This weeks Classic Irish bargains that I'm not buying

KevRossi

kadman wrote: »

Can someone educate me as to why the manual on a merc is so poorly regarded.

I ask as my merc knowledge could be written on a stamp with a felt marker:D

Not poorly regarded, in fact the manuals in W124s are fine, I had a couple of them.

Its just that a Coupé like the W124 needs an auto IMO, it suits its character a lot better.

Seweryn

kadman wrote: »

Can someone educate me as to why the manual on a merc is so poorly regarded.

I ask as my merc knowledge could be written on a stamp with a felt marker:D

Nothing wrong with manual transmissions in M-B. It is more about the perception to some people. Also, the character of a car may suit an automatic transmission more.

What is good about manual M-B transmissions of that time, mainly:
- more gears than in auto transmissions (usually 5-speed),
- better fuel economy by about 20%,
- more power to the wheels, i.e. less of power loss,
- great reliability (automatics are not bad either in this department).

Harry Palmr

kadman wrote: »

Can someone educate me as to why the manual on a merc is so poorly regarded.

I ask as my merc knowledge could be written on a stamp with a felt marker:D

Merc's manual action is poorly designed - similar age Japanese shifts are crisp and short almost a pleasure to use at their best, Merc's are long and "wooly" and do not encourage actual gear changing at all. Obviously I'm talking about 30-40 year old examples, maybe things got better more recently.

Manual = taxi

Seweryn

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Merc's manual action is poorly designed - similar age Japanese shifts are crisp and short almost a pleasure to use at their best, Merc's are long and "wooly" and do not encourage actual gear changing at all. Obviously I'm talking about 30-40 year old examples, maybe things got better more recently.

True. The gear change is not great. I guess most of the problems are due to wear and tear of the gear linkage, bushings, etc. Those things are almost never maintained or checked and people just assume that's the way it works...

kadman

Seweryn wrote: »

True. The gear change is not great. I guess most of the problems are due to wear and tear of the gear linkage, bushings, etc. Those things are almost never maintained or checked and people just assume that's the way it works...

From what you are saying, its more to do with the control elements to the gearbox, than the actual gearbox its self then??

Are all these elements available as new replacement parts at reasonable costs.

Seweryn

kadman wrote: »

From what you are saying, its more to do with the control elements to the gearbox, than the actual gearbox its self then?? .

Yes. The gearboxes are very good actually, nothing wrong with them, very durable and reliable. I had a good few in the past and there was never an issue with any of them, never heard about any failure either. Once they are filled with oil they go on for ever . They are just as good as gearboxes can be to be fair.

kadman wrote: »

Are all these elements available as new replacement parts at reasonable costs.

I guess yes, Mercedes is very good with providing parts for older models at reasonable cost.

Dades

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Dear God, okay it's horrid manual but still...

https://www.donedeal.ie/vintagecars-for-sale/190e-mercedes/20303596

It's all a bit "Wolf of Moore Street".

Harry Palmr

This could be a bargain just a pity the photos are terrible and yes it's another fridge colour scheme but otherwise has all the bits you'd want (bar an NCT!).

https://www.donedeal.ie/vintagecars-for-sale/mercedes-190e/20321854

supervento

i wonder how bad this is...

https://www.donedeal.ie/vintagecars-for-sale/daimler/20350479

Duke O Smiley

supervento wrote: »

i wonder how bad this is...

https://www.donedeal.ie/vintagecars-for-sale/daimler/20350479

Was thinking the same.

Crazy how a car like that - that in its heyday it cost more than your average house - can be sold for little

ELM327

supervento wrote: »

i wonder how bad this is...

https://www.donedeal.ie/vintagecars-for-sale/daimler/20350479

It's a "daimler car" from 1989 with one photo which looks like it was taken in 1989 (or at least with a camera from 1989)

supervento

E30's have become so expensive...

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1056158

Bigus

That 325 is cheap , it would cost an awful lot more to restore an average one to that condition.

flatty

Bigus wrote: »

That 325 is cheap , it would cost an awful lot more to restore an average one to that condition.

The point stands that they have leapt in price. I keep thinking this, one way or another, using fossil fuels for everyday driving will, with increasing speed, become a thing of the past in the EU. Petrol will become increasingly expensive, and also harder to get as forecourts will close slowly but surely over the next twenty or thirty years. As such, the tide will go out on "classic" cars. Some rare or signature ones will have expensive swimming costumes on, but the vast majority will be seen to be swimming naked. Old is not the same as classic, but the two are increasingly conflated.

flatty

flatty wrote: »

The point stands that they have leapt in price. I keep thinking this, one way or another, using fossil fuels for everyday driving will, with increasing speed, become a thing of the past in the EU. Petrol will become increasingly expensive, and also harder to get as forecourts will close slowly but surely over the next twenty or thirty years. As such, the tide will go out on "classic" cars. Some rare or signature ones will have expensive swimming costumes on, but the vast majority will be seen to be swimming naked. Old is not the same as classic, but the two are increasingly conflated.

Having said that, seven thousand pounds or euros is relatively cheap if it brings the buyer sufficient pleasure. I'd be looking on that car entirely on those terms, rather than as some kind of investment. I've had a few classics, which have invariably held their value, or appreciated, but once rehabilitation and maintenance costs are added, they rarely make a significant profit.

Harry Palmr

We are almost certainly the last generation for whom a "classic car" is a thing.

Bigus

Harry Palmr wrote: »

We are almost certainly the last generation for whom a "classic car" is a thing.

Having had them for years and done very well out of them I'm increasingly seeing them now just as "old " poor safety systems/strength and way overvalued, especially now that a lot of good fast modern cars have minimal road tax, and do 60 mpg,

11wingnut

https://auctions.car-transplants.co.uk/vehicle-list/details/697655
https://auctions.car-transplants.co.uk/vehicle-list/details/triumph-spitfire-0cc-other--not-recorded--at-da-autoparts-ltd-da-autoparts-ltd/697654?x=0&type=0&make=&trns=0&fuel=0&catc=0&dist=0&sort=3&srch=&page=1 2 irish spittys ,, bring them home

KevRossi

Posted this is Bangernomics, but it's worth a post here too.

This is a bargain by the looks of it. €710 tax, but classic insurance will bring the running costs down. One of the most reliable engine-gearbox combos too and a strong colour as well. Refreshed 1991 model as well, which looks better than the first version IMO. Interior looks good and I like the spartan interior. Front looks a bit low, but worth a look at that price. Ad sounds honest.

1991 200E Auto, 08/19, 191,000 Km. €1,750

https://www.donedeal.ie/vintagecars-...-200e/19935194

w124man

Someone's been mucking around with the springs on that. The rear is too high and the front is too low. First of the 'Sacco Panel' cars so be sure to check behind them for rust. Early cars didn't suffer from rust on the jacking points and lower sills like the facelifted ones

Wibbs

Harry Palmr wrote: »

We are almost certainly the last generation for whom a "classic car" is a thing.

While I agree that the current market is overblown and as Flatty notes old is too often mistaken for classic, I seriously doubt classic cars as a thing will die out anytime soon. Maybe in Ireland yes. The classic culture and support system here is tiny, the push for buying up new cars on PCP's strong and the insurance industry taking the mick with any cars over ten years old(watch it go to five), we could see them become very niche here and "ordinary" classics disappear entirely. Worldwide it's a different story. EG In the UK it's a multi billion quid industry, ditto for the States.

I can certainly see electric motors transplanted into classics becoming a much bigger thing alright, as with a few exceptions an awful lot of older cars had fairly lacklustre engines. Even there, I'd not be so sure about how the future is going battery powered. Behind the hype there are serious issues with EV's replacing all cars on the road. In their current(no pun) form anyway.

flatty

Wibbs wrote: »

While I agree that the current market is overblown and as Flatty notes old is too often mistaken for classic, I seriously doubt classic cars as a thing will die out anytime soon. Maybe in Ireland yes. The classic culture and support system here is tiny, the push for buying up new cars on PCP's strong and the insurance industry taking the mick with any cars over ten years old(watch it go to five), we could see them become very niche here and "ordinary" classics disappear entirely. Worldwide it's a different story. EG In the UK it's a multi billion quid industry, ditto for the States.

I can certainly see electric motors transplanted into classics becoming a much bigger thing alright, as with a few exceptions an awful lot of older cars had fairly lacklustre engines. Even there, I'd not be so sure about how the future is going battery powered. Behind the hype there are serious issues with EV's replacing all cars on the road. In their current(no pun) form anyway.

I wonder about an electric conversion. I'd wonder where the battery would fit.
I didn't even realise it was technically straight forward enough to make it practical for most "classics,"

Seweryn

flatty wrote: »

I wonder about an electric conversion. I'd wonder where the battery would fit.
I didn't even realise it was technically straight forward enough to make it practical for most "classics,"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXsQGWWz3Is

As an example...

Wibbs

Yep there are a few kits available for some classics and more are being added. Beetles like above, Fiat 500's and the like. There's a Ferrari 308 that's been converted too(the original engine went on fire. Well it is a Ferrari...). The Wheeler Dealers guys did a leccy conversion on a Maserati BiTurbo a few years ago.

With classics range is usually less an issue, so a tonne of battery a la a Tesla isn't really required. Plus classics tend to be lighter to start with, often much lighter. A Fiat 500 EV would be a cool little city car. I can see these conversions becoming quite popular. In cars without renowned engines anyway, or where an electric motor is simply more financially viable.

Duke O Smiley

There was an electric MGB on DoneDeal last year

oceanman

Duke O Smiley wrote: »

There was an electric MGB on DoneDeal last year

I remember that..think it was a homemade attempt though.

26000 Elephants

oceanman wrote: »

I remember that..think it was a homemade attempt though.

Which couldn't possibly have been any worse than the Lucas originals......

unkel

Wibbs wrote: »

I can see these conversions becoming quite popular. In cars without renowned engines anyway, or where an electric motor is simply more financially viable.

Even if you get all your required parts at salvage value and do the whole conversion yourself, it's still a very expensive exercise

And you'd wonder about the already pretty anal insurance companies over here. I'd have no great hopes of them entertaining you

Big business in the states though, particularly in the likes of California with plenty of wealthy environmentally focused individuals who have an interest in classic cars. I can see these conversions becoming more popular here too, but it might take quite some time

Prince Harry's electric Jag E-type he drove on his wedding day might pave the way for us

Wibbs

unkel wrote: »

And you'd wonder about the already pretty anal insurance companies over here. I'd have no great hopes of them entertaining you

True. I do think Ireland will become ever more difficult to run non vintage cars on the roads. A 40's MG will be OK, but "Modern classics" could all but disappear. The financial sector, including the insurance business and the government and interested groups like SIMI are pushing for the churn of new cars. Obviously as it makes them happy. More money moving, more tax returns, makes the economy look better. They'll even frame it as "green" when it's clearly not. Who's more green? The person who runs a Merc or whatever for 20 years or another who over the same timescale swaps out a new EV every three or four years on credit? Which guy generates the most till ringing though?

darragh o meara

unkel wrote: »

Even if you get all your required parts at salvage value and do the whole conversion yourself, it's still a very expensive exercise

And you'd wonder about the already pretty anal insurance companies over here. I'd have no great hopes of them entertaining you

Big business in the states though, particularly in the likes of California with plenty of wealthy environmentally focused individuals who have an interest in classic cars. I can see these conversions becoming more popular here too, but it might take quite some time

Prince Harry's electric Jag E-type he drove on his wedding day might pave the way for us

Insurance can be got for cars converted to EV in this country, there’s a chap somewhere in the country called Damien Maguire who has a YouTube channel where he’s converted a few BMWs to EV power and he goes through the process of how he insured his oin one of the videos. From what I remember he needed an engineers report and an Nct. Well worth looking him up.