A mad idea (talk me out of it)

mike65

Okay here's the notion, I sell my Audi A6 this spring and buy a small engined cheapo runabout for a year and save some money and then in 2008 splash out on a big-engined Mercedes, namely a w116 280 or 350 SE.

Classic insurance, no road tax, no NCT all Mercs run on unleaded Ron95-98, find a good un for 5000-7000 euro keep the runabout until the Merc is shown to be reliable then sell it to buy petrol!

for example

Mad?

Mike.

Blitzkrieger

What's mad about it? You'll tear your hair out waiting a year though....

Silverfish

What? That's a great idea. I say do it.

RoundyMooney

I agree. This is not a mad idea in any sense.

It will be a long year though, unless you buy the vehicle beforehand and adjust to fit as it were (every car has niggly little things that need doing).

corktina

you would have to keep the runabout too to qualify for Classic Insurance and the Taxi (sorry) Merc would have to be 30 yrs old to qualify for Cheap (not free) tax and no NCT.....do it though...I drive my Fords all the time.....have an Avensis too which my wife sees more of than me....(:) )

mike65

Some policies don't require a second (everyday) car, anyway I just got a quickie quote off www.123.ie just for the laugh and they'd charge me €341 Third party or €427 all-in.

Mike.

Max_Damage

Why not go the whole nine yards and get a 450SEL 6.9? Sure it may drink gallons of petrol, but you only live once.

Eoin

mike65 wrote:

Okay here's the notion, I sell my Audi A6 this spring and buy a small engined cheapo runabout for a year and save some money and then in 2008 splash out on a big-engined Mercedes, namely a w116 280 or 350 SE.

Classic insurance, no road tax, no NCT all Mercs run on unleaded Ron95-98, find a good un for 5000-7000 euro keep the runabout until the Merc is shown to be reliable then sell it to buy petrol!

for example

Mad?

Mike.

Exactly my plan as well, but will be a different choice of classic. Go for it!

Sounds excellent if you don't need a daily runner also for insurance purposes.

Edit: from the 123 site:

# already have your own private car insured (proof may be required)
...
# is at least 30 years old
# will be driven for no more than 4000 miles in any one year

mike65

Yeah they are mean on the milage, but in a year it may be better. As for second car I think a few companies don't require you to have one.

Mike.

Blue850

I'd keep the everyday daily and have the Merc on a classic policy,I'm getting a classic estate this summer ,a W123 230/280T series or a Triumph 2000/2500.

corktina

80 miles a week...hmm...have to get a second speedo wont you...and claim the first one broke half way through the year if you are ever challenged....

tbh the mileage bit is only there to stop people using these policies as a back door to cheap motoring.....and thats not what you are at AT ALL is it!:)

overdriver

Do it!
You're in the wrong place if you expect somebody to talk you out of it here!
As for the mileage, The Irish Vintage Society policy lets you add on 1000 miles to your limit for very cheap - around a tenner.

(cough!) disconnect the clock...(cough)

mike65

Never understood the agreed milage lark, its not like they ever check is it?

Mike.

overdriver

Unless you're in a crash. then weasey insurers might.

I have to change the clock in my Herald, but I'm not doing it until such time as it is ...beneficial to me, mileage-wise.

shagman

first ireland do the policy you want 10k miles per year and no need for a 2nd bland eurobox cluttering up the drive.

3ps

I have an unlimited mileage classic policy, as my only car, with First Ireland... via St Paul's.

The 10k policy is their own and a bit cheaper.

Traumadoc

Why wait for spring?

mike65

To sell the Audi? Well a couple of things need doing the days and will be longer people like to see a car in the light!

Mike.

tyney

I had a similar plan, but I didn't realise that I'd like the car so much. 3000 miles since september. I'll have to have a chat with the insurance company about the 5000 mile limit. They require an engineers report every year with the mileage filled in on it. I know there's ways around it, but lying to your insurance company over a few hundred quid isn't worth the hassle. especially since you save so much on the road tax.

Eoin

shagman wrote:

first ireland do the policy you want 10k miles per year and no need for a 2nd bland eurobox cluttering up the drive.

Sounds interesting - do you know if that includes commuting to work? A couple of the policies I've looked at so far specifically exclude commuting to work...

overdriver

If you go for it now, you can pick a classic up off-season, it'd be much cheaper. Or buy a fixer-upper...


Oh here, look at this:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1969-Mercedes-Benz-280SL-Pagoda_W0QQitemZ230086287427QQihZ013QQcategoryZ31360QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

8~)

All this worrying about mileage limits - forget the classic policy. Insure the car on a regular policy without limitations. Insurers are fine once they see the car's roadworthy (NCT). Worked for me with several Mercedes' over the last few years.

tc20

eoin_s wrote:

Sounds interesting - do you know if that includes commuting to work? A couple of the policies I've looked at so far specifically exclude commuting to work...

eoin, im also with first ireland. the merc is my only car, and theres no restriction as to the work commute. Im a named driver on my dads policy, which is handy when you (ahem cough) have to use alternative modes of transport. First ireland have a 10000mile limit p/a

Eoin

tc20 wrote:

eoin, im also with first ireland. the merc is my only car, and theres no restriction as to the work commute. Im a named driver on my dads policy, which is handy when you (ahem cough) have to use alternative modes of transport. First ireland have a 10000mile limit p/a

There ya go Mike - you're all out of excuses!

mike65

Just checked the driveway, an s class won't fit! The gate posts are too close together for the angle of approach (poxy narrow cul-de-sac), looks like an early w123 280 then!

Mike.

3ps

a real man would modify the driveway pillars....

cormee

mike65 wrote:

Just checked the driveway, an s class won't fit! The gate posts are too close together for the angle of approach (poxy narrow cul-de-sac), looks like an early w123 280 then!
Mike.

I had the same problem. Demolished the gate posts (thanks Sinead ), car fits grand now!

Regarding the 'mad' idea, I do the exact same thing, I have a '96 Volvo 460 for workdays and the '70 250 CE for weekends, I'd recommend it. I used to use the Merc as my main car until it started exploding every second day or so but it actually works out a lot cheaper for me to have the two cars.

The regular insurance for the Merc as my main car was E1500 with Hibernian, now as a second car I insure it with Irish Vintage Society group scheme for E200 I think, and the insurance for the Volvo is about E600.

Plus the Volvo is ugly as sin so I don't need to worry about it being stolen, or driving into walls/pillars etc (it only cost me E500), and it's a very reliable car.

cormee

mike65 wrote:

all Mercs run on unleaded Ron95-98,

What does this mean to the mechanically challenged like myself? I've been adding lead replacement to my petrol, do I not need to?

tc20

cormee i thought the same, or that i would have to have the head converted to unleaded. i drive a 72 W114 saloon, 230. My mech tells me its cool to use unleaded, tho it does cause wear on the valve seats, leaded fuel would somehow 'lubricate' or not cause this wear n tear. Anywho, i do put in a small bottle of lead additive stuff (you know the small bottles you get at petrol stn)
every three or four tank fills.

JohnBoy

I'm kinda thinking of doing the opposite, i have a relatively thirsty, semi reliable range rover and i'm contemplating picking up a pre87 sub 1.4 car and putting it on the IVS policy to have a fallback in case of rangey issues. saw an 86 civic, 58k 2 years test for 600 in the buyandsell today

mike65

Bump, I filled out the First Ireland web form on thursday evening and await details.

While a Merc is the choice of the head, I've also been wondering about a MGB GT pref the V8 of course. They have style but naturaly finding a rust-free example is the tricky bit. It would have to be a chome model they look so much nicer than the USA-friendly plastic yokes

Mike.