flixbiz,
Thanks!!

See you are from down the road. Maybe we should get together sometime to check out your cars. I only take mine out when the weather is clear in the forecast and have no rain or snow prior :D :D

Well DanielG This was a great idea. Along with Lowmiles and a few others I noted we should setup a get together. It's a shame there aren't any Dog N'Suds around, it would look really interesting to see all these SLs sitting in a fancy hot dog stand.
(Although there is a really good Gyro place not far from here in an old Dog N'Suds).

Unfortunately in spring, as my SL is tucked away, covered for the winter.

I'm in Hawthorn Woods, Il. A north slightly west suburb of Chicago

Elau:
Likewise! I had her on the road with top off last weekend, but I don't expect a repeat performance for a few months! A get together sounds good. There is at least one other poster to this board in the Davidsonville/Crofton area and Mr. Taylor in Falls Church, Va. There are probably more. Perhaps in the spring/summer months?

Another Illini - graduated in '67, am a very rabid Illini football follower and deeply depressed at the moment. Grew up in Evanston, Illnois, went to NU for grad school, currently live in Cohasset, MA (southern suburb of Boston). Drive 2000 SL which just ran out of warranty. I love the car but am tempted to pick up a used version of the new one - any thoughts, opinions, experiences?

Its my recollection that '67 was the beginning of a bad period for the Illini in football-- after those glory years of the early to mid '60s -- plus, campus life was a bit raucous, what with breaking all the glass on those dorms on Green Street in Urbana! Did you ever think you would be driving a late model SL and thinking about a new McLaren back then????

GO ILLINI -- (at least the Basketball team is respectable this year -- new coach and all)

DanielG:
The Illini have had their moments under White, Makovic and then Turner. I still can't explain or understand how they fell so far, so fast, after winnling the league two years ago. Usually that accellerates a program instead of totally deflating it. But...it seems that every 10 years, or so, they give people like me a reason to be happy - thank God I have my SL to derive pleasure from on those sunny Saturday afternoons in the fall.
MacClaren - you jest I'm sure. I'd be happy with a humble little regular 2003 SL with low miles on it. The MacClaren, in fact, is getting less than totally glowing reviews in the automotive press.

KPG -- I grew up in Champaign and was in school at the UofI in 1984 -- Mike White was a god; Makovic was a diappointment (went to Texas where they expect a winning season every year -- he could have owned Champaign, instead he got fired in Austin) -- Turner seems like a good guy, really turned it around, but last year was a disaster.

Illinois seems to be a place where other schools (and the pros)come to shop when they see we have a decent coach. Alas.

I saw a good review for the McClaren recently -- rather gushing (price seemed to be the only complaint) -- and saw some info on the mid-90's car that McClaren produced (not a mercedes) -- was well received but came out at the time that high priced cars became disfavored due to the down turn in the economy.

How does a company crash test one of those? must break hearts as its happening, but its required by law.

Have you check out the MBUSA site lately? There are a couple of movies on the SLR.

I think the automotive world has always bias towards Mercedes. Whats there not to like a car that can achieve 0-60 in less than 3.8 seconds? In a supercharged V8 only. The Lambo needs a V12 to do that kind of damage. I think the air brake is just cool. The only thing I wish on the car is that they tune down on those side grilles. I like the Vision SLR grills better.

If only I have $350K...........

I'm not crazy for the new nose "cone"

That's what makes the car so unique looking. Notice after the Vision SLR came out back in 2000, Ferrari designed the Enzo with the same F1 nose cone concept?

I did not like the Enzo when it first came out, it has since grow on me after looking at it for a while.

Benicia, California. We are approximately 20 miles north of San Francisco. Benicia is a small town on the Carquinez Strait. Right over the Benicia Bridge is Martinez, Concord, and Walnut Creek.
We are also close to Sears Point Raceway, now Infineon Raceway.

Springfield, Pennsylvania. It's a western suburb of Philadelphia.

I'm in scenic Morris NY, upstate in Otsego County...
Beautiful country, not many Mercedes as no dealer for about 60 miles <grin>
Plenty of John Deere dealers though.........

I'm a life-long resident of Erie, Pennsylvania where it is presently 14 degrees with about 15" of snow!

Northern Kentucky and work just across the river in Cincinnati, Ohio.