They look tired thanks to years of neglect and here today gone bust tomorrow owners.
Look at what Chiltern have done - there is plenty of life left in the Mk3s.
Give the people of Anglia an honest choice, but if they think the deserve brand new trains let them pay the hugely increased fares necessary to fund them.
On the "years of neglect" issue, how are you quantifying "neglect"? Are you suggesting the good people at Crown Point have not maintained the trains well or that GA have done nothing to the Mk 3s during the somewhat nebulous time frame you mention?
I suspect Chiltern would prefer to have new coaching stock. The Mk3 coaches were designed 45 years ago, they can't and won't go on forever. The older carriages and rolling stock become the less cost-effective they are, even if they can be kept in top condition, parts will become more expensive to replace, structural work will be needed to prolong the assets' lives, old stock are usually less energy-efficient and modifications for disability and Health & Safety laws all add up to the cost of running stock beyond its intended life-span.
It's not about giving people a choice, the rail operator has bid on the basis of complete fleet renewal, the franchise bid is costed on that basis and GA felt it was achievable. Regulated fares will not be increased to pay for these new trains, they're leased and in all probability cost less over the course of the franchise than keeping the old stock running. Now, we all know that GA have run into problems but the long term outcome will be a more efficient, reliable, safer, inclusive, faster service. I think the people of Britain deserve that, not just East Anglians.