Fix it or flog it? 2009 Mercedes CLC 180K SE

[spoolio]

The Mrs's second car went in for it's MoT today and...passed. But with advisories and one large issue. Not sure what to do really and wondering what the collective PH hive mind would do (it might give me a new angle to look at, you never know). First, some history. The car has been in the family from new, passing from my Aunt at just before it was 3 years old (with 30k miles on it) to my wife who used it daily up until around 2018 amassing some 35,000 more miles. It's been serviced annually without fail and is in pretty good condition. It's got no significant body rot (yet) and drives as tight as a drum. Whilst it's no ball of fire, it does the effortless cruise thing really well (it's an automatic) and returns mid to high 30mpg. But over the last 7 years it's averaged less than 600 miles a year and generally sits still for weeks at a time. The aircon gave up a couple of years ago and I haven't bothered fixing it (I know the condenser has pinhole corrosion) due to lack of use. It's got all the bells we need (cruise, limiter, heated seats) but perhaps more importantly, it was the wife's first "real" car bought with her own money. The rotten Ka3 she learned to drive in doesn't count.

Anyhoo, the thing is, the CLC is now 16 years old next month (so no longer eligible on our breakdown cover). The advisories on the MoT are the brake lines are nearly all really in need to changing, as are the rear tyres, which are cracked to buggery on the inner sidewalls and between the treads despite having 5mm of tread on them and only just getting on for a tad less than 5 years old (yes, I would have changed them at 5 years anyway). And the other front lower arm that wasn't changed 3 years ago is now knackered too. But the biggest issue is that the sump has got a crack in it which is causing the oil to seep out. Apparently it's a 4 hour job to change (£400 at my garage) as the subframe needs dropping which puts it out of my level as I don't have the kit to do it. Plus the cost of a sump (£200 for a Febi one), as no one local in interested in TiG'ing the crack. So all in we're looking at no change from £1,000 for a car that WBAC puts at £1550 online (so realistically £1200-£1300 when they see it).

What would you do, take the financial punch and spend on it in the knowledge it's fundamentally a good solid car that's "known" and keep it around. Or rip the plaster off and let it go and move on?

[Glitzy Mitzy]

If you like the car, keep it 'cause they ain't making more of them.

I'm in the same position: my car is worthless but I spend a bit to keep it going to avoid the need to replace with something more modern that isn't as good.

[BunkMoreland]

spoolio said:

The Mrs's second car went in for it's MoT today and...passed. But with advisories and one large issue. Not sure what to do really and wondering what the collective PH hive mind would do (it might give me a new angle to look at, you never know). First, some history. The car has been in the family from new, passing from my Aunt at just before it was 3 years old (with 30k miles on it) to my wife who used it daily up until around 2018 amassing some 35,000 more miles. It's been serviced annually without fail and is in pretty good condition. It's got no significant body rot (yet) and drives as tight as a drum. Whilst it's no ball of fire, it does the effortless cruise thing really well (it's an automatic) and returns mid to high 30mpg. But over the last 7 years it's averaged less than 600 miles a year and generally sits still for weeks at a time. The aircon gave up a couple of years ago and I haven't bothered fixing it (I know the condenser has pinhole corrosion) due to lack of use. It's got all the bells we need (cruise, limiter, heated seats) but perhaps more importantly, it was the wife's first "real" car bought with her own money. The rotten Ka3 she learned to drive in doesn't count.

Anyhoo, the thing is, the CLC is now 16 years old next month (so no longer eligible on our breakdown cover). The advisories on the MoT are the brake lines are nearly all really in need to changing, as are the rear tyres, which are cracked to buggery on the inner sidewalls and between the treads despite having 5mm of tread on them and only just getting on for a tad less than 5 years old (yes, I would have changed them at 5 years anyway). And the other front lower arm that wasn't changed 3 years ago is now knackered too. But the biggest issue is that the sump has got a crack in it which is causing the oil to seep out. Apparently it's a 4 hour job to change (£400 at my garage) as the subframe needs dropping which puts it out of my level as I don't have the kit to do it. Plus the cost of a sump (£200 for a Febi one), as no one local in interested in TiG'ing the crack. So all in we're looking at no change from £1,000 for a car that WBAC puts at £1550 online (so realistically £1200-£1300 when they see it).

What would you do, take the financial punch and spend on it in the knowledge it's fundamentally a good solid car that's "known" and keep it around. Or rip the plaster off and let it go and move on?

You're focusing on the wrong thing.

Brake lines on those Mercs are the main issue here! Is literally a safety thing. You'll go to brake one day and it'll pop! Which will be less than fun! Happens a lot on that vintage MB!

And to do them will be probably more than the sump work. If you want to keep the car long term then do the brakes, then the suspension arm, then sump then the tyres. But if its not even your main or 2nd car, I'd be getting rid of it now

People get far too attached to cars imo. And I'm guilty of it in the past as well.

[Mr Tidy]

If your wife has an emotional attachment to it then sometimes the heart rules the head.

But given how little use it gets maybe she doesn't, in which case it looks like it's time to move it on.

[Sheepshanks]

Do these have the rear subframe corrosion issue that many Mercs of that era had?

Early 22 I gave away a 2005 C Class estate that I’d had from when it was 5mths old. I was hardly using it since Covid and switching to WFH full time and every time I took it out it seemed to throw up another issue. I thought my indie was overly harsh with MOTing it as the advisory list was immense, but the guy who took it had it MOT’d in a different part of the country and got a similar list.

One of the things I did change was the a/c condenser but the a/c was never great in the car.

[Huzzah]

If you fix it to use fair enough, sounds like a good car. If you fix it then let it rot on the drive then that sounds pointless.

[raspy]

If you only use it for 600 miles a year, then dump it, and rent a car now and then when you need one.

[nobrakes]

Per above , Sensible thing for 600miles a year is uber and or hire car.

If you go without and hate it then decide you want another car anyway, it will cost way way more to replace it.

Mrs Nobrakes had a c180 for 12 yrs a before id an argument with tyre debris on the motorway at night and lost. Brilliant car.

I’d fix it. The cost per mile will reduce with time and you’ll have the convenience of a 2nd car plus you can always sell it later.

[Robertb]

For 600 miles a year it will surely be cheaper to rent as and when rather than pay insurance, VED etc