*********Motors Chat - Round 9 *********

Stheno

http://www.adverts.ie/car/mercedes-benz/c-class/2004-mercedes-benz-c-class/8613300

So this is the car we've a deposit on, it was on donedeal as well and that's how OH found it.

It drives really nicely, brakes are good, body in good condition and internal damage as described.

Four years service history (past four years) available, and access to the garage who did it no problem.

Only two niggles.
1. Widow of owner said only two owners, motorcheck says four.
2. When driving in low gears, it makes an intermittent whirr whirr noise for about 10 seconds, stops above 30 mph, autobox seems sound, gear changes are smooth, is fine in reverse.

It's not been properly driven for a few years, apart from short trips and regular services every year and nct every year.

What do you guys think?

Dartz

Nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes.

Mycroft H

Dartz wrote: »

Nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes.

Always heard that said of a cheap BMW. Same applies with the Mercs I suppose

fancy pigeon

Dartz wrote: »

Nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes.

Completely.

Totally.

WRONG

Chris_Heilong

Dartz wrote: »

I've never flooded mine. This is usually s symptom of start, ignition or compression fail.

No need for an octane booster. A little 2-stroke oil in the fuel helps, but the engine should inject enough oil anyway to keep running.

Yes. But, on the other hand, it's more efficient the faster it revs. It really doesn't give a **** about RPM. No valvetrain parasitic losses and the like.

**** happens. No worse than a cambelt job.

Should do this anyway, no matter what car you own.

They're well known. And a fairly simple engine to own at home.

Yes. RX8's tend to spin the rear stationary gear bearing - **** happens. , and there's a growing belief that most engine failures are actually fuel-pump failures causing high RPM lean running, detonation and shattered seals. The RX8 engine is basically a 1973 engine design tuned to make twice its stock NA bhp. Do the same to a 1973 Civic and see what happens.

Cool, i am trying to convince myself.

Stheno

Dartz wrote: »

Nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes.

Well it's deliberately priced due to the internal damage which we are happy to ameliorate, and the circumstances of the sale, which I'm unwilling to post publicly to respect the seller.

Plus we've four years service history (the past four years) and the last Mercedes the OH bought was in similar circumstances.

He likes it, liked driving it, liked the person selling (for rather tragic reasons), and when I drove it, there was little I could fault, apart from that odd whirr when it was getting up to normal speed.

We've looked at 12+ cars at this stage, some he didn't like full stop, others had weird issues, this one is one that seems genuinely good

You can find cars that are very good value with nothing wrong with them tbh

colm_mcm

It's not particularly cheap though?

Stheno

colm_mcm wrote: »

It's not particularly cheap though?

It is the lower end of the range for C180s of that vintage

power pants

could be 2 real owners but 4 owners on the check if the garage logged it in their names prior to selling

Id definitely get someone to give it a once over ,gearbox etc

Stheno

power pants wrote: »

could be 2 real owners but 4 owners on the check if the garage logged it in their names prior to selling

Id definitely get someone to give it a once over ,gearbox etc

Yeah we gave a holding deposit subject to our mechanic checking it

Seller was happy with that, so all sound

Dartz

Chris_Heilong wrote: »

Cool, i am trying to convince myself.

Test drive one. Then you'll know. If you like what it's offering, you'll buy it.


There's very little out there like a rotary mazda

quadrifoglio verde

So the **** time of the year that is insurance renewal is here for me.
Have 5 years ncb this year, but with the new found Hatred for anything over 10 years and my gtv 19 years young, I've been dreading renewal time.

Plan to ring all the insurers as I do every year, but does anyone have any broker recommendations.

Still plan to ring aviva and alllianz at the end for some much needed stressr relief

fancy pigeon

Yaaay i can post links again!

This made me laugh too much

Blinky

challengemaster

quadrifoglio verde wrote: »

Plan to ring all the insurers as I do every year, but does anyone have any broker recommendations.

Chill - ended up going with them this year. They somehow had the exact same policy from AIG but 100 quid cheaper than another broker (hastings). And that was with the other broker using tricks such as value the car at €13,001 for a cheaper quote, etc.

Just be prepared for an instant call as soon as you put in your number on their website.

challengemaster

fancy pigeon wrote: »

Yaaay i can post links again!

This made me laugh too much

Blinky

Proof Renaults are made with cheese :pac:

quadrifoglio verde

challengemaster wrote: »

Chill - ended up going with them this year. They somehow had the exact same policy from AIG but 100 quid cheaper than another broker (hastings). And that was with the other broker using tricks such as value the car at €13,001 for a cheaper quote, etc.

Just be prepared for an instant call as soon as you put in your number on their website.

That's who I'm with at the moment, underwritten by liberty as they were 200 or so more.

kev250

What is the purpose of the laser gadget that the tester points in the engine bay during the nct?

challengemaster

kev250 wrote: »

What is the purpose of the laser gadget that the tester points in the engine bay during the nct?

Temperature gauge, that's how they get the reading of what temperature the engine is during the emissions test (if you look at your NCT sheet, its there).

It's an infrared temperature gauge, but obviously IR is invisible to human eye - so the laser is there for actually telling you where its pointing.

ShaunieVW

Watching telly in bed with the missus when she pausing the TV as she thinks there's a wasp in the room, was actually a Honda vtecing in the distance.

kev250

challengemaster wrote: »

Temperature gauge, that's how they get the reading of what temperature the engine is during the emissions test (if you look at your NCT sheet, its there).

It's an infrared temperature gauge, but obviously IR is invisible to human eye - so the laser is there for actually telling you where its pointing.

Thanks. Taking a celica for nct tomorrow,only problem i can see being an issue is a cut on the sidewall of two tyres so not sure how bad is considered to be a fail.

challengemaster

pics?

166man

Dartz wrote: »

Nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes.

You are very wrong there, chief.

Stheno

166man wrote: »

You are very wrong there, chief.

In this case I genuinely think you are right

wotzgoingon

Well my neck is killing me looking up at the sky. Worth it though seen a few shooting stars.

You could stay out watching for the new 2 hours at least if you wanted. I think I seen enough after 5 mins.

http://io9.com/the-best-meteor-shower-of-the-year-is-tonight-and-here-1723568562

Chris_Heilong

wotzgoingon wrote: »

Well my neck is killing me looking up at the sky. Worth it though seen a few shooting stars.

You could stay out watching for the new 2 hours at least if you wanted. I think I seen enough after 5 mins.

http://io9.com/the-best-meteor-shower-of-the-year-is-tonight-and-here-1723568562

Fecking cool, saw three, one was huge.

CIP4

Noccy_Mondy wrote: »

Oh dear God, all this results talks reminds me that I'm back at work in a few weeks. The hardship, so hard to face back

Simonigs1.0 wrote: »

I swear my gf spends the entire month of august complaining about going back

It's well for the teachers off for the summer. My summer off this year fairly went to zero. Finishing work on the Friday the 4th back to college on the 7th. Work placement 21 weeks days holidays/ absent = 0. At least I got out to Spain before placement that seems so long ago now.

fancy pigeon wrote: »

Yaaay i can post links again!

This made me laugh too much

Blinky

Oh sh!t I hope this doesn't happen my one.

Actually in car news one unusual gripe I have about my megane is that at night it honestly has one of the worst lit dashes I've ever seen. I mean vw and all the other main manufactures mastered the art of how to properly light up instruments in the early 2000s. I mean it's not hard all you want is every button consistently lit up with no bright dark spots. Then you come on to my car which is a long way of brand new but not ancient either it's like Renault went to fcuking woodies and got fiary lights and fcuked them in behind the dash. Very annoying at night all these bright and dull spots and it's not because of blown bulbs some buttons including the ones on the steering wheel are not even lit up I mean are we back to the 90s.

Anyway very weird rant over.

Stheno

CIP4 wrote: »

It's well for the teachers off for the summer. My summer off this year fairly went to zero. Finishing work on the Friday the 4th back to college on the 7th. Work placement 21 weeks days holidays/ absent = 0. At least I got out to Spain before placement that seems so long ago now.



Oh sh!t I hope this doesn't happen my one.

Actually in car news one unusual gripe I have about my megane is that at night it honestly has one of the worst lit dashes I've ever seen. I mean vw and all the other main manufactures mastered the art of how to properly light up instruments in the early 2000s. I mean it's not hard all you want is every button consistently lit up with no bright dark spots. Then you come on to my car which is a long way of brand new but not ancient either it's like Renault went to fcuking woodies and got fiary lights and fcuked them in behind the dash. Very annoying at night all these bright and dull spots and it's not because of blown bulbs some buttons including the ones on the steering wheel are not even lit up I mean are we back to the 90s.

Anyway very weird rant over.

My car has a weird thing that if you put on full beams it dimms the dash

CIP4

Stheno wrote: »

My car has a weird thing that if you put on full beams it dimms the dash

That could be a sign that your alternator is starting to slightly struggle and it's only showing under full electrical load or it could be just a quirk of the car either I wouldn't worry too much.

Stheno

CIP4 wrote: »

That could be a sign that your alternator is starting to slightly struggle and it's only showing under full electrical load or it could be just a quirk of the car either I wouldn't worry too much.

Nah no problem with the alternator, as I regularly don't drive the car for a week, I think it's just a quirk of the car, there is something I do with the full beams on that restores the dash, can't remember it now, but it indicates it's some weird default setting

Car is off to the mechanic soon for a couple of minor issues, and the fact I've put nearly 5k miles on it since I bought it (time flies) and I want it checked

CIP4

Stheno wrote: »

Nah no problem with the alternator, as I regularly don't drive the car for a week, I think it's just a quirk of the car, there is something I do with the full beams on that restores the dash, can't remember it now, but it indicates it's some weird default setting

Car is off to the mechanic soon for a couple of minor issues, and the fact I've put nearly 5k miles on it since I bought it (time flies) and I want it checked

Ah your grand so.

Time is definitely flying I have mine 3 months it doesn't feel like that at all.