Hi All,
I am considering buying a 5 year old Merc E Class 270CDi. The Warranty Direct premium is £480 pa, but the non franchised dealer uses AutoProtect Gold which they say they they sell at cost and the premium would be half the WD price.
I appreciate that a 5 year Merc is a risk but I am trying to mitigate against the real nasties that HJ lists. Can anyone advise whether those would be covered please?
I guess I could ask the warranty companies but any opinions here would also be appreciated.
All the best.
FTF
Edited by Pugugly on 16/05/2009 at 22:36
|
I guess I could ask the warranty companies but any opinions here would also be appreciated.
Don't buy a Merc'
Head not Heart.................MD
|
I trust you have £3k a year for maintenance and repairs?
Read the Mercedes Benz owners Club Forums...
Do you like treating rust?
Edited by madf on 16/05/2009 at 23:30
|
A 5yr old E Class should be absolutely fine. It's 6-10yr old ones that had all sorts of issues, including rust.
I think WD warranty covers, with some owner contribution, failures due to wear and tear, which might save some heartache.
Have you got a trusty Mercedes independant specialist lined up to look after it?
Edited by Bill Payer on 16/05/2009 at 23:43
|
I do appreciate the level headed advice here, but I want to spoil myself. Letting my head rule would see me in a Nissan Micra probably, but I want a big nice classy car. Being as my max budget is about £13K, it needs to be somewhere in the 3 to 5 year bracket.
For those that doubt the Merc - what do you suggest?
Thanks for responding.
FTF
|
For those that doubt the Merc - what do you suggest?
If its got to be diesel then that rules out Lexus...the diesel engine on offer isn't anywhere near powerful enough to compare....however if petrol is considerable anything that takes your fancy.
Why on earth Lexus didn't use a proper 6 pot diesel from day one is beyond me and i believe a big mistake, they would have made the German makers sharpen up a bit.
Obvious diesel choice to me is one of the last E39 BMW 530 diesels, you might get into a E60 535D with a bit of searching.
Outside choice....Citroen C6?
Edit..agree with BP a good MB indy is essential i'd be broke without mine.
Edited by gordonbennet on 17/05/2009 at 00:08
|
|
|
For those that doubt the Merc - what do you suggest?
If it's a diesel what about Jaguar? XJ or S-Type 2.7 - nice cars for not too much money. S-Types will be under £13k by now and probably the XJ too.
|
|
|
|
Have you got a trusty Mercedes independant specialist lined up to look after it?
Ummmm, no. You're suggesting that's kind of important aren't you??
Regards.
FTF.
|
Ummmm no. You're suggesting that's kind of important aren't you??
Probably. Most dealerships do offer hefty discounts for servicing work on older cars but repairs will still seem expensive. Non-specialists can do routine stuff but won't have the Mercedes diagnostic tool, StarDiagnose.
There are loads of specialists around - search (or ask on) the Mercedes specific forums.
|
|
|
|
|
Read the Mercedes Benz owners Club Forums... Do you like treating rust?
I take it YOU dont read them!
211's dont rust.... 210's do!
211's were unreliable though.... but most are sorted now, although your better off getting a facelifted one.
|
How much are you looking to pay Fred? A colleague has just bought a 5 year old E270 and I'd like to know if he got a bargain!
(Some of you may remember me querying the purchase of a C270 for him - it turned out to be a year older and an E class. He seem happy enough so far)
|
|
A Volvo S60 D5 at two to three years old might be a safer buy. Recent threads on here suggest so.
|
|
|
How much are you looking to pay Fred? A colleague has just bought a 5 year old E270 and I'd like to know if he got a bargain!
I'm not going to buy it because I want an estate and preferably a lower mileage, but I test drove a E270 CDi Elegance that had done 96K. It was for sale at a non franchised dealer for £9,700. I have to say it was lovely!
Depending what I get for mine, I could possibly go to £14K, which rules out the Merc dealers!!
That test drive was what started me on this thread. The dealership claim to sell (at cost) a warranty with AutoProtect for £200 and was wondering if it covered any of the nasties that HJ lists in his car by car review of the E-Class.
What did you friend pay?
FTF
|
To go back to the original question:
1/ What duration warranty is the dealer giving you in the deal? Sale of Goods Act effectively (but not literaly) gives you 6 months.
2/ What duration are you talking about buying; presumably 12 months?
3/ Check the actual covered items, claims limits & exclusions with both companies
4/ How do you know he is selling you the warranty at cost price; because he says so?
5/ Check the labour rate allowed - can the repair be done at a Merc dealer (with no contribution from you)?
If it were me I would be saying to the dealer "you pay for the first 6 months, anything goes wrong & you stand the cost; I'll give you £150 for the second 6 months". This MUST be all mechanical & electrical parts cover, at least £2,000 claim limit (preferably no limit).
Actually not true. As others have said, don't buy the Merc! That's why God invented Honda, Nissan, Mitsi, Toyota etc etc & they make more than Micras.
|
|
|
What did you friend pay?
Only £7k. It was from a relative. Looks like a bargain though.
|
Only £7k. It was from a relative. Looks like a bargain though.
Volvo or much more sensibly a Mondeo, yes really.
MD
|
|
|
Only £7k. It was from a relative. Looks like a bargain though.
Agreed sounds like a bargain. How many miles?
FTF
|
My brother's 54-reg E270 estate has just turned 100,000. He's owned it since 6 months old. No problems. Recent smoking and loss of power turned out to be a split pipe - replaced very simply and cheaply. My 05-reg E320 estate is now up to 65,000, and it's been fine (SBC ECU replaced under warranty is about all that's gone wrong).
Find a good one, and you should have no worries.
|
Find a good one and you should have no worries.
As with all cars, therein lies the problem Sir.
MD
|
|
If I could buy an E Class tomorrow I would. Fabulous car!!! Unfortunately it has to wait because of the present circumstances. In time I will get one!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
