Buying a car

RaymondLin

Get the Mercedes!!!!!!

3 month’s search and end up with a Toyota Avensis is a life fail.

ICBM

I'd get the Volvo and stop being daft about what it looks like - especially if it's cheap.

digitalscream

Emp_Fab said:

I've been digging around the various sites, looking at common faults with both cars. It appears that despite the premium brand, the Mercedes is liable to suffer more problems than the Toyota.  On the Mercedes, things like the transmission fluid cooler is part of the main radiator and if anything fails there, water gets into the transmission which is obviously very bad news. Also the injectors have a habit of leaking and or getting stuck in the block when you try to remove them.  Another issue is that the car is prone to uneven rear tyre wear due to suspension misalignment.  All of these are very expensive repairs. In contrast, the only thing I could find that is problematic on the Toyota is the electronic handbrake switch is a bit fiddly to operate.

Out of the two, my heart wants the Mercedes but my head is telling me to get the more reliable and lower mileage Toyota.

At the risk of prolonging the process...that's not the only problem common to that model of the Avensis. There's a design flaw with the engine - I forget what its actual name is, but the colloquialism is "The Knock of Death".

I know this, because my wife had a 2009 Avensis as her first car, and it died within five months of owning it. The only way to fix it is basically a replacement engine.

They fixed the very same problem in the Celica (basically the same VVTi engine, in which it was known as "The Death Rattle") about 6 years prior, but for some reason they made the same bloody design mistake half a decade later.

TTony

So.

After 44 pages, the answer is 

2009 Toyota Avensis, 56,000 miles, FSH, 2.0 Diesel


If that’s the answer, WTF, really, WT-fecking-F was the question, because that really doesn’t seem to be the answer to any requirement that I saw posted.

SouthpawMark

Go for the Merc. Servicing and parts is nice and cheap...

TimmyO

Emp_Fab said:

I’ve discussed the selection with Mrs F and have narrowed it down further.  I’ve ditched the green Fiesta and the TT, she’s not keen on the MX5 - neither of us like the colour and I think it’s just too small a car.  If I was tootling around the Côte d’Azur with Mrs Fab, her scarf blowing in the wind, it would be great, but sharing a dark, rainy M4 in winter with a hundred HGVs in a car small enough to slide under most of them is not so appealing.  The Volvo is quirky, but looks like the kind of car a nonce or a teacher (or both) would buy.  I’m surprised the car itself doesn’t have leather elbow patches.

That leaves the 2009 Toyota Avensis, 56,000 miles, FSH, 2.0 Diesel for £4795 and the 2007 Mercedes C200, 102,000 miles, 2.1D Auto for half that price.

Check when the Merc would need it's "C" service - I accidentally bought a diesel Merc over 100k miles and it needed it almost immediately - wasn't cheap 

TimmyO

SteveRobinson said:

Avensis = Harley Benton
Mercedes = R8

Oh yes, I approve this message. 

iseverynamegone

Mississverynamegones Kia Sorento broke down 2 weeks ago. It’s a 62 plate so 7 years old in November this year.   

Some issue with the fuel system , impellor shattered bits of stuff all through the fuel system and in the tank. 2 weeks to repair.  

Kia called today , it’s ready to pick up. No cost to us under the 7 warranty - the dealer told me the bill to Kia UK is £3k. 

Any car can break down , but there is a choice around who pays for the repair. 

boogieman

TTony said:

So.

After 44 pages, the answer is 

2009 Toyota Avensis, 56,000 miles, FSH, 2.0 Diesel


If that’s the answer, WTF, really, WT-fecking-F was the question, because that really doesn’t seem to be the answer to any requirement that I saw posted.

+ 1. This is from someone who didn’t want mundane or boring? I can’t imagine a worse example. 

Emp_Fab

digitalscream said:

Emp_Fab said:

I've been digging around the various sites, looking at common faults with both cars. It appears that despite the premium brand, the Mercedes is liable to suffer more problems than the Toyota.  On the Mercedes, things like the transmission fluid cooler is part of the main radiator and if anything fails there, water gets into the transmission which is obviously very bad news. Also the injectors have a habit of leaking and or getting stuck in the block when you try to remove them.  Another issue is that the car is prone to uneven rear tyre wear due to suspension misalignment.  All of these are very expensive repairs. In contrast, the only thing I could find that is problematic on the Toyota is the electronic handbrake switch is a bit fiddly to operate.

Out of the two, my heart wants the Mercedes but my head is telling me to get the more reliable and lower mileage Toyota.

At the risk of prolonging the process...that's not the only problem common to that model of the Avensis. There's a design flaw with the engine - I forget what its actual name is, but the colloquialism is "The Knock of Death".

I know this, because my wife had a 2009 Avensis as her first car, and it died within five months of owning it. The only way to fix it is basically a replacement engine.

They fixed the very same problem in the Celica (basically the same VVTi engine, in which it was known as "The Death Rattle") about 6 years prior, but for some reason they made the same bloody design mistake half a decade later.

You're sure you're not talking about the Merc ?

"Another common fault of C-class and other Mercedes diesels is failure of injector seals, allowing fuel/air mixture to be deposited as carbon on top of the engine. The problem can be identified by the smell of neat fuel (like paraffin) entering the passenger cabin, and a "chuffing" sound from the top of the affected cylinder as gas escapes on the compression stroke. Apparently it is so common it has been given the name "black death" within the Mercedes dealerships. Unless spotted early, and seals reground and replaced, the cost of fixing can be up to £500."

https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/mercedes-benz/c-class-sport-coupe-2001/good/

Emp_Fab

TTony said:

So.

After 44 pages, the answer is 

2009 Toyota Avensis, 56,000 miles, FSH, 2.0 Diesel


If that’s the answer, WTF, really, WT-fecking-F was the question, because that really doesn’t seem to be the answer to any requirement that I saw posted.

Oh for God's sake Tony..... keep up will you !!  This is NOT the 'keeper car'.  This is the 'emergency short-term car to use until my lime green Veloster Sport Automatic turns up on Autotrader'.

For the record, I liked the TT, especially the dark headlamp lenses !  Not so keen on the fabric roof though.

digitalscream

Emp_Fab said:

digitalscream said:

Emp_Fab said:

I've been digging around the various sites, looking at common faults with both cars. It appears that despite the premium brand, the Mercedes is liable to suffer more problems than the Toyota.  On the Mercedes, things like the transmission fluid cooler is part of the main radiator and if anything fails there, water gets into the transmission which is obviously very bad news. Also the injectors have a habit of leaking and or getting stuck in the block when you try to remove them.  Another issue is that the car is prone to uneven rear tyre wear due to suspension misalignment.  All of these are very expensive repairs. In contrast, the only thing I could find that is problematic on the Toyota is the electronic handbrake switch is a bit fiddly to operate.

Out of the two, my heart wants the Mercedes but my head is telling me to get the more reliable and lower mileage Toyota.

At the risk of prolonging the process...that's not the only problem common to that model of the Avensis. There's a design flaw with the engine - I forget what its actual name is, but the colloquialism is "The Knock of Death".

I know this, because my wife had a 2009 Avensis as her first car, and it died within five months of owning it. The only way to fix it is basically a replacement engine.

They fixed the very same problem in the Celica (basically the same VVTi engine, in which it was known as "The Death Rattle") about 6 years prior, but for some reason they made the same bloody design mistake half a decade later.

You're sure you're not talking about the Merc ?

"Another common fault of C-class and other Mercedes diesels is failure of injector seals, allowing fuel/air mixture to be deposited as carbon on top of the engine. The problem can be identified by the smell of neat fuel (like paraffin) entering the passenger cabin, and a "chuffing" sound from the top of the affected cylinder as gas escapes on the compression stroke. Apparently it is so common it has been given the name "black death" within the Mercedes dealerships. Unless spotted early, and seals reground and replaced, the cost of fixing can be up to £500."

https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/mercedes-benz/c-class-sport-coupe-2001/good/

I'm absolutely positive I know which car my wife had, yes :P

Also, I'm not talking about a "chuffing" sound. I'm talking about a loud banging noise. Hence the name "Knock of Death".

HerrMetal

Well given the Veloster in the desired spec probably won't show up for a couple of years (if ever) you would likely be better off with the Toyota if you were really only going to choose from those two. More chance it will still be running when you next change car. Just watch out for evidence of cracking around the door hinges on those. 

Revolting1

Re merc, injector seals problematical at 180k onwards,also head gaskets at about the same time,usually dead reliable up

   to that time if serviced properly.       Good luck

Emp_Fab

TTony said:

So.

After xx pages, the answer is 

<insert whatever car Emp buys>

If that’s the answer, WTF, really, WT-fecking-F was the question, because that really doesn’t seem to be the answer to any requirement that I saw posted.

You might want to make this a sticky template, to save everyone from having to type the same thing when I eventually do buy a car.

I sense the reason why this thread has generated so much hostility is that my procrastination is delaying the gratification desired by so many to say "Nyeeeehhhhh - I told you so..... / What did you buy THAT for - that's a bag of crap / OMG, they're death-traps" etc etc etc.....

You were just a little eager on the starting pistol son.

Emp_Fab

Revolting1 said:

Re merc, injector seals problematical at 180k onwards,also head gaskets at about the same time,usually dead reliable up

   to that time if serviced properly.       Good luck

@Revolting1 Thanks for that.  I don't know your background but you sound like you know what you're talking about.

RaymondLin

ICBM said:

I'd get the Volvo and stop being daft about what it looks like - especially if it's cheap.

I get a feeling he doesn’t want to buy it is because I have one and why he said only a nonce drives one as a little dig at me.

i know there is no winning in this but it seems whatever car he buys now he loses.  Whether it’s A C30 or a Taxi run around.  The Merc is probably the best bet except for that price I can’t help but feel it comes with a running cost of a merc which he isn’t prepared to pay for.

He can read X car is reliable but all cars will break eventually except when a Focus breaks it has Focus prices, when a Merc breaks it comes with Mercedes prices.

So get the bottom dollar Mercedes, it should be very funny lol

(he has me on ignore anyway but then again, even if he reads it he is going to listen)

RaymondLin

HerrMetal said:

Well given the Veloster in the desired spec probably won't show up for a couple of years (if ever) you would likely be better off with the Toyota if you were really only going to choose from those two. More chance it will still be running when you next change car. Just watch out for evidence of cracking around the door hinges on those. 

A car that nobody buys in a colour that nobody buys shows up 20 miles from his door step?

he is NEVER going to get that, he doesn’t realise it.  It’s like trying to win the lottery.

crunchman

RaymondLin said:

HerrMetal said:

Well given the Veloster in the desired spec probably won't show up for a couple of years (if ever) you would likely be better off with the Toyota if you were really only going to choose from those two. More chance it will still be running when you next change car. Just watch out for evidence of cracking around the door hinges on those. 

A car that nobody buys in a colour that nobody buys shows up 20 miles from his door step?

he is NEVER going to get that, he doesn’t realise it.  It’s like trying to win the lottery.

Maybe he should play the lottery then.

That way, he could have the budget to go into a dealer and order a new one in whatever colour he wants - although that would probably be a very lengthy process as well.

ewal

iseverynamegone said:

Mississverynamegones Kia Sorento broke down 2 weeks ago. It’s a 62 plate so 7 years old in November this year.   

Some issue with the fuel system , impellor shattered bits of stuff all through the fuel system and in the tank. 2 weeks to repair.  

Kia called today , it’s ready to pick up. No cost to us under the 7 warranty - the dealer told me the bill to Kia UK is £3k. 

Any car can break down , but there is a choice around who pays for the repair. 

I'm looking for another car to replace my Kia Ceed - I've found a couple of nice Kia Ceeds with several years of warranty left. However part of me wants to get something different, just for the change. Was thinking Skoda Yeti. You've just reminded me why it really is a no brainer to go for one of the Ceeds... Boring as it may be...