20 year old bmw or Benz?

[Marcel1]

Lately I have been thinking about buying a car. I have owned 10 motorbikes here and my ex used to have her car which I used when needed. She's gone now for the better part this year and sometimes I am missing having a car around simply for picking friends or family up from the ap or the weekly big c shopping trips. Trips out of bkk will be mostly by bike aswell.

Since I won't be using it as commuter (faster on the bike in bkk) I don't wanna spend too much money on a car so I decided to look around between 90,000-160,000.

I know the car prices are higher here, thats ok but I just keep wondering why you pay 130,000 for a BMW 5 but for the same money get a shitty civic which is maybe 4 years younger.

Anyone bought an old merc or bmw here? Are they that much more unreliable?

Understandebly maintanance would be higher but I've seen also bmw or merc's with an Toyota engine, is this in any way recommendable or is it wise to stay away from these? (of course the egine numbers should match in the book but I mean mechanicaly).

I am confused about this since these brands are normally more expensive than The Asian brands but here it doesn't make much difference.

Yes I dont need a big car but I'm not gonna drive a vios, jazz or some sorts

Edited December 21, 2015 by Marcel1

[ardokano]

and when its stop what you do? get new engine?

ANd show me where MUCH expernsive any brand 20 yaer old?

and one thinks. Old car be priced how much it be service. You guess for what car service be cheapest?

You want play rulet so buy any , Why you ask?

And why you not look volvo or audi?

[Marcel1]

Ehm, I try to understand your English and answer your questions. (no offence though)

If you look on sites like kaidee and talad rod you will see that in that price range you mostly find bmw's en merc of around 20 years old and toyotas or Hondas of 15 year old. (so not many volvo's or audi's)

I said already I know maintenance would be more expensive.

[overherebc]

Was told once by an old time served mechanic you can easily fix an engine, the body work and electrics are a whole different ball game. 20 years ago was around the time when the panel work started getting much thinner so body repairs became replace the whole wing etc instead of panel beating and welding. Wiring ditto.

If you find a twenty year plus car concentrate on the body work not tbe mechanics.

If it's the last documented model of its type then it must be restored to original. If it's a run of the mill production car then make sure the body is sound and put in what mechanics you feel like.

[ardokano]

Ehm, I try to understand your English and answer your questions. (no offence though)

If you look on sites like kaidee and talad rod you will see that in that price range you mostly find bmw's en merc of around 20 years old and toyotas or Hondas of 15 year old. (so not many volvo's or audi's)

I said already I know maintenance would be more expensive.

Sorry for my English

not only expensive, but also less accessible service.

If you stay somewhere far away from big city, not to easy find a service

BMW is a very good car and can serve for many years, but this is car need good service.

20 yaer car mostly scrap metal, humid climate in Thailand, and hardly the last owner invested in good service and spare parts.

I was joking about the Volvo. This machine is not worth attention.

But Audi is sold cheaper than the BMW, especially cheaper Mercedes

Germans buy in the country where it is difficult to find a cheap service but this car is only for very dedicated fans of a particular make and model.

Value may eventually be more with maintenance than 2-3 times. For this price( pay for german +maintenance than 2-3 times) you can take 5-7 years subcompact Japanese

I do not understand what you want to know?

Why 20 years german car are many times more expensive to maintain, and not every service can repair them cheaper Japanese that can be repaired cheaply for almost every workshop?

You do not even defined in the type of vehicle, not to mention the model and specifications, different types of engines, the use of different

and of course that is usually not used BMW for a quiet ride to the store for milk

In my opinion, if you just interstno German car

Mercedes 124, 3-liter, this engine long lives.

By the way Audi 80 coated body.

but 20 yaer.... ah it to old.

anythiks good luck

You play rulet if do it.

[ignis]

Early 2004 bought the top model Jazz, they were new in Thailand very few about.. by early 2008 wanted something better with full leather, Climate Control etc, sold the jazz and bought a one owner 10 year old Audi A6, the only few things that have needed attention is electrical items, these have been repaired using other makes, [2nd hand costing a few hundred baht], at moment the central locking works when it feels like it. [of course had a new battery and new tyres]

My wish list was a Saab 900, or a Volvo, just could not find a good one... my car is not used that often, as need a Pickup that is used for work.

Someone further down in the Village has an old 123 Benz diesel, he works in BKK so put 110 km on the clock every day just going to and from work, in 2006 he bought a brand new Toyota Fortuner as he must have a car to go to work and the old Benz would not last much longer or so he thought......... well we are at the end of 2015, the old Benz still runs fine and used every day, the Fortuner he hates and never uses, he goes to the Market sometimes 12 km there and back, just to keep it running and the battery charged..

BMW not at all sure about..... Thai friends that have or had them appear to have no end of electric problems........ a guy posted on here a long time ago that he had fitted a Toyota engine into his BMW and had no end of problems [if i remember engine mapping/running] Many Volvo's here do have different engines fitted.

As for why a old European car...... most even old ones have ABS and Airbags whereas Thai models have NO safety at all ...

friend with a Tent a few years ago had a Honda Vigor [loaded upmarket Accord] and Honda Accord sat together same year same price, no one looked at the Vigor, the Accord sold within a few days. 9 months later he did a trade exchange on the Vigor..

As for Audi, no idea what it is like but not a bad price, say's one Dr owner.. http://www.taladrod.com/w30/iCar/CarDet.aspx?cid=1683676

[eeeya]

I have a 10 yr old benz CLK 180 Kompressor. 85,000ks. Owned from new.

It costs roughly 40-50k baht per years in repairs.

this year a little bit more..

off the top of my head this year ive done:

Air conditioning compressor 50K baht

Pully in the engine 20k

I dont take it to Official merc dealer instead I take it to a specialist, use genuine parts and get the old ones back.

Id like to get a new car but it i figure this is still cheaper than depreciation on another new car. Ill run this into the ground. (to the wifes disapproval)

[Marcel1]

Thanks for the replies so far guys. Interesting to read experiences. I've bought and sold quite some cars in my country before and checking plate work is a good advice, mechanically I understand a bit about the engines but electrics are not my field.

Anyone with more experiences, please share.

[overherebc]

Just a tip.

A bit of black smoke from the exhaust might be fixable easily. Mixture/injectors.

A bit of blue smoke will not be fixable easily. On over-run, valves. On acceleration rings/bores. All the time, cash disaster.

[arthurwait]

Rust isn't a problem here.

BMW- Merc parts prices, crashed and/or thrashed cars, poorly maintained old cars, weak BMW transmissions are.

Stay away from modified cars as in the usually mistaken believe that it will go faster.

Toyota parts are used because they are cheaper, stronger and easier to obtain.

Plenty of secondhand parts available here for replacement or upgrades whether you go the BMW engine or Toyota engined route.

Try to avoid small diffed BMWS incase they have been thrashed. Medium and large case are much stronger.

BMW make nice handling and usually nice looking cars (before they started on those hideous chavvy SUVS) but have weak transmissions and quite expensive parts. Mercs, I've never understood the appeal at all.

[overherebc]

Sort of agree with your post on rust but my experience is it can be a big problem here on 20 plus year cars.

It usually rears it's ugly head when the underseal has been damaged and it can be a very small bit of damage and the rust starts underneath. I've seen a car that looked all nice black and shiny underneath with a small blister on the the bulkhead/firewall, and when poked with a screwdriver the whole panel gave way. It was literally the underseal holding the rust together.

If you are looking at an older car you have to find a way to have a real good dig at things, front and rear chassis legs I've seen that looked good but if fact were 80% rotten. Drain holes blocked for years at the bottom of the doors and the whole base of the door frame made from filler. Side trim holes that ended up 3 inches in diameter but nicely filled and repainted etc.

Most sellers really don't like you poking the car with a screwdriver etc and you have to try and find a way to do it. Not easy, but generally if the owner wont let you do it walk away, there will be another car around the corner.

Edited December 24, 2015 by overherebc

[RT85]

i recently purchased a 10 year old mercdes c230 sport

since collecting the car i have already spent some on maint. and repairs.

fortunately nothing too serious (yet?).

a lot of it is to do with maint and care...

the car was about 3.1millon new... technically it was first registered in 2008.. but it's a 2006 model so i consider it a 10 year old.

got it for less than 1 million and drives like a dream.

yes maint is a fair bit more expensive... example..

9 litres engine oil change + filters approx 6kbaht..

replaced front rotors and brake pads (need to replace rotors every 2 changes) approx 11.5k

fixed a minor leak on the driver side engine valve back cover 3.5k

fyi all these repairs are NOT done at the dealer but by a workshop i have come to trust which specialize in older MB...in most cases dealer quoted me about 2-4 times more per job... a lot of the time.. they over kill.. instead of fixing the little valv back cover.. they would have replaced the entire valve cover+++20k instead of 3.5k.

other misc parts are fair bit more expensive too.. eg.. air filter replacement for cabin... and also for engine..

drinks only premium petrol... 95ron here.. back hom is 98++ron... also drinks a little bit more than my previous honda freed.. haha.. after all it is a 2.5 litre v6..

ahh.. insurance of course costs about double... 30k/yr instead of 12-15k... but what u pay is what u get!??

is it worth it? for me it is... not just the badge 'status' but the comfort, safety, and being treated better by most people...

example..

i used to drive (honda freed) to tawandang at rama 3 with my folks.. dropped them off.. and the guards guided me alllllll the way to the back for the empty lot... what a hike! most recent visit.. they made space for me at the front, next to the drop off area and treated me very nicely.... anyways i still tip the same.. 20 baht!

same for many other restaurants/car parks i go too.. very different treatment...

anyway i've always loved MB... and i guess it's a lot more affordable for me here than back home.. over 3 times the price brand new over there.

but hey.. to each his own.

best of luck.

I have a 10 yr old benz CLK 180 Kompressor. 85,000ks. Owned from new.

It costs roughly 40-50k baht per years in repairs.

this year a little bit more..

off the top of my head this year ive done:

Air conditioning compressor 50K baht

Pully in the engine 20k

I dont take it to Official merc dealer instead I take it to a specialist, use genuine parts and get the old ones back.

Id like to get a new car but it i figure this is still cheaper than depreciation on another new car. Ill run this into the ground. (to the wifes disapproval)

[AlexRRR]

With such a low budget i would shy away from a 20 year old Merc or BMW, I've owned 2 bm's and think highly of them, once these sorts of cars get to a certain age they tend to fall into certain types of peoples hands...

I would be looking at and I've seen them advertised there in Thailand at seemingly low prices VW and Audi, have less years on them.

[Marcel1]

Thanks for the comments, today I've just purchased a 2002 passat 2.3 v5 decent enough, stressed my budget of course but it seemed like an good solution