Matt Farah wanted a comfortable car for driving through LA traffic. He found it in a 2001 SL500.
The smart car has made a name for itself as a city vehicle. It’s not the only one out there, though. BMW’s i3 is a city car that can run on electricity and/or gas. The Smoking Tire‘s Matt Farah recently bought another German city car for his stop-and-go commutes to and from his office, but his is a little different. OK, it’s a lot different. He got a 2001 Mercedes-Benz SL500 Sport.
Why a 16-year-old, straight-edged, two-seater? First of all, look at it. Its conservatively attractive styling has aged well and should continue to do so. The same goes for the eternally attractive AMG wheels Farah’s SL500 wears. Second, Farah’s SL was a one-owner car with 54,400 miles on it when he signed on the dotted line. Third, it has an automatic: perfect for the LA traffic that he frequently finds himself in. No jerking with a shifter and clutch pedal from stoplight to stoplight. Fourth, it has power everything and cool A/C.
It also doesn’t hurt that Farah got some hookups for his SL. Clarion contributed a sound system with a retractable touchscreen that provides navigation and Bluetooth phone connectivity. Michelin threw on some Pilot Super Sports, too. Those, along with a lowered ride height and fresh dampers, make the SL500 ride comfortably, just as a luxury city car should.
Sure, the steering is numb, the brakes have an enormous dead zone that gives way to manic clamping force, and the hard top occasionally rattles in place, but the SL isn’t meant to be a sports car. It’s supposed to be easy and pleasant to drive in terrible, boring traffic. And Farah’s SL500 is, even if it is a little old. Just like the R129’s looks, comfort never goes out of style.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
