[Scudetto]

I’m not sure whether this post is a rant or an observation. I suspect the latter.

I take a great deal of pride in my 190. She's a lovely lady, that gets treated well and with respect.

In Jan this year, my mum very kindly let me borrow her VW Up! while my 190 was being serviced. A week later, and upon the return of my 190, the lady that cleans our office - a sweet lady I’ve known for donkey’s years - asked me who the Up! belonged to. After I explained it all, she said: ‘Oh, I thought you’d finally changed your old car.” Now, bear in mind I’ve only had my 190 for four years, and while I’m not sure what the average car replacement cycle is in the UK, I was a bit surprised by her comment. Was it just a reflection on how throw-away society is? i.e you’ve got an H-reg, older style car, best you bin it now and buy a new reg Hyundai Getz? I looked at her Toyota EyeHurt II, and thought...my car is 26 years old. 26 years from now, my 190 will still be running, while your Toyota will be on a scrap heap, and will be a wee footnote in automotive history (if anyone remembers it at all).

This week, I had dinner with a friend. Discussing what we were doing at the weekend, I said I was going to AutoItalia. With no sense of wit or irony, he said ‘will they let a clapped out old Mercedes in to an Italian car event?’ Clapped out? Clapped out? I take a huge amount of care and pride in my 190. Every panel is straight, original and has the same paint, and, while it has needed a bucket of water over it since September, she’s a peach. I’ll give you a tenner if you can spot a scuff on it anywhere. Yet, because of its plate and shape (folks remember the W201 from yonder years ago), it gets rubbish comments like ‘clapped out’.

Granted, these people aren’t car people, so I can sort of forgive their comments. They are not interested in cars. But that doesn’t matter. It hints to this obsession of admiring what’s new - it’s why muppets obsess over a new phone because the camera’s got an extra pixel over last year’s model.

But...in the interest of balance. These aren’t car fans. The people that respect cars are the many folks who in the last four years or so have walked over to me in car parks, petrol stations or at the car wash - or the bloke on a motorbike on the Marlow bypass who drive along side me, pointed at my 190 and gave me a big thumbs up; these are the folks who have complimented my 190 or taken the time to chat, and they offset the plums who can’t tell the difference between what’s new and what’s good...and that's a poison that affects us generally.

'New' is ALWAYS good!

Erm,... no, it isn't...

 

[115686]

There are people out there who believe that if you drive a car more than 3 years old, you will be faced with vast bills and you will almost certainly die every time you get in it. I am glad that such people exist, they buy all the new cars.

Car people get it, and they are the ones that matter.

 

[octinum]

When I was about to get my Mk1.5 156 SS, mum said she wanted me to get a better car and she could help me buy one. She said, "Renault Clio looks affordable, let me help you buy one of those". She really doea think a brand new Clio in base trim is a better car than a 13 years old 156.

So yes, most people think new is always better, no matter what the old is. We gotta live with that, and thanks to their way of thinking, we car people can get gems like yours for little more than peanuts as used.

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[Headgasket14]

I have already decided that when the day comes that we can no longer climb in and out of the spider for some reason ("clapped out" knees, probably before the car) We will indeed be looking for an immaculate W202. (Preferably not clapped out). Shame you are not joining the MERC owners forum on their "cars on the green" stand on June 19th. 2 of them are driving up from Somerset/Devon and one from Lancs!!

 

[Firstcaralfa]

I agree. A lot of these kind of people about, whether it's because they think anything 'old' will blow up, or that it's just not becoming to be seen in an old car.

I think it is the throwaway and image obsessed mindset of today. (I'm 25)

People always ask me when I'm going to 'get rid of that old Alfa' and that's only 12 years old.

Rxe makes a good point though, they buy all the new cars.

 

[keithyboy]

There will always be people who don't see why an immaculate Merc (or whatever) is infinitely more interesting and appealing than a new tin box from Korea. For each of those, there will also be someone who goes out of their way to complement it.

The former aren't worth worrying about.

Lots of people question how thirsty my Jag is. It's stating the bleeding obvious and I don't go up to people with new cars and say "I bet that depreciates a lot".

 

[Firstcaralfa]

There will always be people who don't see why an immaculate Merc (or whatever) is infinitely more interesting and appealing than a new tin box from Korea. For each of those, there will also be someone who goes out of their way to complement it.



The former aren't worth worrying about.



Lots of people question how thirsty my Jag is. It's stating the bleeding obvious and I don't go up to people with new cars and say "I bet that depreciates a lot".

New cars depreciate? :lol: people do seem to forget that.

Other half was moaning about my engine rebuild. I promptly pointed out that her 2011 e class cab has lost about 6-7k in the 2 years she has had it and my engine rebuild is pretty much half of that.

That didn't end well :lol:

 

[chrishendrix]

Yes, obviously many see a new car as an indication of some sort of status... (as born out by the new plate number or 'personalised' to disguise actual age )

Then there are those who will fork out £20-30k and more on a new fuel efficient motor to reduce their fuel bill by a hundred or two per year. :yes:

Personally I'm much more impressed by the good taste of someone who drives a well kept older model of a really good car - and by the care and good driving skills (and maybe a bit of luck!) hinted at by the car's condition:thumbs:

My old E200 is 21 this year (a piffling 140K on the clock!) - I'm going to buy her some new hydraulic spheres for her birthday, as she's beginning to bounce a bit , otherwise the car's as right as rain and extremely reliable.
The 156 will get a new clutch soon (currently 94K on the clock), equally reliable, still drives like a dream without a mark on the bodywork aged 13 now.

 

[Scudetto]

thanks chaps - I thought it was just me

On one hand I don't really care, but it does point to this bigger obsession with new = good, old = bin it.

Headgasket - what is this event in the park you mentioned please? I may pop along to that if it's not a zillion miles away

 

[Sam bailey]

Your 190 looks a cracker,ive always liked them after being the passenger in a work mates a few years ago.He was on his second one after the first got t-boned at some traffic lights..

The van that hit him jumped the lights and while it wrote off the merc he believes the structural integrity saved his life..built like a tank was his words:thumbup:

(give me a shout if you decide to sell )

 

[73GTVJim]

Just chop it in g. It's the cleaner's way of telling you to move on and show some ambition. :lol:

Really, wtf has it to do with anyone else? You clearly love the 190 and maintain it well. Car people certainly get it whatever brand holds their affection. I bet it's costing you a lot less in running costs than a PCH or PCP on a new Auris or Kia Optima over a year.

I wish I'd known you were at Brooklands as well. I'd have really liked to have said hello.

 

[Scudetto]

I wish I'd known you were at Brooklands as well. I'd have really liked to have said hello.

Likewise mate Could kick myself for not meeting you/not knowing you were there with Gaz and Greener. If you go next year, pls let me know ok? It's only around the corner from me.

@ Sam. Cheers No plans to sell it yet. Service book says "at 200,000 miles, check driver. Replace if necessary"

 

[bigdov]

Both my cars are over 10 years old, plus a 20 year old project car( Vauxhall omega v6 estate).

Are there better, newer cars out there? Yeah sure, but I don't want them. I like the 2 I have( the 156 and an astra vxr) sure they may not have all the electrical technology that all modern cars have, but I know what tech it does have works and the cars start every turn of the Key.

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[harryf]

People have got to stop equating age with condition. Your car is probably in better nick than most 10 year old cars.

Fallen out of love a bit with new cars myself and realised that the combined age of my family fleet is over 160 with no adverse effects on reliability or style. Keep it going, those Mercs are classically stylish and the design will bear the test of time. Worth noting though that if you had a family to consider the factors like safety would kick in and you might yearn more for a modern.

The neophiles (and there are a lot of them) can do their thing. I'm on a 6-7 year car replacement cycle. Seem to recall somebody telling me the French car finance model was to buy a new car and run it into the ground over 10 years or so which may make sense.

 

[Scudetto]

agree with you Harry.

Safety is a consideration. Whatever bar it may have set when new has been raised - I'd be pretty naive to think that there's been no progress on that front in 30 years, plus the fact that the average family car is no longer a Golf, but a high-riding SUV. I can afford to offset this risk (a bit) because I only do about 5k a year, so the time exposed to danger is, in theory, reduced. If I was doing 10k or more I'd have a modern, for sure.

 

[Cuore_Sportivo_155]

A lot of the risk isin your own hands, texting/surfing/talking while driving etc, changing tunes on the bluetooth module midcorner (but I was using the steering wheel controls, officer) etc...

Average driving speeds are lower now than they used to be when your mercwas new, aswell. I'm not convinced speed is the de facto cause of accidents, but is sure has an influence on the damage inflicted.

I have infinitely more respect for someone maintaining an old car vs someone who buys new at the end of the pcp. I did buy my Giulietta new, but intend to keep it for at least 15 years, and more if at all possible.

 

[Scudetto]

A lot of the risk isin your own hands,... Average driving speeds are lower now than they used to be...

yep, agree - good points.

 

[Pud237]

I think the nineties was definitely the high point of car manufacturing.. Well done on keeping the 190 so well g. :thumbs:

 

[AlfaJoe92]

To be fair though, not a massive fan of the old Mercs, but that's just my personal opinion, the square edges do look a bit dated and for someone not in the know in regards to Mercedes would assume being that it looks like an old design and would probably jump to the conclusion that either you a) Can't afford a new car or b) Don't care, hence the rather blunt comment from your cleaner.

If I were to see that specific motor on the street, in its condition and gleaming as it appears in the picture, I would assume you take great car and own that specific model for a reason and so would take a completely different point of view when talking about said motor to you in person.

 

[Scudetto]

@ pud - thanks boss. Its condition is more a reflection of its previous owner's care rather than mine.

@ joe - ok, fair play I did find find some rounded parts on it once while washing it and I sent them right back to MB with a letter of complaint