Thinking of buying an oldish Mercedes!

I would suggest a Jaguar S-Type, if you want speed the Type R version is a beast but for 3K it would probably need a bit of work if you can find one, the normally asperated versions are all good although generally get one thats post 2002 as they were better than the earlier ones.

If you want economy the diesel is worth considering but beware that the engines have a habit of crank failure which tends to be caused by the DPF regen process and/or not changing the oil sufficently.

Overall though good cars that are still underated (and hence cheap) and are not that bad to work on.

I had three when they were fairly new (1999 3.0 Manual, 2002 Type R and 2006 Diesel).

The 1999 had lots of annoying things go wrong with it, the Type R was great but wheel bearings were a problem and the diesel I bought needing an engine and put one in.

Despite what I said above a 1999/2000 3.0 or 4.0 in the light metallic blue with the dyanamic wheels and SE spec would be my dream one of these if I could find one and had the money, its the one I wanted when I bought my first one but I just couldn't find one. One just like this but the slightly earlier one with the rubbing strips on the door www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274992599238?hash=item4006d610c6:g:eI4AAOSwjZRhdSXS

You said mid-00s and I may offer an insight into one car that you may have missed off, but you may consider putting on the list.

A Mercedes CLK C209.

Compared to the other early 00s cars, which frankly, I almost have a stable of relatively speaking, it's quite modern.

"But all 00s car are modern". Well, hold on. In short

The interior is quite something for something that's almost 20 years old. It seems more modern isnide than either my ST220 or M3. If I am being honest, it's a halfway house between the M3 and the Mk4 Mondeo I had, and that had the optional Converse screen, which is saying something.

The Multi function display blows the M3's and ST220's out of the water. You have a full interative interface vs. something which was a minor improvement over 90's (dare I say 80s?) tech which is more akin to what is the ST220 and the M3

Cabin is a very pleasant place to be. IMHO, in a CLK format, Mercedes would need to get to a facelifted 204 series cabin or a W212 interior to have something which was genuinely an improvement
-Suspension is also far more forward thinking. It may not drive as old school, but it certainly gets down the road very well with its double balljointed front suspension, in the pursuit for stability

The Rear seats fold flat. I've not seen this in a coupe except a Porsche 944. Except this has a boot where you can put in things more than just a suitcase. I've gone to Cornwall this week and I've put in a bike (wheels off I admit), and my luggage and spares for the week. The seats folding flat has given this car the edge over the M3 in practicality. The aperture in the boot is effectively larger as nothing will drag on the seat.

It can seat 4 people in comfort. OK, Ed China may struggle in the rear but Mike Brewer would be fine in the back. It being a 4 seater does make it more spacious than most cars of its type relatively speaking.

Exterior hasn't aged too badly.

Do you have problems?

Of course you do, you're buying a cheap Merc! Those problems include electrical gremlins. Maybe this is why Ford and BMW didn't push the envelope as far as Mercedes did.

The diesels can have "black death" issues but so can common rail BMWs of this age too. Bar this, the engines are long lived regardless of fuelling type.

The bodies like to rust. Then again, other cars this age have the same problem too.

The boat has sailed on 6 pot Merc W124s. Something for £3k won't be as nice as it once was.

As am example, my E320 estate sold for just over £5k 4 years ago, and that was genuinely rot free with 100k on the clock. I've seen similarly clean cars go for more than that now. The price boom has happened since then.

4 pot stuff may be available. Whatever I've seen go cheap on eBay (especially 6 pot stuff) either is relisted again, with the owner going on about timewasters (generally through being cagey on key details when prompted going off a couple that a friend and I almost bought, or being sold later on by the next owner, which obviously makes you wonder why.

The late 90s/00s Mercs are the best value for now. W210 I'd like to recommend but Jesus they rot so badly! Sprinch perches up front are not unknown for rotting.

Even so, the above didn't stop my friend selling a tatty S210 E320 CDi for £2k.

Regarding the earlier Q about W202 220ds, they should be faster than your friend's W201 190D, depending on which diesel it was/is in either case

-Almost anything is faster than a 4 pot 190D.
-If it was a 190D 2.5 manual, the power would be similar to it, albeit the 2.5 would have a larger spread. The manual would make the 190d 2.5 seem faster.

If the W202 C220 is a CDI, that would be faster than all 190Ds offered in the UK.

I've daily driven a S124 300TD (OM603 auto) and it is not fast but I can't fault it and am unlikely to ever part with it. A friend had a 190D 2.5 manual at the same time and performance was identical, but the 124 didn't feel so gutless as the auto box does downshifts smoothly and at sensible times, it felt like you were working the 190 much harder with less to show for it.

I would not disregard a well looked after 4-pot petrol 124

James

Well the Mini sold quicker than I thought it would. It is a nice car, in good condition but I was asking top money and got it too.
So having listened to all the advice I have gone and put a deposit down on a c220 diesel Mercedes from MTSV.
Flying over next Monday and driving it home.