Andy F, now living with that CLK320 and other fleet news

[Andy F]

It's finally today! 

No time for breakfast as I had to empty my trailer so dad could borrow, breakfast will be whatever delights await at Birmingham New Street. 

Pc 1

Genuinely very excited, I haven't been on a train (that wasn't powered by steam) since being a student about 16 years ago. 

 

first part of the journey coutesy of the good lady Mrs Andy F as part of the usual ballet run into Gloucester. I just tagged along, I must remove the leotard and bun before I get to Birmingham.

Edited December 4, 2022 by Andy F
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[Andy F]

I'm sure this is fine.

 

 

Note to self, passengers don't wave to each other on real trains

[Andy F]

Here we go. Standing room only! I didn't think anyone used the trains any more

 

[Andy F]

Train is running late, going to be tight at Birmingham New Street. Next train leaves at 10:57 and we are still at the University station. Added peril

[Andy F]

Phew, train delayed so got here with seconds to spare

 

 

[Andy F]

'kin hell that was close. Birmingham New Street is bigger than Gloucester, who knew?! I'm very out of practice at catching trains. Yikes. Still no where to sit, but at least it's not a million degrees in here. Should be in the last hour now

[hairnet]

trains suck

at least you can get on yours

wanted to train to northampton next week but cant even buy a ticket cos it says timetable unconfirmed - less than a week in advance ffs

i didnt want to go in the car or on the bike but now might have to

hopefully your train ordeal is over

 

[Matty]

1 hour ago, Andy F said:

'kin hell that was close. Birmingham New Street is bigger than Gloucester, who knew?! I'm very out of practice at catching trains. Yikes. Still no where to sit, but at least it's not a million degrees in here. Should be in the last hour now

You there yet? Sat here in suspenders 😆

[mercedade]

Lovely to meet you @Andy F,  have a safe trip back. 

I wonder how long you kept the roof down for 😁

 

[Andy F]

3 hours ago, Matty said:

You there yet? Sat here in suspenders 😆

Apologies, I was just so relieved to get off the train I couldn't do anything else! Despite having to stand the whole way from Gloucester to Stockport and arriving late at all stations it's been a thoroughly excellent day. Great to meet you too @mercedade, top seller would highly recommend. 

I did in fact keep the roof down the whole way home and did it one go except for this.

 

 

Pop count remained unchanged from this morning but may be updated shortly.

The car is great, engine is lovely and smooth, my first 6 cylinder ownership. I look forward to bombing around the sunny Cotswolds soon!

 

[Finchy90]

lovely looking car there. how are the arches etc on it? they do like to rust on this era of mercedes!

[stuboy]

handsome lookinh

[Matty]

Nice one. Forgive me ignorance but are they still a straight 6 on these or were they a v already?

[Andy F]

1 hour ago, Finchy90 said:

lovely looking car there. how are the arches etc on it? they do like to rust on this era of mercedes!

Will have a look in more detail tomorrow, but they are a little crusty. Will see whether they can be saved or just replaced.

36 minutes ago, stuboy said:

handsome lookinh

I think so, loved having the 3 pointed star at the end of the long bonnet

 

21 minutes ago, Matty said:

Nice one. Forgive me ignorance but are they still a straight 6 on these or were they a v already?

It is a V6, newly developed at the time of this generation of Mercs. Apparently a very light engine

36 minutes ago, stuboy said:

 

 

[HMC]

Nice one! That 3.2 v6 is such a nice engine, revvy, punchy and pretty good on fuel for what it is  when you want it to be.

[Andy F]

6 minutes ago, HMC said:

Nice one! That 3.2 v6 is such a nice engine, revvy, punchy and pretty good on fuel for what it is  when you want it to be.

I was pleasantly surprised how little the fuel gauge moved on my way home. I set the cruise to 70 and just steered, very relaxing. Sounds great too. I took the kids for a quick spin around the block and they are hooked to the sound and turn of speed. Hopefully it won't be monopolised for the school run! 

My 9 year old daughter said I'm not really a car person, but I really like this one. She then said I wish Citroen did a convertible, then you could have a smooth ride and an open top. So she's probably more of a car person than she thinks haha! Don't worry, I didn't tell her about the C3 Pluriel

[Noel Tidybeard]

she need to meet the Cylinders visa decapotable

[Andy F]

8 hours ago, Noel Tidybeard said:

she need to meet the Cylinders visa decapotable

Now there's an idea for a first car I can get behind! I'll show her a Google image 

[abelw44]

What a great buy! Looks a lovely thing... Very jealous!

Sent from my Nokia G11 using Tapatalk

[Andy F]

Bit of an update.

I have been using the Merc and the Xantia equally, great to have a bit of variety, even if I just end up using whichever has got the most fuel in it.

I know @mercedade told me not to get excited by the stereo, but I couldn't help having a look for myself. I saw there was an alpine specific aux in on the back matching the leads I could find on eBay.

so.

Bought this

 

But still no luck. Not sure why, got bored. If it's an after market Alpine head unit, so can't imagine it would to need to be enabled. You can select the aux and see it on the screen, ideas? There's also a usb port on the back, which does nothing except charge the phone, I might plug it into a computer and see what happens.

The exhaust has developed an epic blow in the exhaust near the front. It's booked in to my local tomorrow morning for them to have a look,now I drive a Mercedes, I'm too posh to crawl underneath it myself obvs.

 

[mercedade]

41 minutes ago, Andy F said:

Bit of an update.

I have been using the Merc and the Xantia equally, great to have a bit of variety, even if I just end up using whichever has got the most fuel in it.

I know @mercedade told me not to get excited by the stereo, but I couldn't help having a look for myself. I saw there was an alpine specific aux in on the back matching the leads I could find on eBay.

so.

Bought this

 

But still no luck. Not sure why, got bored. If it's an after market Alpine head unit, so can't imagine it would to need to be enabled. You can select the aux and see it on the screen, ideas? There's also a usb port on the back, which does nothing except charge the phone, I might plug it into a computer and see what happens.

The exhaust has developed an epic blow in the exhaust near the front. It's booked in to my local tomorrow morning for them to have a look,now I drive a Mercedes, I'm too posh to crawl underneath it myself obvs.

 

I did find a manual for the radio online (but I can't now remember the model number to look it up again), but like you, I'd have thought that once the cables are there, the aux input would work - unless that's exclusive for a CD changer control maybe?

The exhaust blow is annoying - fingers crossed it's something patchable (or at the very least, reachable)

 

[gm]

i’m not sure which model of alpine you have but my old one has a similar looking port on the rear but on a short cable 

but the aux in adaptor fits the round socket 

i’m guessing the D shaped connector may be for a cd changer ? are there any other sockets on your unit ?

[Andy F]

7 hours ago, mercedade said:

I did find a manual for the radio online (but I can't now remember the model number to look it up again), but like you, I'd have thought that once the cables are there, the aux input would work - unless that's exclusive for a CD changer control maybe?

The exhaust blow is annoying - fingers crossed it's something patchable (or at the very least, reachable)

 

Thanks, hadn't thought of getting an online manual, will check what model it is and give it a go! It would be nice to have my music while shivering down the road.

 

Nice one @gm there was a circular plug like that, what connection was on the end of yours? Was that the D shaped one? Where the red and white phono leads to do with it? Thanks 

[gm]

i have two adapters linked together

this is the one i have

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281243404168?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=v9O2xiFoQQ6&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=LKn5X0MqTxu&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

but it looks like one of these would do the trick 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/291194128927?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=v9O2xiFoQQ6&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=LKn5X0MqTxu&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

[gm]

on my other alpine, the D shaped connector is for the ipod interface

[Andy F]

1 hour ago, gm said:

i have two adapters linked together

this is the one i have

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281243404168?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=v9O2xiFoQQ6&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=LKn5X0MqTxu&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

but it looks like one of these would do the trick 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/291194128927?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=v9O2xiFoQQ6&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=LKn5X0MqTxu&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Perfect, I've ordered the first one, fingers crossed I can listen to choonz of my own choice soon. Thank you @gm

Exhaust work is finished, I can't pick it up until tomorrow morning due to work commitments today, but it's done and has been suitably sorted to ensure quiet enough cruising to hear the aforementioned choonz.

I won't be using it for work for a few days due to lugging huge amounts of PA, amplifiers and instruments around unfortunately!

[Andy F]

CLK back from the exhaust doctors. So much quieter and seems a bit faster too. Didn't get to use it much as we went up to Sutton Coldfield for family present swap/ gathering/feast. As we are a family of 5 the Xantia got the short straw and wafted us there and back cheaply and quietly. Always a joy to do a late night motorway journey in that, but the need for a 7/8/9 seater is getting more difficult to ignore.

I think my ideal line up now would be a cheap ev for running around my schools in the week (around 100 miles per day) and something like an i800 or the big Citroen Spacetourer for gigging, holidays, ferrying children and their friends around etc. Which would render the CLk, the Xantia and probably the T25 camper a bit redundant. 

Xantia is currently full of crap from the Christmas fair at the kids school and empty of fuel, so the CLk will get an outing to Chipping Campden tomorrow for work.

 

[Andy F]

Much thanks to @gm I have managed to get the right cable into the CLK so I can have my banging choonz. It was the funny shaped connector.

Added to one of these

 

And away we went. I then gave the Merc a celebratory wash and will get some leather cleaner on my next journey out. Any particular brand of leather feed recommended on here? I've never had leather anything (I prefer pvc...😂😂) so all new to me.

 

[Andy F]

Been a while so thought I'd update this. The clk has been happily sharing duties with the Xantia. I've done a few little bits and pieces (audio and a bit of body work) to it but I'm mainly looking out for a new drivers wing and boot lid for it to tidy it up. It's providing entertaining if thirsty transport and has made me realise how happy a convertible makes me. 

The kids love it and I enjoy driving it. 

Jobs to do

Replace front wing and boot lid

Find where the front suspension clonk is coming from as it's definitely got more noticeable over the last couple of weeks, it's not as noisy as the wheel bearing has suddenly got on the Xantia though! 

Its fairly likely that a 7 or 8 seater will be replacing the Xantia and some sort of EV will replace the clk at some point, but for now I'm content to pootle around in them both. When the time comes there will be another roffle

[mercedade]

Good to see the CLK doing a good turn - I have to confess to really missing having a convertible these last few days