I'm a convert!

[MidnightBeauty]

Have just bought my first ever Mercedes for driving 1000 mile trips to visit/stay with sick,elderly parent. As always these things happen at the worst times so not much money to spend on a third car that would be kept in the UK when I flew home for a break.I wanted a reliable motorway cruiser so was expecting a rather fuel hungry,stodgy car.

The Elegance has 110000 miles on the clock,4 months MOT,2 small areas of rust on door & wheel arch,intermittant wiper not working and small tear in driver's seat.Steady as a rock when weaving . Last owner was weight challenged so seat spings are very depressed!

Delighted to find how responsive & tight it was. Although 19 years old, for 15 out of its 19 year old life it has been maintained by a Merc dealership. Brake efficiency was put to the test during our first drive in it when we suddenly came across an elderly man standing in the middle of a country road waving a mop at us because there was a chicken loose on the road. Been driving 37 years & never met that before.

Got in the car & felt instantly at home. I'm really going to enjoy driving again after years of driving mid range sardine cans.

 

[developer]

Welcome - a nice first post .

 

[Giantvanman]

Welcome to the forum! Good first post.

 

[Wheelsnuts]

Welcome to the forum. Enjoyed reading your post.

 

[MidnightBeauty]

Thanks. Shall have to practice severe hill starts with the parking break in the footwell instead of a handbrake. Just my luck to come to a halt in a line of cars on the steepest part of the boarding ramp to the ferry.

 

[MancMike]

Is it an auto? It shouldn't roll back anyway if it's auto?

 

[MidnightBeauty]

Nope it is a manual.

 

[Reggie-rock]

I have never had a manual Mercedes so I can never work out how hill starts are performed without 3 legs.

 

[MancMike]

Oh right. So you're pushing the parking brake in with left foot, while holding the brake pedal down (right foot obv), then coming off the brake pedal, giving it some gas, getting the bite point, a bit of tension, then releasing the P brake with your right hand?

Sounds like a faff, but I'm sure you'll get used to it.