Last weekend one of my best girlfriends came to visit.

She's got a 84 300 wagon and has been messing around (so far unsuccessfully) with a veggie diesel conversion. She spent some time in the Army in Germany in the mid 80s and one of her and her husband's biggest regrets was not bringing home the cool Euro spec cars they had over there. She likes Mercedes like I do.

Anyway, on one of my commute time freeway avoidance shortcuts, I pass a little private dealer that usually has pretty nice late model stuff imports. BMW & Mercedes heavy.

They have older cars as well, usually in lovely shape (but incredibly overpriced). Anyway, I'd been passing this 70-ish 600 Limo for months, but my husband has zero interest. So we never stopped.

My girlfriend and I were cruising around in my 4.5, because there aren't too many other people who'd ride around in car w/o AC on a 90 degree day in Atlanta - just to go ride around. So on our way to the Farmers Market, we stopped and were treated to a tour of the car by the owner's son.

It was a 71 600, perfect interior, all the electronics (hydraulics?) like the power seats work - amazingly well cared for, amazingly well preserved. Not a Pullman (only 4 doors) but really, really lovely. Silver, black leather. Incredible wood interior, like water poured over the Zebra wood. Not a speck of dirt, dust or "patina." Sadly missing the Becker Grand Prix though.

And for sale if you had about 200K. Who knows what a car like that is really worth - and I couldn't get it into the carport here anyway. But for a moment I thought - hmmmm, who needs a retirement account!

Luckily the voice of reason outweighs the voice of binky.

I'm going to back to my humble and full of patina 4.5 now...

Ann

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1972 280 SEL 4.5 "Henrietta" - The Learning Experience
1972 280 SEL 4.5 "Brunhilda" - Pretty Sponge for $100.00 Bills

yep.. The 600's featured hydraulic powered windows, seat adjustments, among alot of other things

Don't be shy Ann, all we have to do is get your old W108 out of the way and we'll have a space for it

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With best regards

Al

But, they are sooo expensive to keep up though

see post #3 on this thread
WOW - Look at this one...

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

I was going to buy a 600 and was arranging for a PPI with my mechanic.
He said that the cost of upkeep would kill all of my discretionary income.

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Happy Benzing
Darryl, Hill
2005 SL55 AMG Kleemanized
1984 500 SEC
1967 W113 California Coupe
[SIGPIC]
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/myphotos

Uh huh, yeah - well I'd be sleeping in it down there at the bottom of our hill, under the trees...

I'd need bigger tarps though!

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1972 280 SEL 4.5 "Henrietta" - The Learning Experience
1972 280 SEL 4.5 "Brunhilda" - Pretty Sponge for $100.00 Bills

My mechanic (who reads this board) commented that it'd be a pretty sponge for 5K bills.

Maybe if I'd been born into real riches - like oil or land in Manhattan or something.

I'll just admire it every time I drive down lawrenceville highway.

Ann

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1972 280 SEL 4.5 "Henrietta" - The Learning Experience
1972 280 SEL 4.5 "Brunhilda" - Pretty Sponge for $100.00 Bills

Could it be that much worse then the W108? Or more importantly, could it be worse then my W108? I have to wonder as mine has sure cost me a lot of money.

It's very reliable now, but for a while, I couldn't see any light at the end of the tunnel.

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With best regards

Al

My 600 came with a blow rear, seedy interior and lots of dust. The PO had spent untold thousands fixing the brakes and injection system before killing the rear and giving up.

After 2 years of patient searching, I located a parts car in the UK and got a replacement rear that I've not yet installed (2 years have gone by). I've not yet gotten my head around the 10,000$ cost of replacement rubber parts, shocks and other tidbits needed to do the job well.

Yeah, these are interesting cars.

-CTH
PS. to be fair, that price includes the front suspension rubber bits too.

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- cth350@gmail.com
http://www.111lakeside.com/

I find it amazing that rubber costs $10,000. I think I would seriously look at some custom providers to make these parts http://www.precisionurethane.com/custom_products.html?kc=YYU3w

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With best regards

Al

I think its one of those things where the complexity of design and the quantity of cars made has a direct correlation to the cost of replacement parts.

I've had an ongoing email conversation with someone who owns a 6 cylinder, injected w108. Anything under his hood costs a lot less than under mine.

I know for a fact that parts for a 6.3 and a 6.9 are both a little harder to locate and more exspensive than my 4.5.

This morning I took my car out and ran some errands and drove around (boy, it kicks butt up 85!) and just kind of enjoyed my leisurely mid morning.

I'd feel silly doing that in a 600! I'd have to be dressed up to drive a car like that.

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1972 280 SEL 4.5 "Henrietta" - The Learning Experience
1972 280 SEL 4.5 "Brunhilda" - Pretty Sponge for $100.00 Bills