OWNER - psportoveloce

[psportoveloce]

Greetings. So I've always wanted a 500E, ever since I was a little kid reading car magazines when they first came out. I finally pulled the trigger on a brilliant silver/black '92 with 103k miles a week ago today. Nice car with almost all electrical accessories working, lots of records, books, and tools. Even the window sticker.

Bought it in Vancouver, WA, drove up to Seattle, and then drove down 101 on the pacific coast the whole way to San Francisco. The car is pretty stock besides the clear corners (I already replaced them with amber ones) and wheels (shopping for Monoblocks if you know of any 18X8s and 18X9s available). I can feel myself getting the bug to modify the car which I know I should resist since the car is so undisturbed, so I may try and restrain myself from modding and buy one that's already been done up and then sell this one. In the mean time, I'll address maintenance items and some cosmetic things.

As you can see, I'm mostly a Porsche guy, so it was only a matter of time before I got a 036. I think it goes particularly well with the 964 Carrera 2 since they are contemporaries and finished in the same color combo. I was requested to post some pics of my other cars elsewhere on this forum so there's a few P-car pics below in addition to the 036.

Derek

 

[KarlC]

Welcome Derek !

I case you have not seen it you may like this thread .......

http://www.500eboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3332&highlight=Porsche

 

[Maui]

I drove that car about a year ago. Shame it was the first 500E I had ever seen and at the time I did not want a silver car and had very little knowledge of these cars. If I knew then what I know now I would have purchased the car. It was missing the front engine shroud when I saw it. The owner is a very nice guy. I met him at the Home Depot parking lot. I was driving my SL500 and the first thing he said was, "Is this where we make the swap?" Kind of sad to see another leave the PNW but congrats on the purchase. It appears to have found a nice home where it will receive the love and care it deserves.

 

[bing]

nice collection of Zuffenhausen's finest you have there if i may say so!

 

[psportoveloce]

Welcome Derek !

I case you have not seen it you may like this thread .......

http://www.500eboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3332&highlight=Porsche

Thanks! It says I'm not authorized to view it.

 

[psportoveloce]

I drove that car about a year ago. Shame it was the first 500E I had ever seen and at the time I did not want a silver car and had very little knowledge of these cars. If I knew then what I know now I would have purchased the car. It was missing the front engine shroud when I saw it. The owner is a very nice guy. I met him at the Home Depot parking lot. I was driving my SL500 and the first thing he said was, "Is this where we make the swap?" Kind of sad to see another leave the PNW but congrats on the purchase. It appears to have found a nice home where it will receive the love and care it deserves.

Yes, the transaction was a pleasure and it was clear that he was an enthusiastic and knowledgeable owner. Exactly the sort of person you would want to buy a car from, especially a car like this.

 

[psportoveloce]

After 22 months without a W124.036, I'm back in the game. Bought the ex-Fad, KarlC, Tanger car tonight, and it's still in lovely condition as confirmed by a comprehensive inspection at Leistung.

It's a 1994 E500, about to turn 80k miles. A few quick pics now; I'm driving back to NorCal tomorrow and will post more pics. Fortunately my M6 convertible-owning friend picked me up at LAX and helped me transport the Brabus Monoblock IIIs. The parking spot was cheekily selected but was the only contiguous pair we could find.

Derek

 

[Trae]

Welcome back!
You will not regret it.

 

[Ntrepid]

Love how you're parked in the Clean Air Vehicle slot!


Robert

 

[sheward]

I must have missed your original post, welcome back!

drew

 

[psportoveloce]

Attended Cars & Coffee yesterday in Aliso Viejo with another 036 owner. Also a DB199 1994, but with EVO IIs and matched lowers. Only 22k miles! Seeing the cars together highlights the differences #1 pads make. We swapped cars for a bit and my car drives every bit as well, better in some regards (fresher accumulators and brake fluid/flush/bleed at Leistung).











My car doing E500E things


It turned 80k on the drive home:


A friend of mine in LA surprised me by turning up with this car, which is also DB199 and also has EVO IIs and color matched cladding (albeit Sportline badged), but 181k miles. Not his car, just on loan to him from his mechanic.



Finally got home to San Francisco after midnight.

 

[Christian_K]

Very nice... after seeing your car i somehow want to paint my lower cladding altogrey too. I find the all DB199 car somehow boring, especially when looking from the front. I think the Altogrey front bumper/apron let the Facelift cars appear wider...
I yet to decide if it will be silk-glossy/semi-gloss clearcoat or full gloss clear on the lower cladding... Never saw fully gloss cladding in Altogrey.

 

[captruff]

Very nice... after seeing your car i somehow want to paint my lower cladding altogrey too. I find the all DB199 car somehow boring, especially when looking from the front. I think the Altogrey front bumper/apron let the Facelift cars appear wider...
I yet to decide if it will be silk-glossy/semi-gloss clearcoat or full gloss clear on the lower cladding... Never saw fully gloss cladding in Altogrey.

Here is an example of gloss Alto grey lowers on a 199 car


Jeff

 

[sprnova]

Is that with stock springs and shocks?

 

[psportoveloce]

Is that with stock springs and shocks?

Yes

 

[psportoveloce]

My car was registered in Texas for a year with the previous owner but is now back on its original reinstated CA plates from 1994. The service and warranty booklets indicate that it was sold new at House of Imports in Buena Park and I bought a period correct frame along with an original 1994 brochure which is quite a substantial affair.

 

[psportoveloce]

Had a quick xmas eve meetup with a few of my cool Mercedes-owning friends this afternoon. The silver E500 is one of an identical pair of silver/blue cars ordered new by two friends. So much lust.

The cars:
2 X 1994 E500, both CA cars from new
1986 190E 2.3-16 Euro car with plaid interior, two owners from new
1972 600
1970 300SEL 6.3, two owners from new

 

[gerryvz]

I stayed at Cavallo Point in Oct 2014 on a business trip. Great place, great location, great views. Former military installation where officers lived. Cool location for a GTG.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[sprnova]

Yes

Thanks. I see you indicated #1 pads. Are you running #1 pads front and rear?

 

[psportoveloce]

Miscellaneous improvements in the last few months:
-new antenna grommet and Hirschmann mast
-new Mercedes windscreen and decal
-added Bluetooth to the original Becker 1492
-had a few scratches touched up
-installed oddments box
-new distributor caps, rotors, and insulators

 

[Jlaa]

Good progress! I am sure replacing the insulators was a job that yielded the utmost in satisfaction. Who may I ask do you like to use for the windscreen replacement? That would be useful info to archive for us local folks.

 

[nocfn]

Curious, I cannot tell on the picture of the windscreen. Is the bottom fitted with the proper vinyl coated aluminum channel for the wiper weatherstripping?

 

[JC220]

Also- can I ask how you added Bluetooth to the Becker? Does it plug in behind the unit?

 

[psportoveloce]

Good progress! I am sure replacing the insulators was a job that yielded the utmost in satisfaction. Who may I ask do you like to use for the windscreen replacement? That would be useful info to archive for us local folks.

I used Auto Glass Inc. (877 500 5758) and they did a great job with the work (sympathetic competent, quick), although a very irritating squeak developed after the install. They came back out and tried in earnest to fix it with all their might. The noise persisted and I called back and they said the only step left was to remove and reinstall the windscreen (with the risk of breaking it). I said I was OK with that risk and to please come back out, and they said they'd call back but never did. I called a couple more times, but in the intervening period, the noise became less and less and now appears to have disappeared completely. Ball was in their court to get back to me which they never did but the noise went away so...all's well that ends well?

I've had good luck with Jeff's Mobile Glass but they only serve the East Bay.

Also- can I ask how you added Bluetooth to the Becker? Does it plug in behind the unit?

I sent my original unit back to Becker Auto Sound in NJ and they added it. No external changes to the package/case of the receiver. In exchange, I lost the function of the cassette player, which is just the absolute end of the world these days.

 

[psportoveloce]

Curious, I cannot tell on the picture of the windscreen. Is the bottom fitted with the proper vinyl coated aluminum channel for the wiper weatherstripping?

Yes it did.

 

[nocfn]

I will be attaching one I acquired, thanks for posting the revised picture. Often for facelift cars I am told the glass is delivered for earlier years and of course they do not have the channel.

 

[psportoveloce]

I will be attaching one I acquired, thanks for posting the revised picture. Often for facelift cars I am told the glass is delivered for earlier years and of course they do not have the channel.

When I was doing the research to buy my windscreen, I came across some comment from someone credible on this forum that said that when you buy one of these now, they always come with the channel, and if you have an earlier car, you simply remove it. My experience (one data point) proves this.

 

[gsxr]

When I was doing the research to buy my windscreen, I came across some comment from someone credible on this forum that said that when you buy one of these now, they always come with the channel, and if you have an earlier car, you simply remove it. My experience (one data point) proves this.

This is accurate for Genuine Mercedes (dealer) windshields.

The problem is with aftermarket glass, which is what MOST people get (price near me is under $250 installed, probably less than you'd pay for glass alone at the dealer). A number of years ago I learned this the hard way when the installer showed up with glass missing the channel for our 1994 E420. He was able to remove the old one but the old ones are always, I mean ALWAYS, cracked and spread apart so they do not retain the rubber weatherstrip tightly. If your old/used channel is fully intact and tight, I'd almost guarantee it's not original from 22+ years ago.

Anyway - if buying aftermarket glass, triple-check to make sure they supply glass that INCLUDES the lower channel, if you own a 1994-95 'facelift' 124 chassis. Warning - some very late build 1993 models came with the late-style wiper weatherstrips, and require the same channel on the windshield. If your 1993 was late production, check before buying aftermarket glass.

 

[Klink]

Miscellaneous improvements in the last few months:

928

 

[psportoveloce]

I picked up a buddy for the .036. I got this imperial red C36 from the original owner's widow. All original paint, all paperwork back to new (including window sticker and purchase invoice), and about to turn 33k miles.

Its personality is totally different from the .036. Feels much smaller/lighter on its feet. Not quite E36 M3 level but definitely on the same page. It's a genuinely fun car to hustle on tight roads, it definitely had me giggling. Perceived quality is excellent (post facelift 202s are appreciably cheaper feeling inside) but maybe a half notch below the W124. These cars are super underrated in my opinion. It's a great complement to rather than substitute for the .036.

 

[doolar]

They're really underrated, and usually quite affordable, if you can find such an example as you did. They have almost always fallen in bad hands here in Sweden due to low price vs. horsepower. Congrats! Love the color!

 

[psportoveloce]

They're really underrated, and usually quite affordable, if you can find such an example as you did. They have almost always fallen in bad hands here in Sweden due to low price vs. horsepower. Congrats! Love the color!

Thanks, same is true here. Plenty of rough 300k km cars for under $5000.