Your story about what drew you to Merc ownership

[441]

I was looking for a 4x4 that would tow a horse box easily, but still give reasonable economy, so had to be diesel, after trying Volvo, Toyota, and several others nothing was as quiet and smooth as the ML was, so that was it!

 

[eagletower]

I had a Gold Mk4 , which was a manual and i wanted an auto. I wanted a small hatch so was almost convinced on the A3 (which is basically a golf), BMW 1 Series and the W203 sports Coupe.

After sitting in my friends A3 didn't warm to it. Too much plastic and didn't feel solid. 1 Series just wasn't keen on looks.

Fell in love with the Sports coupe, has the panaromic roof, great looks and more than enough oomph for me.

 

[Top Cat]

As a boy I lived in Germany for many years, and I still remember seeing the early 126 S classes wafting along the Autobahn and thinking 'what a car'. At the time, the roads were also heavily populated with 116s and 123s, and of course 99% of taxis were cream Mercedes of one type or another.

Many years later, having graduated from dirt cheap bangers to something nearly new, I got to thinking 'if I can now afford a ten month old main dealer demo car costing almost what I earn, what will I have next?'. Of course Mercedes sprang to mind, but after several life changing episodes and some financial upheaval, I finally picked up a beautiful 19 year old 190E earlier this year.

Having now got the bug, I realised the 190 saloon body wasn't really the right choice for my requirements, so 3 months later I'm now in a C230 Estate with all the bells and whistles. Another oldie at 13 years, but nevertheless its a solid car with all the creature comforts I want including the smooth ride and handling that just would never be found on 90% of the mass market throw away cars produced today.

Both cars are everything I hoped a Mercedes would be - the way they drive, how they handle, most importantly how they make me feel. Sometimes things are only worth it if you have to wait for them.

 

[dbanbery]

i have generally always had german or swedish cars since buying my first BMW. at that time my dad had bought his first merc, a 190 D 2.5 that was to the detriment of my mother. my dad always wanted a merc due to the build quality etc but my mother didnt ever want one due the the bankrolling of the nazi party in the 1930s - yes i had the argument that if we looked at that mentality with all german companies we would end up buying nothing of quality etc.....

anyways, my dad bought this 190D anyways and then my mother drove it for 4 years. it was a manual, and was donated to me when i got banned for doing over 100mph down the M1 in my Saab Turbo. i drove it for a while and despite it being made of granite and having a 0-60 time of "when it gets there" i liked the quality, the drive, and the styling inside and out. after then my dad has had mercs ever since [apart from an E39 528i] and i always liked the W202s.

For a daily driver there is no substitute. the XR3i is an awesome rough and ready machine with bags of character and stuff to keep me busy, but i wont lie, using it daily at the moment leaves me wanting my new diesel back - the comfort and refinement is distinctly lacking in the XR3i and aside from the fun down country roads, it is a tiring car to drive on a daily basis IMHO. there is also the security of if something goes wrong it tends to not immobilise the car IE my uncles 190E had a blown headgasket that lasted for 4 years - he just kept filling up the coolant and oil. and when it did blow, it got fixed, and carried on at 250k . people can say that cavaliers will do 400k but you just need to look at how many are still around now compared to mercs of the similar age/engine size/value etc

I've always liked BMWs and still do, however i only really like the old ones, and they are thirsty, rusty, and owned by people that cant really afford them so they get trashed. i would have one as a toy though...

not sure about the brand new ones build quality, but the W202s i see to be the last of the "proper" mercs. vacuum door locks, single wiper, the classic mercedes shape. i do love the look of the W204s but i dont know what they are put together like.

still awake?

didnt think so LOL

 

[pandasharka]

I'm a recent first time owner of MB at the age of 42. I always had BMW as company car / privately owned until about 4 years ago.

Round that time my partner and I had a change of plan and bought a house in Bulgaria to live in for a year or so. Being adventurous souls we drove out in a Range Rover Classic 3.9, which made it!! (We still have both)

When we got back to the UK we bought a 96 Audi A6 2.6 Estate for £400 from eBay. Probably the best car purchase ever (other than this Mercedes....I hope). It was just a great car, yes, it had routine services and cambelt change which isnt cheap, but never missed a beat, let us down or a hint of rust.

Started looking at something a little more "modern" and found our present car - a 98 E240 Estate. No rust, nice and smooth and good to be in and drive. So far really pleased with it.

Sold the Audi back on eBay for £750 (not bad after 2 years motoring) and paid £450 more to get into the E Class.

Still get up each day to check whether rust has developed overnight, nothing so far...well that I can see anyway!

The missus always thought MB was for "old boys" but she too is a convert and our daughter wants to ride in the boot more than the rear seat so we get some peace and quiet too!

 

[harrisis]

I just wanted something that was different....

Up here in trendy Aberdeen, with lots of young folks with money to burn the car of choice is either a Golf GTi, an Audi A3 or a Subaru/Evo. I just couldnt do it. Had to be a little different.

So I went for a W203 sport coupe. Its practical enough for me (boot space/hatch back style was an essential) but its got a bit more class than any of the alternatives.

 

[st4]

I just wanted something that was different....

Up here in trendy Aberdeen, with lots of young folks with money to burn the car of choice is either a Golf GTi, an Audi A3 or a Subaru/Evo. I just couldnt do it. Had to be a little different.

So I went for a W203 sport coupe. Its practical enough for me (boot space/hatch back style was an essential) but its got a bit more class than any of the alternatives.

Or m3 beemers. How many of those do you see up there lol.

Know Aberdeen well myself, have a few good friends up there.

 

[BAW9DV]

How did I come to a Mercedes?

Hmm.... I did live in what was West Germany from 1973-76 working for the British Army in a Military Hospital (BMH) in Munster but that is my only real connection to anything German!

My first car was a Ford Granada Consul Mk3 (blue with the black top) and I have since been through a few questionable cars - until I got the wonderful Granada Scorpio (old shape) which I had for over a year until it was stolen from my drive one night, along with five others from various locations in a three-week period in Ashford, Middlesex where I used to live. Police said it looked like a special job and the car was probably destined for Russia.

After some 27 years in Airport Security (BAA), I retired from the industry in 2006, taking early retirement and redundancy, just before the Spanish took over - and having moved into the wilds of West Sussex, I had a small desk making business for which I needed boot space - and room for the wife and two kids! So, my daughter of 10 years chose a Mitsubishi Delica SpaceGear 2.8TD for me (1994) which was great as it had seven seats and when they all folded down I had all the room behind the drivers seat as cargo space. Having found it was an imported vehicle, I then found the Mitsubishi Owners Club forum and they are a great bunch of guys who helped me understand the beast and enjoy it!

Now the desk business is no more and I do not need the Delica or its horrible 299 miles on a £75 tank of diesel anymore. So its up for sale on Ebay shortly.

Been trying to convince the wife about a Mercedes for a while. I never liked the BMW - its a bike, everyone has either ridden one or is still riding it - and in my humble opinion the Merc blows the BMW away. So, despite the wife wanting me to look at a Toyota Avensis rolleyes, I began to search autotrader to see if I could afford one. Then there was this problem with trying to work out the tax issue which, thanks to the really helpful people on this forum, I have now done - and can afford it.

So, having previously discarded the new shape Mercs because of what I thought was an "L" tax band (£425 a year), I began looking again at them and found this lovely Sapphire Blue 2001 (Y) plated car with 2 previous owners, 72000 on the clock and a FSH too. For £4000, I got the car and a 2-year warranty as well. It even has a full years MOT with no advisories and they have slapped 6 months tax on it for me! Its lovely inside and even the wife was smiling!

I pick it up tomorrow from the trader in Maidstone around 11am.

Having registered with this forum, as I have with various others forums (for my hobby, I'm into Flight Simulation and have been flying the 747-400 on a home computer for nearly 20 years now), I'm relieved to see that the costs of running this car can be affordable for the masses and that they are not only the preserve of wealthy men and women!

Currently, I am back into the Airport Security industry again temporarily to augment the pension I receive from 27 years with BAA at Heathrow, but now I'm with the new owners of Gatwick. And its a much quicker drive to and from work! The wife works for British Airways and whilst we have had to turn down our annual trip to Las Vegas this year (my kids godmother lives there and we love the desert and the heat), the prospect of owning a Mercedes is a childhood dream and has me all over being a kid again!

Anyway, that's the story in brief - look forward to being a regular member here. Look for more about me here if you wish to - both sites are a work in progress:-

http://www.heathrowairportsecurity.com

and here:-

http://www.leejames.f2s.com

Take care and thanks for listening,


Lee James
Senior Airport Security Supervisor (retired)
Heathrow Airport - London
1978-2006

 

[grahamcol]

My Scottish uncle had a brand new fintail 220S in about 1964 and although I was too young then to drive, it was easily the most prestigeous, comfortable, quiet and stately thing I'd ever been in. My Dad had a mini at the time. A few years later, after I had passed my test, the same uncle let me have a quick drive of the very same fintail, with my Dad sitting very nervously in the back (in case i bumped it - I didn't). I decided then and there that one day I would own a Merc. After this I had a succession of various cars, some old, some brand new and then some 40 years or so after having first travelled in my uncle's Merc, I bought my first Merc. I've still got it because it's a fantastic car - a 1996 mid facelift C200 W202 5 speed auto. I also have a C280 V6 facelift with just 64k miles on the clock which doesn't get much use really - it's kept for best whereas the C200 is my daily driver.

 

[jackwall5]

Drove bangers for the first decade of my driving life.

For me, a car is a tool, take care of your tools and they do the job for you.

Wanted something that would carry me on long regular milage and would not leave me too tired at the other end.
MB still represents a classy motor to me. I seriously considered a BMW 330d. However, the MB C220 won the day for me during the test drive.

Safe Driving

 

[chastrain]

I wanted a car that didn't need a computer to solve or make problems, then i wanted an engine known for it's strength, then i wanted comfort .

the badge didn't matter

 

[drmw]

This time round - I had a Jaguar XKR (fabulous car - kept it longer than any other car in my life) but the supercharger developed an ominous squeak out of warranty, so time to move on. Choice between an SL500 or a BMW 645CSi.

MB salesman was a total prat (gauged me by my weekend attire, less than sartorial elegance!) so went for the BM. Kept it 12 months, residuals dropped like a stone, offloaded & went for an SL500. 18 months later, swapped for an SL55 and here I am.

 

[190donal]

good post i agree with what u say, i have a 190d 2.5 very dead on power to dead in fact, but the build quality and refinement are second to none for a 20 year old car.
i had a 325tds a few years ago and it wasnt half the yok this is although it had a lot more poke.
the 190 is a timeless classic not to bulky like the 300 and not to we, grand size for a grand car.

if uve any suggestions on putin a bit more power into my 190 drop me a line back

cheers bro.

 

[dbanbery]

good post i agree with what u say, i have a 190d 2.5 very dead on power to dead in fact, but the build quality and refinement are second to none for a 20 year old car.
i had a 325tds a few years ago and it wasnt half the yok this is although it had a lot more poke.
the 190 is a timeless classic not to bulky like the 300 and not to we, grand size for a grand car.

if uve any suggestions on putin a bit more power into my 190 drop me a line back

cheers bro.

didnt they do a turbo model? but rare as hens teeth?

i didnt think they were too bad, just slow accelleration. plenty of torque i thought

 

[television]

didnt they do a turbo model? but rare as hens teeth?

i didnt think they were too bad, just slow accelleration. plenty of torque i thought

The LHD cars could have had a turbo, and many did like the 123 300TDT, not possible on the RHD 123,124, 201 as the steering column is in the way

 

[dbanbery]

The LHD cars could have had a turbo, and many did like the 123 300TDT, not possible on the RHD 123,124, 201 as the steering column is in the way

Fail!

i assume that is the same reason that the 324td and 524td werent built for the UK either

 

[television]

Fail!

i assume that is the same reason that the 324td and 524td werent built for the UK either

That could well be,, I was shocked to see so many cars that we never have had here on the Ruskie EPC

 

[EGBM]

In answer to the original posed question: We thought we were buying into a quality brand that delivered second to none customer service to go with premium engineering.

We were wrong. Very wrong.

 

[dbanbery]

In answer to the original posed question: We thought we were buying into a quality brand that delivered second to none customer service to go with premium engineering.

We were wrong. Very wrong.

EGBM i think that depends on whether you buy old or new. they definately dont make them like they used to!

 

[EGBM]

In MB's defence though, the car itself is a joy to behold and to drive. An absolutely superb piece of engineering, just unfortunately let down by "front of house" issues in the main.