OK, as some of you will remember from my recent thread I'm looking to change cars very soon.
What I need to know is which one is likely to be a better bet in terms of depreciation and to a limited extent, reliability.
The cars I'm looking at are:-
1999 - 2000ish BMW 318 Ci Coupe - probs about 80K - 100K on the clock
2000 Mercedes C-Class C180 (Probably very high mileage, any model, but if it was a Classic it would have to have a few options on it)
2000 - 2001 Audi A4 saloon (high mileage again)
My heart tells me that the one I want most is the Merc, but the problem is that there are *very* few available within my budget of £7K, they are almost all exclusively the old style one with only the odd Classic model new style thrown into the mix. What is reliabilty like on the early C-Class? I don't want to buy one and then be spending a fortune on daily repairs!
I've liked the A4 for a long time, if I got one it would probably be the diesel for residual value, but are the 1.9 TDi engines reliable or are they ridled with problems like Focus TDCi?
The BMW is a lovely car, there are plenty to choose from, and so far it is looking the most likely, my only concern is whether it has definately levelled off it's depreciation by now, especially with a new one on the way.
So, what would other Backroomers buy off this list with a budget of £7K?
Please don't anybody suggest a Mondeo, I know how good they are and if it were solely down to me it would be on my list, unfortunately my only capital here is my current Focus, and I still owe my parents for that, I've tried running Mondeo past them and they think that's ridiculous at my age (I really can't talk them round) and that the *only* type of large cars I should be looking at are more leggy examples of luxury German Marques. Basically I need to tow the line on this one. Anyway, whilst I would like to have a Mondeo on the list, I'm still not in too bad a predicament :-)
Blue
|
|
Don't want to sound annoying Blue but personally I'd go for an Alfa 166 and have some money left to maintain it in fitting style. A4's a bit bank manager and 318 wd surely make you want 6 cylinders.... All your preferred motors seem bad value to me. Not that I can afford nice cars myself of course.
|
|
|
<< ........my only capital here is mycurrent Focus ........
That's not what your Backroom profile says!
--
L\'escargot.
|
Lol, I haven't updated that profile for a *long* time, won't bother now, will wait until I get a new motor!
Lud - Thanks for the suggestion but I'm not really into Alfas, the only one that does it for me is the brand new saloon they've brought out. My situation is I have a 3 year old Focus TDCi which is nice but was bought specifically for my business, that is no longer going to continue trading, and whilst I *could* keep the Focus, I don't really want to, i want something bigger.
My parents who lent me the money (very kindly) to buy the Focus are absoloutely unable to grasp the fact that I like larger cars, they see Mondeos etc as been for old men and therefore there's no way I should buy one (and hence they won't allow me to use their money to buy one). However, they also have an unshakeable appreciation of nice German cars and hence if it's got 4 circles, a Blue and White Propellor, or a 3 pointed star on the front I could get away with just about anything, so I intend to! I know that my money buys me a much older more leggy German car that is barely more capable than a Mondeo, but I don't really care, it's either that or keep the Focus, and I don't want to do that :-)
Besides, now that I've gotten used to the idea I can quite see myself at the wheel of a Merc :-)
Blue
|
Long legged? Low depreciation? German?
I've a mate who ran 944s (maybe a 968 more relevant for this?) for years without losing much at all. Not sure what the insurance would do to you, but it's a left field thought and you'd be surprised how much room there is in them. Was his stepping stone into a Boxster though
Don't think too much to the C180, disappointly small and sparse inside, altough nicer with beige leather, the 3 series dash is like (to quote Adam) staring at a fence; they're all the same from the 316 compact to the X5. The A4 is a nice car, get an SE and it's a decent place to be.
Another depreciation resistant angle would be a MX5 but that's a long away from your suggestion. Makes you think though!
Lee -- You know, it\'s not like changing toothpaste
|
I originally started out looking at a softop, don't like the MX5 but was considering a TF.
However, after lots of thinking I gave up on the idea as it just isn't for me, it would be fine as a second car, but personally I prefer to go down the luxobarge route as much as possible, if I had my way I'd have an A8 or a 7 series!
I did consider a 3 series convertible bu my money only stretches to the old style ones which isn't much good.compared with a more modern car.
I've noticed from Quinn Direct that I can afford to insure a C200K, although I am wary at the idea of having a Kompressor to go wrong!
I really like the C-Class, it might be spartan depending on the spec, but my Uncle has one and I remember been very impressed when he got it, as for the 3 series, I really don't mind the dash to be honest, it's the latest 3 that has the most slab-like dash!
Whilst they may like the German marques I doubt I'll get them to agree to a Porsche!
Blue
|
|
|
|
I had a new shape C-Class for 3 years as a company car. It was a C220CDI Avant Garde with automatic and I got it in May 2000, so one of the very first buil. In terms of extras, well if it was in the options list I ordered it (Command System, climate control, park assistance, memory seats, Harman Kardon hifi, etc.). To be honest the plastics in the interior were not up to the standard of my previous old shape C250TD, but in 3 years and 85,000 very hard driven km absolutely nothing went wrong with the car or any of the expensive toys, except for the Satnav periodically losing its bearings, this was fixed by a software upgrade. I was also impressed with the condition of the vehicle when I gave it back after 3 years, hardly any stone chips and the plastics turned out to be more rugged than I originally would have believed.
My previous car, a 1998 C250TD bought used was also utterly reliable in 12 months and 25,000 miles. At the prices they're now going for I'm tempted to by a 7 or 8 year old estate version as a utility car.
Having said all that, from your list I would buy the BMW Coupe as it's by far the nicest medium sized car to drive.
|
HUm
£7 K, German . . .
What about an early- to mid 1990s W-124 E-Class Coupe? You might even get a E320 for 7K if you looked hard enough. Many think it is the best car Meecedes ever made. Low (if any) depreciation, bombproof (except the wiring loom), great to waft about in and an altogether more stylish choice than any of the above - if you could afford to insure it. Buy now, keep for ever.
Davros
|
|
|
I could never live with myself if I bought a 3-series.
I could never live with the disappointment of buying a C-class (equipment, interior quality).
So that leaves the Audi as my recommendation, but even then, only by default.
|
Id go for a really smart earlier C-Class, pre Chrysler. A customer of mine had a C250 diesel auto which had about 100k on it. They traded it in for a year old Audi A6 TDi Auto and they have been very disappointed with it compared with their old C-Class.
Id avoid the new shape C-Class as those that i clean in my work have fragile interior trim to say the least, even compared to a Mondeo. The bodywork is just not up to the old Merc standard either.
A 6 year old C-Class is only coming in around £5000 with average miles, so could search out a minter for a little more.
|
|
|
|
|
Davros is right - a W124 E Class is a no-brainer for £7k: run it for a few years, problem-free, and make money when you sell it!
|
|
|
If you want a Mercedes go for a bigger engine. The C180 is quite a big, solid car for that engine, and I think you mught get easily bored with it.
Personally I'd go for the A4 - either 2.0T or 1.9 TDi depending on your annual mileage. But try them all - you may prefer the BMW although a 318 again isn't very fast.
|
My problem with the bigger engined models is that they tend to be more expensive to insure, I'm 22 with 2 years NCB and most of the cars I've mentioned will cost between £75 and £85 per month to insure, if I step up a couple of engine sizes things start to get silly!
I can however afford a C200K according to Quinn Direct, which amzes me as I'd have thought that would be a bit quicker than the others and hence attract a much higher premium, also, if I go for a saloon instead of a coupe, the BMW 320i is looking quite affordable and desireable too.
My problem is trying to find these C-Class for £7K, the only decent spec Avantgarde that I've seen is in doom blue with a manual gearbox, hardly what many buyers are looking for in a Merc. According to Autotrader £7K still only buys a realy nice old style one...
Blue
|
Personally I wouldn't have the Merc. Had one ( year old C200K) for a month a few years back when my car was being accident repaired and looked up Honest John's site for the 'what to look for' bits and bobs (cos i'm nosey)and found it spot on.
1. boomy 4 cyl engine, if you can afford it go for the 6 cyl..........( whilst it was quick enough...Kompressor... it did
sound awfully harsh)
2. build quality issues with RHD as built in South Africa......( too true, the mirror fell off)
3. make sure tracking correct as will ruin tyres.....( i scrubbed one bald in 1 month).
Was less than impressed with the interior, bits of wood bunged in in a haphazard fashion and lowish grade plastics, couldn't believe i was in a Mercedes and to be honest, felt let down.
|
|
|
|
