JoeVal

No offense, but your bro' has the Midas touch of a Proctologist. Does he turn to sh** everything he touches?

Glyn M Ruck

Another valuable & informative post that is of vast help to members

MW_ATL

I can actually explain that, probably. I don't know if they do the same thing there, but a lot of U.S. apartment complexes and other places use the gates that come down after each car. They are usually white fiberglass or similar material. Several years ago I got similar marks on an Accord I had, and lost a power antenna trying to follow a car through the gate once . Fortunately, it polished out for me.

MelbMerc

If you had never posted that I would never have worked it out, your spot on, he works at the airport and does that to save paying for parking!

Moviela

I am glad to see your bro had the baggage handlers fully detail the vehicle before returning it, and it is a pity that inside your car is the only place at YMML you're allowed to have a lung lollie.

Good luck with the fix.

MelbMerc

Hi Glyn, yes as far as I am aware this car was built in SA, the vin is WDC2030452R062740

If I could hijack my own thread for a moment, when I bought it I had a w202, I looked at an e46 330ci and a W210 E430 avantgarde, even though they are completely different cars they where the onle 2 I liked. I ended up settling for the C200K, and ever since I have wished I bought the car I wanted.
The market has well and truly died on these cars over here, as such its pointless selling.
The funny thing is that currently the only Merc's that take my fancy are the W210 E430 and W202 C43. If i see another C63 on the road I will vomit and the w204 as a car does nothing for me. it seems every cashed up Tom, Dick and Harry has an AMG. AMG's are meant to be like a nice watch, you dont just go and buy a Rolex, you start with a Longines or a Heuer and work your way up slowly, appreciating and understanding the timepiece more as you go

I recenlty drove an E46 325i that felt sooooooo much faster than my car. Funny enough the only BM's I like today are the E36 M3, E46 330ci and 540i, E-something

Anyway, the point to my story here is to always buy the car you actually want, and not settle for something else then spend a small fortune trying to make it something it will never be.

Thanks,

Phil

MelbMerc

Hi yes it is on the left, all euro cars here have the stalk to the left, all local cars and jap cars have the stalk on the right.

Not too sure which cable you mean my interior is bone stock!

Hope this helps,

phil

LILBENZ230

I swear I would burn someone at the stake for even THINKING of smoking in my C230.

Glyn M Ruck

Wise words! Yes - that is an East London VIN. I'm with you on the C63 or what Clarkson called "an out of control axe murderer with headlights". It's not a pretty beast but get behind the wheel & it has one of the most fabulous engines I've ever experienced - you don't have to use all the power & tear the back tyres from the rims - It just shows how great a naturally asperated high revving V8 engine can be. It is so responsive!!!

Glyn M Ruck

Yes Matt - you & I think alike on this. I'm a smoker but no smoking, eating, farting etc. is permitted in any of my cars. Smoking & air conditioning are a vile combination. Goo on the screens & kills the leather smell. Smells like a Beirut brothel.

LILBENZ230

So it IS possible to have VIN that begins with "W" but the car not be built in Germany. I let people eat in my Benz (what little leather I have has long since lost that smell). But smoking is out of the question!

MelbMerc

MelbMerc

10 years ago I would absolutely love the 63, and yes If I drove one I'd be inlove with the engine, I have heard them take off in traffic and loved the note! I think the market has been swamped by them, I liken it to how many lamorghini gallardos I see these days, or 430 ferraris. I remember when a prestige car was an achievement not just a status symbol. I remember as a child having rello's with the old sel and sec mercs and how they reminded me of a fine watch, these days they remind me of a belt or a pair of jeans; no offence for those who own one.... Speaking of ferraris the only one I like these days is still the 308 gtb and the early Dino's.

MelbMerc

.... Quick note I meant the new mercs compared to the old secs etc

Glyn M Ruck

Yes - I saw an immaculate 308 on Friday. I prefer the 63 engine in the SL - nice combo. SA is full of Lambo's & if you look at the median age of people on this forum - many young people in the US drive Mercs. In SA you need to be able to earn some reasonable money before you can afford one but they are nevertheless the 3rd best selling brand in the country.

We have no Holden/Ford thing in SA like you guys. Both GM & Ford are weak players here. It's Toyota & then all the Germans.

MelbMerc

I hate to say it but for the money spent on a c200 with mods you could have a Holden/ ford with 300rwkw.

The funny thing in au, as you'd know is that it's ok to by a fast Holden, or a v8 land cruiser but to buy a merc or a bm for the same amount new is a no no!

I have a friend who is a farmer, nearly lost his business when he bought a Porsche cayenne, sold it for a Lexus landcruiser and won back all his lost business.

Same person had no issues 25 years ago buying a brand new merc though lol, funny how things change.

I absolutely love the 3 point star but if I could sell mine for the money i'd like, I'd buy a prado.

Hijacking this thread further people I know with toyotas have found them to be much more reliable than the Germans.

Glyn M Ruck

Yeah - One of the reasons I took a Holden Berlina as a company car was to fit in. I had just sold my Merc with 5800Km on the clock when I made the move to Aus. Wanted another one but sensed it would not be appreciated if this bloody expat drove a Merc. So I pocketed half my car allowance instead. The Holden actually drove quiet well - I was not unhappy in it. Hated the cheap interior but hay! a free car is a free car! It's fuel consumption was horrendous in my commute over the harbour bridge every day & a few heavy footed long trips. It averaged 19.1 litres/100Km over the period that I owned it. Never gave a moments trouble though.

Toyota make the most reliable cars on the planet. Alas also some of the most boring.

MW_ATL

Phil, I think he means the cord to the left of the (full) ash tray in this picture. I was wondering what that was also. Never seen that before.

Glyn M Ruck

Hmm - that's usually phone. Let's see what Phil says.

MW_ATL

That would have been my guess, but I have never seen a phone, other than the handset docking in the console. Interesting!

MelbMerc

Yes that is for the phone, and it looks hideous! The only positive with it is I have more centre console space.


When I first read the question I looked at the photos again myself trying to find a cable, I thought something had been pulled out.... More damage I thought lol