As my 1991 Mercedes-Benz 560 SEL has been REALLY good to the family I am considering having it re-painted and going thru and freshening it up quite a bit, maybe even give it to my Son in 4 more years when he starts driving.
Been really looking hard for something and I considered brand new, even checked out some prices on some brand new Fords 2013 Mustang @40K and F250 Diesel Crew @ $64K ($9k option for the 6.7 diesel engine folks). Then after that I pretty much woke up to the fact that I can't afford such things.
Maybe in an act of "mid-life" I also started looking at Corvettes (which one day when the kids are grown I WILL own), and Camaro and Firebirds. Then I started looking at 91-93 Ford Mustangs after having the bug for awhile (recently did a customers PFI performance transplant) only to realize from my last "test drive" that I am too old to be going to court for speeding tickets and wreckless driving, not to mention the fact I have a family of 4 to transport.
Right now after having spent 3-4 months pondering what to do before the plates on my Mercedes expire in July I am at the point to where it's come down to an older 2000's Ford Expedition (Because I already have an 03 F250 PSD project), or this S600 Mercedes that needs a Hydro pump.
Given the needed repairs to the S600 it would still be well under 10K.
I didn't want to vote as there's not enough choices ! As for your mid-life crisis, you may well be having one LOL ! - Especially since you've decided to un-leash RSJ back onto this site .... If you are a little undecided, do what-ever you have to, just make sure that your wife has something good to get around in before you lash-out & grab your S600 ! If it was me though, unless the 560 was really starting to be "money-pit", I'd just paint it, keep it going well, & save more $$$. That S600 will be 1/2 the price it is now in 4 years time when you decide to pass on the 560 to your son !... Though I think he'd be better-off in a 420SEL until he learns how to keep himself alive on the roads....Besides, he'll be hassling you a lot-less for gas-money with a 420 LOL!
Cheers,
Rastus
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"Only an alert & knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial & military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods & goals, so that security & liberty may prosper together". Dwight D.Eisenhower.
Yes I should probably stick with the 560 but I happen to really like the looks of the 220 chassis.
Im always searching the cars in my area, just to see what they are pulling but this one has really got me hot and bothered.
If I managed to pull it off (an it's a long shot) I would not sell either one of my Mercedes, the 420 or the 560. So that's not the issue. I am just trying to be realistic about the fact my car WILL be down for several months if not a year if I decide to "re-fresh" it.
My luck I'll be a day late and a dollar short, but at the price I would offer it would be a super value. Currently the asking price is $8500 but thats a little high for a vehicle with a $3K repair right off the bat (dealer retail). That's not including any other flaws I might find later upon inspection.
I get bad evil vibes just looking at that car. Lord knows what I may do. Somebody help me! LOL
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What is to give light must endure burning -- Viktor Frankl
Not my place to say really, but should you be able to go over to the owner / dealer with a hand-full of cash, you might just be able to negotiate something...I've learned through the years that "talking" about a possible price and actually going over with cash makes the seller think more than hard, because his / her waitng game is over should they decide to sell...GOOD LUCK !!! Seems like a pretty-good price aswell !!! How many miles are on it ?....
Rastus
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"Only an alert & knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial & military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods & goals, so that security & liberty may prosper together". Dwight D.Eisenhower.
Get your money together, ( the full amount if possible ), and offer 5,000...Then when they laugh at you, ask them what they think would be a reasonable amount knowing that you have to find 3,000 off-the-bat to fix it. Only persons like yourself would be interested in buying it in its current state, so I'd say your chnces would be good at maybe a high 6 to low 7 figure...If you can get that cash in your hands to go there with and "shove under their noses" so to speak LOL ! Once again, good luck...
Cheers,
Rastus
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"Only an alert & knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial & military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods & goals, so that security & liberty may prosper together". Dwight D.Eisenhower.
The car is in Detroit. You don't go fanning money around in Detroit... I mean Detroit's come a long way, but that's just asking for trouble. Total meet me at the bank if you like my offer situation.
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What is to give light must endure burning -- Viktor Frankl
For some reason I actually though that you'd "eye-balled" the car & the pics that are posted above were your own ! You know what you're doing, and you've got the equipment to keep it running alright. I think that you'd miss the induction-roar of the 560 pretty soon enough, I've only driven a hand-full of V-12's ( these were Jags though...) and the induction-roar / exhaust-note was unusual to say the least ! Still, it would be interesting to read your future posts / appraisals about how this thing goes about its thing, should you be able to grab it.
Cheers,
Rastus
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"Only an alert & knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial & military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods & goals, so that security & liberty may prosper together". Dwight D.Eisenhower.
First; I don't have the money, so I am working with a customer who might spot me the cash to buy outright. Sort of like selling your soul to a customer. I will only pay $6000 for this vehicle, so it's possible I could get the nod from my customer and still come up sort and loose the car. But the important part is that I am pulling out the stops as I can but a penny over $6k and I'll have to pack it in for a little longer and daily drive the 560, not that I mind. You also have to realize that banks will not loan money on a 2001 as it's too old, currently I am pre-approved for up to $40K on a new or used car 2005-up from several banks, but I hate fucking banks, and $6k is $4000 more than I want to spend on a daily driver while I freshen up the 560. So that should indicate how hot and bothered this S600 has got me.
Second; the 560 and my 420 are both staying part of the family. The 560 needs extensive service/cosmetics, and I don't want to rush any of this. The 420 SEL is really my son's car, but he has convinced me to make it a convertible. As such the vehicle will not be safe or practicle, more or less a summer toy. Might have to give him the 560 in the end, or get that damn 03 PSD monster truck finished, which sounds like a better vehicle for a 16 year old. Lots and lots of work between these three vehicles and I am thinking of adding a 4th! Good part is the 420 and 560 will qualify for "Classic" plates once I have another daily driver and this makes plates only $40 for them two cars! Currently it's about $300 per year on a 560 as a Daily Driver. The S600 will run about $400-$500 but Ill get my first year at the 560's $300 rate. So it's not an issue of me looking to get out of the W126, just would like to give the S600 a go for awhile.
Third; the Wife and I share the 560 now. We really don't need two cars however if things worked out that I was able to pick up the S600 she would drive that too, but we would also have the 560 with "classic" plates that could be used for leasure/show/testing purposes. I don't know what it is about this S600... Perhaps it's the black on black color combo, maybe the AMG rims, or the V12.. But I am really drawn to this beast.
More than anything, I just don't want to be one of them guys who drives a Honda, or Toyota (lexus included) that says "I am restoring my Mercedes". I'd just assume fix as I go and live with less than perfect paint on my 560 than buy anything else, this S600 aside. I think that says a lot about how I feel about this S600.
Another thing that's interesting is this car somewhat scares me. What I mean is this, I don't know if I am more worried about not being able to get it or actually getting it! Been a long time since a car has scared me... Almost 14 years to be exact! That car was a 1991 MB 560 SEL.
-- Edited by SELLC on Sunday 2nd of June 2013 03:15:02 PM
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What is to give light must endure burning -- Viktor Frankl
Yes the suspense is killing me. So much to chance, such a long shot.
In the mean time I am trying to keep myself busy. If I am not meant to be "Big Balling" as my perspective financier said then at least Ill have a nice project with that 420 SEL.
Hoe-hum I wished I had never even seen that damn car now. But I am going to keep trying until its gone, or the seller tells me $6K isnt enough. Thats two easy ways out.
-- Edited by SELLC on Monday 3rd of June 2013 02:17:30 AM
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What is to give light must endure burning -- Viktor Frankl
You're very lucky to have a friend that will spot you some money !!! Too bad the the banks are so tight-fisted and dictorial...I can't believe that they won't loan you 5-6 K, but happlily give you 40K on a new car that will depreciate quicker than RSJ's credo LOL. It doesn't matter what happens today, sooner or later something good will turn-up at the right price / package etc, especially once your boys are grown up and looking after themselves. Your 420 will keep you all happy I'm sure whilst the 560 gets a re-fresh ! I'm pretty sure you'll even appreciate the power it does have after a week or two of driving it, it's just that you have to wait a thousand revs or so more before you find it !
Cheers,
Rastus
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"Only an alert & knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial & military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods & goals, so that security & liberty may prosper together". Dwight D.Eisenhower.
I've been thinking a little about the fact that you have "room", and are keen to get a project of some-sort under-way to keep you busy, and to take your mind off that S600... I have a little experience with panel-beating / spray-painting, and though I'm very glad that I don't have to do it for a living, I did repair some rust and provided a full re-spray to a car I owned around 15-odd years ago...Anyhow, all you really need is a couple of week-ends to prepare the 560's body, a quality spray-gun, and an air compressor that can supply you with continual 60 psi air pressure, with a great water-trap ! LOL.
The work itself can be a pain in the ass, but if its "only" a respray, once your happy with the most important part,- the preparation, you can keep on painting until you get it to your liking. Some tips would be to always spray your edges first, as the paint always wants to run-away from edges, and to always spray each panel with the same hand-sequence ( eg, left-to-right, top to bottom etc ) to maintain the same colour. I would guess that 5-6 ltrs of paint should be enough for a 126 re-spray ( don't forget that this turns into 10-12 ltrs with thinners added ), and then buy 10 ltrs of the absolute best clear-coat that money can buy. In between each coat, gently rub-back (with 1500 grit paper ( wet n' dry )) the surfaces until your hand indicates a smooth surface. This doesn't take too long at all, and when dry, before you apply your next coat of paint, wipe the surface down with a little thinners on a "good"- clean rag, as this really helps the next coat of paint bite, and leaves less of that "orange-peel" effect that's always there with the original paint-work. I would think that you would do really well at this, and at the "most" would only have to find about $ 1,000:00 for paint and materials. Give it a go SELLC, as this may even expand your business into providing this sort of repair-work, if you can be bothered doing it. You'll surprise yourself at how good the results can be if you take your time. Only once you've finally rubbed the surfaces back the last time after your final coat of clear ( and waited around a month to let the paint harden ) will your results prove themselves after a cut n' polish.
Please don't think that I'm taking the piss or anything, but I think you'd get good at this sort of thing ! You could possibly even start making good-goers and selling them instead of cutting all of them down for parts.
Cheers,
Rastus
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"Only an alert & knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial & military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods & goals, so that security & liberty may prosper together". Dwight D.Eisenhower.
Now that I have another garage I was seriously considering trying my hand at a paint job. The fall-out from the sanding, painting and such has always been a big concern for me and as such I never subjected my work area to such a dusting.
But now I have a seperate garage that would really work out nice. I don't really need a base/clear on the "toy", just a nice single stage. Way less than $1000 too! Prep is a pain in the ass but the most important. Any monkey can wave a spray gun but the secret to a good job in body work is in the preperation. You could be the best painter in the entire world and still have a shitty job if the prep work sucked. Most of the time in Body shops you have the body guys and the paint guys, very rare to have both in one. When that happens they go in business for themselves.
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What is to give light must endure burning -- Viktor Frankl
You're very lucky to have a friend that will spot you some money !!!
I said a customer! LOL
But we might as well call him a friend considering he want's me to turn a $6500 75 Stingray he bought into a $33,000 classic. I should have had this fricking S600 in my driveway LAST WEEK.
I am getting a little irritated to be honest. Oh well... He's got an 89 Blue 560 marker in the driveway, but that ain't going to be enough for what he's looking for.
I have given up checking to see if the car is still for sale. Guess I got my work "cut" out for me now. No "Big Balling" in the S600 but Ill be spanking the hell out of that 75 Vette with the top down in my kids mutant 420 Convertible! LOL
I guess your only as good as you're needed at the moment.
And by the way Rastus, I don't cut up potential "good-goers", all of them are saved. I cut up salvage vehicles with frame and or serious damage and even then I ain't like them BW weekend warrior junkyard dogs out there in Cali... I GET EVERY SINGLE PART off these things just about. This way there are pleanty of parts! Everyone knows a good used OE Mercedes part is 10X better than a brand new China made knock off! So what I do in terms of "Cutting" is only because no one else will buy it or pay to have it repaired.
All is well that ends well I guess... At least I know now to keep an eye out for the S600 and who knows, a better one might come along that I can afford to buy on my own because I sure as hell ain't taking out no car loan from a bank for a new car! NO WAY!
-- Edited by SELLC on Thursday 6th of June 2013 03:07:39 AM
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What is to give light must endure burning -- Viktor Frankl
I was only trying to say that you might see the potential of being able to repair a car by-yourself and sell it, not right you off as a BW weekend warrior LOL ! I thought that when your boys are ready to drive, you could also show them how to build-up their own cars, which is probably what might happen anyway ! As time marches on a little further, these W220's will become available like your W126's are now, though you may have to go to auctions etc first, if you want to get them sooner...
Here in Oz, most auction places have "Trade Only Days", that means only Industry people are allowed in, ( not the general public ) and allowed to bid / buy the cars etc etc. Check some of these places out if you haven't yet, and expect to pay thousands less for your vehicle(s), though there are no test-drives or warranty...What you see is what you get...Though they do start them up and drive them through to the "selling - stand", and you can usually flip the bonnet etc before the car gets there to be bidded on bla bla bla. Lot's of people out there get divorced etc, cars get repo'd etc, and the "banks" try to re-claim what the out-standing amount is owing on the vehicle(s), so there's real opportunities to score -well, as after a certain mount of time, the "banks" will take the highest-bid just to close the account and roll-with-the-losses. Sad for the once-owners involved, but that's life !
If your lucky enough to be able to save $100:00 a week, that grows to a little over 5K in a year. In 2 very short years, it's quite possible to save over 10K and get yourself a good going S600...I'm almost tempted...But I really don't like all this ultra-expensive ( and often useless ) electronic crap that breaks & seems to plague modern cars. I'm not being tight, but I really can't see the value in say coughing-up 10 - 15 K on a car that will one-day cost me a further 5K because a little yellow light started glowing on the dash saying "fix me ! Fix me " LOL !
Cheers,
Rastus
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"Only an alert & knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial & military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods & goals, so that security & liberty may prosper together". Dwight D.Eisenhower.
Over the years I have taken the best of the lot, repaired them and sold them.
Take for instance that black 560 SEL a few years back with the chrome rims. In many cases the cars I cut up are vehicles that pretty much were unsafe and the damage exceeds the value several times over.
Auctions work pretty much the same way here and I have been to a few dealer auctions as well as public auctions. You are right that the dealer auctions often times have the newer vehicles but contrary to popular claims, they still are reletively expensive and as you stated it's what you see is what you get. Often times vehicles being sold at auction have many hard-to-see issues, as the ones that stand out have usually been smoothed out.
Yes you are correct on the savings aspect of $100 per week. Just to ensure I put every effort into it I checked up on personal lines of credit for the amount, feeling like once it's fixed it will be worth more than the loan amount. HOWEVER I have found these rates to be absolutly crummy! Might as well borrow from a loan shark! One place with a resonable rate wanted the farm for collateral! I laughed that guy out of his chair!
So as it stands.. While $6,500 is an incredible deal for a 2001 S600 it still remains to be seen if the owner would take $6,500. Then there is the fact the vehicle needs a hydro pump @ $3k retail ($1.5K my cost) plus whatever else is messed up and you know damn well something will be. So I guess all in all, it's still just short of $10K. I'd rather put a third of that into my W126, but I am just saying that to make myself feel better! LOL.
Maybe next time.
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What is to give light must endure burning -- Viktor Frankl
Everyday that passes, is a day closer to the owner saying "#### it !", and maybe taking you up on your offer...We'll see...
Cheers,
Rastus
PS That Stingray looks good ! I've only ever been in one, and I think it would take me a long while to get used to seeing the road whilst looking past that l o n g bonnet LOL !
-- Edited by Rastus on Thursday 6th of June 2013 10:38:00 PM
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"Only an alert & knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial & military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods & goals, so that security & liberty may prosper together". Dwight D.Eisenhower.
