What got you into a Mercedes Benz?

[sonic]

I went to work for a new company that had been after me for about a year to which I finally relented in 1995.

The boss said I would need a car so gave me a signed blank Company cheque, (yes, literally) and said go get yourself anything you wanted with a limit of Z$70,000.00 (About US$14,000.00).

I had a customer that I knew from the company I worked for previously, (Dulux - Glasurit) who had a beautiful white 1985 w123/200. So I hightailed over there and asked him what he wanted for it - it was his personal car - Z$60,000.00 I filled out the amount straight away before he changed his mind and drove away as happy as Larry!! He threw in the Sheepskin Seat Covers.

I left after a couple of years after I had succeeded in doing what he had hired me for - he said I could keep the car. As well of a bit of a golden handshake!

That is how I got into Mercs.... Now on my 13th. Or 14th....

Here it is just after I bought it home with my lovely wife adorning the bonnet!

Looks like a BMW2000TiLux in the background.

 

[RhodieBill]

Looks like a BMW2000TiLux in the background.

This was in Zimbabwe and a German Import that I bought 2nd hand in the late 80's. It just had 2000 on the rear as far as I can remember, but yes, a BMW2000 New Class. I think I paid Z$800.00 for it and basically cost me nothing until I sold it in 1997. It was very happy to hang out its rear end on dirt roads, which at one time I lived on for a couple of years on a farm about 25k's east of Harare. It was fun! But when I got the Merc my wife drove it mostly when she sold the Anglia.

But yes, it was just like this one in the Video, but RHD.

 

[sonic]

This was in Zimbabwe and a German Import that I bought 2nd hand in the late 80's. It just had 2000 on the rear as far as I can remember, but yes, a BMW2000 New Class. I think I paid Z$800.00 for it and basically cost me nothing until I sold it in 1997. It was very happy to hang out its rear end on dirt roads, which at one time I lived on for a couple of years on a farm about 25k's east of Harare. It was fun! But when I got the Merc my wife drove it mostly when she sold the Anglia.

But yes, it was just like this one in the Video, but RHD.

When I was in Germany a mate of mine had one, nice car.

 

[Paul Garrett]

ive always liked Mercedes and six years ago i was driving a Peaugeot 306 and my left knee was giving out, so when i was driving my bus one day i saw this gorgeous massive silver Merc for sale on the street, several days of passing it made go look at it , contacted owner had a test drive and i was hooked, smitten, in love with the thing, it had full service history .
Body had some issues, but then my own body has some issues too down to age! Ha! , never regretted buying it and my wife loves it too, i just replace things down to wear and tear and look after the thing and has been a fantastic car to own and drive

 

[SquabzZz]

When I was really young my uncle and his wife had matching 1995 C Class (one blue and one red) and I remember just being fascinated with its automatic gearbox electric windows and the Mercedes badge on the bonet. He used to tell me back then that AMGs was the top dogs better than any GTI or Jap car!

My first Mercedes was a CLC 180K, then a W204 C220 CDI coupe, then a GLC and now I’m in a C63 AMG

Same uncle also taught me how to wash cars (using 2 bucket method and loads of micro fibre towels and not 1 for the whole day ect ect we both are like the only petrol heads in the family)

He has now moved to Cyprus and even to this day when he comes to England to find a new Mercedes to take back (as cars in Cyprus are left handed too) I still go with him and view cars

 

[SquabzZz]

Also when I was younger a family friend had (well still has just stored now) a 190E Cosworth and I remember that car was the fastest thing I had ever been in. That combined with my uncles cars I knew one day I would have a fast Mercedes

 

[BluSA]

Grew up around a w123 and a w124 TE and a sedan. Fast forward 1st car w204,later on bought a w212 currently busy on a w124 300e 24v the rarest 1 in south africa but having difficulties sourcing spares for it ..the love is forever ♥ lasting

 

[JohnOS]

When I was really young my uncle and his wife had matching 1995 C Class (one blue and one red) and I remember just being fascinated with its automatic gearbox electric windows and the Mercedes badge on the bonet. He used to tell me back then that AMGs was the top dogs better than any GTI or Jap car!

My first Mercedes was a CLC 180K, then a W204 C220 CDI coupe, then a GLC and now I’m in a C63 AMG

Same uncle also taught me how to wash cars (using 2 bucket method and loads of micro fibre towels and not 1 for the whole day ect ect we both are like the only petrol heads in the family)

He has now moved to Cyprus and even to this day when he comes to England to find a new Mercedes to take back (as cars in Cyprus are left handed too) I still go with him and view cars

Blimey, those roads have in Cyprus have even more pot holes than we do!

Anyway, is that the 6.2 C63 or the 4.0TTV8?

 

[SquabzZz]

Blimey, those roads have in Cyprus have even more pot holes than we do!

Anyway, is that the 6.2 C63 or the 4.0TTV8?

Where my family is isn’t bad at all to be honest if you keep to new roads

4.0TTV8 C63 buddy

 

[Axcontrols]

I lived in Germany - truck driver in my youth - and a freind of mine owned a Taxi business. Fleet of Ivory coloured 123 200D's. He was in the habit of selling them every two years. His contract with MB meant he'd take a few each year.

Anyway. In late 1980 I bought one of his 'ex' taxis. A 1979 123 200D. That's the car I tortured in a different thread - poor thing.

Anyway. Since then I've had more than I can remember. 107-380SLC, 116-280SE, 124-E300estate, 210-E200, ML270, GLA200d and others I can't remember.

 

[Snake Charmer]

I first came close to Mercedes ownership when I was offered a pristine condition W124 300E in return for work on a classic car. I had to refuse as I had no need for the car and nowhere to garage it either, far too good to sit outside and use as a daily, one owner, garaged and would pass as a 3 year old car not 30. I have driven a few, notable ones being an S65, CLS500 and the 300SL Gullwing at MB World.

Roll on to 2021...... I have always liked the AMG S210 and S211 cars but never had the need for one. Ironically I was trundling along the M25 in our Golf on the way home from work looking at cars and thinking about something I would like just for me and a nice E55 S211 in silver went past, that would be nice and I did a little Googling at prices etc and thought no more of it.

Shortly after, I had another friends classic car to do work on, the plan was he would drop one of his Mercedes to me for Mot/repairs and take his classic. I ended up with both sat here and all the paperwork/V5 etc to scrap, repair or buy the Mercedes with a failure sheet for chassis corrosion. The car was just a little too good to scrap and I took it on as my daily due to our other car popping a CV joint apart, you could say it was good timing. I now own my first Mercedes, a 2004 S211 E320 CDI Avantgarde with Sand Designo trim.

 

[Axcontrols]

I went to work for a new company that had been after me for about a year to which I finally relented in 1995.

The boss said I would need a car so gave me a signed blank Company cheque, (yes, literally) and said go get yourself anything you wanted with a limit of Z$70,000.00 (About US$14,000.00).

I had a customer that I knew from the company I worked for previously, (Dulux - Glasurit) who had a beautiful white 1985 w123/200. So I hightailed over there and asked him what he wanted for it - it was his personal car - Z$60,000.00 I filled out the amount straight away before he changed his mind and drove away as happy as Larry!! He threw in the Sheepskin Seat Covers.

I left after a couple of years after I had succeeded in doing what he had hired me for - he said I could keep the car. As well of a bit of a golden handshake!

That is how I got into Mercs.... Now on my 13th. Or 14th....

Here it is just after I bought it home with my lovely wife adorning the bonnet!

On the glass low down between the headlight and the slightly smaller foglight, on each side, is a small white disc about 2 or 3 inches. What's that? I never saw that before?

 

[MattB101]

Ever since I passed my test back in 1991 I set my sights on a Merc'.

Then work, wife, mortgage, family & 'sensible' decisions got in the way.

But after a chat with SWMBO last week she said 'So go and find one then!!'

So I did. Can't wait until the 19th!!

 

[jberks]

My Grandad bought a new 280 (W114 back in 1972). I was too young to know a good car from a bad one back then but my Dad clearly did and always lusted after a Merc. He bought a new 250 W123 in 1979 and has had various different cars (W126, W202, W211,W212) since then.
So it's been in the family so to speak.
We hit a bad patch financially and he didn't have a merc for a few years and I forgot how good mercs were. How totally different to anything else. A friend gave me a lift in theirs and it came flooding back. Nothing else felt like it.
As a teenager in the 80's I fell in love with my Mum's 3 series. At that time, you drove one of those as an 18 year old and you were "the man". Funny how girls would always talk to me when I was out in that. .. Dad's cars were fabulous but for me at the time, a bit too 'old man'. An 18 year old in a 420SE was obviously driving Dad's car.
So when the time came and I could finally afford something that didn't classify as a banger, I actually wanted a BMW. I wandered into a BMW showroom looking for a 2-3 year old 525i and was met with total contempt. So ended my BMW driving career.
I visited Merc, was treated as a respectable person and test drove a W124. Still too much 'old man', but there was a W202... So I bought a 2 year old W202 220. Coming from a tatty Ford Granada, it was such a step up. Even had flashing LEDs in the door handle and wipers on the head lights. Walnut trim, no switch blanks, quiet, smooth and rare to the point of being exotic back then. All those memories came flooding back and I was hooked and a confirmed merc driver for life. 3 years later, I loved the C but realised I was missing aircon and felt a Merc should really be a 6 cylinder. I swapped it for an E240 (W210). Huge inside, sewing machine smooth and quiet but not very quick or economical and a bit slab sided. Then the came out with the W211 and I was instantly in love. When the dash pixels went in the 210, I decided it was time and got an E270CDI and kept that for 9 years. Put 180,000 miles on it and it was still fabulous when traces of rust appeared in the arches and I reluctantly decided it was time to change.
A W212 E320CDI seemed a no brainer. I didn't love it like I had the 211 but it was the obvious choice. Except this time I got the same attitude from the dealers that I'd had from BMW all those years ago. I knew the utterly personal service I got in '98 (when MB had 3 models and dealerships were tiny family concerns where you were on first name terms with all the staff) was no more, but I still expected the salesmen to at least be interested in getting me a car. Not, the 'if I can be bothered' attitude I got.
So, P'd off, I called into Jaguar and found a car I'd not even thought worthy of consideration, an XF-S felt as smooth and solid as the Merc, was faster and actually handled better. The dealership reminded me on Mercedes back in the day too. Small, few models and greeted with my name when I walked in with a salesman that really wanted to talk to me and knew his product (my wife had corrected the Merc lads several times, their product knowledge was so hopeless). So surprised at myself, I actually bought a Jag. It's not perfect and some things (ergonomics) that MB got utterly right are just so wrong, but, like my E270, even after 8 years of ownership, it's still a pleasure to drive and still puts a grin on my face.
So here I am.
I've not fallen out with Mercedes and may well yet return (Jag don't have a 6 cyl or hybrid XF so not sure I'll get another, plus the dealers are now equally as crap as Merc), so maybe you'll find me in a 300de some day (I still think the new facelift XF looks better but the engine has to be right too) or possibly I'll get over my 'it's just too big' and treat myself to my still ultimate dream car - an S.

 

[A.J.]

So, P'd off, I called into Jaguar and found a car I'd not even thought worthy of consideration, an XF-S felt as smooth and solid as the Merc, was faster and actually handled better. The dealership reminded me on Mercedes back in the day too. Small, few models and greeted with my name when I walked in with a salesman that really wanted to talk to me and knew his product (my wife had corrected the Merc lads several times, their product knowledge was so hopeless). So surprised at myself, I actually bought a Jag. It's not perfect and some things (ergonomics) that MB got utterly right are just so wrong, but, like my E270, even after 8 years of ownership, it's still a pleasure to drive and still puts a grin on my face.

Not all are as lucky with the XF-S as you. My Son-in-Law bought a two year old , I think it was a Premium Luxury. Whereas the engine was an absolute peach, the build quality was good but the electrics were woeful. He had endless problems with it that the Dealership in Norwich seemed unable to master.

In the end they bought it back from him. He did make rather a nuisance of himself though because he liked the car but the electrical problems were getting him down. The XF was then replaced with an MB. One of the things that I struggled with with the XF was getting out of it. The leather was so slippery I found myself having to roll out of it which I don't with an MB, that is probably just me though.

 

[JohnOS]

Not all are as lucky with the XF-S as you. My Son-in-Law bought a two year old , I think it was a Premium Luxury. Whereas the engine was an absolute peach, the build quality was good but the electrics were woeful. He had endless problems with it that the Dealership in Norwich seemed unable to master.

In the end they bought it back from him. He did make rather a nuisance of himself though because he liked the car but the electrical problems were getting him down. The XF was then replaced with an MB. One of the things that I struggled with with the XF was getting out of it. The leather was so slippery I found myself having to roll out of it which I don't with an MB, that is probably just me though.

I've always fancied a Jag, but suspect I can't afford to run one. I did own another JLR product - Disco3 - for eight years, and that was ruinously expensive. The MB sticker price may be premium, but I'm on board with MB's claim that TCO is lower. That's been my experience, and why else would we see so many MB taxis?

 

[jberks]

Oddly, and this will shock you, (it did me), my Jag has been more reliable than any of my Mercs.

The E class had very few issues, a new MAF, a turbo pipe, gearbox mount and a switch but it never let me down and I consider that a tiny list over the years and the car effectively bullet proof.
The Jag needed a new boot loom a year in (known weak spot) which the dealer sorted during an MOT and a couple of cheap bits around the windscreen/headlight washer system. Aside from that, it's had nothing at all but consumables. Everything works 100% Thats' over 7-8 years and 100,000 miles.
There is a known problem with water wicking from the washers to the central fusebox/computer which causes a litany of issues, but easily pre-empted if you know about it. I did the fix and so it's not been an issue for me. Electrical issues are almost always either that or low voltage.

A big problem with most makes is that the dealerships lack the skills to fix issues. So simple problems become major headaches because the dealer fitters can't figure it out and keep replacing irrelevant parts guessing, rather than diagnosing. Hence cars get awful reputation, generally undeserved. I had a problem with a Freelander2 years ago. After 5 "software updates", only for the fault to reappear a week later, I lost patience and told them to replace the part I was sure was causing the problem. They were reluctant but eventually agreed. Problem solved. Dealers sadly have fitters that seem to have no clue how to diagnose a problem these days. They just follow the computer and protocol, which will lead them down a dark alley 50% of the time.

 

[Axcontrols]

. . . .
A big problem with most makes is that the dealerships lack the skills to fix issues. . . . . dealer fitters can't figure it out and keep replacing irrelevant parts guessing, rather than diagnosing . . . . . Dealers sadly have fitters that seem to have no clue how to diagnose a problem these days.

So very very true. But it's not their fault. It is the way they are taught. It's the way the system works nowadays.

 

[Srdl]

Ever since I passed my test back in 1991 I set my sights on a Merc'.

Then work, wife, mortgage, family & 'sensible' decisions got in the way.

But after a chat with SWMBO last week she said 'So go and find one then!!'

So I did. Can't wait until the 19th!!

Great colour choice - I like Hyacinth Red!

 

[Moocow]

Have had mine (W204 C250D Coupe) a couple of years now, and the basic idea behind it was:
Reduce fuel costs - I did (until Covid) about 120 miles a day commute in a Golf GTI in winter and it was costing me a fair amount in petrol usage. My first diesel.
Comfort - stop/start commute traffic means lots of clutching on a manual and it was getting tedious. So got the auto, the lessening of road noise, comfort of the seats and the far softer ride have helped massively reduce my road anger! Just a nice place to be, especially cruising down the motorway.