Relative prices of Mk2 R26 230 & Mk3 250 Cup
Discussion
Just before Christmas I decided that I would start looking for a Megane 250 in the new year and visited local specialist K-Tec....to my surprise, the prices of their Mk3 Renaultsport Meganes seems to have risen this year. Whereas in Dec, they sold two cars for £10995 with average or below av miles, now their cheapest car is around the £13K mark. Admittedly K-Tec cars are a little over average money, but the cheapest 250 Megane within a 60 mile radius of me, is £10995.....and that is without the mandatory recaros..
By comparison a 2008 230 F1 R26 is for sale at £6995 with just 41K miles.
I am now starting to wonder whether the 250 is really worth £5K more than the older car. Having said that, 250 Cups don't hang around at K-tec. Two of the cars I was e-mailed about by their sales director in the last fortnight have already gone!!
What is the view of fans on here...is the older F1 model actually a better buy right now, or does the 250 deserve its somewhat inflated (for a 5-6 year old French hatchback) prices?!
By comparison a 2008 230 F1 R26 is for sale at £6995 with just 41K miles.
I am now starting to wonder whether the 250 is really worth £5K more than the older car. Having said that, 250 Cups don't hang around at K-tec. Two of the cars I was e-mailed about by their sales director in the last fortnight have already gone!!
What is the view of fans on here...is the older F1 model actually a better buy right now, or does the 250 deserve its somewhat inflated (for a 5-6 year old French hatchback) prices?!
Depends. My R26 was better value because I know the guy who bought it from new and it was practically never driven in the winter or bad weather so is like a new car underneath, also had very low mechanical wear (original front disks and pads still OK at 60k miles for example). There is quite a few years difference between the cars which I think must be factored in as early R26s are getting on for 9 years old now, a rougher one could well have been ragged through every one of those winters.
Beyond any objective points I think this is a largely subjective decision which also needs balancing against other none RS options. I prefer the unique look of the mk2 Megane personally even though the interior materials quality is pretty depressing, worse I feel even than the Panda runaround we had a few years back. The newer cars have supposedly a much higher quality interior but they are bordering on decent secondhand Porsche or 370z or M3 or Lotus money which for me makes them much less attractive proposition than say a £6K R26.
Beyond any objective points I think this is a largely subjective decision which also needs balancing against other none RS options. I prefer the unique look of the mk2 Megane personally even though the interior materials quality is pretty depressing, worse I feel even than the Panda runaround we had a few years back. The newer cars have supposedly a much higher quality interior but they are bordering on decent secondhand Porsche or 370z or M3 or Lotus money which for me makes them much less attractive proposition than say a £6K R26.
Exactly...12K, which is that a K-Tec 250 will set you back, buys a decent E46 M3 or a Mk1 Lotus Elise, both of which are probably at the bottom of their depreciation curve and likely to go up at some point in the future. The 250 may currently be flavour of the month, but is bound to drop in price at some point...whilst it is for all intents and purposes the same basic car as the current 275 Trophy and therefore a bargain compared with one of the brand new hot hatches....its still a lot of money for a 5/6 year old car when compared with other options out there!!
Agreed that a e46 M3 is potentially more desirable. Although not quite sure they are comparable? M3 running costs ''will' bite a lot harder, insurance, etc all at a premium over the 250.
That being said I am waiting patiently for the 250's to drop slightly, they are commanding Audi S3 8P money at the moment, which is what I would go for out the two if I had that budget right now.
That being said I am waiting patiently for the 250's to drop slightly, they are commanding Audi S3 8P money at the moment, which is what I would go for out the two if I had that budget right now.
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