SL/R230: Impulse buy
#26
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Originally Posted by trin
Very nice.
I think the Bentley Continental GT will be my next car... My only concern is that Bentley is now a Volkswagen more or less![tard](https://mbworld.org/forums/images/smilies/tard.gif)
I think the Bentley Continental GT will be my next car... My only concern is that Bentley is now a Volkswagen more or less
![tard](https://mbworld.org/forums/images/smilies/tard.gif)
Last edited by WIldcat465; 05-07-2005 at 05:23 PM.
#27
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I agree, no need to worry about the VW connection. Right down where it matters, the VW expertise and economies of scale will give you a level of technology which no vendor of the same volume of cars could produce. Porsche have done the same with the Cayenne. On the surface, where your visual and tactile impressions are formed, you have a car which is low volume, exclusive and hand crafted for that extra measure of "something special".
lorinserbenz is so correct. If Mercedes stayed with the high end, the dealer experience would be high end as well. As it is, the brand value and ownership experience is devalued by them trying to be in all market segments. Here in Europe, we have the A and B Class runts and the Smart which make things worse still.
lorinserbenz is so correct. If Mercedes stayed with the high end, the dealer experience would be high end as well. As it is, the brand value and ownership experience is devalued by them trying to be in all market segments. Here in Europe, we have the A and B Class runts and the Smart which make things worse still.
#28
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Originally Posted by sillydriver
Didn’t even consider the 612. This was an impulse buy instead of the sedan. I’m sure the 612 is a fine car, but not a pretty one. One of my business partners has a 456. Now *that* was a pretty car. The one Ferrari I desire is the new 430; however, I have no more garage space and shouldn’t spend all my money on cars. I’m very happy with what I’ve got!
#29
Originally Posted by blueSL
I agree, no need to worry about the VW connection. Right down where it matters, the VW expertise and economies of scale will give you a level of technology which no vendor of the same volume of cars could produce. Porsche have done the same with the Cayenne. On the surface, where your visual and tactile impressions are formed, you have a car which is low volume, exclusive and hand crafted for that extra measure of "something special".
lorinserbenz is so correct. If Mercedes stayed with the high end, the dealer experience would be high end as well. As it is, the brand value and ownership experience is devalued by them trying to be in all market segments. Here in Europe, we have the A and B Class runts and the Smart which make things worse still.
lorinserbenz is so correct. If Mercedes stayed with the high end, the dealer experience would be high end as well. As it is, the brand value and ownership experience is devalued by them trying to be in all market segments. Here in Europe, we have the A and B Class runts and the Smart which make things worse still.
#30
I agree with you on that... Lexus does touch every market segment yet maintains a higher level of dealer service than MB does.
What Lexus has that MB doesnt is cheaper labor... MB's problems stem from their labor issues. When the people assembling the cars are pissed off you its going to effect the overall quality.
However, I dont care how you slice it a Lexus is still a Toyota to me just as a Acura is Honda and an Infiniti is a Nissan.. All three make outstanding cars, but they dont have the prestige of MB and probably never will.
I think that as MB loses more high end sales they will eventually fix their problems. The feeling the MB brand gives me is that the people that are driving the low end Benz's are just happy to have a benz and dont really complain much. Id really like to see MB ditch the C,ML, and Slk. I think it would do wonders for the brand...
This will never happen, as the sell a boatload of those models.
What Lexus has that MB doesnt is cheaper labor... MB's problems stem from their labor issues. When the people assembling the cars are pissed off you its going to effect the overall quality.
However, I dont care how you slice it a Lexus is still a Toyota to me just as a Acura is Honda and an Infiniti is a Nissan.. All three make outstanding cars, but they dont have the prestige of MB and probably never will.
I think that as MB loses more high end sales they will eventually fix their problems. The feeling the MB brand gives me is that the people that are driving the low end Benz's are just happy to have a benz and dont really complain much. Id really like to see MB ditch the C,ML, and Slk. I think it would do wonders for the brand...
This will never happen, as the sell a boatload of those models.
Last edited by lorinserbenz; 05-07-2005 at 06:03 PM.
#32
Its not like MB's are breaking down in droves and spending weeks in the shop..
Ill take my SL with a few quirks over anything Lexus has to offer.
Lexus makes rock solid reliable cars but they aren't much in the looks dept...
owning a lexus is kinda like dating an ugly girl with a hot body and big ****.. its fun at first but you get sick of looking at her after a while.
Ill take my SL with a few quirks over anything Lexus has to offer.
Lexus makes rock solid reliable cars but they aren't much in the looks dept...
owning a lexus is kinda like dating an ugly girl with a hot body and big ****.. its fun at first but you get sick of looking at her after a while.
#33
Subjective. The MY2004+ LS430 has looks to kill. And it's quicker, quieter, and cheaper then the S500. :x
It's also not about spending weeks in the shop, it's just having to go to the shop. Even BMW is better at it than Mercedes. I walk in, walk out with a loaner. For Mercedes I sit on my *** for a few hours because "the VP hasn't released all the loaner cars yet"
But I disgress, and I leave one question.
How are dealers (dealer network, etc.,) for Bentleys? I don't think we'd ever get one, but I'm still curious!
It's also not about spending weeks in the shop, it's just having to go to the shop. Even BMW is better at it than Mercedes. I walk in, walk out with a loaner. For Mercedes I sit on my *** for a few hours because "the VP hasn't released all the loaner cars yet"
But I disgress, and I leave one question.
How are dealers (dealer network, etc.,) for Bentleys? I don't think we'd ever get one, but I'm still curious!
Last edited by vraa; 05-07-2005 at 07:42 PM.
#35
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In many ways, Mercedes suffers the same problems GM and Ford do - their people costs are just too high. In the case of Germany, its government mandated social security costs in the form of taxes; in the case of GM (for example), its union mandated costs in the form of antiquated work practices, old plants, health and pension costs. For both, lethargic management just compound the issues.
#36
Originally Posted by sillydriver
Thanks! I forgot to mention the Bentley’s worst flaw. The windows use metalized glass for sun protection, but there is no metal-free spot for radio transponders as in my S500. Hence the electronic pass for the bridge into Boston, and worse, the garage pass in the office building downtown, won’t work unless I open the window and hold the boxes outside. I’m glad I didn’t intend this car to be a daily commuter.
#37
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SL600, A8L W12, Continental GT, Range Rover SC
I wasn’t. GTs are becoming more common. I saw one on 128 a week ago, just before mine was delivered. I’ve also seen one around downtown Boston on a couple of occasions recently: black exterior with red primary and black secondary leather.
#38
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SL500 and A-CLASS
Originally Posted by sillydriver
I wasn’t. GTs are becoming more common. I saw one on 128 a week ago, just before mine was delivered. I’ve also seen one around downtown Boston on a couple of occasions recently: black exterior with red primary and black secondary leather.
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#39
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SL600, A8L W12, Continental GT, Range Rover SC
Originally Posted by clkcadet
congrats!! Crazy color combo! i find it funny that if i dont see a black or silver one its a totally different color, how many colors are in their pallet?
My digital camera shot of the interior distorts the colors slightly. The blue leather is really a slightly darker blue. The light leather is a little more yellowish in real life.
#40
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SL600, A8L W12, Continental GT, Range Rover SC
Originally Posted by ricky.agrawal
But I disgress, and I leave one question.
How are dealers (dealer network, etc.,) for Bentleys? I don't think we'd ever get one, but I'm still curious!
#41
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Originally Posted by sillydriver
I think it’s infinitely customizable for a price. You can see the standard selection at www.bentlyconfigurator.com
My digital camera shot of the interior distorts the colors slightly. The blue leather is really a slightly darker blue. The light leather is a little more yellowish in real life.
My digital camera shot of the interior distorts the colors slightly. The blue leather is really a slightly darker blue. The light leather is a little more yellowish in real life.
Helps to be able to spell the name of your car.... www.bentlEyconfigurator.com LOL
#42
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SL600, A8L W12, Continental GT, Range Rover SC
Originally Posted by NeilC123
Colour is nice when it is new - but i would like to see you try to keep that interior clean after a year or so
I have siam interior which is darker than that and after a year it is hard to keep it clean - i think for my next year i will go for a dark brown interior.
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#43
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SL600, A8L W12, Continental GT, Range Rover SC
Originally Posted by blueSL
Helps to be able to spell the name of your car.... www.bentlEyconfigurator.com LOL
Please be charitable and attribute it to a key not struck with sufficient force! As you can see, I’ve managed to spell it correctly otherwise.
#44
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2005 SL600, 2011 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite
Renntech SL600
Originally Posted by sillydriver
Fourth, the throttle response is just right, half way between the mushy throttle of the stock SL600 and the hair-trigger throttle of my Renntech-tuned SL600. Of course the best throttle response of all might be the SL55.
This is the first negative depiction I have seen you make of the Renntech upgrade. I go back and forth between getting it and not getting it. Most of my driving is in a densely populated urban setting and the idea of a "hair-trigger throttle" is a little unsettling. Any thoughts?
#45
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SL600, A8L W12, Continental GT, Range Rover SC
Originally Posted by JackStraw
sillydriver,
This is the first negative depiction I have seen you make of the Renntech upgrade. I go back and forth between getting it and not getting it. Most of my driving is in a densely populated urban setting and the idea of a "hair-trigger throttle" is a little unsettling. Any thoughts?
This is the first negative depiction I have seen you make of the Renntech upgrade. I go back and forth between getting it and not getting it. Most of my driving is in a densely populated urban setting and the idea of a "hair-trigger throttle" is a little unsettling. Any thoughts?
Now I happen to like all of this because it’s a great feeling to feather the throttle right at the limit of adhesion, where you can just feel the rear end begin to squirm without the traction control light coming on as you accelerate. The extra power is great too: in the morning I love slowly edging up one of the sharply-angled entrances to Route 128 (horrible civil engineering in Boston) just as someone sails past at 80 MPH in the left lane. They’ll step on it as soon as they see me accelerating onto the highway, but regardless of what they do I’ll blast by them in the right lane a couple hundred yards down the road. What a trip!
My wife, on the other hand, constantly complains of whiplash when she’s the passenger, even when I am trying accelerate smoothly from a stop. And this is a woman who until a week ago drove a 911! As she points out, I have the advantage of being able to hold onto the wheel while she’s thrown around in the passenger seat. I’m sure some of the problem is my sophomoric driving style, but some of it is the car.
I fear these comments may turn you off of the upgrade path, but I want to present the downside honestly. Overall, I’m glad I did made these changes because they’re appropriate to what has become an over the top ultra-performance car. I would not want such sharp response in a lower performance car, which would be difficult to drive while not having the thrilling performance upside.
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2005 SL600, 2011 Honda Odyssey Touring Elite
sillydriver- do you drive with the transmission in the comfort mode or the sport mode? Wonder if the comfort setting would eliminate some of the wheelspin. I keep mine in comfort mode when I am in the city.
The Bentley looks great by the way.
The Bentley looks great by the way.
Last edited by JackStraw; 05-10-2005 at 12:33 PM.
#47
sillydriver...
congratulations on your purchase. that body seems sculpted, not fabricated.
but each time i look at one down here in S FL -- and there are plenty to look at -- i notice no sunroof.
is there a sunroof available?
david
but each time i look at one down here in S FL -- and there are plenty to look at -- i notice no sunroof.
is there a sunroof available?
david
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SL600, A8L W12, Continental GT, Range Rover SC
Originally Posted by david_101
congratulations on your purchase. that body seems sculpted, not fabricated.
but each time i look at one down here in S FL -- and there are plenty to look at -- i notice no sunroof.
is there a sunroof available?
david
but each time i look at one down here in S FL -- and there are plenty to look at -- i notice no sunroof.
is there a sunroof available?
david
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SL600, A8L W12, Continental GT, Range Rover SC
Originally Posted by JackStraw
sillydriver- do you drive with the transmission in the comfort mode or the sport mode? Wonder if the comfort setting would eliminate some of the wheelspin. I keep mine in comfort mode when I am in the city.
The Bentley looks great by the way.
The Bentley looks great by the way.
#50
sillydriver...
if i had to guess about the reason for not offerring a sunroof option, i'd say it's to create a crystal-clear distinction between coupe and fothcoming convertible.
really too bad because that's about all the coupe is missing...other than distronic-like feature and some sort of door rubs to defend against profligate door-dingers. ;-)
david
really too bad because that's about all the coupe is missing...other than distronic-like feature and some sort of door rubs to defend against profligate door-dingers. ;-)
david