taurus
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,084
|
|
May 14, 2017 13:46:48 GMT
|
|
To cut a long story short - I have been offered for free a late 90's Merc E 200 saloon with about 130k on it, 2.0 engine, auto transmission, MOT to August. It's been regularly serviced by a local workshop so reasonably well looked after. The MOT history shows corrosion in the front subframe about 4 years ago which must have been fixed. Other than that it's got a decent MOT pass history. There's surface grot on the rear sills and wheelarches but no serious rot visible. However I haven't had chance to get it on ramps and I believe they can rot badly.
My current daily (an incy winsy Yaris with pedals to make it go faster) is nearing the end of its days so at some stage I'll need a replacement.
I know little about Mercs. Are they as horrendously expensive to run/fix as I suspect?
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
May 14, 2017 14:27:36 GMT
|
|
No more expensive to fix than your yaris, it will drink more though.
|
| |
1988 Mercedes w124 superturbo diesel 508hp
1996 Mercedes s124 e300 diesel wagon
1990 BMW E30 V8 M60 powered!
1999 BMW E46 323ci project car
|
|
|
|
|
May 14, 2017 16:28:36 GMT
|
|
Nah their cheap enough to fix but you do need to get handy yourself with the spanners as frankly if you're getting into dealer territory for jobs then the monies will rack up soon enough.
Quite a boring car though a 2.0 one of those, probably slower than your yaris plus those yaris tend to go on forever so if it's reaching the end of its days it's either super rough or its had/due a major failure.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
May 14, 2017 16:38:57 GMT
|
|
On an E-class that surface rot probably isn't surface rot but they seem to soldier on indefinitely with gaping holes in the body gaffer taped over. At least they do around here.
|
| |
Jaguar S-Type 3.0 SE
|
|
|
|
|
May 14, 2017 18:54:24 GMT
|
Surely the only thing to do is cut springs and put a set of 90's wheels on. Mine was crusty, faded and also a budget 2 litre spec - felt like a boss razzing it around as a youngster with 17 x 9 azevs on it though.  |
| |
|
|
taurus
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,084
|
|
|
|
those yaris tend to go on forever so if it's reaching the end of its days it's either super rough or its had/due a major failure. It is rotting from the inside out. I welded the sills a while back but when they were open the whole structure inside was seriously corroded. Mechanically it is bombproof. |
| |
|
|
VIP
South East
Posts: 8,293
|
|
|
|
|
Common rust point on the W210 is they rot out behind the headlamp bowls, and because that's within the prescribed area of the strut towers, its a MOT fail.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Its free - enjoy it until it rots away. Simple. I still love my W210 despite it's flaws. Effortless wafting.
|
| |
96 E320 W210 Wafter - on 18" split Mono's - Sold :-(
10 Kia Ceed Sportwagon - Our new daily
03 Import Forester STi - Sold
98 W140 CL500 AMG - Brutal weekend bruiser! Sold :-(
99 E240 S210 Barge - Now sold
02 Accord 2.0SE - wife's old daily - gone in PX
88 P100 2.9efi Custom - Sold
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
What he said. Just thrash it till it dies. At that price you can't go wrong.
|
| |
|
|
taurus
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,084
|
|
May 15, 2017 12:53:44 GMT
|
|
Well it looks like I might be swapping a cheap rotbox for a not so cheap rotbox.
It would make things easier if the Yaris would actually die, but try as I might I cannot kill the damn thing. It's MOT'd until Oct whereas the W210 is only until August. So the Yaris might have the last laugh after all.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
May 15, 2017 14:50:12 GMT
|
|
I have to say that there's quite a few mercs of this era round here, and the state of some of them has to be seen to be believed! I always thought that they were a bit above the average euro rot box, but it looks like I was sadly mistaken!
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
May 15, 2017 15:01:51 GMT
|
|
Brilliant.
I had a little 1.0 Yaris that I thought to be indestructible... then the timing chain failed at 167,000 miles, hilarious little car, went everywhere at full throttle and the last 9 years of it's life didn't have a single service it almost became a joke seeing how long it would live for. Bought a new motor for £100, then with all the new power it ripped the gearbox mount a couple months later so thought it was trying to tell me it had suffered enough, so we put the old girl down. It still made the 20 mile drive home though with the motor half hanging out the car hahaha ahh good memories there.
Mercs are more awesome, little more expensive to repair, but once again, more awesome.
I vote drive the Merc until MOT time, stick it in for a test and make a decision based on work (if any) is required.
|
| |
|
|
markbognor
South East
 
Posts: 9,968
Club RR Member Number: 56
|
|
May 15, 2017 19:29:49 GMT
|
|
Has purchase cool wheels and cut the springs in half been covered yet?
|
| |
|
|
Ryannn
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,421
|
|
May 15, 2017 20:02:28 GMT
|
|
My merc is mega cheap, I even buy spares from the dealer, most work out the same cost as 2nd hand ones!
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
May 15, 2017 20:59:30 GMT
|
|
Can't understand how anyone could enjoy a 1.0 litre Yaris. I had a 1.3 as a rental for a few days a couple of years ago and it was pitiful. No real power at all. Actually thought I'd killed it at one point. Nailed it in second gear to pass a truck on the motorway and started misfiring and coughing like it was going to die. Then I noticed it was bouncing off the limiter. I had the radio maxed out and couldn't hear the engine screaming.
|
| |
|
|
taurus
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,084
|
|
May 15, 2017 21:48:32 GMT
|
Can't understand how anyone could enjoy a 1.0 litre Yaris. I had a 1.3 as a rental for a few days a couple of years ago and it was pitiful. No real power at all. Actually thought I'd killed it at one point. Nailed it in second gear to pass a truck on the motorway and started misfiring and coughing like it was going to die. Then I noticed it was bouncing off the limiter. I had the radio maxed out and couldn't hear the engine screaming. As a cheap, cheerful, park it anywhere, thrash it to death, pile it full of timber and rubble, drive it flat out down gravel tracks, and still get 45mpg - it's my 3rd car but still the one I choose to drive most of the time. Plus it has so many dents there is no-one willing to risk cutting in it. |
| |
|
|
taurus
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,084
|
|
May 22, 2017 15:07:40 GMT
|
|
I have decided. I am going to fulfil a long held ambition to enter a banger rally. For free it's got to come under the purchase price!
Just need to find an event that coincides with time off now.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
May 22, 2017 15:51:18 GMT
|
|
Bravo Sir, thats one thing thats still on my to-do list.
I hear they're aboslutely brilliant. Don't forget to keep us informed!
|
| |
|
|
