specifically, a Mercedes-Benz enthusiast..

 

A six pack of Grolsch did it for me!

 

Hot Box'n it in my C43 on the way to Tony Lukes for a Pork sangwhich.

 

Mercedes Benz emblem tattoed on my back


Seriously!

 

Yeah that would do it!

By definition most people that contribute to the forum would be an enthusiast.

 

One who is filled with enthusiasm; one who is ardently absorbed in an interest or pursuit: a baseball enthusiast.

~A defined on dictionary.com

 

I would consider myself more of a Vespa enthusiast

 

i'm enthusiastic when i drive my mb

 

An enthusiast is someone who thinks, breathes, lives whatever they are an enthusiast for.

A MercedesBenz enthusiast is someone who can tolerate a stupid dealership

 

I'm a MB Enthusiast because I've always loved MB's ever since my parents 450 SLC, their current 300 SEL and E320, not even to mention all the MB's I loved looking at, but never coul realistically afford.

Then, once I was working, my 1st goal was to get a C32 (w203), but since my career didn't shoot to astronomical levels in the amount of time I thought it would, I decided to get a 230 in 2003 (not realizing that there was going to be a refresh for my model and for the 2005). In essence, I've been a C Class fanatic since the w202, but I fell in love with the w203, so at some point I knew I was gonna get one.

As for generally speaking, I've always been interested in tuning cars in general. Never had the desire to be an "expert", but to know enough that if something went wrong, I could have a general idea of what it could be rather than being clueless.

 

.
.... Love your car Drex. I have loved german cars since I was 12. I grew up poor, but that never detered me from dreaming. I would call the 800 numbers from the ads in autoweek and trick the oporators into sending me literature. Then I'd read and read, and follow as the models changed over the years. Eventually, I bought a wrecked 1972 220 fixed it up, sold it, bought 2 more (a '71, and '72) sold them, meanwhile, got a job, and eventually bought my first cream puff. A perfect 1983 944 Porsche with 143k miles on the clock. That (in addition to growing up) started my uphill climb. 24 cream puff's later, I'm in my c class, looking forward to somthing new. It's funny that one can identify what german make the car is, and about what year range, based on the smell of the interior.

 

When you get back from work and the first thing you do is goto the fridge, pop open a can of Beer, sit down in front of your computer and go to this forum to see what new updates there are for your Benz and how you can help others ^^

 

..yeah, we have to take the good with the bad I guess. I expect a car to break now and then, but sometimes my service advisor is broken, himself. I hangup feeling ashamed I call him, and wonder how he got a job at a Mercedes dealership. I guess i'll just drive over there, and make friends with him.

 

Thanks, JDM. It's still in "project stage"...there are a lot more changes it'll be going through. I just have to save up the $$$.

Wow, your story is great! I must say that another BIG reason I'm a MB enthusiast is due to how hard my parents worked to get their MB's. My Dad actually bought their first MB because my Mom had me. That was the 1978 450 SLC (which only died last year - of old age and bad mainenance on my parents' part). Long story short, I was basically a "miracle" child to them because the 4 before me did not make it.

Despite all the nice cars that are coming out (both JDM and Euro), I will always have a closer connection with MB's...unless of course, they kill the classic MB look with bad body designs.

 

The reason im one, is because i have 15 Benz Cars signed up under the West Covina Dealership under the Group named "Lo" my family is in love with Benz cars, but im the first to mod it.

 

..
...comendation to your parents for their courage to keep trying! !
.Dito on the body desighns. One of the coolest things about these cars is the heritage behind them, and the unique and perfect styling. MB stylists have always done an outstanding job of playing by the family rules, while still improving their beauty. Things are getting a little edgy these days though, all we can do is hold our breath with each new concept, and model year, that "the look" doesnt get lost in the future... . Dont hate me gang, but the R class scares me. Most all the rest of the lineup screams MERCEDES BENZ, and there is nothing hotter than a Mercedes Benz.

 

Funny that you mention that also because, to tell you the truth, when the boxy designs came out, around the early to mid-90's, My Mom was actually really horrified at the designs. She was so used to very sleek curves of the Mercedes Benz and when they came out with the boxy designs, she was pretty pissed. Hence the split between having the 1989 SEL to the 2002 E Class...LOL...on top of other reasons for not getting "new" versions until the w210.

Now, I've got another MB story to share. My parents 1978 450 SLC was a really nice car. 4.5 liter v8. It was fast. I have no clue how many horses under the hood, but just to give you an idea, when I used to...mmmm...go to Sylmar (for those of you in LA that were 16 in the 90's, you know what I'm talking about)...there were quite a few people that tried to pull me in whenever I got the opportunity to drive my parents' car there.

Well, little did I know, for the past 14 years before I started driving at 16 (car was a 78 and I was born 77), my parents hadn't changed the oil in the car AT ALL. I'm sure everybody can figure out what happened next...I went to pick up my best friend 5 minutes away from me, on the way up the hill, the car completely shuts off! Now, considering I didn't really start getting into "tuning" cars until then, I couldn't merely pop the hood and decipher any probable cause for this happening, but when it was determined that they hadn't changed the oil in all the years they had the car, I knew right away - new engine needed. Now, after the new engine was installed, my Dad also got the interior re-done (red leather, by the way, silver exterior).

If I had only known better, I would've definitely started tuning that car myself! Well, it lasted another 11 years from that point, but what amazed me looking in retrospect is that the car was running PERFECT until that one point leaving my best friend's house and for what reason - exactly, to meet up with some girls (what other reason does a 16 year old kid have to take the benz...LOL)...BTW, we still ended up meeting up with the girls, just later than initially intended.

 

my dad had a 86 midnight blue 300SEL ....

 

.......that's amazing! I love those cars, there are many still running around in my area, original paint, engines..same with the 123 bodies, there are perfect examples of those evreywhere. And people will pay good money for them with 250k miles on them!

 

JDM, I'll tell ya, I wish I would've done a little research for my parents before they got rid of the car. I probably would've been able to get them more money by parting it out myself.

In the end, they got some money and were able to give it in for donation. Still makes me sad though because near the end, it was only running on 4 cylinders, leaking carbon monoxide fumes and my Dad had painted it at Earl Scheib! The original Silver color was so nice and he ruined it by painting it literally a pale white color. The interior was all red leather and looked awesome when he had it re-done.

 

!

 

LOL...Exactly my reaction too and my two cousins who are also into car tuning and are care fanatics.

 

prestige and reliability [since W123]

 

You know the relevance of the following:

Wilhelm Maybach
Mercedes Jellinek
Alfred Neubauer
Juan Manuel Fangio
Silver Arrow
1955 LeMans
Super Licht
Land, Sea, Air