03 Bora TDI to a 08 C220 CDI

extra-ordinary_

I'm driving a 2003 TDI 130 Bora sport with just over 200k miles. I've had it close to 10 years, it has cruise and auto most things, a little bit of poke, and for what driving I do I like it. I've currently the opportunity of picking up a 2008 C220 with 50k miles on the clock for I'm hoping around 4k. My annual mileage is about 10k.
My thoughts would be am I being crazy for leaving the reliable what I know VW for the unknown and possibly expensive MB. I'm thinking - although 10 years old, the merc would be a nicer place to be sitting in, but I'm concerned as to the possibility/probability of future expensive problems.

bear1

Honestly, at 10k per year you shouldn't need a diesel.
I'd stick with the bora tbh considering its been reliable and it won't give you so many issues if it's driven only 10k a year.

bmwguy

Is it a favour someone is doing for you with the Merc that you can get it so cheap? Low mileage on presumably lower tax rate meant I would have thought a much higher price than 4k.

bazz26

You'd have to wonder what's wrong with a 2008 C220D that's only costing 4k especially one claiming to have tiny mileage.

bear1

bazz26 wrote: »

You'd have to wonder what's wrong with a 2008 C220D that's only costing 4k especially one claiming to have tiny mileage.

Very good point.
I'd have thought they would cost at least twice that.

extra-ordinary_

bmwguy wrote: »

Is it a favour someone is doing for you with the Merc that you can get it so cheap? Low mileage on presumably lower tax rate meant I would have thought a much higher price than 4k.

Car is being sold at auction and I'm expecting 4 - 5k.

bear1

Good luck with that.

extra-ordinary_

bear1 wrote: »

Good luck with that.

Early indications due to various reasons are that it's going to go what I mentioned.

My concern in the OP isn't about the price, it's about going from what i think is a fairly reliable and simple car to a more desirable but complex and possibly problematic car. I was looking for people's opinions on the W204 as regards reliability and known issues.

bear1

extra-ordinary_ wrote: »

Early indications due to various reasons are that it's going to go what I mentioned.

My concern in the OP isn't about the price, it's about going from what i think is a fairly reliable and simple car to a more desirable but complex and possibly problematic car. I was looking for people's opinions on the W204 as regards reliability and known issues.

10k per year is an average of 833km a month.
How many km would you do on a daily basis? Is it mostly city driving?

extra-ordinary_

bear1 wrote: »

10k per year is an average of 833km a month.
How many km would you do on a daily basis? Is it mostly city driving?

My commute is a 10 minute hop up the motorway with occasional runs around the country.
.

bear1

extra-ordinary_ wrote: »

My commute is a 10 minute hop up the motorway with occasional runs around the country.
.

Honestly with that sort of driving I'd stick to the Bora.
I don't think this type of driving would be good for the DPF which I assume the Merc has and if that fails it can be a very pricey job.

ford2600

bear1 wrote: »

Honestly with that sort of driving I'd stick to the Bora.
I don't think this type of driving would be good for the DPF which I assume the Merc has and if that fails it can be a very pricey job.

Low mileage doesn`t always equal a good buy; either that car was pottering around or clocked. Honestly I'd take the clocked over pottering around!

Personally I wouldn`t buy a diesel doing less than 20k miles a year; along with other criteria of course.

Your 03 car is worth very little I terms of selling, if it troublefree it`s worth a lot to you

extra-ordinary_

ford2600 wrote: »

Low mileage doesn`t always equal a good buy; either that car was pottering around or clocked. Honestly I'd take the clocked over pottering around!

Personally I wouldn`t buy a diesel doing less than 20k miles a year; along with other criteria of course.

Your 03 car is worth very little I terms of selling, if it troublefree it`s worth a lot to you

Car is in the UK and didn't show any mileage discrepancy but this is probably not flagged as long as the mileage maintains an upward direction year on year, so possibly no guarantee of anything. The other thing is that's it's currently showing an ESP error on the dash which may account for it going so cheap. It mightn't be too expensive to fix but if it's stuck in limp mode would be no fun to drive home.
Think I'll let this one pass.