Taking a car back from the auction, basically being a dumbass and taking a car in questionable mechanical shape on the interstate doing about 85. All of the sudden, i realized the back end of the car was sliding around an AWEFULL lot, tried to pull it off to the side and started fishtailing(No, i did not hit the brakes). Barely managed to pull it off on the shoulder safely. Had it been a front tire, i'm not so sure i would have been as lucky. What did i learn from this? don't be a dumbass and take a car that you've never driven and haven't inspected yet to 85 miles an hour....yes i will take the dumbass award for this one. Scared the crap out of me though. This was not even a week after a newer accord we bought decided to go into neutral and then slam into 3rd(essentially slamming on the brakes) while i was trying to merge into the fast lane with an upcoming semi and no shoulder. Good greif my job(and my stupidity), is going to kill me one of these days..... Luckily no body damage caused by the blowout, and i certainly got lucky. That was the first time a tire has blown out on me and i think i handled it relatively well, i didn't panick, didn't slam on the brakes, simply maintained control of the car(or at least tried to) pulled onto the shoulder and coasted to a stop(well, i used the brakes once i was going under 40). Luckily this auction car had a spare tire as well as the lug nut keys to go with the rims that were on it(a very big rarity). Never again will i take a car that i haven't inspected thoroughly above 60....

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83 300SD.......sold
96 integra SE....sold
99 a4 quattro....sold
2001 IS300.......sold
2002 330i.........current.
2004 highlander limited....current.

where did you get this new car? Is it a benz

no, far from a benz, well, a chrysler so i guess not that far from a benz. Bought it from a local car auction along with 4-5 other cars, trying to stock a car lot slowly but surely.

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83 300SD.......sold
96 integra SE....sold
99 a4 quattro....sold
2001 IS300.......sold
2002 330i.........current.
2004 highlander limited....current.

I've lost fronts and rears. Rears are worse.

Blew a front tire on a riding mower while in use not too long ago...a real white-knuckled experience that was!!!

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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car

Glad you're safe to talk about it!

A month ago I was on the 5 freeway in the 300TD in the Central Valley when one of the crappy Firestones blew out on the left rear going a whopping 60mph. Not fun when you're surrounded by semis!

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1974 240D 3.0L 4(M) - 250K -OM617.910 + 300D FW + Rajay turbo power!
1977 6.9 3(A) - 84k

you would have suffered a lot less on the sure footed suspension of a benz!

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Basic rule of thumb, when you get a blowout don't hit the brakes (obviously!), but also, don't take your foot off the accelerator (same reason). Leave the throttle down where you had it, then slowly throttle off to the side - it'll keep the rear from wagging like that. At 85, that's a harder procedure than at 60. At least you learned something.

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- Brian


1989 500SEL Euro
1966 250SE Cabriolet
1958 BMW Isetta 600

Glad your ok!

Accord with a flacky transmission, Chrysler with questonable tires, sounds like a cool used car lot!

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

well, when buying from an auction some cars are bound to have issues. I'd actually rather we run into them prior to selling them to someone else than stick someone else with the headache. We do have quite a few very solid reliable cars that i would have no problems taking cross country, but there is a few bad apples in every bunch and we just had an unlucky day.

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83 300SD.......sold
96 integra SE....sold
99 a4 quattro....sold
2001 IS300.......sold
2002 330i.........current.
2004 highlander limited....current.

Most important your here to tell the tail, glad your o.k. ,do you have to have a car inspected in Fla. these days?

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"It's normal for these things to empty your wallet and break your heart in the process."
2012 SLK 350
1987 420 SEL

I had a blowout on my Benz the Easter Sunday before last. It was the left rear tire.
I didn't even know it and I was doing around 60 at the time. I told my daughter that something felt weird. She was sitting in the back and I asked her if she felt anything wrong and she said NO!
I pulled over anyway and sure enough the tire had a big hole in the sidewall. I couldn't believe it.
I was even more amazed with the original Pirelli full size spare that was fully inflated.

Danny

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1984 300SD Turbo Diesel 150,000 miles

OBK member #23

(\__/)
(='.'=) This is Bunny. Copy and paste bunny into your
(")_(") signature to help him gain world domination

Also, a testament to that rear suspension...

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"It's normal for these things to empty your wallet and break your heart in the process."
2012 SLK 350
1987 420 SEL

I blew a tire on a my benz.. Twice.

Once hitting a curb the second time something on the road blew it and I had to ditch into the side of the road. Which was nothing but "sugar sand". Sand which allows anything other than a tracked vehicle sink into it. my car was burried up to the rockers!

I blew a left front tire on a '77 Oldsmobile Delta, on Hwy 101, out of San Francisco, near Candlestick Park, at about 70 mph.

First time for that experience, luckily instinct kicked in and I didn't hit the brakes, I was mad I lost the expensive wire wheel cover, but other than that, no damage. It's quite scary, the steering wheel really comes "alive" in your hands.

I agree, a first ride in an auction car can be quite something. I'll never forget the $325 wonder, an '86 Chevy Cavalier wagon I bought at the SFPD abandoned/towed car auction when I got it running and out of the yard.eek!!

Buying at auctions: Talk about buyer beware!!

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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)