drive tomorrow then we have no need for the people carrier but when it goes , which it will be shortly for a soft top Mini , I will be genuinely sorry to see it go. :mad:

Kenny
 
Throw all sensibility to the wind, and just get a C63 estate...He who hesitates is lost.

Haha .. very much so :) Just need another £10k to drop off the price to have that conversation with the missus :doh:
 
it is MUCH better in the flesh. It's not perfect as it is an R plate however I did 170 miles in it yesterday and it warmed up and held temp nicely, gear changes are smooth and the paint job looks great apart from all the dirty melting snow water that has dried on it. All it might need is some suspension parts (I am working through the service files to see what has been done but off top of head I think front ARB's and a set of rear springs will see it good for another 20k miles at least). I won't need new rubber for at least that mileage as the tyres have less than 1000 miles on them.

There are nice, cheaper motors out there if you look... And you certainly have time on your side!
 

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