Used reliable small premium cars?

[derektrotter]

Hi all

Was after some advice, I have a 2011 E250 Diesel on 90k miles which I'll have to get rid of due to the expanding ULEZ zone, I realize this is a couple of years away but I've got 2 options:

1) Keep car until ULEZ zone starts and then look to buy another car

Pros: Current car is not depreciating by a big margin every year at the moment, may get better value out of new car purchase 2 years down the line, quick look on autotrader for my car suggests its only worth about £7500 now.
Cons: Current car may actually be much harder to sell due to the expanded ULEZ and will lose out anyway, I'm thinking worst case should still be worth £5.5k in 2 years but not sure?
​

2) Start looking for a car now but nothing else seems to appeal, I dont need a big car, something A class to C class sized would be fine, actually leaning towards the smaller option.
My dilemma is what car to look at, I want something with a premium feel, petrol automatic and reliable, my E has been good overall but i've had a few bits that have needed doing which have been pricey, friends have suggested A3/A4 as fairly reliable and repairs are cheap (but I've heard reports about DSG and 1.4TSI issues), any thoughts? I normally look at the 5 year old mark when I buy as its done a lot of depreciating by that point.

 

[Deletedmember130310]

keep what you have - you will lose more on a new car, even before ULEZ comes in.

 

[219]

The ULEZ depreciation thing will only affect the market where those zones exist , for the majority who live nowhere near these zones nor ever go near them , even less likely to nowadays : can't remember when I last drove into a city , and I live 25 miles from Glasgow , it won't make a blind bit of difference .

Advertise your car nationally , and you'll do OK selling it .

I'd hang on until you need to change if otherwise happy with what you have ; new car emissions will keep improving , as will new technology like electric , there will be more choice in two years time .

Otherwise , today's 3 year old cars will be 5 years old in 2 years time ....

 

[MercedesDriver]

There is no such small premium car which will have an appeal and will make you feel good like the one you already have. Choose any new small car on the market, ask the dealer for 24h test drive and you'll look forward to getting back to your E class.
Keep it, you'll need it when you want to go somewhere out of ULEZ and when the ULEZ expands in 2021 get the one compliant for daily use. At least that is what I'll do.

 

[derektrotter]

Thank you all for the replies, I think the big service this year is also what was making me think whether to keep or not (B service, ATF, v belt change as noisy).

After reading the above I'm in agreement, I'm going to switch to a reputable indy (until now had full MB history but dont think its going to add much in value anymore) and get all bits done and keep for another 2 years, the new A class looks pretty good so might look at that as it'll be 3 years old by then, hopefully more petrol choice too by then.

 

[st13phil]

There is no such small premium car which will have an appeal and will make you feel good like the one you already have.

...the new A class looks pretty good so might look at that as it'll be 3 years old by then, hopefully more petrol choice too by then.

A someone who has recently made that swap, from an E63 Biturbo to a W177 A220 AMG line Premium, I can say that it's probably the one exception to the rule above.

 

[219]

Thank you all for the replies, I think the big service this year is also what was making me think whether to keep or not (B service, ATF, v belt change as noisy).

After reading the above I'm in agreement, I'm going to switch to a reputable indy (until now had full MB history but dont think its going to add much in value anymore) and get all bits done and keep for another 2 years, the new A class looks pretty good so might look at that as it'll be 3 years old by then, hopefully more petrol choice too by then.

If looking at 3 year old cars , you will probably have a huge choice of ex lease / company cars which tend to be returned at that age .

 

[merc85]

Mercedes w201 190?

 

[219]

Mercedes w201 190?

In all seriousness , a classic car aged 40 years or more , which is exempt from VED , would I believe also be exempted from ULEZ , congestion charge etc .

 

[merc85]

The Op would still have to pay VED, and the normal Congestion Charge but not the ULEZ

What would a nice little low mileage classic 190 be £s worth? would also hold its value

Just thinking aloud something like below 1990

1990 1 prev family owned & only 33k genuine miles!!! For Sale | Car And Classic

 

[derektrotter]

I do love classics and the thought has crossed my mind too, however for my daily need reliability, some tech/gadgets and safety, the latter only came to my mind when a lorry wrote off my car at 70mph, the E class protected me very well, so much so I brought another one straight away

 

[219]

The Op would still have to pay VED, and the normal Congestion Charge but not the ULEZ

What would a nice little low mileage classic 190 be £s worth? would also hold its value

Just thinking aloud something like below 1990

1990 1 prev family owned & only 33k genuine miles!!! For Sale | Car And Classic

A 190 wouldn't quite be old enough to qualify just yet , the earliest being 1983 or so , but something like a W123 , 1979 or earlier , would be .

I know they have good crash protection , although never had more than a minor rear end shunt in any of my 123s , but I did walk away from a very bad crash ( A road head-on , doing 60 before I braked when confronted with an oncoming car on my side of the road , overtaking a lorry ) in my dad's W115 220/8 ; I was uninjured , thanks to wearing the non compulsory at the time seat belt , and the uninsured , unlicensed , alleged car thief in his step dad's Capri who hit me , was taken to hospital with three broken limbs , broken ribs , facial injuries ( not done by me ) , and still he absconded ... so even a 1970's Merc is still a very safe place to be .

While a properly maintained one would be perfectly reliable , where they do give out to newer cars is in fuel economy , and while something like a 200 or 230 wouldn't break the bank to run , a 280E would constantly be dragging you onto each forecourt to fill up ( I've had four cars with that engine , so I know ) .

Another , more compact , but still classic and tax exempt option , from the era , and which might fit the bill , would be something like a BMW 2002 , if you can find a nice one ?

 

[219]

Not particularly cheap , but here's an example of a 40 year old , tax ( and ULEZ ) exempt car , which gives surprisingly little away to newer cars .

Stunning Mercedes Benz 1979 W123 230C Pillarless Coupe - Immaculate Example | eBay

a less costly example

Mercedes-Benz 200 2.0 auto | eBay

This one still a couple of years to go till tax exempt

1981 Mercedes-Benz 230 - Superb original condition - 72K Miles - Zero corrosion | eBay

and one with an eye watering price tag

A Classic C123 Mercedes-Benz 280CE with Just 26,902 Miles from New | eBay

 

[jdrrco]

Mercedes w201 190?

Like this one?
Auto Trader logo

 

[rayaans]

Hi all

Was after some advice, I have a 2011 E250 Diesel on 90k miles which I'll have to get rid of due to the expanding ULEZ zone, I realize this is a couple of years away but I've got 2 options:

1) Keep car until ULEZ zone starts and then look to buy another car

Pros: Current car is not depreciating by a big margin every year at the moment, may get better value out of new car purchase 2 years down the line, quick look on autotrader for my car suggests its only worth about £7500 now.
Cons: Current car may actually be much harder to sell due to the expanded ULEZ and will lose out anyway, I'm thinking worst case should still be worth £5.5k in 2 years but not sure?
​

2) Start looking for a car now but nothing else seems to appeal, I dont need a big car, something A class to C class sized would be fine, actually leaning towards the smaller option.
My dilemma is what car to look at, I want something with a premium feel, petrol automatic and reliable, my E has been good overall but i've had a few bits that have needed doing which have been pricey, friends have suggested A3/A4 as fairly reliable and repairs are cheap (but I've heard reports about DSG and 1.4TSI issues), any thoughts? I normally look at the 5 year old mark when I buy as its done a lot of depreciating by that point.

Firstly, it depends on your view of what premium feel is. For example, premium feel to me is RWD with good interior build quality. For others, premium is all about the badge or the looks. I had an A250 for a few days, premium look certainly, but the interior was nowhere near as well screwed together as a C-class or above, and definitely not a patch on the build quality of an A3. However, it looks good despite having a few flaws i.e. the steering wheel obstructs the right hand side of the navigation screen.

My previous car was actually a 1.4TSI VW Golf MK5 which is pretty much the same as the ones in the newer models. The engine itself is as reliable as it gets, had no issues whatsoever at 70k miles on a 11 year old car and I had it remapped to 150hp. It was a 122hp version to begin with.

If you want reliability and premium, nothing beats Lexus. My parents have had 4 over 15 years, combined mileage of around 200k+ miles with not a single thing going wrong on any of them

 

[merc85]

That little 2.6 190 is a stunner! I had one of those and a 2ltr version, nothing went wrong with either , as for being safe my late father wrote off my 2lt one twice, once run in into the back of a clio then after buying it back from the insurance company he drove into the side of a Renault Laguna, both times the car took the hit really well and he wasn’t hurt at all. Cracking cars if a little plane, but less to go wrong.

 

[John]

some tech/gadgets and safety, the latter only came to my mind when a lorry wrote off my car at 70mph, the E class protected me very well, so much so I brought another one straight away

OP wants tech and safety so this rules out the classics albeit you could update the tech somewhat.

 

[merc85]

How about a w168 que all those snigger at the back, a little a190 or such with leather and wood with a manual box would do a treat.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Personally, I'm not convinced that "routine" maintenance is more expensive than depreciation on a newer car. It hasn't been my experience at all, given that I use proper, pukka MB Independents, not main dealers.

You don't say how many miles you're doing, but as a simple guess, it's hard to see that you'll be losing more than a grand a year in depreciation over the next three years. That's not a lot o' money.

As discussed above, someone will want your "ole" Diesel outside the ULEZ areas. It's a desirable used car. (Vectra diesels: not so much)

Good luck in your ruminations.

 

[SlimJim]

My wife just returned a leased Infiniti Q30, certainly had a premium feel, as good as a Mercedes.