Artyi

You know, it depends on how you get it. If you got it an easy way, so for you its another car, if it came to you a hard way and you put lots of work, love, care... I think than you become insane on caring about it..

IngenereAMG

I am one of those crazies that never cared what others thought. If the docs acted jealous, I would tell them to stop whining and work harder. If the patients whined and said I made too much money, I would pose the question, "If your doc drove a Pinto... would you trust that he was any good"? Those comments are pretty rare. I think most of my patients and colleagues know that I am just a good doc and a bit of a gear head that happened to make some money.... not one of the gold chain "in your face", "look what I got, and you don't" guys.

Thanks! Me too

I think you have a bit of a commute, but you are welcome any time.

With as much power as you are putting down, it could be entertaining on a snowy day.

When I first saw the R230 design, I thought to myself, "What a great design". It is so pretty that I think that the Germans must have hired an Italian to draw it!

YamiFanatic

i couldnt agree with ingenereamg anymore

although i dont take the sl out in the snow.......isnt alot of fun sliding around a 100k car

i aslo have a s500 as my daily but it gets about as many miles a year as the sl does

i say if you have it drive it
i drive the s500 cuz its so damn comfy too
o and my r1 gets alot of my summer miles

all in all to each their own.....if my car is gonna depreciate i might as well use it

delorean do you have a big family? not a big fan of vans....a honda accord im sure would treat you nicely as well

djamer

Not insane, just a car enthusiast like us. My daily drivers are Corolla and a matrix, i enjoy the SL fridays - sundays..

Rook3300

I would disagree. I certainly didn't come by it the easy way. I don't make doctor money (like others here) or anywhere near that. I had to buy an SL that is almost 4 years old and finance it. I also had to go with the 500 because the insurance for the 55 and 600 would've broken my checkbook. Though I do garage mine, I don't whip out the microfiber towel after every trip. I drive it every single day and wash it when I can.

I would say that those with the propensity to detailing their cars all the time would do the same to a much less expensive car. Some people mistreat what they have, others take care of it and yet others obsess over it. It depends on the person, not the vehicle.

Rook

Akademiks

I would have to agree with you on this one. I treated the A4 as nice as the SL600.

AMGfan

+2....Now I just wish my wife would have the decency to wash her C300 at some regular interval instead of me getting sick and tired of looking at a gray C300 that should be a white C300 and then taking it to get cleaned and detailed.

At least, I've got her trained along with my daughter on how to enter and exit a car with out leaving fingerprints...!

Akademiks

LOL!

I suppose though it's kind of your job as the man of the house. She does your laundry and dishes, you clean her car. It's a fair deal--take it.

AMGfan

You kidding me...If she cooks, I clean the dishes. Forget about laundry, I won't let her touch my stuff...after a couple of my large sweaters came back 2 sizes smaller she is not to touch clothes. She doesn't even separate colors and washes everything at one temperature...oh the humanity !

Akademiks

LOL, there's a reason your keeping her with you! She has to make up for everything somewhere!

DeLorean00

LoL, it must be the photo but the car is a KIA Rio5. So its kinda a little economy car/wagon not a van. But your correct, I love Hondas and have owned a few. I bought the KIA for 2 reasons, first its a 2006 Clean Title I bought in cash for $2,900. Second its being a wagon I can use it to haul inventory for the company I own (tax write off).

As for a family I am 27 and only have a girlfriend, no kids, and one cat. Thats why all my cars can be two seater sports cars, expect the KIA and the Lexus.

m4xm1l10n

Lol!! DeLorean00 i Exchange PM's with you a few times thinking you on your 40's +

Akademiks

You know what, I got that impression too... maybe because the SL and Ferrari... and... his name? DeLorean just sounds old lol No pun intended!

m4xm1l10n

HHAHHA It's Funny , So changing the topic a bit we shloud get to know each other I know!!!!( R230 owners) I'm Paul and am 32

DeLorean00

LoL!! Most people online assume I am older. I guess you can say I started young. I been working since I was 13 (paper route) I bought my first car when I was 14 (1963 GMC pickup). I started my company when I was 19, and now have been in business for 10 great years. I never stop working, I am a total blue collar guy. Never came from money, just worked really hard.

As for my name DeLorean is for my DeLorean DMC-12 I bought when I was 18 and still own it. And 00 is for the year I graduated from high school, class of 2000.

My real name is Chris.

So thats my bio, if anyone cares, LoL

PS- Hello Paul!

biophase

Where are the empty roads? The highways are filled with speed cameras.

mlandis

Brother, I totally hear ya. There is no other car -- none -- that makes my heart race like this one. There are some beautiful cars out there, but they disappear when I see an R230.

That said, I have a standard 2004 Mini Cooper base model, too. I try to alternate driving them so that their batteries remain happy. Don't want any of the steeds feeling unloved.

Seriously, I understand both yours and the "crazies"' points of view. It is seriously a car that can both be driven and admired. Each of us balance that equation different.

Just watch out if you start sleeping with the car -- the missus may not appreciate that.

IngenereAMG

There are lots of empty, unpatrolled/monitored roads. You have to get out of Phoenix and into the back country.

mlandis

Wow, do I feel old....

I'm Michael and I'm 37! No walker for me yet, though, thanks.

YamiFanatic

holy crp delorean 27 well i figured you were older with the ferrari and such

at 2900 dollars i really wouldve done the same

i ride a bunch of streetbikes and they all cost atleast double that and even that seems like pocket change

its good for a company car too....

i dont know if you have a tax accountant but i suggest it especially owning your own business.....alhtough i dont do tax accounting some things you should check out are

standard mileage rates
commuting vs business mileage
and deductions for insurance/ mileage and maintenance
and deductions for depreciation/ ammortization of the asset
also deductions for parking and tolls


enough accountant talk

but atleast look into those deductions....itll mean more money in your pocket

thekat

I just bought an 06 SL500 (the boss has been wanting one)..
Picked it up south of Chicago and drove for 12 hours..

For now it sits in the garage until it quits raining..

I am the kind of person that
- parks far away (legally) to avoid dents/dings
- wash the cars on occasion
- very conscious of keeping the maintenance done
- drive the car every chance I get
- value what I have no matter what the car
- change my own oil and do many other things on cars..

My philosophy...
Drive the car but take care of it..

We have an
04 RX330 - still looks new
04 E320 - still looks new
06 SL500 (Black - charcoal)
04 Honda Civic back up car but is treated like the others..
except it now sits outside :-(

Glad I found this place..
Greetings..
Charles

m4xm1l10n

Welcome Charles and thanks for sharing your thoughts , most of us here are about our cars in different ways if you know what mean .

jj0822

I really want to keep my 04 SL55 for a long time, so its not my daily driver and has about 22k miles on it. My daily driver was a 07 Honda Element but I recently broke down and bought a 06 Pontiac GTO. I swear that GTO with the 6 litre 6 speed tranny is almost as much fun as the SL55! I wanted a fast car I could take anywhere without worrying. Since I work from home I get to take the Merc out when everyone else is out of town... My .02 cents.

j_belll

i bought my SL Apr. 7th and since then till today i have put about 1700 miles on it. i TRY NOT TO drive it everyday but that doesnt seem to work out too well. its a fun car

Jon2007E63P30

8 months after buying my E63 someone made an illegal left and trashed my daily driver.
See here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JH50RP0vcZU

I got about $13,700 for it.

Now I could go buy another car, but for $13,700 I can pay for a LOT of gas and maintenance (I do most of my own). Plus another car would add about $800 a year in insurance.

So I have not purchased another car. Anyone have an opinion on the down side of putting the extra miles on the E63?

And note, I am as crazy as the rest of you. When I have the car perfectly cleaned and waxed, it is hard not to look in the garage and smile. However, I am not as lucky as many of you. The only other "vehicle" to distract me is my bike.