OWNER Jelmer

[gerryvz]

Time to get a 2nd car , mate, and just use the 036 on dry weekends. Either that or move to TEXAS

Errrrm... You have Germany and the Netherlands mixed up. Here, they take your driving license when you're 50km over the speed limit, and if you're doing double the allowed speed, they take your car as well.

For 4km/h too fast, you get a fine of €23, 10km/h is €57, 20km/h is €155 (!!). At roadworks, they add 30%....

No, this is *not* the best country to drive fast in.

Edit: They raised the limit from 120km/h to 130km/h recently, at certain places. And usually it's still 100-120km/h between 07:00 and 19:00... Talk about rules.

Well, be happy with those NL ticket costs....they are MUCH cheaper than in Switzerland .....

 

[Jelmer]

JB, as much as you love to use the car daily it will eventually take its toll and rust in the environment we live in. It will be a losing battle if you have it repaired and then keep using it on salted roads and rainstorm. Time to get a 2nd car , mate, and just use the 036 on dry weekends.

I know ;( ;( Stop saying that.

I'm hoping to be able to move in a few years to a house with a proper garage, so it can at least "sleep" inside... We'll see if I ever manage to get a second car, I might even get a nice 250D!

Either that or move to TEXAS

No.

 

[gsxr]

Wait, you mean your [old] avatar showing you pegging the 500E on the freeway was... was... illegal? I'm crushed.

 

[Jelmer]

No, you muppet!

That was about 2km past the border into Germany. I think I put my foot down slightly before the border, and reached top speed only a few km into Germany

 

[gsxr]

Oh sure, now the excuses come out. Nice save, btw! Jolly good show ol' chap!

 

[Jelmer]

 

[gerryvz]

 

[Jelmer]

Speaking of owning other cars: this was the car I borrow from the mechanic each time my car stays there
[youtube]7qrjXvNSFu4[/youtube]

A 190D from 1822, no extra's at all, and 320k on the clock. And you know what? I loved every second in that car. It relaxes me, makes me drive slower.

 

[gsxr]

Wow, I didn't know the diesels revved to 12,000 rpm! Gerry might even be interested in one now.

 

[Jelmer]

Wow, I didn't know the diesels revved to 12,000 rpm! Gerry might even be interested in one now.

I'm confused.

 

[gerryvz]

Gerry might even be interested in one now.

Definitely! That's getting close to motorcycle territory !!

 

[gsxr]

I'm confused.

Well, see, where the tach normally is, the diesel has a funny dial that goes to "12"...

 

[szvook]

makes me drive slower.

That's just blasphemy...

 

[gerryvz]

I've driven two MB diesels in my life:

- a 1987 300TD (W124 Kombi) - not too bad, but no E320 either...despite what GSXR would have one believe....
- a W123 240D - I could RUN faster than this car could drive.

Then there was the whole "wait until the yellow light goes out...." thing on startup. On a cold morning, you have to wait literally until hell freezes over.....

Cheers,
Gerry

 

[Jelmer]

Well, see, where the tach normally is, the diesel has a funny dial that goes to "12"...

LMAO! Didn't see that one coming

That's just blasphemy...

T'is not! I still drive fast in my .036!

wait until the yellow light goes out

Haha, that's a great feature. Makes you calm down, take your time.

I've actually owned three MB diesels:
'86 2.0, '88 2.0 and '94 2.5. The '86 was my very first car, and I drove 60k KM with it, while I bought it for €1400! I remember driving 800-900km without refueling, all with my foot fully down - doing a whopping 170km/h I'm aware the whole "first car you own" experience might have romanticized it a bit, but that car truly drove great. I clearly remember hearing the engine run as smooth as a sowing machine, at 400k KM+. Lovely.

...

And all of the sudden I feel this is not the right place for this. Something like cursing in a church ...

 

[szvook]

Something like cursing in a church ...

Yep, I don't recall an .036 diesel being made...

 

[500AMM]

Well, be happy with those NL ticket costs....they are MUCH cheaper than in Switzerland .....

Talking overspeeding tickets and penalties - have a look at what we live with in Morepay...
Highest speed limit we have is 100Km/h on the "autobahn".

If you are taken at let's say 150Km/h in a 90-zone you get this:
- 9.000 kr. speed ticket
- sentence of imprisonment
- licence confiscation, and the time will be 6 months +. And with 6 months + you have to apply for a full drivers licence test at the DVLA.

 

[195910]

Ours are pretty bad as well. I think we have the highest number of speed cameras for size.
They find any reason to tow away your ride.

 

[Jelmer]

For some reason I thought you had less strict rules, and higher speed limits. Don't know why.

That said:
Everyone, Sing! ♯♪♫Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me!♪♫

 

[gerryvz]

Ahh ... it's nice to see the boxes arrived OK on the other side of the pond. I used one full roll of packing tape on each box to ensure that it didn't open in transit and was strong. And the mover's blanket that I cut up for top padding on the face of the wheels .... that was an old blanket that I used to put on the windshield of my wife's car in the driveway in the summer, to keep the sun off the wagon's dashboard on hot days (every day)... and used as a drop-cloth for painting projects....

Hope you're happy and the wheels provide you many miles of happy motoring

So now Jelmer and Arkady are the Rial-Zwillinge...

What makes me laugh is that I got them from NL 9 years ago and now they are back "home" from a long US-vacation.

 

[Jimbo]

Are those what I think they are?

Well then...happy B-day to Jelmer indeed.

 

[gsxr]

Hmmm. I always pictured Jelmer as, well, a little taller...

 

[500AMM]

Hey - you recently turned 30 Jelmer, on the 18th.February!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

...almost grown now..

 

[gsxr]

Jelmer, do you have spacers & longer lug bolts ready for the new bling bling? Oh, and what size/type round black things do you plan to wrap around 'em?

 

[gerryvz]

I used 245-40s on the Rials when I had them. I believe the stock 036 lugs should work just fine.

Jelmer-Jongere has grown quite a bit since I met him last June....

 

[gsxr]

245-40-18 should work nicely. Do the Rials use stock ball-seat lug bolts or cone-seat? Most aftermarket wheels (except AMG wheels) use cone-seat lugs. Those Rials desperately need spacers though, which will necessitate custom/longer lugs bolts...

 

[gerryvz]

They are ball seats, yes.

I think spacers could be a good idea, perhaps 10mm or 15mm. I never went that direction, but I know others are big spacer evangelists....

 

[gsxr]

I hate spacers with a passion, but the offset on the Rials is waaaaay too high. 20mm spacers would help considerably.

 

[gerryvz]

First of all, he really needs to get the wheels stripped/repainted to make them pop. While he's doing that, he can figure out what he wants to do for rubber and for spacers, if anything.... I'm glad the wheels got there. It was exactly 2 weeks, to the day. I know that NL customs has had them for at least a week out of that time. Cost per box per USPS Priority International (cheapest option) was online, $110, and in post-office, $120 per box. Ouch.

Don't ask Jelmer what NL Customs made him pay per box......

 

[Jelmer]

Hey - you recently turned 30 Jelmer, on the 18th.February!

Yep! I'm an old man now This was indeed my birthday present to myself (thankfully the missus agreed). Might sound like a great deal, but she's demanding that we buy a new C-Class when she turns 30, in two years....

Don't ask Jelmer what NL Customs made him pay per box

Yeah, insane. I'm going to try to get it back, though. It's silly that they ask €50 "import costs" per wheel, for something that has already been imported before.

First of all, he really needs to get the wheels stripped/repainted to make them pop

I've informed with a company nearby (Amsterdam) and they told me they can completely re-do the wheels for €275 in total. Sounds like a bargain to me, so I'm tempted to have that done before the initial fit.

I'm also not really a fan of spacers, but I do feel these wheels "need" that, otherwise they fall a bit "inside" the wheel arches.

What tires I will fit is something I'll - initially - leave to the shop I brought my car to last time. Last time they recommended Vredestein Snowtrac 3 winter tires, and they panned out quite nice.

Also: these things are huuuuuge! They seem to be so much wider than the stock wheels!

 

[gsxr]

I thought they were the same 8.0" width as stock...?? And yes, the fall a lot "inside" the wheel arches!!! That is largely what I was never seriously interested in them. With spacers they should look awesome.

 

[bing]

Jelmer, a second set of rims is must if you run winter tyres and this is a very good reason why you bought 'em ( tell the Mrs that) not for bling. And in saying that, I would stick summer tyres on these rials and keep winters on stock!

 

[Jelmer]

I just measured them: they are (from outside to outside) 23cm, or 9".

Thanks, Bing. That's the same reasoning I used. But before I had two sets of stock wheels, one with summer and one with winter tires. I traded the second set (with the nearly completely worn summer tires) in at the shop.

 

[gerryvz]

That makes sense - I used the same size tires on the Rials as I do for my front-wheel AMG Mono IIs ... 245/40s.

My rear AMGs (staggered) I go with 275s or 285s in the 35 sidewall.

One good thing about the Rials is you can rotate them.

You will find as I did that they will wear on the inside edges, so you want to get the car aligned at some point with the new tires on it, or get a set of the RDMTek LCAs ....

 

[gsxr]

I just measured them: they are (from outside to outside) 23cm, or 9".

If the external dimension is 9" wide, the actual wheel width (where the tire seats) is likely 8.0", which is what I thought these were.

The back of the wheel should be stamped something like "8.0Jx18 ETxx" which would confirm it.

 

[gerryvz]

I think the Rials are 8s, as my AMG fronts are 8s and AMG rears are 9s.

 

[gsxr]

Jellymer confirmed them at 18x8.0 ET35. I think a 10-15mm spacer would be ideal. 20mm is probably the reasonable limit for tire/fender clearance up front.

 

[195910]

Happy B-Day Jelmer, You and Ark must have the cars in top shape for my Visit this summer

As for the tyres ..Dutchman must use Dutch tyres...

 

[Jelmer]

Thanks! Oh, you're coming over to The Netherlands? If you have some time, I'd love to invite you over, feel free to email/PM me about this.

Yeah, I agree. I should stick to Vredestein

 

[195910]

Much appreciate your kind invitation Jelmer, I can only reply with the same invitation if you're ever in our region (MS Deutschland now stop at Q8 ! )

 

[gerryvz]

Hopefully Dutch tires are better than Dutch beer

 

[500AMM]

First of all, he reall..........I know that NL customs has had them for at least a week out of that time. Cost per box per USPS Priority International (cheapest option) was online, $110, and......

Yep! I'm an old ma......
Yeah, insane. I'm going to try to get it back, though. It's silly that they ask €50 "import costs" per wheel, for something that has already been imported before.

I've informed with a company nearby (Amsterdam) and they told me they can completely re-do the wheels for €275 in total. Sounds like a bargain to me, so I'm tempted to have that done before the initial fit.

What tires I will fit is something I'll - initially - leave to the shop I brought my car to last time. Last time they recommended Vredestein Snowtrac 3 winter tires, and they panned out quite nice.

WOW - you spend a fortune to get these wheels; Wheel price + $110x4 shipping + €50x4 imp.tax + €275 refurbish + new tires + bolts + spacers!
You really wanted these wheels, Jelmer, I'm happy on behalf of you.


About the tires, are you putting wintertires on??

This is the best one for wheel bolts: http://www.radgmbh.com/ Ask for Rolf, he gave me excellent service.

 

[Jelmer]

Well, back from Norway. Or MorePay. Hot damn, I've never had to pay €30+ for a burger menu and burger cheese thingie menu at Burger King. Insane. Gotta love their "Do it proper or don't do it" attitude, though

Hopefully Dutch tires are better than Dutch beer

You're going to regret that statement next time....

WOW - you spend a fortune to get these wheels

Well, no point in doing it half-assed, now is there? I love the way these wheels look, and that comes with a price. A price I'm willing to pay, because I'm pretty sure I'll be driving them for a long time, and even *if* I ever sell them, I could still make a profit. I've learned there's a way to appeal the import costs, though, which I will do.

Anyway, I just brought them to the shop that will refinish them. We checked all four, and it seems three of them have a wobble in them, one of which has a pretty large amount of balance weights. The guy told me they have some fancy re-balance method, which I also opted to do. If all goes well, I'll have brand new, fully balanced, newly coated Rials. Woohoo Only a few more days...

 

[195910]

Anyway, I just brought them to the shop that will refinish them. We checked all four, and it seems three of them have a wobble in them, one of which has a pretty large amount of balance weights. The guy told me they have some fancy re-balance method, which I also opted to do. If all goes well, I'll have brand new, fully balanced, newly coated Rials. Woohoo Only a few more days...

How About doing the new polishing method (Hochglanzdichtung) for a mirror finish

 

[Jelmer]

How About doing the new polishing method (Hochglanzdichtung) for a mirror finish

I thought about that, but somehow I think either a mirror finish or even chrome won't fit the car. I want the wheels to add to the car, not be the center of attention, as I expect a mirror finish would do.

Edit: Also; the wheel dude showed me a complete book with many colors and finishes. It seems you can even get blue or green or whatever color you want There's also the option for "sparkly silver", but I didn't chose that one for the same reason: it's so much bling you'll only look at the wheels... Especially under a smoke silver car, which isn't normally a "wow-look-at-that"-color, if you know what I mean.

 

[gsxr]

Anyway, I just brought them to the shop that will refinish them. We checked all four, and it seems three of them have a wobble in them, one of which has a pretty large amount of balance weights. The guy told me they have some fancy re-balance method, which I also opted to do. If all goes well, I'll have brand new, fully balanced, newly coated Rials. Woohoo Only a few more days...

The FancyRebalance™ might be a Hunter RoadForce machine, or similar. However if any are bent more than approx 0.5mm in any direction (radial or lateral, on inner or outer barrel lip) I would have them straightened BEFORE they are refinished. It will save you lots of headaches later on. A minor imbalance isn't a big deal at your local speed limits, but if you ever cross into the Promised Land (aka Germany) with unrestricted autobahns, you might have issues near Vmax.

 

[Jelmer]

Maybe I didn't translate their term properly, but I believe it's a bit more than what you described, and will actually straighten them properly (no idea how, possibly by heating them?). They are definitely off by more than 0.5mm.

 

[gsxr]

Cool! Uh, I mean it's cool they will be straightened prior to refinishing, not that they needed it in the first place. As I mentioned in the infamous 19" Monoblock thread, this is a very common problem when buying used wheels. I'm actually bringing one of my iForged to the wheel straighteny place this morning to get tweaked. It's not bad but I'm planning to install new tires (Conti DW) soon and I'd like to try to get 'em as close to perfect as possible.

 

[195910]

All this wheel damage is due to GVZ reckless driving and constant use of auto transporters as flying ramps..

 

[bing]

I've learned there's a way to appeal the import costs, though, which I will do.

GVZ , they're dissin ya! Appeal is coming too...lol !