Favorite car:

[speeder]

Of course they're like children, I have a hard time picking one but it's this 1979 Mercedes-Benz 300SD. I've owned it twice going back 13 years and I love it. I love looking at it, working on it, driving it, everything. The W116 chassis, (1973-80), was exceptionally overbuilt even compared to the other sturdy cars they produced in those days. I'm not sure what the business model was for selling a car that potentially never wears out?

I could write a novel about this car and my experience owning it, (twice), but the short version is that I bought it sight unseen in NorCal back in 2012 from a craigslist ad. I like the colors and it was cheap. I had some fly-by-night dude from Uship with a car trailer bring it down and it's been a love affair ever since. I made the mistake of selling it once in about 2017 but got it back in 2022. I have no idea what the actual mileage on it is because the odometer was broken for an unknown period of time but it's a lot. Maybe 300k+. I've done a lot of maintenance on it and continue to, which is why it's on my mind at the moment.

Here is how it looked back when I first owned it:





And here is yesterday, getting some surgery. The rear axle boots completely dried out and tore during my non-ownership when the car was in Joshua Tree, which is hot desert.



I lucked out and scored some good used ones at the junkyard recently, so they will be replaced as well as the center driveshaft bearing, (a very MB thing). I'm going to clean out the differential carrier and install new oil as well as do brakes all around including new fluid and service the A/C, chase down any oil leaks, etc. Normal old car stuff. I had to remove the diff cover to release axle clips and was surprised at how dirty it was, I've changed the oil when I owned it but maybe it went a long time with old stuff at some point. Fired up the parts washer:

[speeder]

I also scored these fairly rare H&R springs for it from the donor car, I have mixed feelings about them because the factory ride is so perfect but I'll probably install them and see how I like it. They lower the car by 30mm and I presume have a firmer ride but I think it's minor as far as change. I can always switch them back.

[Paul T]

Nice car. I love that era Benz, they are just indestructible and still hold up from a styling standpoint. Forever a classic….agree on the business model. There wasn’t a part on that car that wasn’t insanely overbuilt, just incredible engineering…

[unclebilly]

This one. My 930 Slantnose.

Favourite vehicle is my Cayenne Turbo S.

[KNS]

Beautiful car and certainly a keeper.

It's a shame that cars are no longer built that way. Mercedes and a handful of other makes were an exception. My first car was 1968 VW Type 1 Sedan. Very well built, sturdy materials but it didn't cost Volkswagen a fortune to produce.

My current daily is a 2019 VW Golf Alltrack (only my 2nd Volkswagen). It's a good car, reliable, etc. But it's disappointing how cheaply everything is screwed together. Working in the engine bay, the majority of fasteners are plastic clips that make me cringe when I undo them (is it gonna break on me?). Everything seems low budget. Pretty much all cars now are the same (some a little better than others).

[speeder]

Oh boy, that targa just looks so right with the 7s and 9s. Is it a Euro car or just has the small bumperettes? Looks amazing either way.

[rcooled]

Nice car, Denis...lucky that you were able to get it back.

Two of my more recent favorites ↓

Originally Posted by speeder

Oh boy, that targa just looks so right with the 7s and 9s. Is it a Euro car or just has the small bumperettes? Looks amazing either way.

Thanks...wish I still had it. Sold it several years ago for about 1/3 of what it would be worth today
It was a US car, an '89...I swapped out the rear bumper.

[matthewb0051]

Denis,

Great car. Just beautiful.

My .02 on the HR springs having had some on a BMW 7 series and an M5. They are stiff AF. The M5 wasn't so bad but they were less than good on the 7 series.

That car would look even better in Euro trim as originally intended at the factory. The US rules really ruined a bunch of cool cars.

[pwd72s]

Nice going...doing a lot with just jackstands. I like your toolbox/stool combo..

[speeder]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Nice going...doing a lot with just jackstands. I like your toolbox/stool combo..

Thanks! it makes a perfect chair to sit on while working in wheel wells of slightly raised cars. The reason it is being worked on outside, (besides the perfect outdoor temps), is that the inside of shop is overloaded with machinery.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by matthewb0051

Denis,

Great car. Just beautiful.

My .02 on the HR springs having had some on a BMW 7 series and an M5. They are stiff AF. The M5 wasn't so bad but they were less than good on the 7 series.

That car would look even better in Euro trim as originally intended at the factory. The US rules really ruined a bunch of cool cars.

Thanks, Matthew. I'm hoping that the H&Rs for this particular car are mild but if I don't like them, I'm putting the stock ones right back in. PIA but to do but I'm curious.

[stevej37]

In the early 70's I was needing my second car. A friend's father (who was a Dr.) had an English Ford Cortina that he wanted to replace with something bigger. I bought if for $500

It was a 4 door, blue, with a 5 speed and the car screamed. Light weight and great suspension.
I loved that car...until one night I hit a deer and it was totaled.

I wish I had a pic of it.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Love it Denis! I had friends in the Colorado mountains that I used to stay with in the summers during high school, they had an almost identical 300SD. I used to love cruising around the mountains in that thing, such a superb car. I think that’s where my fondness for Mercedes products and German cars originated.

[Eric Hahl]

My 2015 Cayman S. Super fun. I did end up selling it though.

[pwd72s]

This thread also points out that "favorite car" and "performance car" aren't always one and the same.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

This thread also points out that "favorite car" and "performance car" aren't always one and the same.

Absolutely. The “hottest girl” isn’t always the best girl. In fact, probably never.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Easy one for me. Got it in a trade, dearly missed. Only sold it to pay off my house, it went to a great home in Germany.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Eric Hahl

My 2015 Cayman S. Super fun. I did end up selling it though.

Pretty hard to beat a white Cayman. Looks perfect!

[speeder]

[Bill Douglas]

My SC really is my most loved car.



Two other vehicles that I remember fondly are my Triumph 650 and the Ford Escort 2 door MK1.