OT: Any experience with the 1996 Mercedes SL 500?

[Ken Robb]

Originally Posted by RFC

Sure. We had one of these on a Volkswagen when I was a kid.

https://www.lifewire.com/what-is-a-swamp-cooler-534715

You can't kid me. I was an Ordnance officer and I know a rocket launcher when I see one.

[RFC]

Originally Posted by Ken Robb

You can't kid me. I was an Ordnance officer and I know a rocket launcher when I see one.

LOL! The one we had looked like a green torpedo.

[RFC]

OK, you wanted photos. Here they are.

I am sorry to see the Z4 go. If if held together, I would have kept it forever. A great suburban rod. I got 15 years out of it before the major components started to fail.

IMG_6169 by Robert Copple, on Flickr

The SL500 is rapidly growing on me. It's a type of a high performance car I have not experienced before. We did a sunset drive this evening up to Taliesin, Frank Lloyd Wright's winter home and school. Really a place of magic and genius.

IMG_6129r by Robert Copple, on Flickr

IMG_6134r by Robert Copple, on Flickr

IMG_6135r by Robert Copple, on Flickr

IMG_6145r by Robert Copple, on Flickr

IMG_6150r by Robert Copple, on Flickr

Love the largely analog instruments.

IMG_6153r by Robert Copple, on Flickr

Then there are the kinder seats for those skinny legged German kids. Hope they are small enough so that their heads are below the roll bar. Would never pass present US standards. Now a place to stow gear.

IMG_6158r by Robert Copple, on Flickr

Keep in mind, 1996 was the tipping point when Americans gravitated in mass to cell phones. That's when Motorola recruited me to Phoenix. The phones of that era were analog with very limited battery life. Better the car powered phone. These do not work, but I will keep them for the historic, Get Smart value.

IMG_6154 by Robert Copple, on Flickr

IMG_6161r by Robert Copple, on Flickr

This car is a new experience.

Before, I have primarily driven 4wheeldrives, i.e. Land Crusier (when they were real expedition vehicles) and real low to the ground sports cars. This is a new experience. Sunday I'm going to run it down to Tucson, pick up my youngest son and head up Mount Lemon or go to Bio Sphere. It's all good fun.

[Ken Robb]

It's very handsome and you don't see many black cars in AZ. do you?

[RFC]

Originally Posted by Ken Robb

It's very handsome and you don't see many black cars in AZ. do you?

LOL, quite a few. Suffer for fashion.

[azrider]

Heyyy........you drove right by my house

SL looks great!! Enjoy!

[Gummee]

Originally Posted by RFC

OK, you wanted photos. Here they are.

I am sorry to see the Z4 go. If if held together, I would have kept it forever. A great suburban rod. I got 15 years out of it before the major components started to fail.

IMG_6169 by Robert Copple, on Flickr

The SL500 is rapidly growing on me. It's a type of a high performance car I have not experienced before. We did a sunset drive this evening up to Taliesin, Frank Lloyd Wright's winter home and school. Really a place of magic and genius.

IMG_6129r by Robert Copple, on Flickr

IMG_6134r by Robert Copple, on Flickr

IMG_6135r by Robert Copple, on Flickr

IMG_6145r by Robert Copple, on Flickr

IMG_6150r by Robert Copple, on Flickr

Love the largely analog instruments.

IMG_6153r by Robert Copple, on Flickr

Then there are the kinder seats for those skinny legged German kids. Hope they are small enough so that their heads are below the roll bar. Would never pass present US standards. Now a place to stow gear.

IMG_6158r by Robert Copple, on Flickr

Keep in mind, 1996 was the tipping point when Americans gravitated in mass to cell phones. That's when Motorola recruited me to Phoenix. The phones of that era were analog with very limited battery life. Better the car powered phone. These do not work, but I will keep them for the historic, Get Smart value.

IMG_6154 by Robert Copple, on Flickr

IMG_6161r by Robert Copple, on Flickr

This car is a new experience.

Before, I have primarily driven 4wheeldrives, i.e. Land Crusier (when they were real expedition vehicles) and real low to the ground sports cars. This is a new experience. Sunday I'm going to run it down to Tucson, pick up my youngest son and head up Mount Lemon or go to Bio Sphere. It's all good fun.

Dad's 95 S320 had the corded phone in the center console too. His had the #s on the phone too.

Mercedes aren't really 'sports cars' as say BMWs are. They tend to be more 'autobahn barnstormers' that can go very fast in great luxury for as long as you want them to.

IMO those wheels are way too bright for that car. Otherwise it's a great looking machine

M

[zap]

Originally Posted by Gummee

Mercedes aren't really 'sports cars' as say BMWs are. They tend to be more 'autobahn barnstormers' that can go very fast in great luxury for as long as you want them to.

Those Mercedes days are largely gone. BMW forced Mercedes to the sport side of the spectrum. Mercedes handling today is much sharper and the resulting ride less plush.

Though a bit extreme, one day I was driving down I66 with an AMG E63 wagon next to me....that AMG looked to have a ride akin to a Ferrari 388 Pista.

[ZeKGB]

Great looking car, top looks to have been recently replaced and leather doesn't look dried out so it was obviously cared for prior to getting to your mechanic. Looks like you made a very good score on this one, enjoy her!

[RFC]

Originally Posted by azrider

Heyyy........you drove right by my house

SL looks great!! Enjoy!

Do you live in that subdivision just off of FLW road?

[RFC]

Thanks all!

IMG_6167 by Robert Copple, on Flickr

[azrider]

Originally Posted by RFC

Do you live in that subdivision just off of FLW road?

Yup....we're at Sweetwater/100th area......i ride the MTB up Cactus regularly and cut across Taliesin West all the time to get to McDowell trials

[RFC]

Originally Posted by azrider

Yup....we're at Sweetwater/100th area......i ride the MTB up Cactus regularly and cut across Taliesin West all the time to get to McDowell trials

Know the area well. I'm between Sweetwater and Cactus just off of 93rd. Cross 100th and Sweetwater many times a week riding to the gym.

I sometimes do hill repeats from FLW to Taliesin West. Ten or until I puke. Whichever comes first.

[AngryScientist]

i have nothing to add other than that when i was a kid, i thought headlight wipers were literally the coolest feature ever.

i hope still to someday own a car with them.

congratulations, many happy miles to you!

[Ken Robb]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

i have nothing to add other than that when i was a kid, i thought headlight wipers were literally the coolest feature ever.

i hope still to someday own a car with them.

congratulations, many happy miles to you!

I hope to never again live where those wipers would get used.