To B or not to B
So, it’s a new year and, perhaps, a new car. Our family Citroen Picasso is celebrating its third birthday today, January 8.
Delighted to say it has sailed through its first MOT without even an advisory being issued, which is good news.
Thanks to the delay between writing and publication, it is, hopefully, currently conveying the good Mrs C and myself to Cornwall for a week’s walking, with all the clobber (not to mention mud and dog hairs) that entails.
Our time with the Picasso has been generally good, save for some problems with the turbo, flywheel and clutch, all of which have been sorted out very efficiently under warranty by the main dealer in Torbay.
And that’s the point. For anyone lucky enough to be able to afford a new or nearly new car, there is always the peace of mind that should something go bang, it’s down to the manufacturer to put it right.
With 40,000 miles on the clock and in great condition, our Picasso is worth about £6,000 if traded in.
I don’t want to invest too much, so what’s available for no more than £12,000, possibly £13,000, and which satisfies my need for space and economy?
And which comes with a decent warranty?
Having taken a look at the video reviews in our excellent Motors section at www.middevonadvertiser.co.uk I’m quite taken with a Mercedes B-Class.
I have chatted to my brother, who works for a main MB dealership, and he tells me there’s little to worry about with the B-Class except the rear wash-wipe pipe coming loose (affecting the electrics) and some early corrosion on one of the wheel arches, both problems Mercedes should have picked up on and rectified.
But ideally I would like to hear from any readers who live or have lived with a B-Class. What was it like on a day-to-day basis? Did its premium price live up to the premium image?
Or am I better off looking for another Citroen, a brand with an enviable reputation for value for money, if not driver satisfaction?
Talking of which, how about the bigger Ford S-Max?
I look forward to your emails on this, or any other motoring stories you’d like to share, dropping into the inbox at nigelcanham@tindlenews.co.uk.
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