Daily Dreaming - what are you looking at?
Discussion
Pommygranite said:
I heard the 3.2 isn't great in the 159 - certainly not an Alfa 6 of old - thoughts?
I thought the JTD in Auto would be a nice torquey cruiser.
The 3.2 is actually a GM engine, built in Port Melbourne, and then finished off by Alfa.I thought the JTD in Auto would be a nice torquey cruiser.
WeirdNeville said:
Why are old mercs so 'cheap' out here? I've seen a few at silly prices. Makes me wary. Parts impossible to get or something?
Parts are actually not too hard to find - quite a few suppliers in Australia. However I think they suffer from being "premium" and "European" so become specialist only when it comes to repairs, and they can charge big $$s.My local garage had to check with the chief mechanic to make sure they could work on my 1982 280TE - all I wanted was a brake fluid change!
If you think old Mercs are cheap here, have a look at UK prices - 18 year old E classes go for less than AUD 2k over there - here you are lucky to find one under $5k! In the UK you buy one, run it until it breaks, and then scrap it.
Agreed Jon - it does look bloody good even what, 6 or 7 years on but it must be in Ti spec to look half decent.
Red or Black - nice...
My local garage had to check with the chief mechanic to make sure they could work on my 1982 280TE - all I wanted was a brake fluid change!
If you think old Mercs are cheap here, have a look at UK prices - 18 year old E classes go for less than AUD 2k over there - here you are lucky to find one under $5k! In the UK you buy one, run it until it breaks, and then scrap it.i heard the 3.2 really wasnt as lovely as the old Alfas - hence the GT appealing. However the 159 does seem like a great car.
Mercs here are very cheap, certainly compared to BMW's of a similar ilk.
Today i have been mostly dreaming about one of these:
2006 Merc E350 Avantgarde 117k kms - get it for approx $26k. Lot of car for the cash.
Red or Black - nice...
Jader1973 said:
Pommygranite said:
I heard the 3.2 isn't great in the 159 - certainly not an Alfa 6 of old - thoughts?
I thought the JTD in Auto would be a nice torquey cruiser.
The 3.2 is actually a GM engine, built in Port Melbourne, and then finished off by Alfa.I thought the JTD in Auto would be a nice torquey cruiser.
WeirdNeville said:
Why are old mercs so 'cheap' out here? I've seen a few at silly prices. Makes me wary. Parts impossible to get or something?
Parts are actually not too hard to find - quite a few suppliers in Australia. However I think they suffer from being "premium" and "European" so become specialist only when it comes to repairs, and they can charge big $$s.My local garage had to check with the chief mechanic to make sure they could work on my 1982 280TE - all I wanted was a brake fluid change!
If you think old Mercs are cheap here, have a look at UK prices - 18 year old E classes go for less than AUD 2k over there - here you are lucky to find one under $5k! In the UK you buy one, run it until it breaks, and then scrap it.
Mercs here are very cheap, certainly compared to BMW's of a similar ilk.
Today i have been mostly dreaming about one of these:
2006 Merc E350 Avantgarde 117k kms - get it for approx $26k. Lot of car for the cash.
The good thing of Mercs of that vintage, is they'll not rust here like they do in the UK.
I think water caused a lot of the issues with the electrics too.
Even the stuff from the 90s doesn't feel *that* dated compared to other brands.
Better for Perth too - Merc for an auto, BMW for a manual.
I think water caused a lot of the issues with the electrics too.
Even the stuff from the 90s doesn't feel *that* dated compared to other brands.
Better for Perth too - Merc for an auto, BMW for a manual.
Big Mercs seem to be a weird mix here, some going for absolutely nothing, others the sellers asking big premium $ for cars that don't look all that great... When looking at w126s very similar cars were listed at $1k and $9k with little to tell why the higher one hoped to get it...
Picked up this for $500 for our Sh*tbox Rally entry this year:
Picked up this for $500 for our Sh*tbox Rally entry this year:
Bibbs said:
The good thing of Mercs of that vintage, is they'll not rust here like they do in the UK.
I think water caused a lot of the issues with the electrics too.
Even the stuff from the 90s doesn't feel *that* dated compared to other brands.
Better for Perth too - Merc for an auto, BMW for a manual.
Agree 100%. Perth seems the place to waft - manual, hard riding, fast machines just seem kind of pointless or maybe just getting old. I fear that the only way is Auto with lots of toys.I think water caused a lot of the issues with the electrics too.
Even the stuff from the 90s doesn't feel *that* dated compared to other brands.
Better for Perth too - Merc for an auto, BMW for a manual.
ariddell said:
Big Mercs seem to be a weird mix here, some going for absolutely nothing, others the sellers asking big premium $ for cars that don't look all that great... When looking at w126s very similar cars were listed at $1k and $9k with little to tell why the higher one hoped to get it...
Picked up this for $500 for our Sh*tbox Rally entry this year:
Thats sensational! I just love the quality, creases included wrap and the Hercules tyres!Picked up this for $500 for our Sh*tbox Rally entry this year:
Jader1973 said:
Saw that in the flesh at Flemington. Looks great! Wouldn't want to be following it in bright sunshine though 
Yep it seemed to be getting a fair bit of attention at Flemington and we got a reasonable haul in the donation bucket too which was great, I had the Merc and my 2 Bentleys on display there a bit further along the same row. Speaking of which, if anyone's daily dreaming finds them hankering after a bright red Turbo R let me know as I know just the one for sale!
This probably isnt going to help with self control but 2 guys at work have just bought cars:
1. $45k new gen Kluger. $0 down, borrowed the $45k with a 40% balloon at 6.0%, just under $600 a month and due to business use, the offsets and depreciation it'll probably work out at something like $350 a month. Thats cheap.
2. $10k 2007 Alfa 159 - $0 down, borrowed the $10k with a 30% balloon (which he was laughing about)at 6.74% for about $160 a month.
Very cheap rates out there at the moment.
1. $45k new gen Kluger. $0 down, borrowed the $45k with a 40% balloon at 6.0%, just under $600 a month and due to business use, the offsets and depreciation it'll probably work out at something like $350 a month. Thats cheap.
2. $10k 2007 Alfa 159 - $0 down, borrowed the $10k with a 30% balloon (which he was laughing about)at 6.74% for about $160 a month.
Very cheap rates out there at the moment.
Hitch78 said:
How is $26k for an 8 year old mid spec Merc a good deal?
- its quick-ish (0-100 in sub 7)-its well specced
-its got a great engine
-its got a great gearbox
-it still looks modern
-its well built
What other 8yr old car that was $130k new can be had for mid-$20's?An 8yr old SS V8 is what, $16k. An 8yr old XR6 is $14k.An 8yr old Passat R32 is $23k. Mercs pretty decent to me.
I'd rather have an x350 aluminium Jag XJ8 at that sort of money instead.
I bought one before Christmas (2005 3.5 v8) and it's a fantastic piece of kit, absolute pleasure to drive and reliability well and truly sorted by that point after the issues with engines and gearboxes in the x308 series. Quite quick when you bury the foot too, but normally very quiet and whafty.
I bought one before Christmas (2005 3.5 v8) and it's a fantastic piece of kit, absolute pleasure to drive and reliability well and truly sorted by that point after the issues with engines and gearboxes in the x308 series. Quite quick when you bury the foot too, but normally very quiet and whafty.
ariddell said:
I'd rather have an x350 aluminium Jag XJ8 at that sort of money instead.
I bought one before Christmas (2005 3.5 v8) and it's a fantastic piece of kit, absolute pleasure to drive and reliability well and truly sorted by that point after the issues with engines and gearboxes in the x308 series. Quite quick when you bury the foot too, but normally very quiet and whafty.
<scuttles off to have a look...ooh thats nice...scuttles back> lovely and can understand why.I bought one before Christmas (2005 3.5 v8) and it's a fantastic piece of kit, absolute pleasure to drive and reliability well and truly sorted by that point after the issues with engines and gearboxes in the x308 series. Quite quick when you bury the foot too, but normally very quiet and whafty.
Is yours a keeper?
I must admit an XJ is perhaps a bit bigger than I would go for and also most at the mid $20k's are 04 or older and higher K's. Choice is quite limited also.
However stellar choice and in true PH fashion now i'll have to start every sentence in 'you sir' when responding to your posts...
Keeper, absolutely. Only wishing I had bought one sooner really. Agreed, I don't think the x350 was a big seller so there's not a huge selection about, the ones sitting on the market have mostly been on there a while so I'll bet there's some sellers out there who would be keen to negotiate....
Makes quite a nice addition to my XJ set.. (Plus really noticeable how much bigger this generation is)
The x300 Sovereign in the middle is up for sale (notionally at least, no great desire really to part with it) so if anyone finds themselves with a hankering for one of those give me a shout too..
Makes quite a nice addition to my XJ set..
(Plus really noticeable how much bigger this generation is)The x300 Sovereign in the middle is up for sale (notionally at least, no great desire really to part with it) so if anyone finds themselves with a hankering for one of those give me a shout too..
Edited by ariddell on Thursday 1st May 02:51
ttest car I've ever owned but cheaper than the train! ariddell said:
Big Mercs seem to be a weird mix here, some going for absolutely nothing, others the sellers asking big premium $ for cars that don't look all that great... When looking at w126s very similar cars were listed at $1k and $9k with little to tell why the higher one hoped to get it...
Picked up this for $500 for our Sh*tbox Rally entry this year:
Ha Ha, i saw you driving this towards the city last week i think, was going up queens way the other morning, you looked to have gotten on from the stkilder/nepean highway on ramp.Picked up this for $500 for our Sh*tbox Rally entry this year:
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