Upgrade 83 Mer 500 SEC from 88 Volvo GLE? - Page 35 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Jim B. · #**511** 09-07-2007, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CamelotShadow

Do you think I over did it...

Errrm,

Yes.

suginami · #**512** 09-07-2007, 11:09 PM

Hi Shadow,

Nice seeing you at Enrique's shop, and glad you got your car fixed.

We were talking with Enrique, and I was surprised to hear that he is 65 years old....born in June of 1942. I can't believe he is the same age as my own father.

He was explaining that he could retire and get full social security benefits next year, but has no plans on retiring in the near future, lucky for us.

He does look young for his age. I would've guessed he's in his middle fifties.

Jim B. - there was a guy who brought his '89 420 SEL in for an oil change. It had 260,000 miles on it, and he was the original owner of the car. He bought the car new at Stiegler Mercedes in Encino, CA, when Enrique was the Shop Foreman there.

When Enrique left Stiegler to start his own shop 10 years ago, he followed him here, and he has been coming ever since.

In fact, nearly everytime I've been to his shop there have been customers there who knew him from his time either at Beverly Hills Mercedes or Stiegler Mercedes.

Amazing the kind of loyalty that Enrique enjoys from the people that have come to known him.

CamelotShadow · #**513** 09-07-2007, 11:52 PM

Hi Paul,

Good to meet you...Isn't it a small world.

I was impressed at Enriques estute knowledge of the real estate market.
the man really has quite a keen mind!

It reallt rode like a dream home from the shop
Still didn't use the AC though

just want to make sure the temp was in a normal range
Its hi normal I guess
I hope the AC doesn't affect the running temp not that I use it all the time
but you know sometimes AC is more than a luxury...

Still lil apprehensive about the break ins last night
Tested the gate a few times
Swept behind the track & chain
Cleaned the leaves from under the motor housing
Just want my car to be safe...

Put in a good word for me witth the protector of automobiles...

Jim B. · #**514** 09-08-2007, 01:13 AM

It is good that you and the car are safe. I wonder if covering it with the car cover at night in that underground garage is a good or bad idea. I hate it when the bad guys breach security.

Clearly not one to be left on the street overnight, I guess. I did a few times with the Mercedes in San Franciso, but nothing ever happened to the car, so the neighborhood was a pretty good one, I guess.

The cars that got burglarized were the Hondas & Acuras on the street when it happened.

It was much worse in New York City though. People would even put signs in their cars which said: "NO RADIO"

A couple of times people there who did just that , got their window crashed anyway, with signs put in them by burglars:

"Just checking"

and

"Get One"

New Yorkers.

Absolutely unbelievable.

CamelotShadow · #**515** 09-08-2007, 01:24 AM

Covering might just bring more attention
what you think?
Car needs to be washed
Cover is clean
Guess a dirt scratch is not as bad as a broken wondow
Car is not perfect in paint
its got few touch ups & nicks

Its sort of a sleeper
it doesn';t scream steal me to the average person
Good thing
I hope

Been hoping they are smart opotunistic vandals
Not really wise to come bACK TO THE SCENT OF THE CRIME
Well hope not

Seems they wanted GPS & Ipods

Got it behind Volvo
can be seen from street
but that can also be a plus as they can't hide out of view & play

want to be able to indulge in having the car fixed
then it gets muddled with thoughts of someone messing with it

Arrghh

Truth is street is very dark
wouldn't even know what it was
well for a day until it was seen in day

they like Hondas
remember seeing the radio thing
I got cassettes in both mine
no one wants those dinosaurs

This is apretty good neighbo hood
but could be gangs moving in
there have been rashes of grafitti
& the houses are $750K
Its getting not to be safe anywhere
They steal in Australia too

Low life pond scum everywhere

Jim B. · #**516** 09-08-2007, 01:59 AM

Don't put a car cover on a dirty car, it can scratch it.

Car covers can be overrated, like car alarms and car "bras" Sometimes the negatives outweigh the positives.

I can't really say; to me all of them are a nuisance and sometimes do more harm than good. It just depends on the location and circumstances.

Some neighborhoods I saw in Lima (Peru) had homes that seemed to have as their prime consideration, the protection of the owners' cars.

Very high brick or concrete walls topped with barbed wire and shattered glass, with the cars parked on the other side.

It looked like the cars were in prison. The house residents, too.....

CamelotShadow · #**517** 09-08-2007, 02:16 AM

Its a big underground garage
for say about 60 cars
2 iron sliding remote operated gates
Window opennigs with iron bars

thing is anyone can wait iin the shadows & sneak in after a car & then they are in.

Its not fort knox
Secure & gated
except for last night when someones opened parked car door was in the pth of the gate
they collided & I thought it jumped the track but it blew a internal safety fuse.

The gate was stuck half open when the safety fuse blew
It was afeter 9pm & it could not get repaired to AM
It was repaired before 8am
but someone took advantage of theopen cookie jar

I am figuring it was before 2:30 AM
as I beleive the theives to be the ones with bad leaking trans,
Someone coming in at 2:30 saw the big pools of tranny fluid
hard to believe the vehicle could run as it was leaking about a pint a minute

Just heard some noise
went out to peak from the back

I can't really live like this
The girl that got broken into put her car on the street
she thinks it safer..
>????

Seems oneof them had an alarm
but it didn't go off when they broke the pass window
Not sure if theother car had one

Don't even know if mine works
never heard it
I think it cuts off ignition & its supposed to monitor sounds too.

Someones alarm went off when I closed my door
Guess that benz door really does have a good thunk

Well getting tired here

So happy to think now I can start to use the car
not so thrilled to be worried about what happened last night

What about a listening monitoring device
like a baby monitor?

Nite

Hey Bush is making an arse out of himself in Australia

CamelotShadow · #**518** 09-08-2007, 05:47 PM

NextLock or key?

key had gunk in teeth& has a burr or two
where metal was gouged
its fine but wondering
maybe the key
so next to go out w a handful of keys
to see

Jim, what are your thoughts powdered graphite in door lock
hand book specifies it
so it should be ok

Guess as they say its always something

The lic bracket holes are spaced about 10 1/2 on x axis & 3 1/2 on y.

hmmm

Jim B. · #**519** 09-08-2007, 11:02 PM

Ahh, attending to the smaller things at last?

That is a really good sign.... the powdered graphite would work just fine, per the owners manual instruction. No Mercedes Benz brand required, anything from the harrdware or auto supply store should be all right..

It must be annoying that there ar no license plate brackets, as the car wore them for 20 years before the owner took them off with his plates before donating the car. Junkyards must have them though, as every wrecked W126 car probably came into the yards with a set of them.

Yes Pres. GWB sure acted foolish, imagine telling the crowd he was in Austria when he was in Australia, calling APEC "OPEC", walking into a curtain and exiting through the "IN" door. What fools they must think we are, for electing a guy like that. AND he has his finger on the nuclear football. Oops, I meant "nukular"

I got stuck with an "intervention" 3 hrs on phone with an old friend in a panic, ex wife evidently got their kid to accuse the guy of molesting her 10 years ago, got arrested, had to get a lawyer, and all that stuff. What a mess when things go back that way. He is chain smoking now again too.
Ugh. Missed the local car show. I was thinking of going, over 800 cars will
be there, maybe I can make it tomorrow. Mostly old vintage stuff, that people like you who lived the Trans Am dream, might like. Maybe tomorrow another chance to see it.

Some other guy from BW wants me to inspect an '89 560SEC for sale down in Auburn - it has 156k on it, anthracite, and just $3900. I am not an expert but suppose I know more than most people on the street about them
Maybe tomorrow?

There is a chance I will actually get to meet next week one day with a couple of fellows from here, in the City. One is out there starting today for a small vacation of a week from DC. There are really nice people from here, I like some of them, actually most of them, a lot.

CamelotShadow · #**520** 09-08-2007, 11:35 PM

In life there comes the roadblocks
Sometimes just got to be there for another
DO the right thing
Time will go on
& it will come around with its rewards

I had stars in my eyes
the road
still there is those lil things
like maybe an ignition lock failing

I think its because of the way I have to reset the alarm
I do it from passenger side
& it means turning the key to 1
and its awkward form that side
so maybe its ok
maybe its just the angle of turn

Just don't want a 5 hours sterring column lovk job..

Bird flew to me in kitchen
landed on my back
then his wing spasmed
he cried
you can tell he was in pain
just sat it out with him

I think its a pinfeather
he's getting his wing feathers & they are uncomfortable when they come in
I can't think of anything else
but had to watch him
so couldn't go out
poor lil guy
he was ok tonight

Did the graphite in the door locks
did alil lube on lock hinge
the f=doors shut better
the doors locked
just the key drags a bit going in sometimes

Heck its an 83
Doesn't look that old
but it is and has almsot 200K on it
so it has some wear...

Didn't make the clicking when I opened the door
pheww
I wonder what the heck that was
I don't really care
as long as its gone
but its baffling
the things that come & then fix themselves

OOOh maybe Christine is possessed...

Jim B. · #**521** 09-09-2007, 01:30 AM

Your car sounds sufficiently ready for a trip on Mulholland or out to the coast and mabye up to Ventura. It would be a lovely drive for you; you should take it. Hopefully you will get a call from the previous owner of the car, you did what youcould do, and now only have to wait.

You know a lot about cockatiels, and it seems yours has bonded well with you. All I can say about that is that I recall that ours "loved Dad the most" and was rather indifferent to the other family members. She would NOT permit her had to be rubbed and showed affection by sitting on your shoulder, and caressing YOU with her head at the times she felt affectionate.

As the human you learned to take what what was offered. The bird set the boundaries. If you hand shelled the sunflowers, that gave you big points.

I never dealt with pinfeathers or knew what they were. The bird had free run of the house; it flew around a lot. It was fun for the kids, as we knew nothing abou responsibility; just got mad when she bombed our toys.
...."Death from Above" LOL

CamelotShadow · #**522** 09-09-2007, 01:59 AM

Yeah, they just let loose when they feel like it
but you usually can tell a second before
as they make that strainng movement
Then you better move
FAST

Mine is really bonded to me
I am its second mom
I have touched it and held it since it was a few week sold.

Your tiel was probably parent raised & then they are semi tame.

Mine loves his head scratched
In fact if I put my hand near him
he bows his head signalling he's like a scritch

I can touch his beak w my finger
he does nothing

He's very special..

Have to catch Mullholand way out it doesn/t go all the way thru from me

I was thinking
I just don't want to do highway
bit apprehensive
until I drive it & get secure it has no other wierd tweaks that will show up.

I haven't even got the radio to work yet
It needs to get on a goo channel
I wasn't go to fuss whiile I was driving
& don't want to run too much w the battery either
as I don't know if it got a full charge yet
esp w al the starts & stps it has been thru..

Hey,
My first car...

Well better get some rest

Have a great day tomorrow!

Nite

Jim B. · #**523** 09-09-2007, 03:59 AM

No shortage of Information about them it seems.

for instance:
http://www.fluffies.org/en/cockatiel-chat-forum-vf10.html

I think, maybe the Australian connection you maybe led to to them.
Just a guess... But aren't they from there actually? Cockatoos are.
I guess the best bet would be to obtain a weaned baby from a breeder, but I have no idea really.
Soooooo cute. All my childhood memories were quite good. (dangerously tempted for some reason...)

Big responsibility though.

For your stereo, you have an Alpine, it is an aftermarket upgrade for this car, (The Becker Mexico was the original, and it was crap) they are pretty good, so just play with the thing, program your favorite stations, set its clock, and learn how it works, AFTER the motor is warmed up, and idling in your garage space, (they can idle an hour and it won't hurt them...)

With any luck, there should be an owners manual for the Stereo (It is aftermarket, but if not, you are out of luck, because they are obsolete within weeks after they are new, there are better models coming out all the time)

I mention this because I also have an Alpine single CD no cassette player in mine and it is OK, but with a lot of fiddly and fussy gadgets on it I don't need. The worst mistake possible - I was in a hurry, and bought one to go on a trip with, and I didn't have the features I wanted, and have never been to happy with it.

But, Alpine has been known to be an excellent brand, so stick with it for awhile.

Back in the mid 1980's the Nakamichi was the "hot" set up for the gray market Euro cars. There was no such thing as CD players back then.

It wouldn't surprise me if your unit was installed around 15 years ago, give or take. It was probably obsolete 3 weeks after it was removed from the box.
But upper end equipment, nevertheless

Good nite/CS

Jim B. · #**524** 09-09-2007, 02:04 PM

CS, I was not kidding about taking the car out for a drive. Yous seem nervous about going out on the highway, but I feel that is a red herring.

A seldom used Mercedes is a lot like a seldom used self winding watch. You do it no favor unless it is kept in motion.

It will likely run poorly unless you put some hours on it.

CamelotShadow · #**525** 09-09-2007, 08:03 PM

Didn't get out
but spent whole day doing research
now I know the map of Malibu
& have a handle on the beaches

I got here to CA almost 10 years ago
I'm not a hi mile driver
maybe 10K mi in 20 years
So I have been driving a long time but I really don;t have much experiennce
Some people do that in a year or less.

The CA freeways were scary
since I work from home
I never needed them

I haven't been on a freeway in 5 years

So yes, its a bit scary esp in a car I'm not sure will do a straiight hour or two of highway

I really had intentions
but I have to know where I:m going
I have no navigator to read amap while I'm driving
Alot of those roads I will be on are miss an exit or go wrong way
& your stuck on that road for miles & miles
theres no other way
they cut through mountains out there

I just want to have an idea of the roads & directions first

Took me a few hours
then it got late

I'm getting there
Heck Rome wasn't built in a day
& its harder to build something that to tear it down...

Cockatiels are from Australia same as cockatoos
it is said way back they were related..

You have to get a handfed one
They are a bit more $
$100 vs $50
but its really worth it with the bonding you can do with them.

Big responsibility
My guy doesn't like me to leave him
more so in AM
He cries when I leave the room
They are very attached
they are better when they have a companion bird
then they say the heck w you
but if you have one bird
they want you around them
You are there flock
& they are social birds & don't like being alone

Now my neighbor found his in his yard about 15 years ago
Its a tough bird
can't handle him so he stays in his cage & eats seeds
He doesn't seem to mind being alone as he never got to consider his owner a companion
He's just good for feeding him & thats all he wants

My guy wants to be with me
have me near him or at least see me
if not he calls...

They can live for 30 years or more well fed
Typically one in wrong hands 10 15 years.

That one my neighbor found gets only cheap birdseed
& he's been hanging around 15 years
StillI try to give my guy the goods stuff...

I do want to get the car out on a good long ride to clean out the engine
They get fouled sitting & short trips
I know this but luckily the Volvo never complains...

I think with a car that performs & handles well driving on the highway will be fun. I'd love a chance to open it up
within legal limits

but you have to steer clear of the hi traffic times
or your better off using surface streets.

I just don't want to tax battery playing w radio yet
& idling doesn;t charge that well.

I;m still a bit concerned about the ignition lock
next hurdle

Thats why I said the car came to me for a reason
It's going to get me on the road.
Instant Therapy
well almost.
I have developed a fear of the highway
even surface roads I am not used to.

I felt ok driving this car
The Volvo is Ok
I'm used to it
but this one I seem to just drive naturally
like its apart of me...

I am looking foward to driving
but as you can see there is still the hesitation
& after the parts are fixed
I have to wrestle & overcome my own insecurities.

I think I needed this car ito take me down lifes road
Hopefully we will be good for each other...

As the shadow steps into the light...