Condition or Spec?

[320touring]

Engine size.

 

buy on engine size!

 

alfa 156 1.8 tspark=misery

alfa 156 2.5 v6=glory!

[xtriple]

Got to have a rev counter!

 

Anything else is optional!

[anonymous user]

In my case usually neither condition nor spec. Much of the time it's been boredom and a bit of "I wonder what that'll be like", or desperation "I need a car now, what's the cheapest/nearest?"

 

My father always told me, "Don't buy the first one you look at". Over the years I'm sure I've missed out on good cars and bought the lemon instead by following that advice, so now if I like the look of it I'll buy it on the spot.

 

I come from an era where you would be looking at cars thinking Well it hasn't got much rust, the engine isn't smoking, too much, it doesn't leak too much, most of the paint is the same colour, there's not much filler, the tyres aren't that bald and still be considering buying it

[mercrocker]

Lowest spec, highest condition is the magic mix for me.  

  

Most of what constitutes "desirable" or "essential" extras end up being a pain in the ass in 25 year old cars.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

I bought my current work car based on its colour scheme.

Dark metallic red with cream real leather.

Every other E Class 280/320 was silver or black with that lovely* Artico ( which is German for PVC)

So much easier when a passenger is looking for me outside an airport or restaurant.

"Fat bloke in a red Merc " is a lot easier than them trying to spot you in a sea of shiny black Mercs.

I didn't notice or care it hasn't got Command, until I'd agreed to buy it- German Sat Nav is shit anyway!

[HH-R]

Later (intermittent delay wipe) not common? my stuff has it, Mercedes is rain sensing, Subaru via the stalk.

 

P6 Rover had it in 63!

 

I've only two cars out of nine that had it, a Kia and a Rover 75. It only actually bothered me in the Fiats, timing just never seemed right for any kind of rain. come to think of it, the Metro had some sort of adjustment on the wiper stalk but I can't remember what it was for... that might be a 3rd.

[andrew e]

Bren, have you tried writing to the previous owner? Talking off keys I have a Vectra folding one with the electric tailgate button if it might help anyone?

[Des]

Unless spec level determines whether or not a car comes with an engine it's pretty irrelevant in the real world, best leave all that agonising to the sort of chumps who rate their futile existence by some letters on a bootlid, it's all marketing / selling debt bollocks.