PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum - View Single Post

Jim B. · #5 01-25-2012, 04:24 PM

Here are pictures taken a few weeks ago when I added the AMG burlwood trim on the map pockets of its doors. I bought my '91 carefully as lightly preowned one at a Mercedes Benz dealer near Disneyland in 1996 after a year of not being able to find a good one in a color I liked, though lots were around to choose from then.

At 185k, I am just entering a new phase with a rare 300 hp 10:1 HV (high compression) euro 560 motor I bought and had installed in LA in November, with 53k on it that has just been rebuilt, and it's at a whole higher level now, mated to the AMG headers and downpipes and Remus exhaust. It's taken the whole 16years to get to this point, and make a kind of euro-type AMG clone out of it, but it's a stellar performer now.

Maybe the sweetest spot is flooring it at 70 mph and holding it. 115-125 mph comes up effortlessly and fast and pretty quietly. They are engineered to go their top speed on the Autobahn all day long. That is 149 mph for the milder 238 hp US ones, but this one is a sort of hybrid/bastard/clone of an AMG Euro and could be plenty faster. These things were top of the MB line, and I got the '91 model because it was the last year of the cost no object build quality and durablility ones, and I thought they looked beautiful. Its designer, Bruno Sacco, said it was his masterpiece and he, to this day drives one of them in Germany as his personal ride..

All told it is the best car of I've had among the 22 or so I owned since my first ( a '64 Chevelle)..

They were designed to be long distance mileage eaters, like a ground bound Lear Jet, or a true Grand Touring coupe in its best iteration.

Today they are absurdly cheap to buy for what they provide in terms of class, unsurpassed durability, longevity, ease of repair, active and passive safety, build quality, and parts availability.

They are a good long term proposition for a long term ownership to enjoy and use. Tons of fun, too!