Kicking it old school

[R6VED]

So am I brave or stupid? or a combination of the two?

I have been driving a CLS 500 for the last two years and love it, what a great car and with the resonator removed it sounds fantastic. It has the AMG kit and staggered wheels and is in the rather lovely Mystic Blue.

However I have had a hankering to run something a little more old school for some time, so the CLS 500 has been put up for sale today.

I bit the bullet in August and picked up a 1981 Mercedes 500 SEL with 131,000 to use as a daily/semi daily, having had a second child in August and also having a large dog, something estate shaped seemed like a good idea.

HOWEVER my wife (who incidentally is younger than my SEL :-)) runs a V8 X5 so that has lots of room for the children and dog.

I can lease a 5dr Fiesta for £131 a month with no deposit through work and change it every 9 months.

I am throwing this open to the PH collective as I see that I have three options.

1) Run the SEL as my only car (I only do 6k a year)

2) Run the SEL 3-4 days a week and lease the Fiesta as a back up car and cheap runaround to avoid using the V8's all the time.

3) Run the SEL as a weekend cruiser and buy a Saab 9-5 Aero estate for about £3-4k

I like the idea of not having much money tied up in cars, but worry I will miss the effortless pace, style and sound of the CLS. I worry that the 1.25 Zetec Fiesta will be just too white goods for my liking and I worry that running 2 second hand cars could get expensive.

Basically I worry :-) and perhaps should just keep the CLS - it has barely cost me anything over the two years other than standard running costs.

I am unsure of the best route forward.

So what do you think?

[AndrewCrown]

I cannot ever think of an occasion where a grown man should lease a Fiesta.

Keep the SEL... and find something like this E500 Estate.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...

Then you will have 3 V8's and all is well with the world

[Krikkit]

Run the SEL... Or just keep the CLS!

[MagneticMeerkat]

It's a good idea - but for one problem.

The Fiesta will be FAR more fun to drive, say 99% of the time, than a fat old Mercedes of any description.

Really, I'm not making this up. I've previously gone from driving a luxury car to a Fiesta and enjoyed the Ford about a million times more.

Fiestas are really great to drive, handle about as well as anything in real road conditions and have the added benefit of revvy little engines and manual transmissions (usually).

Just think about that first: with a Fiesta there's no more worry about width, country roads are joyous, no more parking nightmares, leave it where you like, modern convenience, light weight, fuel economy, practicality.

You'll end up forgetting you even own a big saloon. Seriously, after being cossetted doing some real driving is addictive. I'd say buy the Fiesta first then see how you feel!

[IforB]

AndrewCrown said:

I cannot ever think of an occasion where a grown man should lease a Fiesta.

Well, that's this thread sorted.

[gtidreamer]

I suspect that 'MagneticMeercat' is on the money here and based on that advice keep your favourite old Merc and lease the Fiesta.

[R6VED]

Thanks for the replies, i have to concur that at 38 i feel a Fiesta is an 22yr old girls car BUT it is genuine fixed cost motoring whilst indulging my passion for cars with something different - the old SEL has already garnered more positive comments from people than any other car i have owned.

I am swaying towards the SEL and Fiesta combo as i have only just bought the SEL so that is going nowhere and the Fiesta will cost next to fk all :-)

[mwstewart]

You are mad if you swap the the W219 for a rented Fiesta.

[Bluehawk]

IforB said:

AndrewCrown said:

I cannot ever think of an occasion where a grown man should lease a Fiesta.

Well, that's this thread sorted.

Well said. +1

[PositronicRay]

R6VED said:

I am swaying towards the SEL and Fiesta combo as i have only just bought the SEL so that is going nowhere and the Fiesta will cost next to fk all :-)

Seems like a good plan, I had a Pug 107 it was so rediculously cheap to own and run it seemed rude to sell it.
It would do anything and with the seats folded could pile a surprising amount of crap in it. Ideal for short runs nipping into town fetching spares for the MB etc, cold running my Merc likes a drink.

[AndrewCrown]

Sir, as my Australian friend would say to me... ' grow a pair' . If one was to take a portfolio view...a fiesta daisy and the SEL... The uncool ness of the Fiesta is not outweighed my the coolness of the Merc. You are left with a deficit of uncool.

R6VED said:

Thanks for the replies, i have to concur that at 38 i feel a Fiesta is an 22yr old girls car BUT it is genuine fixed cost motoring whilst indulging my passion for cars with something different - the old SEL has already garnered more positive comments from people than any other car i have owned.

I am swaying towards the SEL and Fiesta combo as i have only just bought the SEL so that is going nowhere and the Fiesta will cost next to fk all :-)

[R6VED]

:-) So mixed views then.

We do currenly have 3x V8's on the drive totalling 14.4l - I have two of them and they are both 5l V8's.

I feel my PH membership card is currently well deserved with this combination.

Admittedly the loss of one of them followed by the introduction of a 1.25l would seriously damage my PH credibility, but even then 2x V8's on the drive has got to be applauded surely :-)

I drive 8.5 miles to work and then back 5 days a week so mpg has never been much of an issue, BUT the idea of spending the same a month on a brand new car with warranty and no unexpected costs (inc fuel - ish) as I do on fuel a month currently for the CLS.

Hmmm a dilemma indeed - First world obviously :-)