The Joy of Running an Old Shed (Vol 2)

[Shnozz]

Hoofy said:

Started looking at sheds again. Those C class "sports coupés" are unloved by everyone and so I'm seeing some at under shed budget (£1500). I've had two (C220 CDI and C180K). Am tempted to get a C320. I suspect that even though they're cheap, most people seeking out a cheap car don't want a 3.2 litre V6 knocking back petrol like an alcoholic during happy hour. The only thing is, it'll be quite a front-heavy car and I'll really notice that in the corners.

Have you checked the tax? My pal had a c350 hatchback from 2006 and the road tax coupled with fuel economy made it prohibitively expensive for a £1500 car. He’s since swapped it for a c220d coupe.

[WPA]

Shnozz said:

Hoofy said:

Started looking at sheds again. Those C class "sports coupés" are unloved by everyone and so I'm seeing some at under shed budget (£1500). I've had two (C220 CDI and C180K). Am tempted to get a C320. I suspect that even though they're cheap, most people seeking out a cheap car don't want a 3.2 litre V6 knocking back petrol like an alcoholic during happy hour. The only thing is, it'll be quite a front-heavy car and I'll really notice that in the corners.

Have you checked the tax? My pal had a c350 hatchback from 2006 and the road tax coupled with fuel economy made it prohibitively expensive for a £1500 car. He’s since swapped it for a c220d coupe.

I had a c220d coupe once, sport edition with low miles and lovely spec but my god was it heavy on fuel, garage checked it twice with no faults found but I was only getting 22 / 24mpg average, on a run around 30mpg.

I did ask on here at the time and was told it was pretty normal, soon moved it on.

[Ryyy]

7 5 7 said:

I don't advocate always DIY'ing everything when running a shed like many do, some bits I do but I value my time - still works out cheap in the long run.

Me. I think as long as i dont spend silly amounts in the garage a year then hunkydory

The thing is i want to be more mechanically minded but 1 i lack confidence in anything more than tinkering and 2 lets say i combat my confidence and go for an oil filter change or brake pads and i cant do it or break something im getting a taxi to work and if im not local im pretty knackered. Id be more inclined on a weekend car/project but i go round in circles with that concept almost weeky

[Shnozz]

WPA said:

Shnozz said:

Hoofy said:

Started looking at sheds again. Those C class "sports coupés" are unloved by everyone and so I'm seeing some at under shed budget (£1500). I've had two (C220 CDI and C180K). Am tempted to get a C320. I suspect that even though they're cheap, most people seeking out a cheap car don't want a 3.2 litre V6 knocking back petrol like an alcoholic during happy hour. The only thing is, it'll be quite a front-heavy car and I'll really notice that in the corners.

Have you checked the tax? My pal had a c350 hatchback from 2006 and the road tax coupled with fuel economy made it prohibitively expensive for a £1500 car. He’s since swapped it for a c220d coupe.

I had a c220d coupe once, sport edition with low miles and lovely spec but my god was it heavy on fuel, garage checked it twice with no faults found but I was only getting 22 / 24mpg average, on a run around 30mpg.

I did ask on here at the time and was told it was pretty normal, soon moved it on.

Interesting. I have a 250 cdi but e-class and it’s excellent on diesel. I did a fair bit of research ahead of buying and it was considered the sweet spot in terms of performance/economy.

[Hoofy]

BenS94 said:

Hoofy said:

Started looking at sheds again. Those C class "sports coupés" are unloved by everyone and so I'm seeing some at under shed budget (£1500). I've had two (C220 CDI and C180K). Am tempted to get a C320. I suspect that even though they're cheap, most people seeking out a cheap car don't want a 3.2 litre V6 knocking back petrol like an alcoholic during happy hour. The only thing is, it'll be quite a front-heavy car and I'll really notice that in the corners.

I'd be careful of the gearbox - I've always been quite fond of them though - more so the later CLC.

Wasn't aware of gearbox issues. Tell me more?

Not tried the CLC. Maybe I should rather than get a shed.

[Hoofy]

Shnozz said:

Hoofy said:

Started looking at sheds again. Those C class "sports coupés" are unloved by everyone and so I'm seeing some at under shed budget (£1500). I've had two (C220 CDI and C180K). Am tempted to get a C320. I suspect that even though they're cheap, most people seeking out a cheap car don't want a 3.2 litre V6 knocking back petrol like an alcoholic during happy hour. The only thing is, it'll be quite a front-heavy car and I'll really notice that in the corners.

Have you checked the tax? My pal had a c350 hatchback from 2006 and the road tax coupled with fuel economy made it prohibitively expensive for a £1500 car. He’s since swapped it for a c220d coupe.

Oh, I was looking at a 2004 model. Tax is ~£400. I wouldn't pay ~£700 tax for a newer car. Shame that bracket has ruled out ownership of some cars. Just doesn't make sense to own one when I could get a slightly older one in the lower bracket for similar performance. It's bizarre for DB9s and Gallardos - 2005 models, same engine spec and it's £400, one year later and it's £700.

[Hoofy]

WPA said:

Shnozz said:

Hoofy said:

Started looking at sheds again. Those C class "sports coupés" are unloved by everyone and so I'm seeing some at under shed budget (£1500). I've had two (C220 CDI and C180K). Am tempted to get a C320. I suspect that even though they're cheap, most people seeking out a cheap car don't want a 3.2 litre V6 knocking back petrol like an alcoholic during happy hour. The only thing is, it'll be quite a front-heavy car and I'll really notice that in the corners.

Have you checked the tax? My pal had a c350 hatchback from 2006 and the road tax coupled with fuel economy made it prohibitively expensive for a £1500 car. He’s since swapped it for a c220d coupe.

I had a c220d coupe once, sport edition with low miles and lovely spec but my god was it heavy on fuel, garage checked it twice with no faults found but I was only getting 22 / 24mpg average, on a run around 30mpg.

I did ask on here at the time and was told it was pretty normal, soon moved it on.

Odd. My C220 from 2004 was giving me about 50mpg on a long run, and high 20s in London traffic (pre-ULEZ!). With your experiences you might as well have been running a V6!

[Shnozz]

Successful day shedding yesterday. My 1.8t Audi has had a nasty misfire. After diagnostics had been hooked up it seemed to be coming from cylinder 3. £14 on eBay later and a swap of the ignition coil and she’s driving faultlessly once again. Just in time for its ITV (MOT equivalent).

[anarki]

MOT booked for my shedvic (1.7cdti Mk7) next Thursday.

Not entirely confident it'll pass as it's making some knocking noises over uneven surfaces, but rather than addressing that prior to it's MOT, I want to see if there's anything else wrong with it before deciding its fate.

Have been eyeballing some replacement candidates and there's nothing that's grabbed me.

On the flipside I've spent a fair bit on it this year (cambelt, front calipers, one rear shock and front suspension ball joints) so it feels stupid getting rid now. I'm hoping it's just perished bushes thats causing the knocking and therefore a relatively cheap fix (the suspension springs don't appear to be broken and all the shocks seem fine from my inspection) but we shall see!

[bodhi]

anarki said:

MOT booked for my shedvic (1.7cdti Mk7) next Thursday.

Not entirely confident it'll pass as it's making some knocking noises over uneven surfaces, but rather than addressing that prior to it's MOT, I want to see if there's anything else wrong with it before deciding its fate.

Have been eyeballing some replacement candidates and there's nothing that's grabbed me.

On the flipside I've spent a fair bit on it this year (cambelt, front calipers, one rear shock and front suspension ball joints) so it feels stupid getting rid now. I'm hoping it's just perished bushes thats causing the knocking and therefore a relatively cheap fix (the suspension springs don't appear to be broken and all the shocks seem fine from my inspection) but we shall see!

If it's anything like our Mk8 Shedvic it's probably either the top mounts or drop links, neither of which are especially expensive to sort.

[anarki]

bodhi said:

If it's anything like our Mk8 Shedvic it's probably either the top mounts or drop links, neither of which are especially expensive to sort.

Thanks for the info, I've just googled how to check each of these components for wear, so I'll check over the weekend for anything obvious.

The last time I did drop links was on an old 306 (failed on MOT and I didn't want to pay the garage at the time being a poor student) the nuts did not want to come off so I ended up angle grinding them off! Fun times

[Th3 D0n]

Hoofy said:

Started looking at sheds again. Those C class "sports coupés" are unloved by everyone and so I'm seeing some at under shed budget (£1500). I've had two (C220 CDI and C180K). Am tempted to get a C320. I suspect that even though they're cheap, most people seeking out a cheap car don't want a 3.2 litre V6 knocking back petrol like an alcoholic during happy hour. The only thing is, it'll be quite a front-heavy car and I'll really notice that in the corners.

I might die on this hill but some of those Mercedes V6 petrol engines suffer from a balancer shaft/cam drive type issue. Whilst not much in parts the labour to sort it can be horrific.
MWStewart mentioned it in his excellent C Class coupe thread iirc and it might have been the reason he punted it on ( equally likely it wasn’t mind).
There’s a very good reason lots of them are cheap.
I do like them though

[Hoofy]

Th3 D0n said:

Hoofy said:

Started looking at sheds again. Those C class "sports coupés" are unloved by everyone and so I'm seeing some at under shed budget (£1500). I've had two (C220 CDI and C180K). Am tempted to get a C320. I suspect that even though they're cheap, most people seeking out a cheap car don't want a 3.2 litre V6 knocking back petrol like an alcoholic during happy hour. The only thing is, it'll be quite a front-heavy car and I'll really notice that in the corners.

I might die on this hill but some of those Mercedes V6 petrol engines suffer from a balancer shaft/cam drive type issue. Whilst not much in parts the labour to sort it can be horrific.
MWStewart mentioned it in his excellent C Class coupe thread iirc and it might have been the reason he punted it on ( equally likely it wasn’t mind).
There’s a very good reason lots of them are cheap.
I do like them though

Yes, that's right. AFAIK it's the Kompressor engines plus the 280, 350 and 500 (later models) from that era of Mercedes. Crankshaft sensor issues develop over time. The 240 and 320 were fine.

[Gordon Hill]

Hoofy said:

WPA said:

Shnozz said:

Hoofy said:

Started looking at sheds again. Those C class "sports coupés" are unloved by everyone and so I'm seeing some at under shed budget (£1500). I've had two (C220 CDI and C180K). Am tempted to get a C320. I suspect that even though they're cheap, most people seeking out a cheap car don't want a 3.2 litre V6 knocking back petrol like an alcoholic during happy hour. The only thing is, it'll be quite a front-heavy car and I'll really notice that in the corners.

Have you checked the tax? My pal had a c350 hatchback from 2006 and the road tax coupled with fuel economy made it prohibitively expensive for a £1500 car. He’s since swapped it for a c220d coupe.

I had a c220d coupe once, sport edition with low miles and lovely spec but my god was it heavy on fuel, garage checked it twice with no faults found but I was only getting 22 / 24mpg average, on a run around 30mpg.

I did ask on here at the time and was told it was pretty normal, soon moved it on.

Odd. My C220 from 2004 was giving me about 50mpg on a long run, and high 20s in London traffic (pre-ULEZ!). With your experiences you might as well have been running a V6!

My E280 cdi gets 28/9 urban and up to 50 on a run and that's from a remapped 6 cylinder.

[G111MDS]

The old Audi A2 TDi has just clicked over 223,000 miles this morning. That’s 90,000 miles so far which is pretty decent for something I paid £1500 for back in late 2019. Kept it serviced every 10,000 miles. Do think about changing, but then I’m also tempted to see if it will see 300,000 (I think it can).

[James_N]

Oil is cheap at the moment shedders on amazon

[gruffgriff]

Sadly must hand in my card.
Had 17 of the 20 years and 180 of the almost 197k on the Mondeo, I have to call it. Too soon.



Spent a day changing aux belt tensioner and pulleys, oil and filter service and new egr blanking plate (pin holes burnt through the first I fitted) only to prove that horrendous rattling is the timing chain tensioner. Aux tensioner was knackered though.



£200 plus for the chain, guides and tensioner. Prob 2 days of my time - OK with spanners and following a guide but it did take a day for me to do the aux which was rated at 3 hours on the Fawd forum. Very rusty. Me that is.

My chaps won't entertain the job as investment in the lock tools they don't have wouldn't be worth their while...I'm sure they would if they had a bodge-with-bent-screwdrivers routine. If they can't make a buck I know I'm really going to struggle with it.

Had just picked up an oem back box and connector, got a fresh unused rear bumper ready to go on. Channelled my inner Arthur Tussik and whelted my wall-mangled back corner to something approaching curved rather than creased...Happy to ignore the rear subframe bush float as it gives entertaining rear-steer feel..deffo something bent at the front though, chews the inside of the o/s tyre despite many alignments..needs 2 tyres and looks a wreck. I can't justify the expenditure because I know I've neglected and abused it and despite it's utter faithfulness it's just worn out. I'm feeling really guilty now. That it's on it's 4th osr taillight tells a story...



197k is no boast, these should do 300 easy, but there's still loads of meat on the second only set of pads it's wearing. Clutch and dmf at 90k, alternator about 15 years ago, turbo pipe, ps pump 4 yrs ago (v easy job), passes MOT every time...

Last job will be getting a custom bookcase to a client, that should see it the 10 moles needed to get it over the 197k, unless it skips a tooth on the way...

So, worn out and battered, I need to find a scrappy around here, and write off the new parts, fresh oil & filters...
Exhaust and bumper on to ebay.

Sad times, but all my fault. It deserved a better owner.

[Hoofy]

Gordon Hill said:

My E280 cdi gets 28/9 urban and up to 50 on a run and that's from a remapped 6 cylinder.

What was it remapped to? Must have been quite fun to accelerate?

[bearman68]

gruffgriff said:

Sadly must hand in my card.

Lots of Mondeo stuff

Sad times, but all my fault. It deserved a better owner.

I usually hire chain timing kits - they work out about £35 for a week.

[ThingsBehindTheSun]

James_N said:

Oil is cheap at the moment shedders on amazon

Does everyone who runs an old shed use Mannol oil? We have five sheds in my family and we have been using this stuff for years with no issues.