No mercedes any more :)

[mapleleaf]

No mercedes any more

Well guys is it a mass exodus or what at the moment - I seem to have read several posts recently of members parting company with their Mercs.

Me included ... a couple of months ago I traded the SL 320 for an Audi Allroad and horror of horrors ....... Today I waved bye bye to the ML

So I too am completely mercedesless.

I'll be posting in the classifieds soon as I have a lot of MB bits & pieces lying around that I am sure could be put to better use.


But, like Sym & craigyb and a few others who have defected, I wont be leaving the club as I have met some super people here and would like to think I would be able to attend the odd GTG in a rival ride. ... Not that I attended many in a merc anyway .. but thats a different story

I hope to be able to show off my new toy in the metal soon as I pick it up tomorrow. ( a nice wedding anniversary treat for wifey - the day out not the car !) but in the meantime here is a pic I posted on a different thread here the other day.

ps .. the smiley on my thread title was meant to be a frown .. i tried to change it but it wont let me ... I'm frowning and sad about not having a merc honest ! but thrilled to bits about the mustang

 

[pammy]

and it is still a seriously nice car - can't wait to see it for real and sample the ride quality

Sorry you are now an MB free zone though

 

[GRAV888]

Nice motor Steve.
I feel a bruntingthorpe day coming up

I may be the next to defect when I get mine back from its' major bodywork.
(TVR Cerbera 4.5 )

If I get MB withdrawal, I can always use the Mrs CLK

 

[500E]

Thats a beautiful and stealthy 300HP GT. I am thinking of trading the E500 for a yellow one

 

[kikkthecat]

But, like Sym & craigyb and a few others who have defected, I wont be leaving the club as I have met some super people here and would like to think I would be able to attend the odd GTG in a rival ride. ...

I'm somewhat impressed with the new car, not too sure about it being a left hooker though.

As as been said before, the GTG's are as much about the people as it is about the cars. (I do seem to recall you turning up in a merc once though)

It's nice to see you'll be keeping in touch.

 

[fuzzer]

hehe , good luck with the new motors , im sure we will meet again at gtg's


( ponders how the other lot will take it when i take delivery of my e60 M5 :bannana: )

 

[mapleleaf]

thanks for the vote of confidence chaps & pammy

I'll look forward to seeing you all soon.

Pammy, of course you can sample me new wares it would be rude of me not to offer

Ray, I'm not sure about the left hooker aspect either but ... there is a specialist in hyde manchester that does Ford OEM quality RHD conversions. Wifey is somewhat apprehensive to say the least . We are going to keep a log of how many times we try to drive by opening the door on the "wrong side"

brunters sounds a first class idea grav - I wonder if I could smoke a few miles off the mustang tyres .... anyone fancy a ride ... graham perhaps

Maybe we could start a sort of mb defection society affilliated to the world famous one & only MB club .co.uk.

 

[PJH]

brunters sounds a first class idea grav - I wonder if I could smoke a few miles off the mustang tyres .... anyone fancy a ride ... graham perhaps

I'm sure he'd really love to have a SPIN in it.

 

[Alfie]

So I too am completely mercedesless.

I'll be posting in the classifieds soon as I have a lot of MB bits & pieces lying around that I am sure could be put to better use.

Steve,

Nice car. Looks very aggressive/mean.

If you have any parts for fitting either a CD changer or COMAND A208 820 44 89 to a 2001 CLK, let me know via PM. I've got the CD changer but no cables/mountings. Ditto the COMAND (I think!)

Cheers,

 

[Flyer]

Steve, I like the look of that. Despite the weather, get some pics up today please Look forward to seeing it at a gtg.

(Graeme, you going for the Cerbie then? )

 

[GrahamC230K]

brunters sounds a first class idea grav - I wonder if I could smoke a few miles off the mustang tyres .... anyone fancy a ride ... graham perhaps

Anytime!

 

[GRAV888]

Steve, I like the look of that. Despite the weather, get some pics up today please Look forward to seeing it at a gtg.

(Graeme, you going for the Cerbie then? )

90% yes, 10% no
I'm the 90% and the boss is the 10%

 

[kikkthecat]

90% yes, 10% no
I'm the 90% and the boss is the 10%

Just remember Graeme, the boss is not always right but she's always the boss

 

[mapleleaf]

Woooo Hooooooo

Just got in after a long drive back from Royston HErts in the Mustang having taken the day off work.

Was very lucky & managed to miss all the heavy downpours. Got wifey in the audi in front to pay my toll for me ... cheating I know but as it was my first time in the UK in left hooker I had to have a plan . the other drivers I am sure were thinking .. he on his own in a left hooker .. this should be fun. Ha!

What an awesome car . I am so impresssed and all my worries about driving a left hooker were not necessary.I just used my mirrors a heck of alot more than ususal & took my time.

The 1000w shaker sound system is the business! but not a patch on the glorious V8 engine & exhaust sound.

It sounds completely different to any Merc, Maserati, Aston, Ferrari, porsche etc. Its so well muscle car ish. imagine how the mustang in Bullit sounded .. its just like that only better . absolutely awesome

I am well chuffed ... I'll post some pics of my own soon. its to dark now but deffo over the weekend.

I think it needs some bigger wheels & maybe slightly lower profile tyres. I belive you can fit a supercharger & induction kit to give it a 100BHP + extra cost about £4k though

Whlst driving back I (well the car then ) got more looks than I ever experienced in the Aston. even had a kid hanging out of his dads van taking a pic on his phone & another guy doing the same later on.

What an outstanding car ... 4.6 V8 0-60 5 secs `etc etc , done just 1400 miles since Jan 05 and all for only £20K .

did I mention how pleased I am :bannana: :bannana: :bannana:

 

[stats007]

I had a LHD SL - only problems were ticket barriers as you mentioned. Graeme if you're serious about the Cerbera don't get a low miler. They need to be used regularly - it's as much luck as anything that you get one that doesn't go wrong. Warranties are essential! Expect £2k a year for servicing.

Am thinking about a Mustang GT - quite like the Shelby version!

 

[neilrr]

I've had several American cars and while I've liked most of them they have been, without any doubt, the most badly thrown together pieces of junk I've ever owned.

I've put it down to the rigorously enforced speed limit. Why bother to design and build a proper car when 99.9% of them will never go faster than about 80 mph? Up until a few years ago the national speed limit was 55mph, and it was enforced with a heavy hand.

I remember when the "new" Mustang came out in 1982. As well as the 5.0 GT they also offered a Turbo 2.3 4 cylinder. The cars were tested in Germany where they could blast around at unlimited speeds. The ancient pushrod V8 was fairly durable (the rest of the car disintigrated around it) but the Turbos lasted a matter of days. They still sold the Turbo Mustangs (and later Thunderbirds) in the US domestic market because they knew nobody would ever drive them at more than 80. The engines, even with that moderate use, still died hard and young.

Hope things have improved and you have better experience with yours.

 

[Ian B Walker]

I'm somewhat impressed with the new car, not too sure about it being a left hooker though.

As as been said before, the GTG's are as much about the people as it is about the cars. (I do seem to recall you turning up in a merc once though)

It's nice to see you'll be keeping in touch.

err when was that? oh I remember......................the one I smashed the Coupe at

 

[mapleleaf]

I've had several American cars and while I've liked most of them they have been, without any doubt, the most badly thrown together pieces of junk I've ever owned.

I've put it down to the rigorously enforced speed limit. Why bother to design and build a proper car when 99.9% of them will never go faster than about 80 mph? Up until a few years ago the national speed limit was 55mph, and it was enforced with a heavy hand.

I remember when the "new" Mustang came out in 1982. As well as the 5.0 GT they also offered a Turbo 2.3 4 cylinder. The cars were tested in Germany where they could blast around at unlimited speeds. The ancient pushrod V8 was fairly durable (the rest of the car disintigrated around it) but the Turbos lasted a matter of days. They still sold the Turbo Mustangs (and later Thunderbirds) in the US domestic market because they knew nobody would ever drive them at more than 80. The engines, even with that moderate use, still died hard and young.

Hope things have improved and you have better experience with yours.

fair comment - each to his or her own I guess. The 05 Mustang is currently enjoying phenominal success in the USA - all 05 production has been allocated and they are taking orders for 06 MY models now.

I agree, the car is not as well put together as a Merc or Audi but the ML was amecian assembled anyway so I guess I am a little used to the american build quality on that basis.

the Mustang owners club of GB have not reported any major issues with the 05 Mustang so fingers crossed, Ford may have got it right with this one.

in terms of value for money... I am happy
in terms of its handling - so far so good but the live rear axle may be a bit twitchy I believe
in terms of grin factor .... I am more than happy

 

[sym]

Very nice indeed Steve. I passed one on the motorway yesterday (he must have been running it in gently ) and they look very evil indeed in the flesh !!

You can drive me round a skid pan in it any time

S.

 

[stats007]

Steve, exactly how big is it? I passed one the other day and it dwarfed the SL