[unesl]

2 cats in the basement (house built in 1870, mouse control), hemingway our golden retriever... now the wife has announced we are getting a second dog to keep Hemingway company and as you all might have guessed, husbands do not have a say in it ... BUT wait there is more!
I told her, another dog and I get another MB! So now it is time to shop for the 1997-1999 S500. This way I get to keep my 560sl in the garage over winter.

 

[smack]

Only fair

2 cats in the basement (house built in 1870, mouse control), hemingway our golden retriever... now the wife has announced we are getting a second dog to keep Hemingway company and as you all might have guessed, husbands do not have a say in it ... BUT wait there is more!
I told her, another dog and I get another MB! So now it is time to shop for the 1997-1999 S500. This way I get to keep my 560sl in the garage over winter.

Seems only fair to me. Good deal. So, how does a new Mercedes promote the 560SL to garagedom?

 

[unesl]

Smack,
We have one of the oldest houses in Bloomfield village and the garage is the only part not restored. My 560 gets to use it now. The second car would be my beater. I work out of my home studio so my driving has really dropped but I would still like to have something which I would not feel guilty driving during the winter months. I had a set of extra wheels with winter tires on the SL thinking it would be its first winter but ended up never seeing salt. I am trying to keep it that way.

 

[smack]

Nice beater

Smack,
We have one of the oldest houses in Bloomfield village and the garage is the only part not restored. My 560 gets to use it now. The second car would be my beater. I work out of my home studio so my driving has really dropped but I would still like to have something which I would not feel guilty driving during the winter months. I had a set of extra wheels with winter tires on the SL thinking it would be its first winter but ended up never seeing salt. I am trying to keep it that way.

S500 - Nice beater!

 

[page62]

In today's local paper:

S500 '96 champ/beige, showroom new, in my hangar, $14K.

-- or --

500S '94 White, Ice Cold AC, Extra Clean, Asking $9,500

Hint: Buy a Texas car -- never seen salt...and hardly even freezing temperatures!!!

 

[unesl]

I will probably get something outside Michigan. I still have plenty of time... The search will heat up in September unless something comes up that cannot be passed by.
I call it the beater, but it will get pampered just like the SL except it will get winter duty.
meanwhile, I'm driving the wife crazy surfing the net and watching all the 500's for sale

 

[unesl]

The more I think about it, the more I realize what a deal a used S500 is. for the price of a base accord, you get a lot of car!

 

[Fluteguy]

But be careful! The W140 is a LOT more expensive to maintain and drive than a R107. I have both and the W140 is far more expensive to keep running. Plan on AT LEAST $2500 a year for maintainence and repairs!

 

[unesl]

But wait... I also thought about a 1990-1991 560sel. still think the dsign is timeless.

 

[smack]

That's why

...I bought a '91 420 SEL after I got my 93 450SL. There are a ton of them around and mostly around $5k, give or take. I traded my other half's 02 Chrsler PT with 100k on it just about even up for my 420 at a dealer in Columbus, OH. I got the better part of the deal. I have a total of $7,000 in it (had the timing chain replaced and added new Alpine sound with Sirius. I now have a classy luxury car to use as a daily driver, since our Jeep Commander seems to have been capitalized by the one who is to be obeyed in our house. We are now planning an extended road trip vacation just so we can take the 126 on an extended run. Goes like hell once you get it off the line and drives like a sports car. We just love ours. It's almost as much fun to drive as the SL.

 

[unesl]

smack, what are you saying? do you recommend it?... Just kidding! I have always liked the design more than the 140 series. It will probably be a monetary decision once I pull the trigger. It does make more sense to go with the 126. I do not believe in buying cars nowadays unless I can pay cash, and I am not rockefeller sooo...

 

[page62]

Yep. I'd choose the w126 series over the w140 series. I've never liked the looks of the w140...and the w126 is more of a DIY car, like the r107...

 

[smack]

Many officianados say

Lots of folks say the later 126's were by far the best built Mercedes on the road. After '91, the quality was a whole different story. Compared to our 107s, they are a breeze to work on. If you have a top sucking pump, you can change the oil and filter in a suit. The thing I like about them is that everything is accessible without disassembling half the car. Ain't as sexy as our 107s, but great cars for the price. But, I still like my 107 more, with all its inconveniences. Nothing like the wind blowing your through your hair and the rumble of that pre-emissions V8.