Fisrt, off, sorry, this wasn't meant to be so long, but I'm seriously pi**ed off, and de-motivated.

 

So, I've been rebuilding / transplanting my Zed for over two years now, and was on track to finish next year...and was seriously looking forward to it. I've had no major issues being motivated, looking forward to the end result, slowly fixing up and transplanting parts, making sure everything is greased or painted accordingly to avoid any future rust, I've spent a lot of time doing this. New parts, and good used parts have been used accordingly, I was trying to build to last for a very long time, out of the best parts possible. The first link in my signature will show the journey.

 

Now, I've been driving a Galant Estate as my daily car, it's been great, but recently has started to cause some problems, and Mitsibushi parts aren't easy to come by, no good club either, not in the UK anyway. So, I've been looking at cars, and was suprised how cheaply I could get an old Merc. I went to see a local CLK 230, and got the guy down to £1200, for a very nice and tidy petrol manual that had done 102k miles. Yes, I could buy an NA for that, I know...long story. I originally was looking at cars for a few hundred, just to bridge the gap...like my Galant has so far...it just got a little out of control.

 

Anyway, the cost of the car is not the point here, the insurance cost is the point. I don't live in a good area (in fact, somone was murdered at the top of my street a couple years ago, though this probably doesn't affect car crime stats), my V6 Ford Probe was tortured whenI first moved here here, until I give up and sold her, I always knew I'd have to have CCTV before I brougth my finished Zed over, and even that may make no difference.

 

I'm going on and on....so to the point.

 

Insurance quotes for the CLK 230 were slighly more than my Galant, around £460. (I'm 35, no points, a lot of NCB - 14 I think). I thought ok, not bad, it's 2.3 litre Krompressor / supercharged engine, manual, pushing out just under 200hp, and RWD.

 

Then I read on a Merc forum that the CLK 320 has a better engine, so go for that. I found some online and used a reg for an insurance quote, and it came out cheaper than the 230! The 320 is a 3.2 V6 (though seems 99% are automatic), but apparently sounds really great. People were also recommending the S430, a 4.3 V8 I think, so I checked - £543.85. Out of curiousity I looked for insurance for my Zed (NA), expecting it to be around the £500 mark, as it's been over 2 years down the line now, but no, the only mod I entered was non standard alloys (which isn't true) - how much - £713 Third Party, the same sort of money I was paying Adrian Flux over 2 years ago. Selecting a Thatcham approved alarm made no difference. I just don't understand. I can only think it's beacause 80s / 90's cars were more easy to steal, compared to a late 90's / early 00's Merc.

 

Now I know this is about how the car drives, not completely down the size of the engine, and I'm sure the Zed out-handles all of these Mercs and is way more fun to drive, but I can't ignore the difference in insurance, and the difference in the build quality, though I realise there is nearly a 20 year gap.

 

It may just be where I live, but that isn't going to change anytime soon.

 

I just can't justify paying out £712 insurance for a 90's Nissan (again no disrespect, love my Zed), when I can insure a year 2000 V8 Merc for way less! (though realise I actually need to own the Merc first, and fill it with petrol). It's also a principle thing!

 

I now have until Sunday to work on my Zed, totally demotivated. I'm likely never going to drive it now, at least not legally.

 

I just don't know how to take this forward, I'm pretty much rebuilding my Zed to sell I guess. I'm not going to pay around £300 more a year, for no good reason! Sad really, stupid world I guess.

Edited August 13, 201411 yr by MasterCookieman

I feel your pain bud, but there must be a cheaper solution. Have you tried classic insurance, usually cheaper than regular ins, normally need a drive or garage, i guess your not building it on the street lol.

 

I had a similar pain recently insuring a piece of crap Renault scenic, which is double what the zed cost, forget comparison sites, phone a few reputable insurers some members have listed over the years, im sure you can get a better deal.

Hi mate try footman james classic, im 26, no points, 1yr ncb and a 5.5k insurance claim from last year ( dont ask :( ) with footman james on low milages usage (think I put 3000) basic policy no mods they offered me insurance for £160 a year for my tt, shop around, im now shopping for a new daily too as my bmw (albeit a 02 318) is boring and getting tired im looking into a lexus is200 which is half the price to insure compared to my bmw

Your going about it all wrong mate, as said get that zed on a classic policy. Mine is also about £200 a year, to insurance it normally is twice that I checked recently. Could I get something more reliable and powerful, of corse but it would likely be butt ugly and expensive to insure. It's a classic car reep the rewards.

Are you wanting to use your Z32 as a daily driver or weekend warrior?

I insure under classic in a shit area for just over £200 with 5 thousand miles allowance ( although they said that if I want to up it then that's fine) and use it as a daily.

I too was quoted stupid money if insured on a standard policy, I did move to another car after selling my TT but that lasted about a month at most before I bought another Zed!

the reason mercs are cheap they suffer from rot well know in the trade 2000 to 2005 is avery bad area thatsthe problem my next door has a230e bought new in 8years 4wings 4door boot and bonent and 4 resprays all under warrenrty and is still rusting poor parts in that period as stated by merc worth nothing dealers do notwant to take in car is£500 at best

Weren't that age of mercs really bad with the electronics as well? I has a friend at that time who worked for them and he was saying about how often they broke and how he would never buy one. That being said my mother has an a class in that age bracket and whilst is a horrible car to drive mechanically it's fine.

Thanks for your responses everyone. :)

 

My Zed will be my daily car, not just a weekend warrior, but I do 5000 miles max per year.

 

I haven't looked at classic insurance yet, but I definitely will be now! I do have a drive at home. I'm currenty building my Zed on my dads drive.

 

I was just so shocked by how iittle I could insure the high spec, large engine Mercs, that's when I checked a Zed NA out...

 

I'm not going to bother with the Merc, I'm just going to keep patching up the Galant, hopefully it will hold togehter a few more months, only thing is repairing the Galant takes me away from working on my Zed.

 

My new rear discs have arrived today, so I can finally get the rear calipers back on and then the wheels, assuming all goes as planned!

 

Thanks everyone! :)

Keep the faith brother keep the faith

I feel for you I am currently zedless but will have my 3rd one on the road by next year but for me to be able to do this I am completely carless for this time I do have access to another vehicle if i need to use but for all intesnse purposes I don't have a car I am 33 no ncb i have a disqualification on my licence and now recently a claim But for me to insure my last tt with mods I was only £740 fully comp but i do live in a north scotland no crime village now with my claim and i already have an idea of spec new car will be and an import I have now been quoted 1500 to insure but this is been honest about all mods that will be on it I am going to pay this and am happy to also as I love driving zeds and will be my one and only car I do believe if you had a cheap run around and went for classic insurance that your policy would be roughly halved as they then look at it as you have an daily drive which is used say 70-80% of the time and your zed just for the odd weekends I wouldn't give up if I were you I would try some classic policy's see what they can do for u or if you have a friend or family member who live in a better area with garage or drive I know some insurance are happy car insured to your home address but kept at a different loction I did this with my jap N/a years ago was kept in m8s garage as dropped price by like £400 :) There is always a way round to drive your insurance down don't throw in the towel just yet.

You haven't looked particularly well for insurance unless you're 18 with 6 points?

 

An NA on a clean licence in an ok postcode should be more than £300.

I pay £200. Although my classic policy is limited to 3000 miles.

and just to mentoin it need one abs sensor sitting down £500 supply and fit ouch makes zed look cheap to repair and not to mention plastic timing tensioner that breaks usual engine knackered i rest my case

Where abouts in Newcastle are you mate? I don't have a classic policy but it's definately worth you considering. A restriction on mileage of say £5k will help and also may be worth thinking about whether you want parents on the policy if they have clean licences and no claims.

Definitely try the classic car insurance route.

My 1990 SWB TT manual - £152 for the year, 5k miles, 34 years old FNCB. Garaged though.

I think if an extra couple of hundred quid insurance is that much of a problem then I don't see how you can justify owning a Zed or any other performance car for that matter as servicing/repairs etc will cost you way more.

Wait till you need a wheel bearing for the rear on your Mercedes. You wish you would of kept the Zed

Where abouts in Newcastle are you mate? I don't have a classic policy but it's definately worth you considering. A restriction on mileage of say £5k will help and also may be worth thinking about whether you want parents on the policy if they have clean licences and no claims.

 

 

I'm in Byker, so not the worse area in Newcastle, but fairly low down the list.

 

My licence is totally clean and I haven't made a claim in 16 years. I'm am continually amazed by what other people pay. I mean, I paid £400 for TPFT for my 2.0 Galant.

 

I normally just use Comparethemarket.com, and confused.com, then play around with the mileage and cover etc, until I find the best quote. I think the lowest quote I've ever had on any car was £380.

 

I don't live with my parents, haven't in a long long time, though did temporarily when my flat was on the market, and there was about a £200 difference in insurance, but that was moving to Cramlington.

 

When I'm ready I'll ring around properly and try classic cover, hopefully this time next year. At the end of the day; if I have to pay £700, then I guess I'll have to, I just find it insane that I could insure a V8 Merc for significantly less, it's completely insane!

 

I text the Merc seller today, told him I wasn't buying it. I think when I finally get to drive my Zed again, I'll remember just how much fun it was! :)

Edited August 13, 201411 yr by MasterCookieman

I do actually know what you mean, although I haven't got a clue how much my z insurance would be I have just got rid of a 3.2 v6 petrol frontera, not the most expensive car in the world (but I did really, really like it) and I was insuring that for £222 fully comp?

Sort the insurance out when its done.

My car will be in a garage and my postcode isn't great but I've been on the advanced motoring course, (its free and I would recommend it to anyone), but it would take some z time away. Tick that box see if it makes a worthwhile difference.

Don't let it get you down mate.

£850 I'm paying haha :(

the reason mercs are cheap they suffer from rot well know in the trade 2000 to 2005 is avery bad area thatsthe problem my next door has a230e bought new in 8years 4wings 4door boot and bonent and 4 resprays all under warrenrty and is still rusting poor parts in that period as stated by merc worth nothing dealers do notwant to take in car is£500 at best

 

Close - more like about 1997-2003 depending on the model..... so a couple of years either side is a safe bet when working out which to avoid:wink:

 

The first generation CLK, whilst it "looked" like a coupe version of the W210 E-class, it was based on the C-class chassis. And yes, that model did suffer from rust - plus the 230k engine had a problem with the breather system failing; which dumped a shit load of oil in the MAF and killed it. I had that happen in my 2000 SLK230 - cost me nearly £1000 to replace the MAF and have the pipes fully cleaned out!! And as for power, there was very little in the 230k and 320 v6; so opt for the V6 for smoother effortless power. Oh and with a Merc, forget the manuals, they're crap - autos are better and faster when engine capacity and BHP increase!!

 

W211 E-class from c2002 onward were good - quality and rust issues were resolved with the new model. S430 is lovely - but remember the S430 cost bundles when new - so expect to pay £70k car running costs, even though it's an old car now. Plus it's only recently that MB, along with many other German manufacturers, have made their big V-formation engines as economical as a 2.0i from the early 2000s; the S430 will drink faster than a student at happy hour in the college bar!!!

 

If you can, buy yourself a reasonably economic daily driver; use your NCB on that to keep premiums down and keep your Zed insured on a classic policy. You'll most likely find you can insure both for under £600

 

Richard:cool: