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Aug. 1st, 2009
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Time to go and be sociable, I think! Going to give the SL a run.
For the few remaining car geeks, here's a bit about the SL I bought:
It's a 1992 500 SL - R129 shape, M119 engine which is a 5 litre V8, DOHC, 32v producing 330bhp which is promptly neutered by a 4-speed slushbox and 4,000lb+ vehicle weight. It's Almandine red and was registered on 14th February, suggesting that it was a valentine's present for someone who liked/wanted to emulate Princess Diana. Diana was discouraged from keeping her car in favour of a patriotic but no doubt less reliable XJ-S.
It cost an obscene amount in 1992. Twice what I paid for my first house in 1995.
Most of it still works, I can't find any rust, and it's got lots of good history. At 18 years old, though, it does need some wear and tear bits replacing.
Why a Mercedes SL? In the 1990s, my dad got a W124 200TE, and I got to use it for an extended period when he didn't and it subsequently got cantankerous with damp in the ignition system. W124s are the last of the "properly" engineered Mercedes cars, along with the 1991 S-Class and the related 1989 SL (which is W124 based). The engineering on this is nothing like a CLK - touches like being able to adjust the fit of the windows from outside the car with the door closed show the level of thought that went into the design.
R107 SLs are now very collectible, and W113s are downright pricey, with the best getting into E-Type territory. I've bought an SL with the best engine at the bottom of the price range, so if I cock up I won't lose much, and if I'm sensible and kept it for a long time, it might even recover some of the maintenance costs.
What? Shut up about cars? Okay :) But if you want to see pictures it's in the cars gallery in my scrapbook.
For the few remaining car geeks, here's a bit about the SL I bought:
It's a 1992 500 SL - R129 shape, M119 engine which is a 5 litre V8, DOHC, 32v producing 330bhp which is promptly neutered by a 4-speed slushbox and 4,000lb+ vehicle weight. It's Almandine red and was registered on 14th February, suggesting that it was a valentine's present for someone who liked/wanted to emulate Princess Diana. Diana was discouraged from keeping her car in favour of a patriotic but no doubt less reliable XJ-S.
It cost an obscene amount in 1992. Twice what I paid for my first house in 1995.
Most of it still works, I can't find any rust, and it's got lots of good history. At 18 years old, though, it does need some wear and tear bits replacing.
Why a Mercedes SL? In the 1990s, my dad got a W124 200TE, and I got to use it for an extended period when he didn't and it subsequently got cantankerous with damp in the ignition system. W124s are the last of the "properly" engineered Mercedes cars, along with the 1991 S-Class and the related 1989 SL (which is W124 based). The engineering on this is nothing like a CLK - touches like being able to adjust the fit of the windows from outside the car with the door closed show the level of thought that went into the design.
R107 SLs are now very collectible, and W113s are downright pricey, with the best getting into E-Type territory. I've bought an SL with the best engine at the bottom of the price range, so if I cock up I won't lose much, and if I'm sensible and kept it for a long time, it might even recover some of the maintenance costs.
What? Shut up about cars? Okay :) But if you want to see pictures it's in the cars gallery in my scrapbook.