So what would you buy on a budget?

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jamesfuller

MB Enthusiast
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Northamptonshire
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W203 C240 Elegance & S210 E320 CDi Avantgarde
Its my last day off before going back to work and just thumbing through a Mercedes magazine, it asks the staff the Mercedes of choice for just a £1000! The choices are mostly the 124, 201 and 202 of course. I think the supplies of dirt cheap but still usable 124's and 201's are pretty much over now and the good ones will soon be going up a bit more, so other makes are allowed!

There has also been a post on another forum posing a similar question but with a higher budget.

So my question to you, choose a car for £1k and another for £15K

I'm going with;
Late Volvo 960/V90. Big tough workhorse with the 32v engine with T6 swap potential.

Alpina B5 (2005ish) Big comfy 195mph saloon
Like thishttp://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ALPINA-B5-/251640082015?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3a96eaee5f
 
Forgot to say, I may be using the £1k choices for ideas on my next runabout, as my S classes and Shogun go up for sale and I could do with spending less time in a Hyundai!
 
Interesting question.

I think you can still buy a solid 190E for a grand and I personally think they are better built than a W124.

Aside from a Mercedes - I think a Volvo has to be the next best for around this money. You can get a fully loaded S60 now for that kind of money if high mileage doesn't scare you.
 
Forget the volvo 960, T6 lump is fwd for a start, let alone stand alone engine management. Go for a v70r around 1997 with a Manual box.

Then a w211 e55k ;)
 
Forget the volvo 960, T6 lump is fwd for a start, let alone stand alone engine management. Go for a v70r around 1997 with a Manual box.

Then a w211 e55k ;)

The head is the same, the manifold fits, its a case of getting very involved with downpipe routing, swapping con rods and camshafts. the block can be drilled and tapped in the same places for oil as the fwd block!:D
 
What would I buy for 1K. Why my 124 300D 24v saloon just happens to be coming up for sale at the end of the month. !!

Its going in for its MoT on Thursday.
 
A grand is a tricky one, with a bit of luck you could find an almost perfect one owner Volvo that fits your bill or just as easily find several junkers. I wouldn't limit myself to a particular brand but would look primarily at Jap stuff, simply as you say cheap W201's, 124's & 202's are getting ropier by the day. Might get a good W210 E200, possibly the best slow Merc I ever had.

As for the 15k budget, really the world is your oyster but I'd have reservations buying that Alpina, simply the mileage is too high and will have huge knock on effect when the time comes for you to flog it with even more mileage added. Good luck.
 
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A grand is a tricky one, with a bit of luck you could find an almost perfect one owner Volvo that fits your bill or just as easily find several junkers. I wouldn't limit myself to a particular brand but would look primarily at Jap stuff, simply as you say cheap W201's, 124's & 202's are getting ropier by the day. Might get a good W210 E200, possibly the best slow Merc I ever had.

As for the 15k budget, really the world is your oyster but I'd have reservations buying that Alpina, simply the mileage is too high and will have huge knock on effect when the time comes for you to flog it with even more mileage added. Good luck.

Jap stuff, have to agree, a Toyota Carina would probably have a few hundred thousand miles left in it for this money!

To be honest that Alpina wouldn't be my choice, its just I have not owned that model, Id probably end up going for something a bit more old school like I usually do, it opens up all kinds of Homologation type cars suitable for a good caning!
 
For £1K: A 190E or a Lexus LS

For £15K: Too many choices
 
Better again than a Craina, have a look at the Camry. Also a rather nice and underrated car is a 1998-2002 (6th Gen, I think) Accord 2.0, nothing wrong with the 1.8lt either.

If you're set on an Alpina, I'd look at an E34. But a top notch one and you'll have a cracking car that simply won't lose money. E34 M5 (3.6)???, again a top notch one...oh, I could go on & on! ;)
 
I'll just throw this up...
 
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Better again than a Craina, have a look at the Camry. Also a rather nice and underrated car is a 1998-2002 (6th Gen, I think) Accord 2.0, nothing wrong with the 1.8lt either.

If you're set on an Alpina, I'd look at an E34. But a top notch one and you'll have a cracking car that simply won't lose money. E34 M5 (3.6)???, again a top notch one...oh, I could go on & on! ;)

Yep ive had a 3.8 M5 and a few Alpinas, still have a B10, cracking cars. Would be nice I f I had the time to use them!
 
1K: Everyone loves SOTW! This looks worth a punt at shed money - I had a mark 4 Golf V5 and it was a cracking car, if somewhat on the thirsty side:

Volkswagen Bora 2.3 V5 4dr

15K: SLK55's are dropping into that kind of price bracket - perhaps not a 28000 miler like mine, but this looks nice:

Mercedes-Benz SLK 5.4 SLK55 AMG 2d AUTO 356 BHP

Cheers,

Gaz
 

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