...sounds like a plan is hatching! I'll put something onto Flickr, but at the same time have a pop along to a local resto company to see what they think. To be honest with the steering grumbling away, the suspension fading and the bodywork disintegrating, the 360 is getting a bit tiring. Especially when these days you could go onto the never-never and buy a new car for £130 a month.

Having said that, I had a look around the car tonight and it doesn't seem a rot box - breaking out in a few places is all. But at the end of the day this is at best a £500 car, and this one is not at its best. 120,000 miles up, is it worth it at current garage prices?? Guess sometimes you just have to bite the bullet - or join the throwaway society, which I am not keen on doing just yet.

workshopmanualman wrote:However, as has been pointed out, the better the devil you know...

Absolutely ... All these cars are of an age now where you have to start investing a bit of money and/or time in them, and it's usually in the bodywork. Buy another 300 and you may well have another problem, somewhere else which needs to be fixed. A true "bangernomics" car needs to be younger really. Still, compare what the repair costs for your 360 are compared to a bank loan for a comparable new car (by comparable, I don't mean a Dacia Logan or a Hyundai Getz), you'll still be miles cheaper! And you never know, maybe prices will rise for these cars in the UK a little bit more in the next few years, and I guess you can do worse than invest in a top-of-the-range 360 GLT with leather and Leos.

As Chris says, ask around a little and see if someone can help with the welding. It'll take a bit of time, obviously not as comfortable as just dropping the car off at the garage, but cheaper and the job will probably be done much better too. At least the repair panels are cheap!

At the end of the day, it's a personal choice. If you're tired of the car, get rid of it, if it pushes all the right buttons otherwise, keep it and mend it, you never know, you might regret it otherwise one day ...

Tom

EDIT: 120.000 miles? That's not much for a redblock. I consider any 360 under 200.000kms to be "low mileage".

Keep plodding on mate... is this the silver 4 door saloon by the way?

I bet my old saloon was in a much worse state... and I do kinda regret chucking that in due to rust, as repaired I would've loved it. It probably would've cost a couple of thousand to get it all repaired with a full respray but I've only wasted money elsewhere on other cars that didn't seem to fit me as well as the 300's do. Surprise surprise, I'm back in another one... admittedly not a daily but still! Plus as prices are rising, you might not lose out as much as you think with very nice examples reaching £1000-1200

Just had a quote for the sill repair; £60, so not too bad. Certainly less than the cost of looking for a new car. Probably a horrid patch repair for that, but we're not talking about a Rolls-Royce here and it will keep me mobile and the car going. Funny, but here's me fretting over a hole in my sill, and my neighbour pitches up in a 2007 Aston-Martin DB7. Bet his car depreciates more each day than my car costs to run in 6 months. Not that he gives a toss; choice between a DB7 or a slightly shagged 360GLT? Two other neighbours run 3.9 Range Rovers - they never get even to 'teen mpg figures. Is it me, or are some people just wanton with their income? They live in the same, average Surrey street as me so cannot by any stretch be considered rich. Wonder what they think of me and the rusty battleship? Who cares?

Next up; fix the noisy suspension, change the power steering rack that's dying a death, think about a new radiator.... go key the DB7. Oops! Where did that come from ;¬)

Actually go lick the DB7 and drool over it until I'm carted away.

Sorry, yes it is the silver saloon. I like it, but it's currently testing my resolve .

People have shit jobs but they pay well. They try and kid themselves they are happy with "life" by spending as much as possible and try and show off about it. Such is the cycle of life for 90% of people. Money don't buy you love though