Re: EVO magazine, May & June

[quk@isham-research.demon.co.uk (Phil Payne)]

In message <010101be9cc4$0895a320$9501883e@default> "Jim Haseltine" writes:

> You might want to check out these issues, the May issue for die-hard Ur-q
> fans - their 20v Ur being given the once-over at AM Cars and a page on
> Michelle Mouton in the 81 San Remo rally, while the June issue has features
> on the R8C and tests the S3 against the Impreza RB5 - only remarkable thing
> about their 20v Ur in this issue is that its owner really ought to try
> shopping around for his tyres, GBP197 ($330) each for Dunlop D9000s - !

AM Cars has an interesting attitude to pricing.

(See http://www.topazgloucester.co.uk/quattro.htm )

This car was advertised in The Sunday Times at GBP13500.  The full story
is that the present owner is a dyed-in-the-wool BMW fanatic who wrote
off his new BMW a few weeks back.  Because it was less than three months
old, his insurance company decided to replaced it with a new one.  I
presume they have access to such discounts as makes this the most
economical thing for them to do ...

Just to tide him over, he bought G503 JNV from Adam Marsden - intending
to keep it for just a couple of months.  I believe he paid GBP14500
for it.  As a price check - this is KA000147, and I recently helped a
Club member buy KA000096 in very tidy condition for GBP6750.  Another
MB (unknown VIN and status) is currently on offer in Selby in Yorkshire
at GBP5700.  Even mine I would hesitate to value above GBP13000, and I
know mine is mechanically perfect.

So it's against this background that the 'valuation certificate' on the
web (the one from AM Cars) should be seen - THEY sold him the car.

So - our friend has a car that is (IMO) worth at most GBP12000, and that
assumes it's all working - an assumption I would be reluctant to make
about an MB from that source.  As you know, MBs are money pits - his
emphasis on how wonderful the bodywork and interior is entirely
misses the point - what about the brake accumulator, servo, clutch
master cylinder, etc.?

--
 Phil Payne
 Phone: 0385 302803   Fax: 01536 723021
 (The contents of this post will _NOT_ appear in the UK Newsletter.)