After 57,000 miles and 8 years I recently sold my 2.5-16 (a model not available in the US but fairly popular here in the UK).

So I just thought I would post a few pictures of the lovely thing, and say goodbye.

It's also a goodbye to Mercedes ownership for me. I have had at least one since 2001, finding this forum a brilliant place to discuss them. So thanks for all the conversations and entertainment over the years - it's been great. I am from the UK and most members are in the US but I felt I enjoyed it here more than other sites. I admit I haven't been around so much recently though.

I have moved on to something else completely different but will always remember the W201 and W124 models especially. I considered an R230 SL replacement but ended up tempted by something more exclusive and exotic with which the R230 could not compete, so for now it's bye from me.








But I'm sure I'll be back!

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190E's:
2.5-16v 1990 90,000m Astral Silver
2.0E 8v 1986 107,000m Black 2nd owner
http://www.maylane.demon.co.uk/190esmall.jpghttp://www.maylane.demon.co.uk/190esmall2.jpg

A Ferrari? Oh wow. That is more "exclusive" . Nice pictures, BTW!

Are you still keeping the 2.0 or not?

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"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

Ferrari is the mortal enemy of Mercedes. Traitor. Is it a manual transmission?

I thought BMW was the mortal enemy.
You got over the traitorship pretty quickly .

__________________
"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

I like manual Ferrari cars a lot more than the yawn-o-matic modern equivalents.

Ah, I see, I have confused everyone . The Ferrari F40 is not mine! It was just parked there and I thought it made a good photo.

I moved to an Aston Martin. With a manual transmission! It's great but the 1st -> 2nd shift can be hard when cold.

I do still have the 190E 2.0 actually. But it's in storage, not used. Needs a fuel pump.

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190E's:
2.5-16v 1990 90,000m Astral Silver
2.0E 8v 1986 107,000m Black 2nd owner
http://www.maylane.demon.co.uk/190esmall.jpghttp://www.maylane.demon.co.uk/190esmall2.jpg

Ha, I was already wondering, trading in a $10K max. car for a million dollar super car. Here in the US the 2.3-16 are going up in price, people are asking over 10K for them now. Beautiful cars. Love Aston Martins, timeless machines.

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1979 Black on Black, 300CD (sold), 1990 Black 300SE, Silver 1989 Volvo 780, 1988 300CE (vanished by the hands of a girlfriend), 1992 300CE (Rescue).

I was always glad and surprised to see the 2.3-16 get such a following in the US. Purely because, here in the UK, what we see from the US is the typical large displacement, low specific output engines, and automatic gearboxes. So we imagine that must be what the car enthusiast wants. The 2.3-16 is the opposite of those!

It's a shame you didn't get the 2.5-16. Have any 2.5 cars been imported to the US by private customers?

Isn't there a good story surrounding why the 2.3-16 was brought to the US? Wasn't there a guy who convinced Mercedes Germany to engineer the car for the US? Or am I making that up.

My new car is not dissimilar. British designed engine, but built in Germany. N/A with high specific output. Front mounted engine, rear wheel drive.

Here's my local mechanic checking it out my new car:



While I'm on the subject, here's my daily driver. Something that is not sold in the US any more - does anybody know what it is? (Next to the W221 S-class).



I need to come to the US more. Been 3 times but there's much more to see.

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190E's:
2.5-16v 1990 90,000m Astral Silver
2.0E 8v 1986 107,000m Black 2nd owner
http://www.maylane.demon.co.uk/190esmall.jpghttp://www.maylane.demon.co.uk/190esmall2.jpg

DB9? Gorgeous, timeless design by Ian Callum and Henrik Fisker, two of the greatest car designers of all time.

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1979 Black on Black, 300CD (sold), 1990 Black 300SE, Silver 1989 Volvo 780, 1988 300CE (vanished by the hands of a girlfriend), 1992 300CE (Rescue).

The 2.3-16 had to wait a year for intro in the US to meet regs and initial demand was high enough that demand exceed early demand. The 2.5-16 wasn't brought to the US for a few reasons, including the supply and demand issues as the new model came in additional finishes and build capacity at the factory, the price point was near SL territory and the US dealers were more focused on selling the six cylinder 2.6.

Don't be a stranger. We will miss you!

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Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

It's a Citroen, but that's all I can tell you without looking anything up .

__________________
"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

YESSSSSS!

Note- above best read in an enthusiastic Jeremy Clarkson in ones mind.

Across the pond high five!

Also for the harsher shift when cold make sure to always depress the clutch pedal before letting off the accelerator pedal to provide a nice little overrev allowing for a smoother shift. Or perhaps the 1-2 gears are nice and tight and are just snug when the gearbox oil is cold? Either way, thank you for being a proper three pedal motorist. I will hope for good karma and few (none?) caravans in your path and future.

I don't see how anyone could yawn when pressing the gas on any Ferrari.

I drove a f430 with a "flappy paddle gearbox" mode and gave me such an adrenaline rush I didn't sleep for 3 days

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Eugene

10 E63 AMG
93 300te 4matic
07 BMW X3
14 Ford F-150 Fx2