Mercedes Owners Stand Offish?

[davidsl500]

A long time ago in a land far away I worked in the Automotive trade for several well known company's and one of them was a VW/Audi Specialist. One thing I noticed was that beetle and camper owners would flash their headlights and wave to each other when they passed - and I believe that many landrover owners do the same sort of thing.

I know these are mostly classic vehicle owners that tend to do this but has anyone experienced this with Mercedes owners. Of course there are such a variety of mercs out there of vastly different values and ages but I can say that I have never had a wave from anyone. Are we all to stand offish? - or do we only wave at people of our own "class".

I passed an SLK coming home tonight and I didnt wave or acknowledge their prescence - well its not the same class is it? (even though it was about 1 year old and worth more than mine !)

And as for waving at people in top down roadsters of other makes - well its just not done is it ? (unless they are blonde and female of course...) I've noticed that I tend to look away and ignore them totally. Am I turning into a Mercedes snob ?

 

[Unleashed]

I always wave at every other 190 I see, but I haven't had any back.
My sisters boyfriend waves at other Corrado drivers and gets the odd one back...

 

[PINBALL]

Hi David

I also remember those days particularly in a Standard 10, we would wave to each other, but not to the later Triumph Heralds (too common).

Also got lots of waves from other in my Austin A35.

Sadly this happens rarely, but it does happen occasionally & always get a grin & a wave from giving way to another Merc.

Beamers just wave & VW/Audis think thier above all that, must be still ****ed off from all that bad press they got on Watchdog a couple of years ago.

When I used to drive HGV 20 years ago, the then rare (all too common now though) Scania / Volvo & Merc cabs would always flash & wave to each other.

Keith.

 

[littlebrooklyn]

Ah the good old days.....when people in the RAC used to flash their headlights and give a wave when they passed another member

Now it's all 'keeping up with the Jones's' and wanting to have the best car in the street

 

[mike65]

I have never waved a fellow 190 owner as frankly they ain't rare enough (yet!). When they are like Saab 96s then I'll say "hi!"

Mike.

 

[peterchurch]

I think its back to the too many on the road issue but I find that most SL drivers are too stuck up their own ar$e to notice anyone else on the road let alone in a same model car I think the few on here are about the only sociable ones going. In just under a year I have had 2 waves out of 100 + meetings of fellow roadster owners...

I must say alot of owner are quite abit older than me and they tend to look down at me as if to say who's that little upstart Maybe I'm lowering the tone abit too much

A few years back when the Renault Megane cabrio was brand new, we use to get lots of waves and flashes, from other owners. I got a few in the Saab as well but none in my Mr2...

 

[SLinKyjoe]

once waved at another SLK. he was too snobby to bother with the likes of me.

and when i had a scooby, i got a lot of hassle with other scoobie owners for not waving at them.....i donned the obligatory baseball cap (McLaren Mercedes cap of course), back to front and joined in...for a week, then ordered a R171. I grew up.

 

[blassberg]

Bikers are more accepting generally - with a nod - even on 'rival' or 'poorer' bikes.

 

[MondeoMan]

I was waving at a fellow Benz driver yesterday, but he didn't much appreciate it. I was trying to persude him to get his damn plodding CLS350 out the way of C200, ****** dawdler.

Proves you can take the man out of the Mondeo, but you can't take the Mondeo out of the man.

 

[Unleashed]

I have never waved a fellow 190 owner as frankly they ain't rare enough (yet!). When they are like Saab 96s then I'll say "hi!"

Mike.

Remind me never to be nice to you, Mr. :cry:

 

[mike65]

rofles!, I'm not a b'astard I say hello to ppl on country roads but flashing a Merc on a main road during rush hour is more likely to cause a crash than anything else!

Mike.

 

[Slaphead]

It doesn't really happen when I'm driving my own W124 saloon but in the wifes 124 estate, presumably because it's a slightly rarer beast, there's regular waves between drivers...... of course us Irish are a famously friendly lot!

 

[Myros]

this thread has upset me a great deal

to the extent I have ordered my chauffeurs to flash at Mercs being driven by foreign diplomats of not less than 1st secretary rank, as well as the heads of state and officers of field rank they usually greet. That should go some way to proving I'm not stuck up.


Actually, I used to be one of those flashing Beetle owners of days of yore, and I tried the same on a 280SL a few months ago only to be greeted with a sneer. We were waved at by a TR6, and by an MGB. Given the rarity of SLs, you think they'd invite you home for tea.

 

[peterchurch]

Maybe a smug sneer is the acepted greeting for the "knowing" SL driver

 

[sooper coop]

Always a nod on a bike except BMW bikers. or those twats with bmw scooters - the ones with roofs on - oh and scooter riders because they are generally dangerous to all.

Bmw riders - There just as stupid as there car driving counterparts.

why.. because they bought a BMW bike, most are pretty sterile.

Have had a few waves from CE SEC and 190 drivers, possibly because they dont have SL snobbery, SLK suedo snobbery. < its not an SL is it ;-) and they appreciate what they have. No offence to forumites and obviously I'm generalising..

Accurately ? - your call.

 

[davidsl500]

on a slightly different perspective, maybe Mercedes owners should wave their last repair bills at each other.......

 

[Myros]

call me an inverted snob then

as I'd be hoping I paid less than the other chap.
It's just one of those things you know. I suggest we all keep waving at the Mercs of our choice, and if anyone waves back, odds-on they are a forumist or other all-round good-egg.
Should we have a special MBOA wave? One-handed would seem safest.

 

[robbi-wan]

One-handed would seem safest.

I once gave a lorry driver a one handed wave in a traffic jam: He stopped in the middle lane and got out!!!

 

[SLinKyjoe]

i had a good chat with a SL driver about lotus we had seen. he was okay and waved at me the following day whiloe not letting me out at the junctions...

but 2day I had the best. The slinkymobile had 2 screws in its nearside rear. dunno how they got in but went to get them removed. turned up at local tyre guy (Wharfedale Tyres if anyone wants a recommendation) and in was an SLK 320. the old R170. with its roof up and a cheap plate....and the dealers named on the number plate sold out 4 years ago. middle aged geezer with it. he kept taking a sly look at mine but never broke into conversation. when he left the tyre fixer said "he was a bit snobbish, must be coz you have a nicer car".....and he refused to put his roof down.

but then a Audi TT came. me and the driver had a talk about both our cars. no one-up-manship at all....altho i do have a Merc and he has squashed Beetle on an old Golf platform.

 

[James Edwards]

In the old days when I had Saab 95 & 96 we waved everytime we met a fellow owner!!
I live in the country side & when I meet people in the narrow lanes & in my village I always give a little wave to everybody- you should see some of the reactions!!
James
C250td sport est 152K