[coloneljasi]

Originally Posted by bIte tHe bulLet

I'm not sure about being an inspiration, but as I mentioned a couple of posts ago, life's too short to live with regrets - it's not worth the hassle and the heartache. Been there, done that and become wiser for it too... !

Life is indeed too short to live with regrets and putting a hold on one's dreams. Kudos for doing what very few people have the guts to do, turn their dreams into reality. Of course, with reality comes problems and headaches. Can't have it any other way now, can we?

With threads on W124 restoration popping up on t-bhp, my Linea and i10 ought to be worried!

[bIte tHe bulLet]

Originally Posted by DudeWithaFiat

Interiors look super clean. The WALD bumpers are not to my liking though. Recently acquired a W124 myself and drives it with a smile and a little bit of 'stage fright' (you know with all the audience you get on the road)

Thank you kind sir! I am well aware of your beautiful W124 and I distinctly remember saying, "that lucky bugger!!!" to myself as I read your thread!

And I know exactly what you mean when you speak of the stage fright... as a matter of fact, that makes up a large part of my next installment about to be posted soon!

Originally Posted by coloneljasi

Of course, with reality comes problems and headaches. Can't have it any other way now, can we? With threads on W124 restoration popping up on t-bhp, my Linea and i10 ought to be worried!

If life were all smooth sailing, we'd all die of boredom!!!
Hehehehe; keep the Linea and the i10 and bring back a W124! You get practicality, functionality, run-aboutability and chest-thumpability!!!!

Go on.. I'll start to hound you every once in a while till you succumb!

[blackcloud]

Originally Posted by bIte tHe bulLet

The loss of comfort and ride quality on Bombay roads is marked – and especially on city roads anywhere outside of the NCR. If I was in Delhi, this would be perfectly acceptable. Or if I was only going to use it as a weekend car (as did my friend who I bought it off from.) I wince every time I inadvertently go over one of our massively popular car breaker potholes, undulations, paver block mayhem infested roads. Apart from the loss of ride quality – the next big hit will be the suspension, which at 50k a pop on front and/or back can rack up to be quite expensive. I’m not sure how to deal with it at the moment, possibly stiffer springs that will protect the suspension and the cabin from the hell on the road. Exploring – and happy to take suggestions.

Those wheels look hideous. Please change them. In fact, I am so happy with the original steel rim + wheel cap combination that I actually got original steel rims from another car that was upgrading wheels. Other than this, you've got quite a looker!

[bIte tHe bulLet]

Originally Posted by blackcloud

Those wheels look hideous. Please change them. In fact, I am so happy with the original steel rim + wheel cap combination that I actually got original steel rims from another car that was upgrading wheels. Other than this, you've got quite a looker!

Thank you!

While I'm not a huge fan of the wheels, I'd stop well short of calling them hideous!

And unfortunately I don't care for the steel rims & cap combination at all!

However.... I have found myself a set of authentic AMG monobloc II's which need a little cosmetic refurbishment, and then will be stonking!!! The only fly in the blasted ointment? They're over in Minnesota in the US of A, and the shipping is costing pretty much double of what a brand new set of 5 will cost today!

Scratching my head on how to bring them in cheap - unless I travel soon enough and can ship them with me then...

P.S. forgot to add - Congrats on your own ride!!!

[vikramvicky1984]

Originally Posted by bIte tHe bulLet

Thank you!

While I'm not a huge fan of the wheels, I'd stop well short of calling them hideous!

And unfortunately I don't care for the steel rims & cap combination at all!


P.S. forgot to add - Congrats on your own ride!!!

If you are looking at 15"(which I would highly recommend), ask your mechanic tosearch the CST road for OE ones. I am sure they can be found.

I have OE alloys on my car (4 pieces) and once went there to find one more and they had it. I am a bad negotiator and returned empty handed.

If you have space, keep these 17'' ones as well for some sea-link/freeway runs.

[W.A.G.7]

I saw one in white today. But I think the one I saw was a diesel one (had those horizontal slats in front of the right front wheel). The same diesel version of this model, and I was reminded of this thread. One more query now I have, is; if the door mirror casing is fixed and the glass turns within the casing (and the mirror looks quite small for the bulk of the car), then do you get a proper image of the traffic in the mirror?

[bIte tHe bulLet]

Originally Posted by vikramvicky1984

If you are looking at 15" (which I would highly recommend)

Unfortunately the 15" fellas just don't cut it with the Wald body kit - the car ends up looking woefully under tyred and just plain wrong. So, therefore it will have to remain at 17" but I've been confidently told that the wheel well (thanks to the higher springs on the Indian 124's) will happily accommodate a 55/60 profile tyre on a 17" rim.

Therefore the lust worthy monoblocs and some 55 profile rubber is what is being closely scrutinised at the moment - At which point, the wheels here will be on the TBHP classifieds...

Originally Posted by W.A.G.7

I saw one in white today. But I think the one I saw was a diesel one (had those horizontal slats in front of the right front wheel).

Yup, the diesel E250 had those very quirky but oh so cool shark gill slots on the front!

One more query now I have, is; if the door mirror casing is fixed and the glass turns within the casing (and the mirror looks quite small for the bulk of the car), then do you get a proper image of the traffic in the mirror?

It takes a little bit getting used to (the left being the stubby mirror, while the right being a slim and long mirror!) but both mirrors are surprisingly effective - you wouldn't believe they would be when you see pictures of them though!

And frankly, speaking from personal experience, my driving style has become just a tad more cautious ever since KP's become the daily driver - you know its going to hurt, if you smash something into the car!!!

So therefore, to answer the question, yes - you get a very good look at the traffic behind through the RVM's but lane changes will still require a quick look over the shoulder, just to check that you're not missing any blind spots. (That's good driving practice in any case - so it doesn't count as a design flaw on the W124!!)

Cheers,
drive safe and stay sane!

[G_AmbyMad]

Haha Avi... I've been wondering why you've been quiet on Facebook these last few days and now I see why!

You're giving me many reasons to head Swampwards Ho.

The Hitlerwagen looks a peach. You're making me want to restart my search

[bIte tHe bulLet]

=G_AmbyMad;3319624]Haha Avi... I've been wondering why you've been quiet on Facebook these last few days and now I see why!

I've not been here all the time G man... Just every once in a while!

teeeheeeeheeee!

You're giving me many reasons to head Swampwards Ho.

You bring your sweet little amby over and we can make the two sniff each other...He and She can become intimately familiar too!

The Hitlerwagen looks a peach. You're making me want to restart my search

I didn't know you'd given up. Bleddy fool.
Ring the bangalore doh up now.

[Foxbat]

Originally Posted by bIte tHe bulLet

In all the excitement – I actually never got around to talking of how I decided the W124 would be a handy daily driver did I???

So, remember I spoke of not being able to drive my Delhi registered cars in Bombay? Don’t you be nodding your heads like you remember, fellas – all of ya’ll are just snapping my chain, so stop it. I’ll have a pop quiz on the forum and the lot of ya’ll end up looking like wee fibbers!

Thanks to the fact that the cops were making my life a living hell (and then some!) I now have very very strong views on this practice of registering and re-registering a motor vehicle in different states of the same country. For those of you who think I’m in favour of it – do raise your hands, so that I can ask you to stand on one foot as you dance around while chanting, “Oh My God, I got that completely wrong…” while I sermonize and rant and rave and spit. (Okay, I won’t spit.)

Congrads on your new acquisition!

Slightly off topic but I think you had mentioned that you live in Goregaon in Mumbai and the cops were troubling you for your DL registered cars?

What exactly happened?

I also live in the same place and drive a UP registered car for the past 1.5 years (took it out of the state briefly in between) and so far have been stopped only once for the number plate (when they had stopped me for tinted windows). They threatened to take me to court....fine etc....but let me go finally when I refused to offer a bribe.

[bIte tHe bulLet]

Originally Posted by Foxbat

Slightly off topic but I think you had mentioned that you live in Goregaon in Mumbai and the cops were troubling you for your DL registered cars?

What exactly happened?

Thank you for the wishes

Lots happened actually. With all good intentions I went to the RTO office to enquire about paying the taxes, transferring the registration from Delhi to Bombay - to be told that it was a lakh and change for each of my cars.

To which I said, "sod off."

I'd get stopped every now and then and the standard thing of where are my tax papers would come up - I always had toll receipts of various highway journey's to prove that the car(s) had not been in the city longer than 6 months at a stretch. But they'd still harass the life out of me (I refuse to pay bribes either...)

Finally, I was abroad, when my Linea got stopped (a driver was driving at the time - who'd been working only the past 2 months) - the RTO fellows confiscated the papers of the Linea saving grace being that the RC was a duplicate - original was at home and told the driver to tell me to come meet them in the RTO office, where a massive fine and other lovely bits and bobs awaited me.

Unwilling to either pay the fine - which I think is completely unfair or the mind numbing octroi/road tax, the decision to sell both the cars back in Delhi was arrived at fairly quickly.

I know of people who have driven their out of state registered cars here for years and years, maybe I just have the odd face that begs to be fined!!!

[blackcloud]

Originally Posted by bIte tHe bulLet

Thank you!

While I'm not a huge fan of the wheels, I'd stop well short of calling them hideous!

And unfortunately I don't care for the steel rims & cap combination at all!

Well, here is my favourite W124 rim:

[bIte tHe bulLet]

Originally Posted by blackcloud

Well, here is my favourite W124 rim:

and these are my favourite(s)!!!





In other news...

I have managed to track down and pick up a nice shiny & brand spanking new hood ornament for Herr Kampfpanzer!

As a matter of fact, not content with just one, I picked up two nice shiny & brand spanking new hood ornaments for the man!!! The total damages (per piece) is the princely sum of INR 2271.00, but the true joy is having a dazzling 3 pointed star lead the way through absolutely insane Bombay rush hour traffic!!

As might be evident from my earlier pictures, my hood ornament was *ahem* a little ratty and I looked high and low for it, in vain (including a frustrated email to Mercedes Benz themselves...) I recently got wind of the fact that someone had picked up a new piece at Shaman for his W140, prompting a phone call - and a quick jaunt over to Shaman's workshop in Kalina. Result - one very happy camper with a shiny front end (to rival the bald top end!!!)

Therefore, for those of you fine folks looking for hood emblems for your 124's or 140's in Bombay - Shaman has 'em in stock, so feel free to knock on their doors!

[bIte tHe bulLet]

A month and 13 days of Herr Kampfpanzer being home.

Two things have happened. i.e.

1/ I’m no longer petrified of driving him into nooks and crannies (borne out by the outrageously tight roads I turned into in Andheri East yesterday, where I didn’t trust myself to even take my previous Safari!)
2/ he gets looked at by a very wide variety of people.

* Sweet little Christian aunties from Malad, who wave as I drive past them in their auto rickshaws.

* Boy racers, who zig zag out in front of me, as they check the man out from all possible angles on the move.

* Shop owners in busy marketplaces who come out appreciatively when I pull up to park in front of their shops.. (I’d just get yelled at earlier, or told to sod off most unceremoniously otherwise!)

* Grown men who drive past in their respective rides and then slow down to watch Herr Kampfpanzer from the corner of their eyes…

* A young’ish’ gentleman driving a brand new 525i, who pulled up at a traffic light and had an unashamed ogle (It helped that I was ogling his as well – the car, you filthy boys…) Finally grinning approvingly as he gives me a thumbs up as the lights turned green!

* The building guard who snaps off a ridiculous salute every time I go past him (and this after I’ve lived in the darned building for the past 3 years and some!!!)

* Cars (and their owners) who will willingly stop to let the three pointed star cross a busy road, getting out of our building lane to join insane traffic.

* A paan wallah who I overheard as I locked the car and made my way over to some unimaginably important work!!! (NOT!) “Yeh toh BMW ko bhi fail kar deti hai…”

* A middle aged couple in their Black CLS, who pull up at a traffic light near the infernal Oberoi mall flyover and thumb one approvingly when I noticed them staring. I reciprocated, although his wheels were all bubbly!

* The man getting his new shiny pointy end at the workshop and the sales manager walking up, introducing himself and complementing the state of the car…followed by a sales rep (a lady to boot!) seeing me off as I drove out, smiling as she simply (and unabashedly) said, “lovely car!”

The only ruddy problem is that it ain't pullin' the ladies however. "Thats never good man!!!"

*For those of you who are about to get your knickers all in a twist - the above is purely in jest* I remain blissfully married and with children, with no need (or inclination!) to go skirt chasing...!


It really does get a little bit too much! And all this for a price lower than a new swift! *Sheesh*

Okay – so problems raised their ugly heads. My headlight switch decided after 17 years, that it was time.
It gave up.
It died.
It disintegrated it’s insides into jelly.
It…

Okay. So you get the drift huh?

Off I went searching for headlight switches. Mercedes didn’t have ‘em. My friendly Mercedes Mech didn’t have ‘em and ordering would take 8 days for it to arrive (minimum) – So off I went to town (after a phone call) picked up another german made headlight switch – had it installed while awaiting an original MB part to arrive in the next week. (The joys of having a single car… you cannot afford to let it be down)

I'm sure I've mentioned about my rear right window having been on a steadfast non-cooperative movement from the time he arrived; so it was investigated to find an ill behaved winder motor. Said motor was stripped out, sent to be repaired (I did enquire after replacing it with a new unit to be told in no uncertain terms that it was not required…!) Next day, as it was wrestled back into the door panel, it refused to work again!

After a couple of muttered cuss words under his breath, the man with the magic hands tells me that he’ll knock some sense into the machinery, enough for me to take it back for the time being, but since I’m not going to be in town from the 28th for a couple of day, he’d pick up the car, strip the doors, find (and treat) some rusting issues we saw inside and also have the winder motors completely re-built.

So I have a functioning window, but one that might decide to change his mind, when his mood decides to take hold of him! Therefore, it will not be operated till it is completely rectified on the 28th.




The simple mirror controls which work wonderfully and silently!




I also happened to run into Jatin, who is restoring another BHPian's 124 at his own garage.. I got an ear wagging for going on and on about Herr Kampfpanzer and that he took an hour and a half to read this entire thread...!!!

In the unmistakable tone of the Sikh gentleman from *Mind your language* Thhouzand apologies sir!!!




The Blau unit that serves ICE duties at the moment - speaker upgrade imminent!


Otherwise, he runs beautifully. I’m now a lot more comfortable with the staring as well as the size of this tank – which makes it a whole lot easier for it to be a daily driver…

More in a bit!

[bIte tHe bulLet]

So this last Sunday, I went out to meet a mad bunch of (lovely) men and one sole lady at the Bombay chapter of the MBIO.

Yup, they are a supremely knowledgeable and fun lot of fellas who live, breathe, drink and talk Mercedes - which is super fun (not to mention, knowledge enhancing!)

There's loads of snaps awaited but this little beauty of Herr Kampfpanzer flying along smoothly on the Sea Link was sent to me just a little while ago. He does look handsome, and this is the first time I've actually seen him on the move - for the obvious reasons!

Will upload some more pictures from the day, as they arrive in my mailbox.

Till then - adios!