I used to be a car guy. The piles of junk I have owned over the years makes me weep to contemplate. Some I truly miss, especially the '65 Alfa GT. Some I couldn't get rid of quickly enough.Still, I have a fantasy garage. The garage is mostly filled with cars that I would love to have, but have very little desire to own. My Range Rover County is an example. I'd love the yard sculpture, but the aggravation would drive me insane. Others are cars I would enjoy having, but really how much is too much.
Not that I am yet willing to consider a rice burner. I am still repulsed by the notion of approaching a stop light and finding 6 other cars exactly like mine waiting for me. I'd sooner walk. However, there is something to be said for a car that is as reliable as your kitchen stove. Maybe when I am younger.
So, the other day I was paying my annual property tax bill on my two cars, Camilla whom you have met, and my daily driver, an 1989 Mercedes 190 E Sedan. I hope the Benz will see me out, because as cars go, I kinda like it. Anyway the tax on the two cars is $46, so I can barely afford to be rid of them.
But still. I have always, maybe even in the womb, had a thing for luxury station wagons. It was a market niche that did not exist until recently. In my era if you wanted a wagon you got a Country Squire, and my dad was way too cool for a station wagon. I remember asking why Cadillac did not make a wagon and was told no one wanted a luxury kid hauler. I did. So what if I was 10.
So over the weekend I see one of the cars of my dreams for sale. An 80's Benz Diesel wagon. Maybe has 250,000 miles on it. Still smells like new. All for only $1000.
If ever you are in want of a little sport, try and talk Mrs. T into the practicality of owning a 20+ year old station wagon with a quarter million miles on the clock. If that's not sport enough try doing it the day you write the check for the property tax on the house.
For now it goes into the fantasy garage, next to the Rover, on the wall opposite the 1965 Ferrari 330 GT, which I would love to have in the barn, but have no desire to own.
Toad
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10 comments:
I've always liked a wagon, but never had one. When I bought the BMW I was looking for a wagon, but the salesman gave me a zippy little 330i to test drive and all thoughts of a wagon flew out the window.
Now see I would love to thave that wagon. I also want a 1965 Mercedes 300 SE or any year prior to 1980. My dream car is actually a 1965 Mercedes 230 SL. Yeah I also would love a 1957 Ford Station Wagon as a daily driver. I'm funny that way. They were such solid cars.
Boy that diesel wagon is definitely me. Did you come on this by happenstance, were you looking for something like this, or somewhere between the two?
A benz wagon has been in the bck of mind near forever, but it wasn't until an blurb in Sunday's NYT automobile section got me looking again.
I love their iconic shape, and how damn slow they are, 0-60 in under a season. Impractical as all get out in the cold, and now diesel has become somewhat costly comparred to gas.
For all that I am likely to get one, just not this week. Craigslist is an excellant source.
Were we separated at birth? Just before the holidays I was desperately bidding on an 8 year old white Benz wagon with 180,000 miles on Ebay and I lost. I nearly cried. It was beautiful. I would have given it such a loving home!
After that I want an Afla Spider, a Volvo wagon (Reagan era) and a Land Rover.
That's my fantasy garage. Sigh.
I've had 2 Alfa Spiders, an 80 red Volvo wagon, would like to have but not own a Rover defender or County.
If you are interested, I'll put you in touch with the benz wagon owner
Toad,
If you want the wagon just remind the Mrs. what wonderful couches they make.
A couple of friends of mine have those wagons and they've coverted them from diesel to bio-fuel (aka cooking oil). That's the car i've always wanted.
I've had a succession of Volvo wagons since I was 16 and even found an automatic one when I lived in Wales. (Couldn't fathom doing the gears on the wrong side, as well as learning the 25 mile drive to work through the valleys everyday!)
While I have heard of running these on cooking oil, I can't fathom sourcing it in quanity. Darn things will run on just about everything though. I had a 300 D for a bit that very occasionally would run on gasonline.
I've had the very same conversation with Mrs. G. concerning some very similar 1980s diesel Benz's, and yet a Honda civic still sits in the driveway.
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