Head rules the heart.........a sad day

[Brown and Boris]

Just sealed the envelope to send the £12K purchase option payment on my Mercedes B class.

The heart said it was a wardrobe with as much charisma as Gordon Brown and that I should take the £12k and get something more exciting. Perhaps a 12 month old Jeep or CRV, or add a bit and get and S type, Lexus RX or Cayenne? I could even buy new and get a great deal if I went down the market a bit in the current climate. I could even buy a petrol monster and convert to LPG.


The head reminded me that it still had over three years of MB warranty ( it had a 5 year MB warranty when I got it) wghich includes the MB recovery and MOT insurance included, it had just had a service, did almost 50 to the gallon and was a good spec (B180 CDi SE with the sports pack;). I had also taken the depreciation hit and would feel the quality difference if I went to a new Vauxhall or Ford.



Talk me out of before I post the envelpe.

Edited by Brown and Boris on Thursday 2nd October 14:30

Edited by Brown and Boris on Thursday 2nd October 14:30

[Vesuvius 996]

Brown and Boris said:

Just sealed the envelope to send the £12K purchase option payment on my Mercedes B class.

The heart said it was a wardrobe with as much charisma as Gordon Brown and that I should take the £12k and get something more exciting. Perhaps a 12 month old Jeep or CRV, or add a bit and get and S type, Lexus RX or Cayenne? I could even buy new and get a great deal if I went down the market a bit in the current climate. I could even but a petrol monster and convert to LPG.


The heart reminded me that it still had over three years of MB warranty ( it had a 5 year MB warranty when I got it) wghich includes the MB recovery and MOT insurance included, it had just had a service, did almost 50 to the gallon and was a good spec (B180 CDi SE with the sports pack;). I had also taken the depreciation hit and would feel the quality difference if I went to a new Vauxhall or Ford.



Talk me out of before I post the envelpe.

That's £4k more than I've been bid for my 911.

[Orangecurry]

what Soovy said - buy something that you'll enjoy for heaven's sake!

[Speed_Demon]

You're about to bore yourself into oblivion, and going to be stuck with it for a good few years. You can get cars just as practical that are much more fun for that price.

[Diesel Meister]

Sleep on it.

And make sure you dream of more inspiring conveyances than diesel minicabs!


Seriously though, 12k is a good wedge. I'd be tempted to bank it, or at least a good portion of it, then pick up something interesting later. You could get a nice A3 or something (if you need sensible / respectable / discreet set of wheels) and pocket the rest until interest rates retreat a bit.

[Burnham]

What the hell is a B-Class, and are you going to be the only person to own one outright after you have sent the cheque off?

[mat205125]

What does an identical B class go for in the classifieds? Is you settlement figure above or below market retail value for the car?

Why did you ever choose a B class in the first place?

[bull996]

Got to say dont do it.

If you scour the leasing sites they can be had for £179 a month.

http://www.contracthireandleasing.com/cars/Mercede...

You would be fookin crazy to spend that lump sum on it.

[OllieBirmingham]

You only live once, don't do it for christs sake.

[BigLepton]

If you spend the £12k on keeping one of the worst cars you can buy, you are:

A) Clinically insane.

B) Not a Pistonheader.

Still, it's up to you, but I'd burn the B-Class and buy this:

http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/VAUX...

According to the US V8 fans on here like 300bhp it will do 35mpg, never need to be serviced and last a million miles before it needs spark plugs, so you can't go wrong can you?

[Vesuvius 996]

If you've paid more than half then hand it back!

[Brown and Boris]

bull996 said:

Got to say dont do it.

If you scour the leasing sites they can be had for £179 a month.

http://www.contracthireandleasing.com/cars/Mercede...

You would be fookin crazy to spend that lump sum on it.

That is the B150 Petrol. The B180 diesel is £259 plus VAT. 3 years would be £10,955 and no value after 3 years. Even the 150 would be £7570 with no residual and a max of 10,000 miles a year and the B150 is a wardrobe with no power at all.

[patmahe]

I have to say, anything to me is better than that, for a fun steer with all the space and economy you need I'd be heading for an S-Max myself, can quite easily be had within your budget too.

[bull996]

Brown and Boris said:

bull996 said:

Got to say dont do it.

If you scour the leasing sites they can be had for £179 a month.

http://www.contracthireandleasing.com/cars/Mercede...

You would be fookin crazy to spend that lump sum on it.

That is the B150 Petrol. The B180 diesel is £259 plus VAT. 3 years would be £10,955 and no value after 3 years. Even the 150 would be £7570 with no residual and a max of 10,000 miles a year and the B150 is a wardrobe with no power at all.

i know all that, but I would still rather keep the £12000 in a bank and pay out a small amount each month.

As for petrol Vs diesel-all B Class are rubbish (and yes I have driven them, extensively, in Germany) and would say the difference is not worth the extra. To justify a derv you would have to be doing a lot of miles. And surely you are not worried about the performance? Ok the derv maybe quicker, but really we are comparing a snail to slug as niether are anything to write home about.

If its a daily shi*ter you're after, there are loads of other things around, like the Monaro above for eg!.

[Davel]

Tear up the envelope and live!

Once the head takes over from the heart, it's a slippery slope.

Don't do it!

[Orangecurry]

how about enjoying driving once more?

Boxster S
Elise S2
BMW Z3M coupe

more seats?
BMW 840 4.4
968
911 964

more seats into which Adults can fit?
Impreza Litchfield Type-25
EVO
2001 or earlier BMW M5

even more room?
Audi RS2
Legacy 3.0R SpecB

PLEASE anything with some soul

Edited by Orangecurry on Thursday 2nd October 15:54

[bramley]

Does anyone else find it amusing/disturbing to read the words 'Mercedes B Class' and 'Sports Pack' in the same sentence?

To the OP, seriously, you're mad.

[Brown and Boris]

bramley said:

Does anyone else find it amusing/disturbing to read the words 'Mercedes B Class' and 'Sports Pack' in the same sentence?

To the OP, seriously, you're mad.

I did think about selling the Elise and putting the cash with the £12K but the emotional attachment to the Elise was too great. I think I may keep her forever.

Just to show how much a decision of the head the B class was, I did a spreadsheet of depreciation, fuel, servicing, road tax, fuel for 12000 a year, maintenamce, roadside recovery and residuals. Keeping the B class was on a par with buying a 12 month old Kia Ceed diesel cost wise. The Jeep was going to cost me £1500 a year more.

[Fetchez la vache]

Orangecurry said:

how about enjoying driving once more?
Impreza Litchfield Type-25

for £12K?

[Orangecurry]

Fetchez la vache said:

Orangecurry said:

how about enjoying driving once more?
Impreza Litchfield Type-25

for £12K?

well OK 16k (dealer advertised price)....

So the OP already has an Elise..... just buy say a Puma 1.7 for the humdrum and pocket 10k.