Just how much respect?

[Jerrytommygal1]

Hiya, tomorrow I'll be taking delivery of my first MB, a 1997 Champagne silver W202 elegance. :bannana: Actually don't know how I'll get through the day.

Well, in the meantime I'm driving my sister's Audi A4 and get annoyed by other drivers getting pretty close to me in traffic. Yesterday a young guy driving an old LHD golf scraped my rear bumper because he was trying to nudge his way into my lane in slow moving traffic.

I've had this kind of problem with my previous Toyota sedans and Mitsubishi Pajero/Shogun. Is this something I'll have to get used to in an MB as well? Do other drivers tend to keep their distance for fear of scratching your cars?

 

[Natalie]

Welcome and congratulations on your new toy! You'll love the world of MB, especially being a member of this forum - so much useful and interesting stuff here not to mention new friends and acquaintances!

Enjoy.

And yes, most people have the respect that they should have for such good cars!

 

[NW_Merc]

Welcome to the forum

One of the first things you'll have to do is make a list of mods. These will obviously be a starting point as pretty soon you will add more to the list and will be looking on here for help and advice on what and what not to add to your car.

:bannana: :bannana: :bannana:

 

[Jerrytommygal1]

Welcome and congratulations on your new toy! You'll love the world of MB, especially being a member of this forum - so much useful and interesting stuff here not to mention new friends and acquaintances!

Enjoy.

And yes, most people have the respect that they should have for such good cars!

Thanks Natalie. I bought the MB instead of another Mitsubishi Pajero/Shogun and this forum has helped me love the car. Great place and people! Simply love it!

I'll be watching out for cars in traffic. Hopefully they won't get too close

 

[Jerrytommygal1]

Welcome to the forum

One of the first things you'll have to do is make a list of mods. These will obviously be a starting point as pretty soon you will add more to the list and will be looking on here for help and advice on what and what not to add to your car.

:bannana: :bannana: :bannana:

Excellent idea NW-Merc! Since I'm looking to keep it for a long long while barring any accidents, mods will be handy. Let start on this...

 

[Natalie]

Today's the day then! Don't forget to update your thread - add some pics if you can too.

 

[crockers]

Hi and welcome? where are you based? Using the word Sedan...are you from USA ?

 

[Jerrytommygal1]

Well I get to pick it up tomorrow. Paperwork ended an hour late.

To explain, I'm in Uganda (been reading loads of MB stuff & 'sedan' kind of stayed on) and imported my car from Singapore. It's had to clear customs and get a new numberplate. All done but was completed a bit too late to officially leave the car bond. So tomorrow all will be done.

It's going to be fun applying your ideas in East Africa. There're loads of MBs (& other German cars) here and thus some good parts stockists. Maybe also contribute some insights from the equator :bannana:

Photos coming soon...

 

[Natalie]

So, you will have to contain your excitement for a further 24 hours! Can you bear it?????

 

[Jerrytommygal1]

Not very well Natalie! Cleared my schedule for tomorrow morning. Going to take it for a drive to find out what condition its in. Hopefully nothing serious. Battery dead as a dodo but that will be changed for me at no cost. I've got no records for the car so that's abit of a worry. Fortunately its only got 77,100Km on the clock so I'm hoping for many happy years of driving.

I must say I do miss the British roads - learnt to drive in Sunderland and London - where you can actually drive for pleasure! Have to find something similar here.

Will also seriously test how close other drivers get to me. Tomorrow can't come soon enough ;-)

 

[Natalie]

No records? As in service history? Many on here say that FSH isn't really an essential item with mercs, hopefully you will have got yourself a good one! Don't forget the pics. Don't know much about Ugandan roads or Uganda for that matter. Hope the car starts, rides well and most of all you enjoy.

 

[Ian B Walker]

I used to drive from Kampala to Nairobi every week. If you are importing your car from Singapore then watch the pot holes. They can and will destroy your suspension. Nip up to Ginga and look at the Nile from the hotel on the bank. Great view and nice beer . Sunset Hotel if memory serves me right. Ahhh Happy days

 

[Jerrytommygal1]

I used to drive from Kampala to Nairobi every week. If you are importing your car from Singapore then watch the pot holes. They can and will destroy your suspension. Nip up to Ginga and look at the Nile from the hotel on the bank. Great view and nice beer . Sunset Hotel if memory serves me right. Ahhh Happy days

Ian, what were you doing making that long journey so often? You're right about the seeing the Nile. If you get to the right place, you can actually watch it bubble to the surface from right around your boat - yep, the very source. Fascinating! Never been to Sunset Hotel though, will check it out. Thanx for the tip

So I finally got the car - thanx for your happy thoughts :bannana: :bannana: :bannana: :bannana:

Drove it around this afternoon and its quite a machine. Seemed like I was driving a safe tank with a bonnet that doesn't seem to end

Got abit used to it now and its better than I expected after reading so many posts. Best thing? Other drivers didn't get too close. Bliss for the first day

Wow! Looking forward to being part of this forum instead of lurking

Oh, and those stickers on the windows are the de-registration notices from Singapore. Got to get them off somehow asap. They don't peel off easily, any ideas?

 

[Natalie]

So....you got her! Well done and glad to hear you are enjoying the drive! Thanks for posting a pic, looking good!

 

[jadefox]

Nail varnish remover will get rid of those stickers - but don't drop it on your upholstery!!
Nice car, congratulations.

 

[Jerrytommygal1]

Nail varnish remover will get rid of those stickers - but don't drop it on your upholstery!!

Excellent idea! My brother removed one sticker using brake fluid as the softener. Typical guy thing I guess

 

[Jerrytommygal1]

So....you got her! Well done and glad to hear you are enjoying the drive! Thanks for posting a pic, looking good!

Thanks. Still can't believe it when I see her in my parking. Still can't find a name for her though. Merc doesn't cut it as I'm also a Mac user and I got some strange looks when I started a sentence with "My Merc/Mac..." and ended it with something car related. Hopefully there's a thread here on car names

I actually have to start driving differently - more relaxed and abit slower. Been testing its 0-60 response - impressive for such a beast of a machine. Absolutely love the small turning angle. Brilliant especially seeing that I have to dodge the potholes Ian mentioned. You won't believe this but I've had to put a large sheet of stainless steel at the bottom to protect the cables and stuff against the rough roads. Good thing the dust isn't easily noticeable with that colour.

Also had to protect the exterior against petty criminals. Will post pics to see the extent this was done. Doesn't interfere with the beauty of the car but still...

After driving Japanese cars for a while, it's taking me abit longer to get used to the position of all the knobs. Simple things like lowering the window with my left hand instead of the right

 

[Natalie]

Oh, sorry to hear about the exterior. Why is it that people have to deface, clearly through jealousy, most annoying .

Is there a reputable dealer/garage to carry out work where you are should you need it that can obtain original parts? Do hope so.

Perhaps you should start a poll for names?

My estate is bornite berry, lovingly called the purple beast, my b/f's is beryl blue - so she is cherishingly called the aqua princess (I've rearranged the front over the weekend - well the bumper on the nearside ) but she still looks glorious on her good side!

 

[pammy]

I wouldn't put nail varnish remover near it - instead go for WD40 - much safer option and it works

 

[jadefox]

Trouble with WD40 is it leaves a residue, I did this on my new double glazing once and I was trying to clear the smears off the glass forever!! lol At least nail varnish remover is an astringent so it cleans off completely afterwards...