Ladies and Gents, it looks like I will be working again for a few months (6 or more) so I need a car. The FFRR I will hopefully be able to ship to Malaysia during those months (import permit is based on having work/income). So it can be a cheap car as it only needs to last for say 6 months.

My options :
Mercedes S320 or 280. Drove my preferred one today S320 but was disappointed by the lack of throttle response (our 2.5 liter X-trail is a lot nippier than this S-class for sure). It has done 270k kilometers and is in pretty good nick (central locking not working, soft close drivers door not working, driver seat adjustment not working properly, seat not great but that could be down to adjustment, but rest seems to be fine). Asking price is 3600 GBP. It's the 1996 model. Link to Mercedes S320 : http://www.oto.my/car-for-sale/1013/used-1...320-johor/

Honda Legend (1995), 303k kms, drove it before and it seemed fine, had a new engine not that long ago (no idea why). It had a problem with the steering and that seemed to be low on steering fluid (so I will be driving it again to make sure it's OK now). Asking price is 1400 GBP. Link to Honda : http://www.carlist.my/used-cars/1646591/19...a-2-7.html

Nissan Cefiro/Maxima (2001), 156k kms, not driven yet but same dealer as the Legend. 3.0 liter engine (road tax a bit lower, about 200 GBP per annum less). Asking price is 3560 GBP. Reading reviews about it, it is a bit of soft and wallowing ride but I don't care about that too much. Link to Nissan : http://www.carlist.my/used-cars/1646694/20...a-3-0.html

What would you do, go cheap and hope for the best ?? Both the 2nd gen. Legend and S-Class of that era are on my bucket list by the way, not the Nissan. MY 2010 5.0 SC Galway green and sand interior!!
Have the Faultmate MSV2 Extreme to be tinkering with the settings etc. !!

Last edited by ebajema on 20th May 2015 7:55am. Edited 1 time in total

I love Mercs but they do seem to have issues similar to LR products

Nissan - soul-less but........

Honda - you NEVER see a Honda broken down (or at least I don't )

If you can cope with the old-man image go Honda IMHO

Good luck!

I don't know about values in that location chap but I do know that bangernomics for work hacks makes perfect financial sense. I use a Skoda Superb for work, cost me £2k and has done 180k miles now, 70k of those are mine. It's cost me the princely sum of 3 services and a cambelt, total of 600 quid in that time. And it really is quite a nice way to travel, comfortable, quiet and easy to drive.

The Merc you mention is of the same principles and you get a lot of car for the money. It's comfortable and easy to drive and best of all, like mine, if it breaks in a big way you just bin it and buy another. The Honda is a very under-rated car, again it's comfy and a decent way to travel. Not sure about the Datsun though

If it only needs to do 6 months then either the Merc or the Honda, haggle hard and buy the one which comes out cheapest. Either will serve you well.

Thanks guys, not worried about the old man image because I am (an old man ).

Leaning (very strongly) to the Honda because of the price, just going for another test drive and good lookover to make sure there are no hidden issues that can leave me stranded. The job is 7 days a week so not working is costing me a lot of money, but then I also have the bike for emergency (border crossing is quite nasty/unpleasant on the bike these days).

By the way, just added the links to the car ads. MY 2010 5.0 SC Galway green and sand interior!!
Have the Faultmate MSV2 Extreme to be tinkering with the settings etc. !!

Having looked at your links I'd go the Honda route

The ad' for the Merc' states "New Paint" - is that a common thing out there or does it raise alarm bells?

The Nissan is one ugly car but I guess you can't see the outside when you're driving

HONDA

The Honda all day long !

Honda ahead by a big margin. If I can't find any big risky issues, it will most certainly be the Honda.

No worries on the new paint, the car looked perfectly straight and all, just that it wouldn't move when pushing the pedal down (hard !!). Useless with the traffic here.

If the Nissan is nippier than the Benz, I think the Nissan is number two (also younger, fewer kms etc.). MY 2010 5.0 SC Galway green and sand interior!!
Have the Faultmate MSV2 Extreme to be tinkering with the settings etc. !!

Didn’t those Merc’s pick up a really unlucky name after HRH was killed in one?

Be enough to steer me into the Honda Eugene

Another vote for the Honda!

I just love how they advertise the car, especially the spec!  Got - 2017 SDV8 Autobiography in Loire Blue
Had- 2008 TDV8 Vogue SE in Java black
Had - 2007 S/C in Stornoway Grey

Cam-Tech-Craig wrote:

Didn’t those Merc’s pick up a really unlucky name after HRH was killed in one?

Be enough to steer me into the Honda Eugene

whats a honda eugene look like?

























 ... - .- -.




Y. O. L. O.
.

 MY 2010 5.0 SC Galway green and sand interior!!
Have the Faultmate MSV2 Extreme to be tinkering with the settings etc. !!

Could this be applied to Eugene :-

Car Specifications:

* Accident Free
* Like New
* Must View
* Ready Stock
* Tiptop Condition
* Well Maintained Got - 2017 SDV8 Autobiography in Loire Blue
Had- 2008 TDV8 Vogue SE in Java black
Had - 2007 S/C in Stornoway Grey

 MY 2010 5.0 SC Galway green and sand interior!!
Have the Faultmate MSV2 Extreme to be tinkering with the settings etc. !!

I'll vote Honda, Eugene. It doesn't have the same "old man" image over here. If you just need it for a few months, a cheaper car is easier to sell on when you're done with it.

The Merc is old enough to be from the era of decently built MBs, but it's a highly sofisticated car that needs expert maintenance. Judging from the faults (none too serious) it make have lacked proper servicing and that may come back to bite you.

Nissan - nothing wrong, just boring.

Good luck

Funny that everyone has the same feeling about Nissans. They do make mostly boring cars (reliable but boring) apart from the Z models (OK-ish) and the GT-R (Brilliant !!!!).

If the Honda is still available when my contract is signed (hopefully any time now), I plan to get that unless there is something major wrong with it. It is the only below 10k car that is halfway decent in Johor ! MY 2010 5.0 SC Galway green and sand interior!!
Have the Faultmate MSV2 Extreme to be tinkering with the settings etc. !!