Half-price heroes - All Comments

re: A secondhand dog could be for life

W124 — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 10:13:29 GMT

Autocar running a nice old Merc - about time!

re: A secondhand dog could be for life

Woland — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 11:43:20 GMT

Pick your luxo-barge with care though. Some are unreliable moneypits! I have a W124 and even that (though it will probably go on for ever), is quite capable of springing me the odd ouchsome bill now and again for some mundane component or other. I was quite miffed that the gearbox required a rebuild after only 300,000 kms...

re: A secondhand dog could be for life

bangertastic — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 20:32:35 GMT

Running a borderline scrapper is certainly the most interesting form of recycling I can think of. Another factor is also the use of second-hand parts. You feel obliged to fit brand new (expensive) parts to a new car (expecially if it's in warranty) but with a banger you can just get on ebay and find someone who's breaking a similar car, thus recycling again. From a personal perspective the most satisfying bit is running around in a huge luxo-barge that cost less than a weeks wages and seeing other people in their 7 grand pov-spec superminis suffering the onslaught of depreciation. Why!

re: A secondhand dog could be for life

James Ruppert — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:57:14 GMT

Amazing value Francoservicing. There is actually a feature in the fact that many owners are now skipping services too. I am cheered that that there are so many of us who love the lure of a cheap but well equipped car.

re: A secondhand dog could be for life

W124 — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:34:22 GMT

Sage, sage advice...

re: A secondhand dog could be for life

dillonsamben — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:25:30 GMT

SERVICING

I have to admit I was more than a little GOBSMACKED !

My Citroen Xantia Hdi has just had a full annual service here at our local garage here in Montignac, France and I had to ask if the invoice was correct……………

The total bill, including all parts came to an utterly gobsmacking €82 or at today’s exchange rate £63, yes this was the total bill for everything, oil, filters, parts and labour.

So all of you out there in rip off over charging Britain, journey across the Channel and save yourself enough dosh for a weekend away and a bucket and spade as well and what is more, you have an absolute gut feeling that all the work has been done bloody well as well !

re: A secondhand dog could be for life

W124 — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 14:33:35 GMT

Can we have an article in the magazine about how we might take full advantage of the current economic climate? People don't really know the extent of the bargains that are out there - There is a real sweet spot in mid to late 90's (pre 2001) big, petrol powered motors (IS/GS300's, SLK's, S-Types, Aero's, 5's, 7's and the like) - nobody wants them yet they are serious motors. I think it would go down a storm. An page or two about desirable cars a 'unique series of global events' have suddenly made available most of us. I think it might be a better use of space than yet another bloody Lamborghini going sideways... Clearly the Bangernomics expert is the man for the job. What say you?

Thanks, ESP for your kind comment earlier

re: A secondhand dog could be for life

bangertastic — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 14:10:59 GMT

Couldn't agree more. There are some cracking buys out there if you're willing to take on something with a big petrol engine. I've just bought a 1988 735i SE with 130k miles, full main dealer stamps and 6 months MOT for £400. Even the air con still blows cold. 20mpg isn't ideal but at that price you can't go wrong - it's a jo9y to drive even by modern standards. If it packs up I can just sell the decent bits on ebay and drag the rest down the scrappy and weigh it in.

re: A secondhand dog could be for life

W124 — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:59:47 GMT

It is. Hold out for a 220 (but check the head gasket!!!) - the 280's are the best - 320 models absolutely cane petrol. Don't forget the 190e - the W124 is based on the 201 and bits of the 123 that came before. I think 190's are a bit of a trade secret. They are, pound for pound, the 'best' Mercs of this era and the 2.6 is a thing of joy...

I'm still getting an LS400 though - they are just something else

Bangernomics is the way forward!

re: A secondhand dog could be for life

ESP deactivated — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 17:16:08 GMT

Great login, W124. I've been watching as the value of your automotive namesake continues to slide, and finding myself increasingly tempted to jump in. Late diesel W124s are still silly money - but decent petrol ones are getting ridiculously cheap considering the amount of car on offer. My only question is whether the E200 is as underpowered as I fear it might be...

re: A secondhand dog could be for life

James Ruppert — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 15:57:16 GMT

Oddly enough I was answering a reader question about just that sort of car and in his area there were on 6 cars that fitted the bill, so yes there is a run on precisely this sort of practical, cheap to run car. It's been this way for some time, but in the current prices are firmer and stock more scarce.

re: A secondhand dog could be for life

RobotBoogie — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 14:33:17 GMT

A chap who works for one of the industry data compilers told me last week that the used car market hotspot is £3-4K superminis.

re: A secondhand dog could be for life

James Ruppert — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 08:51:51 GMT

That's a brilliant story and the right way to run a main car, which leaves money left over to spend on something interesting. Glad the dogs are happy in your dog. I am wondering whether re-writing Bangernomics would be a good thing in the current climate?

re: A secondhand dog could be for life

dillonsamben — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 05:37:07 GMT

I gave up wasting countless thousands of £'s per year on new cars a goodly number of years ago.

The car I run now is a Citroen Xantia HDi estate 5 years ago, it had been banged front and rear but well repaired, it was 3 years old and was an ex lease car with 30,000 on the clock and cost me £3,000.

It has now done over 90,000 and hasn't cost me a penny apart from a few tyres and servicing.

It is never washed and never cleaned and is a travelling work horse and mobile dog kennel for my dogs Dillon Sam & Ben.

It is our only car now and owes us absolutely nothing and is brilliant, quite brilliant.

re: A secondhand dog could be for life

James Ruppert — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 18:57:09 GMT

Hondas are great but a main agent involved is always going to be pricey, Korea is of course the new Japan and their stuff is very underrated at taking the miles..