HMC A series of MINOR developments

[Broadsword]

Those two look very promising. I’m warming to those blower Minis.

[sporty-shite]

Still got the Rx8 for a deposit if/when you get bored of the Bini.

All the best

Was just thinking how much I fancy a Cooper S, then I read this, and remembered how much I fancy an RX8.

 

Then it dawned on me that I'm skint.

 

FML.

[HMC]

So it turned out the Mini was brilliant, such a fun steer even if the run flats threatened to destroy my spine.

 

 

Alas it was a bit too small for school run duties, and has been replaced by something slightly less sporty, slightly more spacious, slightly more rusty and also with 6 speeds and a supercharger. It’s a bit of a shed to be honest but starts, stops and steers. Any guesses what the replacement is?

[Jim Bell]

CLK?

[HMC]

Boooom! we have a winner! Yes a 230 manual, mit rost and various dubious repairs and some recent crash damage.

[Jim Bell]

Boooom! we have a winner! Yes a 230 manual, mit rost and various dubious repairs and some recent crash damage.

 

Theres probably more room in a Bini!

 

Great choice though. You are a man of exquisite taste.

[wuvvum]

An all-Merc fleet.  Interesting.  Which one's the rustiest?

[HMC]

Toss up between all 3 really! My customary mission critical fullsteering lock buyers check of the front coil spring perches on the w210 and clk were both fine. The clk has had poor accident damage repairs so the paint is a bit crap and might be hiding more than I can see... give it a few months in our lovely climate and I’ll get back to you!

 

It’s strange to think these end of life cars were not so long ago worth reasonable money, but that’s probably just me getting older!

[HMC]

An all-Merc fleet.  Interesting.  Which one's the rustiest?

Yeah a bit samey! The most interesting* thing in an odd way is seeing which has biodegraded more and in which places. The interior plastics especially on the clk haven’t worn very well (pretty crap really), much like the clk cabrio I once had.

[gadgetgricey]

What colour is the CLK. Only recall seeing them in light blue or Silver.

[New POD]

Didn't see a roffle for a Bini R53 on here. Did I miss it??

[Ghosty]

Barryjim Shitbell did one recently. This is a different one though, and it grenaded.

[HMC]

This Krusty kompressor koupe has had a hard life. It’s a facelift one (instant giveaway are the indicators in wing mirrors) Both bumpers have had Krazy paving resprays, the interior is battered (these always seem to wear badly on them) and at some stage someone has fitted a wobbly pinstripe and driven into things....

 

 

 

 

 

 

So why did I buy it? Well I’ve always thought I’d spec a clk 230k / manual and was curious to try “my” spec when I saw it was a manual, which is reasonably rare. Plus it was very cheap, yet has 10 months ticket. Plus for some reason I’ve always liked cheap ropey Mercs, something to do with faded grandeur maybe? Usually they are fairly mechanically robust in my experience. Drives better than it look looks, it’s a bit thrashy when you cane it (I think the exhaust manifold may have a crack which doesn’t help) but if you wanted Max waft you could have a 320 auto, and if you wanted something tidy you’d probably avoid a neglected merc of this era. The heater blower is dead....

 

 

And the boot is full of random tat....

 

 

Anyone fancy a VHS player?!

[Jim Bell]

My favorite bit is the sellotape on the mirrors!

 

Looks classy and brassy man.  

 

 

*edited to delete idiocy

[loserone]

Does that work on a manual too?

[Jim Bell]

Does that work on a manual too?

 

Ha ha ha ha ha.

 

Shit.

 

How did I not notice that?!

[Broadsword]

That Merc definitely has a crusty sort of charm to it. Never had a Merc myself, but the idea of an old supercharged SLK is appealing. They seem to be very cheap and look fantastic.

[Marm Toastsmith]

Nice.

 

What's happening with the estate?

[MorrisItalSLX]

I’d be well chuffed with a free VHS player in the boot.

[320touring]

That looks a tub, well bought!

 

Put up a post re your camper/superslowwoes on the news 24 thread..

 

Suffice to say, not the most rapid of tubs!

[AndyW201]

Welcome to the Azurite blue down-at-heel Merc club! Love the CLK, effectively a faster 2 door version of mine, down to the comedy rust and giffer type scrapes!

I'm much the same as you with Mercs, all the 190s I had were kept looking nice and respectable but I think ones of this era suit the faded grandeur workhorse look. My C200 even has an NI plate for the flat-roof-pub landlord look...

[Schaefft]

You always know you made a good deal when the car comes with free pan, VHS player and someone's old boots in the trunk.

[Marm Toastsmith]

You always know you made a good deal when the car comes with free pan, VHS player and someone's old boots in the trunk.

 

Reminds me of the £100 Saab 900 that had a Fostex 8 track reel to reel and a cassette 4 track in the boot. By the time I'd sold them, the car was free. Seller reckoned it had previously belonged to Vivian Stanshall, too... cool car.

 

I like the cheap rusty shit that nobody else can be bothered to care for. Whenever I look for cars for sale I always feel I should be going for a low mileage giffer spec car with fsh. But my heart is always drawn to the sub £300 ugly tat. Especially if it was once prestigious and expensive... The cheaper and rougher looking the better really... who cares if it drives nice?

 

Anyway - the current HMC fleet gets my seal of approval. Keep up the good work.

[Minimad5]

Cant believe I've missed this thread.

Hope all is well squire.

Interesting mix of cars, top Autoshiting

[HMC]

Anyone fancy my merc camper?

 

It’s a 1998 Mercedes 208d MWB. Originally a minibus and fully trimmed etc, it now has 6 seats and a raised double bed with large storage under, and a quality new removable camping pod with water/ hob. Down as a motor caravan on the v5

 

It’s pretty tidy for an old sprinter - underneath is good but the corners of the door bottoms and a couple of the wheel arches are rusty.

 

It has a non turbo 2.3 om601- about 70 something bhp and it is SLOW. I maxed it at 75 mph which is it’s geared maximum reading a brochure.

 

MOT to September if memory serves- for the purposes of a swap I’d be happy with a straight swap for something worth 500-1000. I have some free time next week so could do the leg work and deliver.

[Marm Toastsmith]

Hmmm...

[loserone]

Does it condition air?

[HMC]

Does it condition air?

Factory fit aircon, the compressor chirps a bit but doesn’t do anything. It’s akso got a remote rear cabin heater plumbed into the cooling system, it’s fan not working at the the mo (not looked into it)

 

In “hyacinth blue” apparently

[Lacquer Peel]

I sent my girlfriend pictures of this over an hour ago and asked "what do you think?"

No response is quiet approval right?

[loserone]

"I'm not spending another night in that Volkswagen"