JohnOS
Active Member
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2020
- Messages
- 35
- Reaction score
- 28
- Location
- Malvern
- Your Mercedes
- 2012 E500 Cab 4.7 TT V8
Hi all, I'm John, and I just bought that E500 Cab from Mercland. This is my second Merc. Back in 2011 my then wife was fed up with giving me an early lift in our Disco3 to Great Malvern station to catch the 0517 to Paddington for my weekly commute into London. I'd always hankered after a soft top, and her view was "so long as it has 4 seats". I immediately discounted Saab and BMW. Saabs are boring, and BMW may be great driver's cars, but they've never made a pretty convertible IMHO. I started looking for 5 year old Audis, but couldn't find anything in my budget, so I tried a Parkers value search for 4 seater soft tops, and the CLK230 V317RBK came up. Cue 9 years of happy trouble free top down driving!
So come 2020 and I'm back in the market for another four seater MB soft top. But this time it had to be V8 powered. Summer 2018 had seen me drive my kids up the Pacific Coast on Highway 101 in a Camaro SS. The sound and power of Chevy's 6.2 V8 was thrilling and addictive. Whatever the road speed, gear or revs, there's instant torque, power and acceleration.
Initially I was looking at CLK55s and 63s, but couldn't find one in good order. Then the E500 Cab popped up, and once I drove it I was hooked. I hadn't known MB did a V8 powered soft top after the CLK63 got retired in 2009, thinking the E400 was top of the line, and there was no C class soft top until the current model. And I hadn't planned on getting a V8 turbo, wanting a big NA V8 for the low revs grunt. But when I drove the E500 Cab I found the 4.7 TT V8 has the same feel as Chevy's 6.2 V8, with oodles of low revving torque as well as masses of high rev power. Even better, IMHO, than the CLK63 V8, which has masses of power, but doesn't quite have the low down grunt of the Chevy or the 4.7 TT V8. So, after an RAC inspection, I bought it! And I'm collecting on Weds. Which leads me to a question...
Anyone got any tips on insurers for a chipped V8 that's going to be a low mileage summer weekend car that will spend most of it's time garaged with classiccarstorageuk.co.uk ? My daily, a Golf R, is covered very affordably by Saga; yes, I'm the wrong side of 50, low insurance rates are some comfort! Compare the Market gave no Saga quote. Admiral were the cheapest on the basis of 3K per annum and secure storage at 410.
So come 2020 and I'm back in the market for another four seater MB soft top. But this time it had to be V8 powered. Summer 2018 had seen me drive my kids up the Pacific Coast on Highway 101 in a Camaro SS. The sound and power of Chevy's 6.2 V8 was thrilling and addictive. Whatever the road speed, gear or revs, there's instant torque, power and acceleration.
Initially I was looking at CLK55s and 63s, but couldn't find one in good order. Then the E500 Cab popped up, and once I drove it I was hooked. I hadn't known MB did a V8 powered soft top after the CLK63 got retired in 2009, thinking the E400 was top of the line, and there was no C class soft top until the current model. And I hadn't planned on getting a V8 turbo, wanting a big NA V8 for the low revs grunt. But when I drove the E500 Cab I found the 4.7 TT V8 has the same feel as Chevy's 6.2 V8, with oodles of low revving torque as well as masses of high rev power. Even better, IMHO, than the CLK63 V8, which has masses of power, but doesn't quite have the low down grunt of the Chevy or the 4.7 TT V8. So, after an RAC inspection, I bought it! And I'm collecting on Weds. Which leads me to a question...
Anyone got any tips on insurers for a chipped V8 that's going to be a low mileage summer weekend car that will spend most of it's time garaged with classiccarstorageuk.co.uk ? My daily, a Golf R, is covered very affordably by Saga; yes, I'm the wrong side of 50, low insurance rates are some comfort! Compare the Market gave no Saga quote. Admiral were the cheapest on the basis of 3K per annum and secure storage at 410.
