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Car has sat idle for 4 months, I didn't start it once this winter. Starter battery cranked right over, consumer was offline even though I had a float charge connected. Suspension had dropped and ABC warning was on. As soon as the car ran for a few minutes, I hit the raise button and up it came and the warning went away. I warmed it up fully before moving it and the consumer message is gone as well. I am due for a new consumer, it will only stay charged for 2-3 days then I get a warning.
Anyway, still too cold here in Michigan for top down but threat of snow is low. One thing to mention, no leaks anywhere over the winter! No even one drop!
R230, C5 Corvette Convertible, Audi Allroad, Lexus RX350, AE86 Hachi Roku
Originally Posted by Ghostty
Great news, mate Another happy winter season over
I just took mine for an oil and brake fluid change today to the dealer. Getting ready for summer driving.
One question - did you change the upper grill? Didn't like the old 3 blades one?
I like guessing.
Fewer members are posting their location which adds a lot of validity and helps everyone considering the global variances in equipment and overall driving conditions
Would I be wrong to assume you be "Dan undah"?
I feel sorry for all you guys in the "rust belt". Down here in The South, I rarely go more than a week without opening the top. As long as it's sunny and over 50F, the top is down. My SL is a daily driver (well, when I drive anywhere, as I work from home). But not being able to not jump in it and go somewhere whenever I wanted. would drive me nuts.
BTW, I was up in your neck of the woods (West Bloomfield) back in early February. There was a bit of snow, but the thing I really noticed were the horrible roads - potholes and cracks everywhere! Compared to that, our roads here are pretty good, even though our state and many local governments are all broke with no money for repairs. I guess the freeze really gets to yours.
Not sure where (or what ) is that "Dan undah" what leads to answer "no" The north part of California here ( or whatever Sacramento is considered).
@ Rudeney
Over 50F? you do love driving top down. I prefer to keep it up until i see at least 62 degrees. Winters get to be pretty windy or rainy here, so we don't get many sunny days. Although no rust, from what i noticed, moreover that i keep my car garaged any way.
And don't even start on roads. California is known to have one of the worst roads in US.......
R230, C5 Corvette Convertible, Audi Allroad, Lexus RX350, AE86 Hachi Roku
Originally Posted by mercy-me
Unwrapping.................
Ready to roll......................
Car has sat idle for 4 months, I didn't start it once this winter. Starter battery cranked right over, consumer was offline even though I had a float charge connected. Suspension had dropped and ABC warning was on. As soon as the car ran for a few minutes, I hit the raise button and up it came and the warning went away. I warmed it up fully before moving it and the consumer message is gone as well. I am due for a new consumer, it will only stay charged for 2-3 days then I get a warning.
Anyway, still too cold here in Michigan for top down but threat of snow is low. One thing to mention, no leaks anywhere over the winter! No even one drop!
Bob
FWIW; I have the same style grille. Mine was badly cracked when I bought the car. IMHO I like it better than the original
Round Seattle we get snow, gravel, salt and what everyone knows, is a Ton of rain. We put our SL away in Nov. and I just got to drive the end of Feb.
I envy people like Rudeney who get to daily all year long
Ghostty; Where people are going in life is all that matters.
Over 50F? you do love driving top down. I prefer to keep it up until i see at least 62 degrees. Winters get to be pretty windy or rainy here, so we don't get many sunny days. Although no rust, from what i noticed, moreover that i keep my car garaged any way.
And don't even start on roads. California is known to have one of the worst roads in US.......
Regards
Well, I did not buy a convertible to ride with the top closed! But really, with the ACC set for heat, heated seats and AirScarf, I can take 50F pretty easily. I will <GASP!> raise the side windows when it' below 60F or on the highway. I don't use the rear windscreen - i find it mostly useless in the SL. Now, in my CLK, with the side glass raised and the windscreen, it was not much more turbulent than a sunroof.
On the other end of the spectrum, we get some warm weather here in the Summer. A typical day from June through September here is 98F with 100% humidity. I will still drive with the top down, but the ventilated seas are mostly useless and the AC can't blow hard enough, so my only option is to just drive faster.
EDIT: Oh, and today, I rearranged my closet. My half-zips moved to the back, and the Tommy Bahama Hawaiian shirts moved to the front. I put on my favorite hibiscus print and my wife and I headed to the car show. The lease on her Jeep GC is up in a few months, so we went to look at options. Head of the list is the MBZ GLE (a.k.a ML). We would probably buy pre-owned if that's what she chooses - I can no longer justify the ridiculous MBZ prices! She still likes the Jeep, so she may just get a new one, though she's not excited that nothing has changed. She also liked at the Acura MDX though we've looked at it before, it's just not terribly exciting. Nothing else excited her. If it were up to me, I'd probably go find a good W163 ML55 and "restomod" it - lower the suspension, update the electronics, and recover the seats (mostly because they'd likely be worn).
Oh, and today, I rearranged my closet. My half-zips moved to the back, and the Tommy Bahama Hawaiian shirts moved to the front.
Probably most of us will do that within a month or so Although i don't have that many chances to wear the Hawaiian shirt on daily basis... I prefer more evening trips when the temperature went down below 90 degrees - i had enough tan from last year ))
Not many guys i know (not that there's anything wrong with it) call people "mate" except those " Dan undah" aka Aussies that's all
We Navy people ... at least some of us ... use the term "mate" frequently. It's a standard title for shipmates equal or junior to us in rank. I've used the term all my civilian life, too. Works.
And I have a closet rack loaded with outrageous Hawaiian shirts. When people see the old geezer wearing a wild shirt in the Mars Red SL550 with the top (and windows, of course) down and the heater blowing full blast in the middle of Winter ... well, they know it's me.
... I don't use the rear windscreen - i find it mostly useless in the SL. ...
I have to say that I find a noticeable difference on the odd occasion when I raise both the front and back side windows, as well as the rear windscreen (low 50's temps and interstate cruising speeds).
Like I said, in the CLK, with the side windows and the screen raised, i got very little wind turbulence in the cabin - just enough to feel on top of my head. In the SL with the windows and screen up, I still get a lot of turbulence in the cabin, even down into the footwells. The screen just makes very little difference, and I don't like the looks of it so I removed it. I do wish it were easier to remove, though. The one in the CLK took five seconds to snap in and would fold in half for easy storage in the trunk. Oh well, I like the rest of the SL much more!
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Another happy winter season over 
But really, with the ACC set for heat, heated seats and AirScarf, I can take 50F pretty easily. I will <GASP!> raise the side windows when it' below 60F or on the highway. I don't use the rear windscreen - i find it mostly useless in the SL. Now, in my CLK, with the side glass raised and the windscreen, it was not much more turbulent than a sunroof.
