Best classic car for small money ??

SpannerMonkey

What would you recommend as a classic car , something that can be taxed and insured under classic insurance and tax and doesn't cost a fortune to buy any recommendations something big not a rolls too big with a powerfull engine think bmw ,mercedes, jaguar ????

quattro777

What's your budget?
Do you want a saloon/coupe/hatchback?
What size engine can you afford to run?
Manual or auto?

SpannerMonkey

it wouldnt be an every day car so engine size doesnt matter
must be over the 30 year barrier for classic tax and insurance
auto or manual not important
saloon or coupe
im 6ft 5 so reasonably big car
budget under 6000

unkel

Over 30 years old and with a big engine? For a big man like yourself it has got to be a big Merc saloon S-class. Depending on your taste, either the older Merc W116 or the newer W126. Either of course with the V8 petrol engine and automatic transmission.

Good ones for within your budget and with classic tax and insurance. Great as weekend cars and also as daily drivers, but neither will do any better than 20MPG (but who the hell cares )

2cv

I have a W116 myself and i can defo recommend one
Wouldn't go for the W126 because they're not vintage yet. They were only launched in 1980 and it's very difficult to find an early one for some reason.

Best buy would be a 280SE in the W116... They have the less powerful 6 cylinder 2.8 liter engine, but they're trouble free and don't cost a fortune to run. The V8s would be more expensive to run.

SpannerMonkey

unkel wrote: »

Over 30 years old and with a big engine? For a big man like yourself it has got to be a big Merc saloon S-class. Depending on your taste, either the older Merc W116 or the newer W126. Either of course with the V8 petrol engine and automatic transmission.

Good ones for within your budget and with classic tax and insurance. Great as weekend cars and also as daily drivers, but neither will do any better than 20MPG (but who the hell cares )

:Dsounds good where is the best place to look ???
what do ye reckon of the bmw 6 series ???

argosy2006

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Mercedes-Benz/SL-Class/SL450-**/200951196209471/advert?channel=CARS
http://www.carzone.ie/search/Mercedes-Benz/280-SE/2.8-stra/200937195193873/advert?channel=CARS

unkel

2cv wrote: »

Wouldn't go for the W126 because they're not vintage yet. They were only launched in 1980

Launched in '79 so indeedy very vintage

Agreed though, hard to find early ones. But more will be coming available within the next few months.

2cv wrote: »

Best buy would be a 280SE in the W116... They have the less powerful 6 cylinder 2.8 liter engine, but they're trouble free and don't cost a fortune to run. The V8s would be more expensive to run.

Why aim for the bottom of the range? V8s might cost you €100 more per year in petrol but a lazy V8 petrol will live forever with minimal maintenance. And at least you get to drive a little

davy_b wrote: »

what do ye reckon of the bmw 6 series ???

Sweet, but you'll need an expert with you when buying

2cv

Well the W126 was launched in late 79 so
Have a look online and see how many '79 or '80 ones you can find. Exactly: 0

Bearcat

2cv wrote: »

Best buy would be a 280SE in the W116... They have the less powerful 6 cylinder 2.8 liter engine, but they're trouble free and don't cost a fortune to run. The V8s would be more expensive to run.

buy this man a beer......i know the 280 engine well and had one in a pagoda.....bullet proof, easy to service.....great engine......those v8's though can hurt the wallet

corktina

welcome to the Mercedes Benz forum.....:rolleyes:

unkel

corktina wrote: »

welcome to the Mercedes Benz forum.....:rolleyes:

What classic car Ford would you suggest?

2cv

Bearcat wrote: »

buy this man a beer......i know the 280 engine well and had one in a pagoda.....bullet proof, easy to service.....great engine......those v8's though can hurt the wallet

Did someone say beer?

SpannerMonkey

unkel wrote: »

What classic car Ford would you suggest?

2cv wrote: »

Did someone say beer?

One sounds good the other not so much

2cv

davy_b wrote: »

One sounds good the other not so much

Please tell me it's the beer suggetion that sounds good

unkel

Drink, feck, girls

In case you're going for a W116 with a V8, junkyard (regular poster here) has a lovely condition 450 SE going well within budget. Can't find the ad on donedeal anymore, but you could PM him.

quattro777

unkel wrote: »

Drink, feck, girls

In case you're going for a W116 with a V8, junkyard (regular poster here) has a lovely condition 450 SE going well within budget. Can't find the ad on donedeal anymore, but you could PM him.

Sold I think.

carchaeologist

unkel wrote: »

What classic car Ford would you suggest?

Mk1 Granada coupe?If you can find a good one?

DaveCol

How about a Rover P6 V8?

Pdfile

put a Real v8 ( not the rover rubbish ) into a capri or similar ?

Whosbetter?

DaveCol wrote: »

How about a Rover P6 V8?

Good choice.
Have one of these myself.
Classy, relatively cheap to run & have lots of features that you wouldn't expect to find in car of that age.

However, because of their construction, they're not as roomy inside as you'd expect. Even the boot is quite small.
That's why you see so many with the Continental Kit. (Spare on the boot).

The Triumph 2000/2500 is a similar type of car. They're a bit roomier inside & all have nice straight 6 engines.

Also, if the budget could run to it, how bout a Series 1 or 2 XJ6? They should be easy to find at good prices now.

2cv

I'd still go for the Merc though
:eek:

carchaeologist

The W116 is a bit slab sided,but it would be very well screwed together.

CamperMan

My choices would be



or a

2cv

carchaeologist wrote: »

The W116 is a bit slab sided,but it would be very well screwed together.

True... And parts are very very cheap. Like i got a brand new Bosal exhaust system fitted to my, front to back, for €400

DF1

CamperMan wrote: »

My choices would be



or a

Is this actually for sale somewhere or just an old photo ?
What sort of money would these be ?

CamperMan

DF1 wrote: »

Is this actually for sale somewhere or just an old photo ?
What sort of money would these be ?

just grabbed the pic off the web, no idea if it's for sale, if it was.. it would be expensive

2cv

CamperMan wrote: »

just grabbed the pic off the web, no idea if it's for sale, if it was.. it would be expensive

I've seen early landrovers fetch in excess of £10k... I believe the budget here is €6k....

CamperMan

2cv wrote: »

I've seen early landrovers fetch in excess of £10k... I believe the budget here is €6k....

you can get a good staright 1978 / 1979 Range Rover for about 6k.. OK, it won't be mint.... but it would be useable... I have my eye on one or 2... just love them

Whosbetter?

CamperMan wrote: »

you can get a good staright 1978 / 1979 Range Rover for about 6k.. OK, it won't be mint.... but it would be useable... I have my eye on one or 2... just love them

Yeah, the Rangey would be on my list too.

Pity the 4-door ones are not quite on the Classic Tax list yet.

Rover Sd1 is another great candidate too.

I'm waiting for the Series 2 cars to make the list in the next couple of years.:)

DaveCol

Yes, wouldn't mind an SD1 myself

biggus

Here's an Irish SD1 for ye

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C117843/#

biggus

Is this actually for sale somewhere or just an old photo ?
What sort of money would these be ?

This one is though
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C126152/

2cv

biggus wrote: »

This one is though
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C126152/

Mmmm, no price, sounds expensive

andy.s

Mercedes-Benz built like no other cars

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/vintagecars/1034657



Here is sedan
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/vintagecars/1056555

2cv

andy.s wrote: »

Mercedes-Benz built like no other cars
Here is sedan
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/vintagecars/1056555

€1?? Bargain.... SOLD :-)

2cv

andy.s wrote: »

Mercedes-Benz built like no other cars

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/vintagecars/1034657



Here is sedan
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/vintagecars/1056555

You'd want to be careful with a pre-1981 W123 Merc though.... bit prone to the old tin worm...

artic

Whats a 280 like on petrol ?? Could you use it as a daily driver ??

8~)

Yes, if you can live with 22mpg.

That's what they do at best apparantly. I'll find out for myself soon when I put a 280 on the road.

2cv

8~) wrote: »

Yes, if you can live with 22mpg.

That's what they do at best apparantly. I'll find out for myself soon when I put a 280 on the road.

22mpg in a W123.... In a W116 it's more like 15-17

gyppo

andy.s wrote: »

Mercedes-Benz built like no other cars



Here is sedan
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/vintagecars/1056555

I see the seller revised his price - its up for 1950E. Tempting if its not a rotbox ..........

8~)

2cv wrote: »

22mpg in a W123.... In a W116 it's more like 15-17

It's a W107 body - an SLC.

Though there is a W116 450 SEL waiting in the wings if I really feel like being a sucker for punishment.

Eric318

One Jaguar specialist once told me "buy a Merc only if you want to drive a brick" Sorry, I had to do it

Go for a XJ6C

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260526983069

2cv

8~) wrote: »

It's a W107 body - an SLC.

Though there is a W116 450 SEL waiting in the wings if I really feel like being a sucker for punishment.

I'd LOVE a 450 SEL

Fishtits

Do you want a vintage car that you take out occasionally, or do you want an old car that you drive daily?

SpannerMonkey

Realy want something that I could drive every day even though I wouldn't , don't care in the slightest about fuel consumption think V8 V12 maybe 6 cylinder if it's something I like . I.e BMW 6 series , but other than that big engines rule :-) must be over 30 years old though

Pdfile

deffo a capri with a v8 then.


put 2 tonnes worth of bricks to keep the rear wheels to the deck.

rugbyman

i met a fellow who has prob the cleanest top of the range Mercedes Saloon, wine colour, not sure model no. it is a 500 four door saloon, 1985, i realise it is not tax free.
look like mint.

i think he wants 8 k for it

regards rugbyman

No i just realised its more than that. When i mentioned to him that they could be bought for 5 of 6 k, he commented that 10 k spent on such a car would not match his.

If you have any interest, i will look him up. Car is in the North East

Pdfile

rugbyman wrote: »

i met a fellow who has prob the cleanest top of the range Mercedes Saloon, wine colour, not sure model no. it is a 500 four door saloon, 1985, i realise it is not tax free.
look like mint.

i think he wants 8 k for it

regards rugbyman

No i just realised its more than that. When i mentioned to him that they could be bought for 5 of 6 k, he commented that 10 k spent on such a car would not match his.

If you have any interest, i will look him up. Car is in the North East

depends how many ( the hundreds ) of hours you spend cleaning it up and refurbing you can...


but if its that clean post pics

Eric318

davy_b wrote: »

Realy want something that I could drive every day even though I wouldn't , don't care in the slightest about fuel consumption think V8 V12 maybe 6 cylinder if it's something I like . I.e BMW 6 series , but other than that big engines rule :-) must be over 30 years old though

You seem to not be concerned about cost (petrol, insurance on a daily driver), so why worry about it being 30 years old and pay only €40 tax (less than one tank of fuel = 200kms on a 6 cyl Jaguar).

rugbyman

Pdfile wrote: »

depends how many ( the hundreds ) of hours you spend cleaning it up and refurbing you can...


but if its that clean post pics

i have just wasted the days of Christmas doing s.f.a..

How many times had i planned to go out with my camera.

I will try and get pics from this man. I happened to call to his house on another matter. his merc is a daily driver but his shed door was open. Cloth covers were over everything,

his 190 e is showroom condition, as is his honda crx (i think) and another car, several motorbikes, all mint, though the 87 190 was the oldest car or bike there

on the matter of 190 s , I know of a 190 cosworth (is that what they are called?) lying up? It may be for sale , not sure, would anyone care to guess its value, not too tidy, never garaged.

Regards Rugbyman