Options for a friend.

[Sslink]

My friend has just asked me to help him find a new (first) car.
He's only just passed his driving test at the ripe old age of 29 and very keen to get on the road.
For better or worse he's got his heart set on "some sort of mercedes". I can't fathom exactly why but there we go.

He knows insurance is likely gonna be a killer seen as he's only just passed but he's prepared to pay what it takes to get going.
Thing is his actual car budget isn't that large.
In total it's around £8k including insurance.

Requirements:
4/5 doors as he has 3 kids, 10, 4 and 1 and a better half.
Petrol as his commute is only 22 miles round trip.
He prefers comfort over sport but wouldn't mind if it had a little bit of poke.
Wants the neighbors and colleagues to "notice"...
As little borkage potential as possible.

Like I said hes got his heart set on a Merc but surely there are some better less economically explosive cars available that might suit him just as well?
Im going to go with him when we've got a shortlist together to test drive and what have you. Not that I know a lot about cars but I've been driving for a while so I could certainly be able to get a better idea of what feels right and what to look out for.

Thanks.

[nobrakes]

He had a lot of baggage:

2.1 E220 CDI SE 7G-Tronic Plus 5dr

£7,850

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202107185... reg)
2.1 E220 CDI SE 7G-Tronic Plus 5dr

Price£7,850
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202107185...

[randlemarcus]

Pick out a few edge of budget Mercedes that will impress the neighbours. Tell him to get insurance quotes.

Then show him the 4 grand Skoda he can afford.

[HTP99]

nobrakes said:

He had a lot of baggage:

2.1 E220 CDI SE 7G-Tronic Plus 5dr

£7,850

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202107185... reg)
2.1 E220 CDI SE 7G-Tronic Plus 5dr

Price£7,850
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202107185...

Budget is £8k including insurance. First car, only just passed his test, insurance will eat a very large chunk of that £8k.

29 years old and worried about what the neigbours and his colleagues think!!

Edited by HTP99 on Saturday 7th August 15:44

[nobrakes]

Missed the including insurance, but I didn’t think an E200/220 would be that bad. If ok, rinse and repeat with older E class.

Or, budget creep - we all suffer from it.

[georgeyboy12345]

randlemarcus said:

Pick out a few edge of budget Mercedes that will impress the neighbours. Tell him to get insurance quotes.

Then show him the 4 grand Skoda he can afford.

This.

[georgeyboy12345]

To be fair, he could go for one of the more lowly A- or B-classes. If he's just passed his test, then I don't think he should be driving stuff with too much poke for about a year until he becomes a better driver. These will be plenty fast enough. He can always stick AMG badges on them if he wants to think he's impressing his neighbours. Also, most Mercs are automatics, except for some of the lower spec ones, if he goes straight into an auto, he'll soon forget how to drive a manual having passed so recently.

A180 CDI - this leaves him a grand for insurance
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202107084...


B180 CDI - might be better as he has a big family - this one leaves him several grand for insurance/repairs
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202108025...


This C220 CDI might just about be doable, leaving him a grand spare for insurance and has some poke for a new driver
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202012026...


If he needs something ULEZ compliant, this C180 is low miles, has nearly a year on the MOT and leaves him a couple of grand to sort insurance
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202108045...

[Jasandjules]

Think the first thing he needs to do is establish insurance prices... That will then tell him how much he can actually spend on the car (or how much his budget has to increase)..

[Sslink]

He had his eye on a C class and the insurance was around the high 2k mark which I told him is ludicrous even by first car standards.
I'm doing my best to talk him out of it as he said he doesn't want big expensive things to go wrong which I imagine with a leggy Merc is almost guaranteed.

[HTP99]

Sslink said:

He had his eye on a C class and the insurance was around the high 2k mark which I told him is ludicrous even by first car standards.
I'm doing my best to talk him out of it as he said he doesn't want big expensive things to go wrong which I imagine with a leggy Merc is almost guaranteed.

He won't listen, they never do, he will do what he wants to do, I've lost count of the amount of advice I've been asked when it comes to cars and it's always been ignored and inevitably it goes wrong.

[nobrakes]

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202106183...

E200. 2005. Put a random cheap private plate on before it arrives to fool some of the neighbours
Only 93k miles.

ULEZ compliant

[Jasandjules]

Sslink said:

He had his eye on a C class and the insurance was around the high 2k mark which I told him is ludicrous even by first car standards.
I'm doing my best to talk him out of it as he said he doesn't want big expensive things to go wrong which I imagine with a leggy Merc is almost guaranteed.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202108025738360?model=C%20CLASS&advertising-location=at_cars&sort=year-desc&radius=1500&maximum-mileage=100000&make=MERCEDES-BENZ&postcode=ss155xf&include-delivery-option=on&price-to=6000&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=Used&page=2

[nobrakes]

Mondeo. He needs space more than a Mercedes.

[ZX10R NIN]

2K is not bad for a first time driver getting a Mercedes, the sensible option is guiding towards a CLC160 Sport, they tick the boxes of being nice inside thus feeling like a Mercedes as well as looking the part & the insurance should be a little more reasonable:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202107305...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202105142...

[Sslink]

ZX10R NIN said:

2K is not bad for a first time driver getting a Mercedes, the sensible option is guiding towards a CLC160 Sport, they tick the boxes of being nice inside thus feeling like a Mercedes as well as looking the part & the insurance should be a little more reasonable:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202107305...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202105142...

Whilst he does like the look of them he really needs 4/5 doors for his bambinos.

Thank you for all your suggestions so far guys. If you've got any non Merc equivalents I can show him as well that would be champion.

[nobrakes]

Petrol Skoda Superb estate
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202108015...

The end, I’d say.

[b9boy]

Read the title of this and instantly felt sorry for you. It;s a thankless task and my advice would be to not get involved. Been here so many times over the years helping the MIL, the brother, the SIL blah blah. They all ignore you because despite what they say they already know what they WANT rather than what they SHOULD BUY or CAN AFFORD.

Frustrating and ultimately pointless experience that leads to a little resentment.

He has the internet (to indulge himself in what he likes) and he can easily get himself an insurance quote (to see hat he can afford) = job done.

[nobrakes]

b9boy said:

Read the title of this and instantly felt sorry for you. It;s a thankless task and my advice would be to not get involved. Been here so many times over the years helping the MIL, the brother, the SIL blah blah. They all ignore you because despite what they say they already know what they WANT rather than what they SHOULD BUY or CAN AFFORD.

Frustrating and ultimately pointless experience that leads to a little resentment.

He has the internet (to indulge himself in what he likes) and he can easily get himself an insurance quote (to see hat he can afford) = job done.

Correct.

That burgundy Superb is a nice motor. As are basic E class estates.

Advice - all you want to hear is what you already think yourself - well, that’s the only advice you’ll take!

He was sprogged up at 19 ffs.

[b9boy]

nobrakes said:

Correct.

That burgundy Superb is a nice motor. As are basic E class estates.

Advice - all you want to hear is what you already think yourself - well, that’s the only advice you’ll take!

He was sprogged up at 19 ffs.

I've seen this behaviour in all ages and at all price points.

MIL @70+ with £8K

Brother @ 40+ with £3K

SIL @ 50+ with £100K

Friend of the OH @ 60+ with £18K

Every single time you spend hours finding the perfect find (the unicorn) and they say something like "I don't like the wheels" or "I know I said I wanted silver but actually I might now want red".

It's bad enough they drag you in as an individual let alone the OP further dragging the internet in. Avoid - avoid - avoid.

[nobrakes]

b9boy said:

nobrakes said:

Correct.

That burgundy Superb is a nice motor. As are basic E class estates.

Advice - all you want to hear is what you already think yourself - well, that’s the only advice you’ll take!

He was sprogged up at 19 ffs.

I've seen this behaviour in all ages and at all price points.

MIL @70+ with £8K

Brother @ 40+ with £3K

SIL @ 50+ with £100K

Friend of the OH @ 60+ with £18K

Every single time you spend hours finding the perfect find (the unicorn) and they say something like "I don't like the wheels" or "I know I said I wanted silver but actually I might now want red".

It's bad enough they drag you in as an individual let alone the OP further dragging the internet in. Avoid - avoid - avoid.

Yes, then they end up buying a pig and … it’s your fault!