German cars

[fintail]

I've had a few. We'll go chronological in order of ownership from latest to the first:

[Chariotoflove]

@fintail Golly that blue with the white walls is fantastic.

[DasWauto]

@fintail methinks you’ve got a type.

4 of my 7 cars so far have been German (‘90 Jetta coupe, ‘90 325i sedan, ‘15 Golf, ‘09 128i), 2 have been Japanese (‘04 Mazda3, ‘17 WRX) and only one American (‘20 Ranger).

[ZHP Sparky - the 5th]

@fintail Oh my, that's a nice timeline! That W210 appears to be an E55 AMG? I've been on a bit of an obsession around M113 cars - outside of rust issues on the W210 the engine itself seems to have a really strong reputation for reliability?

[fintail]

@zhp-sparky-the-5th Yep late run 02 E55 in tectite with dark grey interior, COMAND, ventilated seats, pretty rare car. Never had any engine issues, rear main seal started seeping at around 50K (I had an aftermarket warranty). Transmissions need to be serviced every 50K or so, or they can be a problem. Mechanically very solid cars, but as you mention, rust is an issue, both in the body and suspension. I wouldn't keep one for winter duty in a harsh climate. I kept mine for 7 years, second longest tenure aside from the fintail. I have seller's remorse now and then, but I can't hoard cars.

[fintail]

@daswauto I'm what some marketing types would call a "traditional" buyer, probably.

[fintail]

@chariotoflove She's a photogenic old dear. I bought that car when I was 18, still have it.

[MUSASHI66]

@fintail Wow. The fintail is pure sex. Amazing. I am not a huge fan of modern MB cars unless they are AMG because they are too subdued, but I love the old ones because they are subdued. Weird, I know.

[RamblinRover]

@fintail I've just had two - my Rabbit pickup (well, Westmoreland, PA German) and my current W124 diesel - although there are a lot more in the family. There was a W115 240D, and there have been numerous W123 diesels - currently three active ones, a parts spare, and a host of pieces in storage, with two parts spares with rust and/or other problems having been moved down the line in the past year or so. There's also a W124 4MATIC.

Runner up for nationality with me is the US, via Ford (Ford, Ford, Lincoln), although technically one Ford has a british engine and rear suspension and taillights (the Ranchero hot rod project). So right now I'm at 1x German, 2.5x US, 1.5x Bri'ish.

[Chariotoflove]

@musashi66 said in German cars:

The fintail is pure sex.

Yep. Straight missionary, to be sure, but sex nonetheless.

[MattHurting]

Scrolling through the pics; nice, nice, ooh like the round headlights, nice, *end HOLY SHIT THAT BLUE WITH WHITE WALLS!!!!!

[ZHP Sparky - the 5th]

@fintail Yeah they're cheap and on the rise, and clean ones are getting rarer. I'd say they're about to go the way of the 500E (well maybe not QUITE that direction, given the Porsche tie in to that car etc.) so it's a decent time to get in to one. But yeah understand the not hoarding part...it's easy to get excited about picking something up, but then realize wait, which of the current cars am I supposed to kick out to make that happen??

[fintail]

@musashi66 Funny, I like old AMGs for their subtle and sometimes brutal style, but I like modern non-AMGs/non "sport" cars for their subtlety as well. The last 2 E sedans irked me for their lack of hood ornament, and I love having it back on the wagon (option dropped entirely for 2021 USDM E-class).

[fintail]

@ramblinrover Early 4Matics are becoming real rarities.

[fintail]

@zhp-sparky-the-5th 500Es had a bit of a spike and aren't too cheap anymore. The best of the best 210 E55s have risen a little too, but the car needs to be really pristine - they can rack up the miles, so many out there are not perfect cosmetically. But still, 15K should buy a nice enough one, a lot of bang for the buck, a rare car that will always have a little value.

I've told myself I will have one hobby car and one modern car. The fintail will always be the oldie in the fleet, and I've been on the leasing train for awhile now, we'll see how that pans out at the end of the current term.

[Manwich]

@fintail
I like your first one the best, but I'm guessing that it's the worst to drive of the bunch.

[ZHP Sparky - the 5th]

@fintail Yeah I'm only allowed a max of two cars as well, and the wife constantly keeps asking why I can't combine them in to one fun all rounder - just get whatever I want. But I just can't, I like having an older car to tool around with. Having a camper in the garage right now isn't helping with space. Thankfully I'm not very attached to my E46 so should the right car come up I'd happily kick it out.

Any thoughts on M113 vs M156? I know the M156 definitely has some very well documented issues...like headbolts, but still seems decently reliable? This may sound like an odd attraction but I'm being drawn towards AMG CLK drop tops - so either the 55 or the 63. The 63 sounds better, is a "true" AMG motor, more power, rarer, and only came in a drop top (outside the black series cars which there's no way I will ever afford) so no market value penalty there...but the 55s with the M113 seem like the more sane and reliable choice, although probably with less future perceived desirability (it's a CLK at the end of the day though, don't think it's ever going to grow a cult following). Time will tell if this obsession just fades away or becomes a reality...

[fintail]

@manwich The wagon? Drives like a dream. The fintail also drives a lot more modern than it looks/is. They are both good to drive, in their own ways (wagon is a big heavy car, fintail is at an age where it is happiest under 70-75, etc).

[Manwich]

@fintail said in German cars:

@manwich The wagon? Drives like a dream. The fintail also drives a lot more modern than it looks/is. They are both good to drive, in their own ways (wagon is a big heavy car, fintail is at an age where it is happiest under 70-75, etc).

I was referring to the first one you owned... which was the fintail (I presume).

[RacinBob]

Funny but the only German cars that I have owned were race cars.

My Pennsylvania built '80 Rabbit was my street and race car for a short period. It was an ex Bilstein Cup car that I raced in showroom stock and later in ITB. It was wicked fast, and reliable. It won a lot of races.

I bought it in '84 as my first race car and sold it in '90 so I could build my not so reliable, not so winning Chevy Citation X-11.

My second German race car was our Opel GT Breadvan. This was a less than $500 car, bought from an Illinois back yard. I have to give it to the Germans in that steel they used was magnificent, there was zero rust throughout the car. The car was exceptionally well engineered and assembled.

It was a sweetheart, I raced it first in '13 and co/bought it in '15. We won two Lemons races while I was driving it and sold it at the end of '19 right before the pandemic hit.

[fintail]

@zhp-sparky-the-5th I can't do it either. I like modern tech and comfort, but I like the vintage mechanical feel and the looks. I don't want to subject anything more than 20-25 years old to daily wear and tear, but I want something with modern reliability too.

I've never had a 156, I know the headbolts are an Achilles heel, but I think once they are dealt with, the problem is solved and the cars are solid. It's just something you deal with, and then the cars are OK - like early 90s models with wiring harness issues. A big NA engine has its charms. I prefer sedans and wagons, so I can't weigh in much about the coupes or cabrios, aside from agreeing that the pricey Black Series is the way to go. If a 156 is the same price and has been dealt with, it might be worth it, but a 113 isn't exactly poverty spec either.

[fintail]

@manwich Ah ok. It's good to drive too, not even terribly so for something of its age and displacement. And if you like body roll, it's the car for you.

[ibRAD]

@zhp-sparky-the-5th said in German cars:

so it's a decent time to get in to one.

They are going up from what I've seen but there aren't that many to go around in the first place. I bought mine 5 years ago and might sell it this spring as it's too precious for me and I feel guilty driving it.

As far as reliable goes, in the 5 years I've had it I've had to replace a window regulator. That was 40 bucks.

[ibRAD]

@fintail That's quite a run! Nice.

[ZHP Sparky - the 5th]

@ibrad Ahem...if you're thinking about selling it, where are you and deets please? An E55 isn't really the car I'm after but they sure are cool as all hell...I might be tempted (especially with some forewarning to offload my E46)!