Help me pick a car

Frikkie5000 said:
I've picked up on the fairly...uhm robust anti-German sentiments on this forum in general. Is there a particular reason for this? Take Mercedes for example. The A class was rated as like the 4th most reliable car in SA not too long ago.

The reason why I immediately thought of Mercedes is because I know two people in my family who drive c classes with 300 000+ km on the clock.

Are they just not as well made or is it simply an urban myth type thing that German cars are meh?
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So the problem I've personally faced with Mercs (C Class, B Class and E Class) - have been that on each model there is some massive fault that has gone wrong at 100k approx - each needing repairs of about R40k - R60k (this was quotes from workshops - it was a lot more from Merc Dealerships whose advice to me was, their cars aren't built to last anymore because of the car market model in German.

I personally love Mercs, just the whack I took on three of them .... plus, why do you want an older car, when for the same money, you'll get a new car with all the latest toys and safety features?

epah said:
You got great taste so that’s good. However that 750i will coz you an arm and a leg to run. Those engines aren’t known for reliability either. Get yourself a 2015 320D and be happy. Has everything you are looking for and more.
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This - if you going BMW - the word on the street is that the 320D is bullet proof engine

Edit:

@Frikkie5000 if you're interested in looking at the Ford and you're in Joburg / PTA, send me a PM
 
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With the topic like this, it's an invitation to allow everyone to have an opinion; some are good and some are bad.
You have a gut feel, follow it and buy.
The only advice that I would offer:
1.Don't get screwed with on-the-road-costs.
2. Buy from a reputable dealer.
3. Or, a private seller who has credibility.
4. Buy with your mind and not your heart.
5. Make very sure that you can afford all the hidden costs if you buy a "Blonde". :)
 
handyman007 said:
Don't get me wrong, I like the car, but I would fear for maintenance costs and resale value.
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Oh. Resale is gonna hurt if I ever decide to sell it. I had a V40 and had to sell it less than a year after buying it because we were moving to the UK. 40k shortfall is the best I could manage and that was only because I drove all of 7k with it. Otherwise it would have been worse.

What I find somewhat baffling is the idea that something like Volvo will be more expensive to maintain than, say a Corolla.

www.cars.co.za

Cheapest Cars to Service and Repair in SA (2017)

The 2017 Kinsey Report has landed, detailing the costs of 35 replacement parts commonly needed for servicing and repairing 62 similar cars with reasonable to good sales across nine categories. The annual report, compiled by veteran journalist Malcolm Kinsey since 1996, continues to be the...
www.cars.co.za www.cars.co.za

A cursory look at the tables show that a service and repair parts for a Corolla and an S60 is roughly the same. Where the Corolla is obviously cheaper is "crash parts". Granted, labour might be a bit more expensive.
 
Frikkie5000 said:
Oh. Resale is gonna hurt if I ever decide to sell it. I had a V40 and had to sell it less than a year after buying it because we were moving to the UK. 40k shortfall is the best I could manage and that was only because I drove all of 7k with it. Otherwise it would have been worse.

What I find somewhat baffling is the idea that something like Volvo will be more expensive to maintain than, say a Corolla.

www.cars.co.za

Cheapest Cars to Service and Repair in SA (2017)

The 2017 Kinsey Report has landed, detailing the costs of 35 replacement parts commonly needed for servicing and repairing 62 similar cars with reasonable to good sales across nine categories. The annual report, compiled by veteran journalist Malcolm Kinsey since 1996, continues to be the...
www.cars.co.za www.cars.co.za

A cursory look at the tables show that a service and repair parts for a Corolla and an S60 is roughly the same. Where the Corolla is obviously cheaper is "crash parts". Granted, labour might be a bit more expensive.
Click to expand...
You are looking at regular service parts, that's why everything looks okay, what the Kingsley thing will never tell you is the price of a turbocharger or a gearbox failure out of warranty, that's where the difference will be between a Volvo and a Toyota.
 
Decent Budget you have and if it was my money, i would buy:
Turbo car: F30 320d even maybe the 520d with decent low kilos.
N/A: Mazda 3 sedan or even CX 3. The Hyundai

I had the same budget when i was looking for a car about 2 months ago and settled on a 2017 2L CX5 Dynamic auto.
It is the Wife's daily, she needed an Auto box plus the space works for us.

We love it and cannot fault it at all and looking forward to a long relationship.
 
Van87 said:
Long time viewer, first time poster...

Have C-Class Mercs in the fam for many years, past 3 models. And really the main reason to rid them after warranty is the possible high maintenance costs should something go wrong. Otherwise they are solid, but will cost you an arm and leg otherwise.

Hidden gem honestly is the Honda Jazz. Drove one recently, and really doesn't get the cred it deserves (and will last forever)
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Welcome and good to see you posting.
We have a 2009 Merc C180 auto that just ticked over to 280 000km and it still drives like new.

We bought it new.
 
unobeat said:
Decent Budget you have and if it was my money, i would buy:
Turbo car: F30 320d even maybe the 520d with decent low kilos.
N/A: Mazda 3 sedan or even CX 3. The Hyundai

I had the same budget when i was looking for a car about 2 months ago and settled on a 2017 2L CX5 Dynamic auto.
It is the Wife's daily, she needed an Auto box plus the space works for us.

We love it and cannot fault it at all and looking forward to a long relationship.
Click to expand...
Frikkie5000 said:
Found exactly what I' looking for.

www.autotrader.co.za

BMW 7 Series 750i M Sport for sale in Benoni - ID: 25497797

Used 2012 BMW 7 Series 750i M Sport For Sale - R 239 900 - ID: 25497797
www.autotrader.co.za
Click to expand...
www.youtube.com

Hoovies Garage

Hoovies Garage documents the adventures of Tyler Hoover, an automotive writer who makes suicidal car purchases, and maintains a fleet of cars he calls the "H...
www.youtube.com www.youtube.com

Speak to him , bmw expert he scraps them on weekly basis lol
 
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