Thinking about purchasing an MB?

[OneForTheRoad]

Staithes Garage, Gateshead.

The belt is 65k or 5 years iirc.

 

[OneForTheRoad]

Try a Renault or Nissan indie also. After all most a class are a 1.5 Renault engine. As fitted to the juke etc.

 

[Mr Filipov]

@tele1962 I know you are only asking general questions, but it is a lot to do with maintenance and the surrounding cost. Not trying to sound discouraging, but are you sure that this is what you need? You have previously mentioned house work to be done, and with a Mercedes you kind of go knowing that bills will be coming your way, and they won’t necessarily be the cheapest.

 

[tele1962]

@tele1962 I know you are only asking general questions, but it is a lot to do with maintenance and the surrounding cost. Not trying to sound discouraging, but are you sure that this is what you need? You have previously mentioned house work to be done, and with a Mercedes you kind of go knowing that bills will be coming your way, and they won’t necessarily be the cheapest.

I think I am OK with that now after a lot of thought and research. Yes there are bits need doing around the house etc, but we will be OK. I have been in touch with a MB dealership and it's OK to use an independent specialist for servicing etc and will not void the one year warranty they provide with used cars.

 

[Maco]

@tele1962, did you end up taking the plunge & buying one then?

 

[tele1962]

@tele1962, did you end up taking the plunge & buying one then?

I am going to wait a bit until I can do a proper test drive before taking the plunge.

 

[tele1962]

Just wondering how much room is there to haggle on price at Dealerships and the questions I should be asking.

 

[Maco]

Just wondering how much room is there to haggle on price at Dealerships and the questions I should be asking.

From my personal experience, With used cars usually none. Might be able to get something chucked in at a discounted rate like gap insurance or smartguard etc but personally I wouldn’t waste my money on the smartguard.

 

[MEMERC7]

Just be honest with yourself - is it the badge and/or the idea of owning a Mercedes your driving force?
These days other makes are just as good when it comes to quality & reliability. I have owned humbler cars that were much better in the areas that matter. Other people are not as bothered as you might imagine as to what car you drive unless you have family friends & colleagues who only judge you by what you own. I have only owned two Mercedes but I got more FPM (Fun Per Mile) & the company of club members devoid of any pretensions when owning a nearly new Mk1 Mazda MX-5. There ARE other priorities & I speak as a lover of all things motoring.

 

[tele1962]

Just be honest with yourself - is it the badge and/or the idea of owning a Mercedes your driving force?
These days other makes are just as good when it comes to quality & reliability. I have owned humbler cars that were much better in the areas that matter. Other people are not as bothered as you might imagine as to what car you drive unless you have family friends & colleagues who only judge you by what you own. I have only owned two Mercedes but I got more FPM (Fun Per Mile) & the company of club members devoid of any pretensions when owning a nearly new Mk1 Mazda MX-5. There ARE other priorities & I speak as a lover of all things motoring.

I love the look and the trim, you don't often get that on cars these days. So not really the badge.

 

[tele1962]

When purchasing a used A class from a dealer what questions/information should I be asking. Thanks.

 

[Maco]

@tele1962 Go & see Lee Holroyd at Teesside Mercedes, just picked up our a class saloon today. He was a pleasure to deal with

 

[tele1962]

When purchasing a used A class from a dealer what questions/information should I be asking. Thanks.

Anyone?

 

[Rosetta]

You get a lot of car for you money with a Ford, they are reliable, have enough bells and whistles and are quite nice. It is the more sensible option. I actually really like the styling of the newer (from 2014ish ) Mondeo, and would get one of those if I wanted a Ford. But I've never owned one, to be fair, although I did test drive one and liked it.

As others have said, you definitely need a test drive and try and keep a cool, logical mind. Compare and contrast to what you can get for the same price in a Ford. Look at like for like on your budget. The merc will cost more to maintain.

Having said all that, I've had my "new" (2017 - 57 plate) C200 for a month now and I am still in love with her. I smile when I see her (I know, sorry). I have to echo what a few others have said about trying a C-Class instead, I personally think you get more car for your money (compared to the A class) and I think it looks a lot better. I don't know what your budget is, but my 57-plate C200 cost me £15K, but had only done 6K miles. I have never spent that kind of money before (and was only able to because I received some inheritance). Previous to that, I had a 2005 (55 plate) C180, which cost be £5k
I do like to drive an automatic, and likely never to go back to a manual.

You said, "I've been promising myself......"
My sensible head is the Ford, but life is too short and if you can afford a Merc, well.........

 

[ChrisHGTV]

Anyone?

The first things i normally check off the top of my head (assuming there's no outstanding finance on it, it's not a cat N etc):
General condition inside and out - does it look like it's been looked after. Scratches, scuffs, anything grubby inside, high wear on a drivers seat bolster on a lowish mileage car can suggest many shorter trips for example (not so good)
Service history - has it been served according to schedule and by who (i want to see MB or an MB specialist - not Quick Fit for example)
What other work has been done along the way - especially if there are known weak points on the car you're looking at - eg water pump on the 651 diesel
MoT history and any advisories - have the advisories been rectified and what were they
Are there any big ticket items coming due - eg belts/transmission fluid change etc
What tyres is it wearing - i'll generally walk away if it's got cheap and nasty, or mismatched tyres. Not because of the tyres themselves but it can be an indication a car has been maintained with minimising cost uppermost
Has it had any bodywork done - and by who? I think for Merc to retain the anti perforation warranty it has to be an authorised repair
How long has it been at the dealer? Do the brake discs look corroded suggesting it's been sat a while?
What warranty does it come with - what is covered and what isn't. What is the process for getting warranty work done if needed? Do you have to pay and claim back? You might want to retain a float if that's the case.

I guess they're the main things i check first. I always take a list with me because i know what i'm like! I do a lot of research up front so then i know what i want and what to expect. But it's still very easy to become blinded with excitement when you're in front of a potential purchase with a chunk of cash in your pocket. So the list just pulls me back a bit. To be honest i normally make up my mind in the first couple of minutes and then work through the list to verify.

Hope that helps - happy shopping!

 

[tele1962]

After a lot of deliberation I have gone for a Ford Focus 1.5 petrol ST line Estate, only 300 miles on the clock and looks the part. Thanks to everyone for taking the time to help out here.

 

[Gollom]

After a lot of deliberation I have gone for a Ford Focus 1.5 petrol ST line Estate, only 300 miles on the clock and looks the part. Thanks to everyone for taking the time to help out here.

Sounds nice. I believe they are pretty nippy!

 

[Maco]

After a lot of deliberation I have gone for a Ford Focus 1.5 petrol ST line Estate, only 300 miles on the clock and looks the part. Thanks to everyone for taking the time to help out here.

Think you’ve made the right choice to be honest, guessing it’s a 20/21 plate?

 

[tele1962]

Think you’ve made the right choice to be honest, guessing it’s a 20/21 plate?

20 plate Maco.

 

[SarahAnn200]

Great news. Enjoy it