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First post... Looking at a 6.9

Started by graham, 14 August 2012, 09:03 PM

Casey

Quote from: graham on 21 August 2012, 10:23 PM
Bidding has topped NZ$5000 with 21 hours still to run.

At this rate, maybe I'll be better off looking for a 450... And to think I passed up a 380 for $1500!

No, no.  You really need the 6.9.  $1500 380's are not at all hard to find.  450's are nice enough but eh.  This 6.9 seems like something you really need to end up with.  Sounds like it will be a good bargain in any case!

graham

Quote from: Casey on 21 August 2012, 11:19 PM
No, no.  You really need the 6.9.  $1500 380's are not at all hard to find.  450's are nice enough but eh.  This 6.9 seems like something you really need to end up with.  Sounds like it will be a good bargain in any case!
Oh, I agree!

I'm struggling to convince Mrs M of this... I think she is sold on the 'buy it, garage it, immediately sort the wet/damp (it's a free fix) and do the rest as time and money allow' idea. Unfortunately I have a fixed budget for car expenditure, and it has got to include something reliable that I can use immediately. Two cars is OK, but one of them must be ready now.

Dunno about you, but a cheap 4-cylinder, 4-door Japanese small saloon really doesn't do anything for me. And that could be all I can afford if the price keeps going up!

I thought I had a solution earlier today - a NZ$1500 W124 300E saloon. All OK, until I found the headgasket had gone. :(

<sigh>

oversize

Well it depends entirely on your budget....  Given enough $, anything can be fixed quickly!  You'll get far more satisfaction from a 6.9 than a 300E.  And I think it's far better to invest in a 'classic' chrome bumper Benz than one that's made in the 90s and full of plastic.

And if you don't buy one you'll have to change your avatar!
1979 6.9 #5541 (Red Bull)
1978 6.9 #4248 (Skye)
1979 6.9 #3686 (Moby Dick)
1978 6.9 #1776 (Dora)
1977 450SEL #7010 white -P
1975 450SEL #8414 gold -P

graham

Quote from: oversize on 22 August 2012, 12:13 AM
Well it depends entirely on your budget....  Given enough $, anything can be fixed quickly!  You'll get far more satisfaction from a 6.9 than a 300E.  And I think it's far better to invest in a 'classic' chrome bumper Benz than one that's made in the 90s and full of plastic.

And if you don't buy one you'll have to change your avatar!
The 300E would be a daily driver kinda thing... While the 6.9 is in the garage and being sorted. :) So it's not a 300E instead] of a 6.9. It's as well as.

I can have two cars - or possibly more ;-) - so long as I stay in budget.

Casey

You sound like I used to think. See my signature to see how well that worked out.

So my advice is, drive an old Toyota for a while if necessary, or even a moped, if it means you can swing the 6.9. :)

graham

A p.o.s. may be the answer. But I detest driving anything less than interesting!

oversize

Good advice Casey!!!  Ahhhh I thought it was INSTEAD of!  So you want something cheap n reliable while you sort the 6.9.....  And interesting?  Try a early 90s Toyota Seca manual with the 1.6L 4AGE DOHC engine.  Lotsa fun and completely chuckable!   ;D
1979 6.9 #5541 (Red Bull)
1978 6.9 #4248 (Skye)
1979 6.9 #3686 (Moby Dick)
1978 6.9 #1776 (Dora)
1977 450SEL #7010 white -P
1975 450SEL #8414 gold -P

graham

I'm chasing a couple of W124s at the moment: a 260E, lowered and running on 18s (even the seller says they rub  ::) ), and a 300E-24 with 2 owners from new.

Neither will cost more than NZ$2k.

By comparison, a 4AGE-equipped Toyota Corolla (same as an Oz Seca) with 200k++ on it looks like costing ~$3500.

Besides, the 300E-24 is (I think) the only W124 engine I've not driven. :) That's got to be as good a reason to go after it as any!

pompy

A 300 E 24 will be fast, and a treat to drive daily.

graham

Quote from: pompy on 22 August 2012, 05:17 AM
A 300 E 24 will be fast, and a treat to drive daily.
That'll do very nicely.  :D

oversize

I was thinking hard for something other than a Corolla, but I came up with zip.  A 24V would be perfect!!!  Just don't blow the trans or the ECU!!!  $$$$$ nasty!  I was actually considering one before I was afflicted with W116 (6.9) addiction......
1979 6.9 #5541 (Red Bull)
1978 6.9 #4248 (Skye)
1979 6.9 #3686 (Moby Dick)
1978 6.9 #1776 (Dora)
1977 450SEL #7010 white -P
1975 450SEL #8414 gold -P

graham

I'll drive it gently. Apparently the a/c isn't working... So long as the windows do work, I'm sure I'll manage.

Bidding for the 6.9 now at NZ$5100. 13 hours to go. C'mon guys - what's it worth?

oversize

The most I've paid was $5500AU which equates to $7095NZ.  And even the most expensive of mine needs lots of work before she'll hit the road....  $5100NZ = $3953AU so it's currently a bargain!
1979 6.9 #5541 (Red Bull)
1978 6.9 #4248 (Skye)
1979 6.9 #3686 (Moby Dick)
1978 6.9 #1776 (Dora)
1977 450SEL #7010 white -P
1975 450SEL #8414 gold -P

graham

This one at least doesn't appear to need $000s worth of bodywork. There's obviously a lot that does need doing, but just owning the car would be a good start!

At the moment I get anxious just thinking about the amount of water sitting inside it... I just want to get it home, get the seats and carpets out, and let it dry!

oversize

My first looked like it'd been in a flood!!  Or driven into a river!!  LOL!   :o  Bloody sunroofs and windscreen seals (plus some firewall rust)!!
1979 6.9 #5541 (Red Bull)
1978 6.9 #4248 (Skye)
1979 6.9 #3686 (Moby Dick)
1978 6.9 #1776 (Dora)
1977 450SEL #7010 white -P
1975 450SEL #8414 gold -P