Thought it would be of interest to some others to hear how I got on so here goes:
Don't know if there are any direct flights, the flight from LHR is a bit long winded because it goes via Frankfurt. Still, its business class if you fly Lufthansa so the business lounge is available. The transfer from the business lounge to the gate in Frankfurt on my flight was longer than expected, took ages, it was miles away and I hadnt left long.
Then arrived at Bremen to be met by the taxi driver holding my name on a card...except he wasnt there, and 10 minutes later he still wasnt there, everyone from my flight had gone and I was feeling deserted and shocked, I knew where I had to go but did not expect to be in this situation. The helpful woman on the information desk called the taxi company up and he was there 5 minutes later. From this point it just got better... with one more exception. I asked but they would not change my KM readout to outside temp, they said it was illegal to do so in Germany but dealer could do it. Cant see my dealer bothering but I will ask.
The factory tour was well worth it, the C class assembly uses hundreds of robots and the human intervention seems geared to setting things up so the robots can keep going. The SL line uses just in time production and the bits arrive when they are need to be fitted manually at each stage. The SLK line is apparently the same, the only robot assembly is fitting the windscreen!
The basic chassis is done in another building, turns up, and the car rolls through various stages and out the other side as a complete car to be tested on a track and then delivered to us. So we have what is basically a hand assembled car.
By the time the tour was done my time for handover had nearly arrived, and I was soooo excited, 10 months waiting but more than that I have always loved great cars and this is my first new car, and then right on time it was driven in. I was holding back tears.
The handover was great. It was 1C, and the roof was down for maybe 50 miles. Being tall the top of my head got a bit chilly, fine with a hat on up to 70 mph, bit blustery at 90, so the top went up after that.
I expected the car to perform well, it was comfortable on my sports suspension and I have plenty of acceleration up to 4000 rpm, it will cruise at 100mph and be about 3700. It was quiet enough, though there was some wind noise with the roof up, more than I expected.
Comand was clear and took away all worry about working out where to go, and the map was great...how far to go, how far have we gone, where is the petrol station, plus where is a restaurant and more stuff can be shown like cinemas etc. In a traffic jam or waiting for my girlfriend? watch a DVD. Normally waiting and getting lost are major sress points for me. Attach a couple of pics of the C class assembly line and my car, they wont allow pics on the SL assembly line, no idea why.
A long wait is finally over. Beauty!
Don't know if there are any direct flights, the flight from LHR is a bit long winded because it goes via Frankfurt. Still, its business class if you fly Lufthansa so the business lounge is available. The transfer from the business lounge to the gate in Frankfurt on my flight was longer than expected, took ages, it was miles away and I hadnt left long.
Then arrived at Bremen to be met by the taxi driver holding my name on a card...except he wasnt there, and 10 minutes later he still wasnt there, everyone from my flight had gone and I was feeling deserted and shocked, I knew where I had to go but did not expect to be in this situation. The helpful woman on the information desk called the taxi company up and he was there 5 minutes later. From this point it just got better... with one more exception. I asked but they would not change my KM readout to outside temp, they said it was illegal to do so in Germany but dealer could do it. Cant see my dealer bothering but I will ask.
The factory tour was well worth it, the C class assembly uses hundreds of robots and the human intervention seems geared to setting things up so the robots can keep going. The SL line uses just in time production and the bits arrive when they are need to be fitted manually at each stage. The SLK line is apparently the same, the only robot assembly is fitting the windscreen!
The basic chassis is done in another building, turns up, and the car rolls through various stages and out the other side as a complete car to be tested on a track and then delivered to us. So we have what is basically a hand assembled car.
By the time the tour was done my time for handover had nearly arrived, and I was soooo excited, 10 months waiting but more than that I have always loved great cars and this is my first new car, and then right on time it was driven in. I was holding back tears.
The handover was great. It was 1C, and the roof was down for maybe 50 miles. Being tall the top of my head got a bit chilly, fine with a hat on up to 70 mph, bit blustery at 90, so the top went up after that.
I expected the car to perform well, it was comfortable on my sports suspension and I have plenty of acceleration up to 4000 rpm, it will cruise at 100mph and be about 3700. It was quiet enough, though there was some wind noise with the roof up, more than I expected.
Comand was clear and took away all worry about working out where to go, and the map was great...how far to go, how far have we gone, where is the petrol station, plus where is a restaurant and more stuff can be shown like cinemas etc. In a traffic jam or waiting for my girlfriend? watch a DVD. Normally waiting and getting lost are major sress points for me. Attach a couple of pics of the C class assembly line and my car, they wont allow pics on the SL assembly line, no idea why.
A long wait is finally over. Beauty!
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