Oh bugger, the things you do when you have had a drink.

I thought one of the aims of changing your car was to save fuel / money?

-- JackH

That is the problem with Alcohol and the internet.

Personally, I'd apologise and offer to pay the blokes listing fees, and pull out - that has 'expensive PITA' written all over it.

If you're hellbent on not getting anything mildly cheap to run and want a load lugger with a known pedigree, I happen to have Timos M plate Merc E280 Estate sat here looking for a new owner.

Black too, so ideal for the Goth who can't justify running a hearse. ;-)

-- JackH

Having had a couple, that one looks a lot better than my old Silver one, before the 16v prices rocketed. I bought that for £300 and got close to the same MPG as I'm getting out of the Lexus.

I've already been offered what I am about to pay, plus a couple of pints by one of the retro-rides guys. Plan is to get it home, check it out, if it turns out to be a bit mankier it looks (headlining aside) I'll do just that, otherwise I'll put it through an MOT and if it passes without too much trouble, I'll tart up the paint/rust patches.

I was loaned one once... drank like a fish.

Seemed reasonably well built though.

Good back up plan, so long as the other chap comes through in the event, so to speak.

-- JackH

Ooooh. Does it have non-grey leather? Aircon?

Weird (well, maybe not weird for the time / marque), spec IMHO.

Grey cloth - it's mint inside, a few digs / scratches on the outside.

Fully electric drivers seat, including the headrest... which I play with every time I get in the thing. ;-)

Air-con, but this is dead as we speak - no idea if it just needs some gas or if it's in need of something a bit more substantial.

Steels - good tyres though.

What it has got, is a good pedigree given Timo is the third owner from new, it's done 161k and it's got FSH with most of this done at MB main dealers, and this is reflected in how nice it drives (IMHO, anyway).

Oh, and Timo muttered something about 'Twin airbags are rare on these / the 2.8 is one of the newer engines they used in this shape', just before he hopped on the plane. :-)

-- JackH

The boot on those is a cave.

Elder gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

Agreed that T16s are the "big name", but a basically solid late T8 (Jubilee, IIRC?) for that money is a damn fine deal. You could easily get a chunk more out of it, especially with the tailgate swapped.

Hell, those alloys are worth a reasonable percentage of your purchase price...

I think the Jubilee and the Tjugofem were anniversary model non turbos. This looks to be the Special Edition turbo, the one they used to get rid of the 8v models before they brought in the 16v LPT models.

I have heard it said there is about £1700 of parts in an old 900 if you can break it, even an 8v. Combine that with the lack of general interest in the 8v and you can see why so many get broken up cheaply for parts.

Thing is, with it being an '89 I should have all the best bits of the later 900, just lacking the 16v motor, but also lacking the transmission shredding abilities too.

I know, I've had one before. You can actually get a body in there with no trouble, with the back seats up. I'm just glad I drunkenly bid on something I like and will be useful for what I need.

If that's structurally OK, it's a bargain. They're a bit thirsty, but you can play with the APC and get more go out of it easily enough. You'll not make it as quick as a T16

Miaow

If he changes his mind, let me know, I'll give you that for it. It should be obvious who I am really ;-). I like Saabs and Citroens, and I'm not Adrian..

Miaow

How do you know this, just out of interest? I note you said "a body" not "a person" ;-)

I got most of a 2CV in the back of one of those. Engine, 'box, wings, seats, roof, exhaust, wheels.

Miaow

Bloody hell, if it who I think it is, the legend delurks.

Oh I'm aware it will down on the T16, but the transmission might hold together a bit better.

I am not going to go all JohnW and get it K-Star'd, that would be just silly. This is hopefully going to be a slightly fun to drive second car, light project and load lugger.

Then it's not ;-)

Miaow!

Body/Person Meh. When I had the silver one, the now ex climbed in to see how big it really was, and could lie down fairly comfortably.

Elder gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

Maybe not - AIUI, the T8s have much more of a "Ooh, look, a turbo" kick up the arse delivery than the T16s.