Phones in cars - some people love 'em - some people hate them.
I don't tend to take calls, as it is too distracting , but for streaming music in the background, and as a SatNav - I find it invaluable. With the warnings of speed cameras, accidents and hold ups I wanted that functionality in the SL.
But the SL dash is pretty crowded, and I wanted something on the right of the dash, rather than down on the center console. There hasn't been a good solution I've seen.
So fire up the 3D printer..... It was going to be placed in an awkward area, impossible to measure angles etc. So, I made prototypes to get the basics right, which were quick to print.
The final version is a weird shape, and needs supports, as 3D printers can't print in mid-air. Six hours later we have this.
I managed to get some strong magnets designed for phones from Amazon. A quick rub down, and some Plastikote paint, and I've got this.
The other side has a shallow recess for some double sided tape.
Installed - okay stuck in the car, and it looks like this. Much better than the nasty thing I was using on the passenger side of the dash.
It looks like the steering wheel blocks a lot of the screen, but it doesn't in reality.
Without the phone, you can see my attempt at colour matching to the mushroom dash was pitiful.
I could also shave off the top-right hand corner, to match the dashboard, to make it a bit more subtle.
I'm going to do a Mk2 version, with a few tweaks, but I want to test the angles etc first - with this one, as there isn't any adjustment.
As it just about clears, the clock, vent and tweeter, I'm pretty happy so far. No holes in the dash, or nasty great suckers in my line of sight either.
I dragged the old girl out of the lockup yesterday, ready for a trip to Goodwood on Sunday. Been sat there for almost 3 weeks, and fired straight up - which was nice.
Filled up the tank and worked out the MPG - about 27mpg. That was a bit down, previous figures have been over 30, but then I remembered I'd spent a couple of days driving in central London on that tank.
30mpg for a 5L V8 that gets a fair hoof ever once in a while is bonkers.
With November almost over - it was definitely time to put the hard top on. This is the first time I've put it back on. It is pretty damn heavy, but luckily my strong son is easily bribed with a McD's breakfast.
I applied some wonderfully named Gummi Pflege to the rubber seals. It is a rubber conditioner in the form of a glue stick, supposed to stop squeaks.
Had a couple of days off work, seemed rude to take a diversion into the New Forest on the way home from my mothers.
I'm going to keep the car taxed over the winter, as I hope to take it out occasionally.
With November almost over - it was definitely time to put the hard top on. This is the first time I've put it back on. It is pretty damn heavy, but luckily my strong son is easily bribed with a McD's breakfast.
I applied some wonderfully named Gummi Pflege to the rubber seals. It is a rubber conditioner in the form of a glue stick, supposed to stop squeaks.
Had a couple of days off work, seemed rude to take a diversion into the New Forest on the way home from my mothers.
I'm going to keep the car taxed over the winter, as I hope to take it out occasionally.
Thanks for looking
Definitely the right thing to keep it running through the winter - while avoiding salt if possible, of course!
Had several of these back in the day, hunted down many more for friends who asked 'what should I buy for £x?'
Cracking - nay legendary - cars in all incarnations
As promised I kept the car running over the winter. With spring and summer just around the corner, the first MOT in my ownership was due. The first MOT with an old car is always a little bit of a worry.
But I didn't need to worry, I used my Google Foo and found a potentially handy specialist just 10mins down the road. So I dropped it off at Silver Arrows MB and asked them to sort not only an MOT, but some other jobs, and give it an honest look over to see if I'd wasted my money or not.
No horrors were turned up, and despite 160K on the clock the car was declared a good buy, and the MOT passed, just an advisory to do rustproofing before the winter.
Happy with that. So it was on to the other jobs I had for them.
The brakes were never great, and my local garage wouldn't change the rear hoses, for fear of breaking the steel lines. Silver Arrows replaced the brake pipes front<-> back and got the new flexi-hoses in place.
There was also a sizeable oil leak from the N/S rocker cover. It wasn't so simple as the main gasket, but it was sorted without any dramas. A smaller leak on the power steering was also found and fixed, that one I didn't know about.
So, some great maintenance ticked off, there was still a bit in the slush fund, I don't like broken stuff, the A/C was next on the list. I knew the condenser was knackered, I also know there are so many qualities available in the aftermarket, and getting exactly the right one, at the right price is a skill. Silver Arrows gave me a price for the job, and I agreed to drop the car back a few days later when the compressor had been delivered.
Nothing unforseen, and the quote matched the bill - which is always nice, and a relief. Sure enough the A/C is now working and cold.
I quite like running the car as a coupe, and with the big glass roof, a blast of A/C is nice sometimes.
The car needed a good wash, but it is pretty low, and I've put my back out. The local handwash place is good. They hit it hard with their commercial jetwashers. Amazing how a 23 year old car with a removable hardtop and frameless door glasses didn't let a drop of water in. No wonder people wax lyrical about old Mercedes.
Had a lovely drive down to Poole for mothers day, nothing really was done to make the car drive any better. But it seemed to reward the TLC with a great driving experience. Funny how some cars behave like that.
If you've read this far you deserve a picture, on the edge of the New Forest on a sunny March day.
Got the builders in back at base, so I've safely stashed the Merc in the lockup for a couple of weeks.
No much of an update, but the Merc has been doing daily driver duties for the last 3 weeks or so. My hand was forced, as the local garage made a mess of my daily driver. The Volvo went in for a power steering pump, it was driving fine, just a noisy bearing. After 2 pumps and 3 racks it still isn't right - but that is a different story.
The Merc excelled as a daily driver, just getting in/out of a low sports car being a little more tricky for these weary bones.
I've still got the hardtop on - just as well, as we had the dirtiest rain storm for a long time at the weekend.
Hi moglite Great to see the SL500 still going well, I owned her around 2008 for several years and she's still one of my favourite cars (including a couple of 911s…). I had very few problems, I remember having a centre bearing replaced on the propshaft which made a huge difference, but other than that it was fun fun fun all the way.
I eventually sold her after getting stuck in snow at Bristol Airport, if I had bothered to fit winter tyres I'm sure it would have been fine.
Thanks for taking the time to post the pictures and tell the story - appreciated. I'm not surprised the snow at Bristol caught it out. Ironically, I got those original wheels, with a set of winter tyres on them when I bought the car.
And yes I'm enjoying the summer with the car. I've had it serviced and MOT'd. The wheels have also been refurbished.
I treated myself to a long weekend, and took a couple of piccies in the New Forest earlier in the week.
It still drives very well, and brings a smile to my face.
Alas I and the car's copybook have been blotted. Whilst in the lock-up the battery when flat. I normally check on it every few weeks, but travel has been plentiful lately, and I've neglected the old girl.
The battery is 100% dead and the car won't unlock. I've tried both keys and nothing. It is the facelift model, so there is only a keyslot in the boot lock. The keys turn the barrel, but the boot will not release !! The boot is where the battery is Seems these cars use a combination of power and vacuum for their locks.
I think the only non-destructive way forward it to jack up the car, to access the starter motor, and get enough power into the car to release the boot. Not looking forward to that, as it is a dark cramped lockup. HoHum.
I think the only non-destructive way forward it to jack up the car, to access the starter motor, and get enough power into the car to release the boot. Not looking forward to that, as it is a dark cramped lockup. HoHum.
Given how sensitive these things are when it comes to flat batteries (see my painful experience to date), be very, very careful... it might be worth a call to the guys at The SL shop if you haven't already to consult the best way to resolve, otherwise you could be into a world of issues chasing before you know it.
It amazes me that designers don't anticipate this sort of thing. A flat battery is hardly unusual so you would like to think they've made provision for this scenario. Most of my recent modern cars have had remote jump lead terminals in the engine bay, your SL may have something you've not spotted?
It amazes me that designers don't anticipate this sort of thing. A flat battery is hardly unusual so you would like to think they've made provision for this scenario. Most of my recent modern cars have had remote jump lead terminals in the engine bay, your SL may have something you've not spotted?
Unfortunately these do not respond well to jumping or any additional power being connected in any form, so I suspect there isn't jumping points for a reason. Ideally a trickle charge back to health would be the best approach if possible, but it may not be.
It amazes me that designers don't anticipate this sort of thing. A flat battery is hardly unusual so you would like to think they've made provision for this scenario. Most of my recent modern cars have had remote jump lead terminals in the engine bay, your SL may have something you've not spotted?
Alas I cannot open the bonnet either. Internal release, and the doors are locked too. The soft-top is up, so there is a little scope for using a wire to open a door pull.
The lockup doesn't have electricity, so the scope for trickle charging is low
I'm thinking a spare battery, connected to an inverter, connected to a trickle charger - but that operation will have to wait.
Alas I and the car's copybook have been blotted. Whilst in the lock-up the battery when flat. I normally check on it every few weeks, but travel has been plentiful lately, and I've neglected the old girl.
The battery is 100% dead and the car won't unlock. I've tried both keys and nothing. It is the facelift model, so there is only a keyslot in the boot lock. The keys turn the barrel, but the boot will not release !! The boot is where the battery is Seems these cars use a combination of power and vacuum for their locks.
I think the only non-destructive way forward it to jack up the car, to access the starter motor, and get enough power into the car to release the boot. Not looking forward to that, as it is a dark cramped lockup. HoHum.