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Ta ta Vectra...

...hello Merc 300TE.

Well, on Sunday anyway.

Am I doing the right thing?

I like my Vectra, but it's proven to be an expensive and difficult to fix PITA so far... so I want something reliable - I don't mind spending that bit extra servicing my cars, I just get pissed off when having, if anything, had them serviced more than needs be, I still end up with problems.

I am aware the Merc will probably guzzle fuel round town and be a fair bit dearer to insure, but are they really as reliable as most of the sites I've looked at suggest, are they nice to drive, and when, (if ever), they do go wrong, are they reasonably easy to fix?

TIA

-- JackH

Reply to
JackH
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It sounds like you've already committed yourself!

If fuel is an issue consider a diesel Merc or an LPG conversion.

Any car is expensive if you go to a main dealer, and Mercedes more than most. Second hand parts will be harder to find for a Merc than for a Vectra. Mercedes do hold their value better though, and so will be more expensive to buy second hand.

The Merc badge will disappear if you park in a rough area.

Having said all that, I'm probably going back to a Mercedes from a Cavalier. A 12 year old Merc will set me back the cost of two Cavaliers, but I'm missing one that I owned a few years ago :(

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Reply to
DP

you've done the right thing. Anything that doesn't involve driving a Vectra has to be a step in the right direction, and the W124 series Mercs are probably the best they ever built.

Reply to
Pete M

Well it's a high miler, but is in excellent order.

I know they get panned, but I actually like the way the Vectra drives... I'm just not in the habit of owning something that goes wrong, and then costs the earth in labour charges to fix just through deliberate, poor design.

-- JackH

Reply to
JackH

I would like a W124 for my next car, but am going to wait until I find exactly what I want, which is a 93-96 280-24v estate, FSH, immaculate inside and out, new MOT, 7 seat option, leather, climate, remote locking, load cover, and cruise.

Keep us posted on the 300!

Reply to
Me

You quite sure you know what you want? ;-)

I won it on eBay.

Someone else has now taken it upon themselves to offer me £250 to swap the seven seater option with the bits out the back of their five seater...!

-- JackH

Reply to
JackH

Err, a bloke in u.r.c.misc was looking to sell nearly exactly that 3 days ago...

See news:bk4crp$rfo$ snipped-for-privacy@new-usenet.uk.sun.com

Reply to
Grant Mason

I'm waiting for one that is immaculate, not just 'pretty good nick' , the problem is I drove one about a year ago, but could not afford it (bought a Honda Accord instead) and it was in absolutley amazing condition, none of the examples I have looked at recently have been as good as 'the one that got away' so the search goes on!

Reply to
Me

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