I have only been to the LA area twice and both times I have taken 5. I takes me about 4 1/2 hours to get home on 5, so that is why I go 5. I heard taking 101 is longer.

shanta - been up to the bay area many a time since as far back a I can remember (folks used to take us up for family outings).

5 - Definitely the quickest by a long shot, but incredibly boring! I especially don't like how foggy it can get at night. Last several trips I've made I had to travel late at night. Anyhow I find the monotony fatiquing.

101 - More interesting than the 5, ads maybe 1.5-2.5 hrs over taking the 5. Good compromise time/scenery wise between the 5 and the 1.

1 - The best way to travel north/south - if you have the time. Haven't really paid close attention to time (stop to much along the way) but it's an all day affair if you go this way even if you don't stop. But you can't beat the scenery. Best to travel mid-week.

Tom:

I went to college in San Francisco and one thing I noticed was that there were so many beautiful 250 SEs, Cabriolets too. I mean pristine ... kinda like the ones that now go for $50 to 75 K. I did not see many newer models that caught my eye.

Now when I moved to Los Angeles (my friends in the Bay Area almost disowned me!), I saw mainly new top end MBZs. The are really tricked out, too.

I guess it is because there was more old money in SF than in LA (this was in the mid 80's) at that time. Interesting ... to me that this.

tkd_M119:

I'll take some pics of the grill tonight ...

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1992 500E (Daily Driver)
2004 Porsche RUF 955 Dakara 550

tkd_M119:

So what do you think? Afshin and I are still 'tweaking' the install, but overall, it doesn't look bad at all. My wife who is by no means a Motorhead like me likes this grill more than the original W124 grill. I'm sold!

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1992 500E (Daily Driver)
2004 Porsche RUF 955 Dakara 550

I tend to go Up the 5 and down the 1 ... for you non Cali folks, that up Interstate 5 through the Grapevine (about 4500 ft) and back down California Highway 1. I just did this run about a week ago ... just gorgeous! The Central Valley was clear for a change, the hills where green, and going through the Pacheco Pass (CA Hwy 152) to lovely (LOL) Gilroy was a joy. Twisties everywhere through the Pass .

When traveling Hwy 1, I prefer to drive from North to South, starting in Santa Cruz. Driving close to the side of the cliff, knowing that one mistake can lead to ... . Yes, it can be a VERY dangerous drive, but the sights are breathtaking.

Unfortunately on this past trip, I didn't see not ONE of my brotherns ... no 500E / E500 sightings

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1992 500E (Daily Driver)
2004 Porsche RUF 955 Dakara 550

This is truely god's country ...

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1992 500E (Daily Driver)
2004 Porsche RUF 955 Dakara 550

Bellisimo!

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1992 500E (Daily Driver)
2004 Porsche RUF 955 Dakara 550

Norman, grill looks sharp! How much "work" is it to install? This is the one that's made from a W140 grille? Anyhow seeing those pics of HWY 1 makes me want to go drive there RIGHT NOW! Can't tell you how many times I've driven (or was driven as child) up and down that road since the late 60s till present! One of my most memorable trips was with my brother in his Miata. It was raining pretty steadily and we were driving with the top down (heading back to LA). So long as you stay above 35-40MPH no rain would come into the car (had the windows up). It was such a cool experience to be out in a rain storm with nothing overhead! On coming motorist looked at us ad if we were completely NUTS!

In Santa Barbara alone, I know of five 500E's., and I know all the owners (one is a MB Dealer tech!).

Three are with the ORIGINAL owners and all are maintained impeccably.

I have first right of refusal on all of them, but I don't think they are ever going to sell.

One owner, has two, a 1992 and 1994.

:-) neil
1988 360TE
1993 500E

This road can take 150MPH easiely . . .

Neil:

Where is this road?

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1992 500E (Daily Driver)
2004 Porsche RUF 955 Dakara 550

It's on the way to Death Valley. . .

:-) neil

I live in Northern Cal, and go to school up in Washington State... That road looks exactly the same as US 95 up through Nevada and Oregon. While I only have a 260 (barely half a 500, the shame, the agony) I can vouch for such high speeds (120 or so, heart tends to beat too fast.) Nice thing about driving too fast in Nevada, the speed limit is already 70 or 75, so you might not get hauled off in the squad car for going 95 or so.

Not that I know anything about that, I've been lucky so far (one valley in Oregon I went ~105 through--the next time through at the end of the semester, there was a State patrol car that had bagged two victims.)

Edit: note, should have mentioned that Oregon is not as reasonable as Nevada--the speed limit there is 55. Going nearly twice the speed limit is bad. Who am I kidding, it's a hell of a rush. Nice to be young and only intellectually aware of my mortality.

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jeremy wood
'88 260E ~200,700 miles
- All stock, except for Blaupunkt "Miami Beach"

jw-260E,

You a Coug or Husky?

I'm a "Whitty" or a Missionary. I go to Whitman College in Eastern Washington.

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jeremy wood
'88 260E ~200,700 miles
- All stock, except for Blaupunkt "Miami Beach"

My cousin-in-law did take a road like this (probably this very one) at 150MPH...on his motorcycle! He held the throttle WFO for as long as he could. He says the roads out there are really good for top speed running. Don't know if this still goes on but I once read an article in CA Bike magazine about a group of guys with open class sport bikes that would cruise Death Valley specifically to enjoy the high speed capabilities of their machines.