Biggest Pagoda "Fibs"

[dtuttle123]

Thought it might be interesting to start a list of the biggest fibs, lies, mis-truths that you have heard over the years about our cars...

"It's 100% rust free"
"I'm selling this car for a friend"
"All these parts will fit any 230SL, 250SL or 280SL model"
"NOS"
"It has 36,000 original miles"
"It was running when we put it away 5 years ago..."
"These key blanks are rare and hard to get"

What have you heard?

Doug
250SL, 4-Speed, Orient Red

[mdsalemi]

Frankly I have not dealt with people who make such claims.  Call it good luck.

But I can safely say that there are probably many cars that "were running when put away 5 years ago"; meaningless 5 years later!

...goes to the first question the restorers ask: "It hasn't been sitting long, has it?"

Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red 568G w/Black Leather (Restored)
President, International Stars Section
Mercedes-Benz Club of America

[Richard Madison]

Doug:

Here are a few. They all happened to me.

When asking about a car For Sale that was not nearby:

"Yes, it's the original color"  (Truth: Original color was Beige, now it was Bright Yellow.)

"All the body parts, engine, and dirve train are original" (Truth: the numbers on the hood did not match the car number and both fenders were obvious replacements.)

Then there was the "Buyer" who gave me a down payment on the Pagoda I was selling, "I'll have the rest of the price to you by FedEx next week." (Actual: Two weeks later he asked for his "non-refundable deposit back.)

How about the mechanic who said, "It'll be about $750 for the whole job". (Actual: $1,800, Well, we found a few more problems."

A major parts supplier: "We'll ship the part in two days. You'll have it less than a week."  Actual (when asking about the status a week later: "Sorry, we were out of stock and the supplier in Poland is too busy to fill the shipping container. My boss has to go to Poland and fill it himself. It's going to take about three months."

I'll stop here, it's too painful to think of more.

Richard M, NYC

[paulr]

heres one....

Rare chance to get a set of 3 NOS key blanks for the 113 Pagoda like 230SL - 250SL - 280SL 1963-1971

Only these style fits the car, the lanks can be copied at the local key maker with the original cars key - rare chance won´t come again!

[Moderator: link removed. Search Ebay for "key blanks"]

paulr
1970 280 SL

[Jonny B]

One I like is how a lot of parts, literature, etc. is advertised as "rare" and then with a price starting at $0.99. Then combine "rare" with "113" and we have a bonanza in the making!

Jonny B
1967 250SL Auto

[Benz Dr.]

It's a rust free car. You buy the car and the rust is free.

I'm sellling this for a friend. We won't be when it's all over......

All these parts fit this car. They also fit other cars, most of which are American or British.

NOS? Does that stand for Not Overly Satisfied?

It has 36,000 original miles. All the other miles are NOT original and are cheap copies.

It was running when I put it away. Only the engine though, the trans is broken.

These parts are rare. In fact, they're so rare, no one has a clue what they're for or what car they belong to.

Dan Caron's
 SL Barn
benzbarn@ebtech.net
 slbarn.mbz.org
  1 877 661 6061

[benzportland]

A few of my favorites:

1.  It comes with everything it had when new.

2.  It has no problems I am aware of.

3.  The a/c just needs to be recharged.

4.  When we repainted it we used actual signal red.  

5.  That's just surface rust.

6.  It's a Mercedes - they run forever and require nothing  

[dtuttle123]

Here's a few more:

"This is a California car"
"A replacement soft top is only $350"

[TheEngineer]

About those key blanks: The original keys have a black plastic handle. You can buy at your MB dealer P/N A000 766 44 06 (Schluesselkopf - Key Head). It fits over the metal handle of the replacement key. Don't ever insert the W113 key in the lock of a W124. It is almost impossible to remove, but goes in smoothly. It's like a trap! Don't ask me how I know!

'69 280SL,Signal Red,Automatic,retired engineer, West-Seattle,WA

[abe280SL]

"Cream Puff",  I love that discription.
abe

abe
1968 280SL Auto
Signal Red w Beige Int

[Douglas]

Here are my favorites:


"28,500 miles on the odometer — we have no way to confirm if this is accurate, but judging by this pristine car, we believe it is!"

"One of the finest examples on the planet"

"former show car"

"Exported from Germany"

"Rare automatic transmission"

"Just needs a little TLC"

"Not a speck of rust on the doors, hood or trunk lid!"



Douglas Kim
New York
USA

[psmith]

How about: "It was owned by a Mercedes mechanic"

Pete S.

[JPMOSE]

"It was woman owned"

"Owned by a nice old lady who only drove it on Sundays"

Best Regards,

J. P. Mose
1968 250SL
1987 560SL

[Mike Hughes]

quote:Originally posted by JPMOSE

"It was woman owned"

"Owned by a nice old lady who only drove it on Sundays"

Best Regards,

J. P. Mose
1968 250SL
1987 560SL

A derivitive of this one goes:

"...one lady owner, only driven in parking lots on Sundays."

Of course, she was the reigning B/P autocross champion in the area at the time!   ;^)



- Mike Hughes  -ô¿ô-
  1966 230SL Auto P/S
  Havanna Brown (408)
  Light Beige (181)
  Cream M-B Tex (121)

[dseretakis]

It had a rotisserie restoration and full underbody detail.  Yeah, why don't you explain the rusty fuel lines and gaping holes in the floor.

[Bob G ✝︎]

The most famous one "All orginal" including the engine oil filter that were never changed for  some 20 years. All of us, including myself, have had to put money into these cars to improve them. Some more than others and some down to every last nut and screw.

We are all perhaps the true Pagoda die hards and I bet if you are married, like me, everytime I see another Pagoda SL it's like seeing a movie star crossing the street. You loose what conversation you were engaged in with you better part and home in like radar on to that other Pagoda. It could be Brad Pitt, who cares!!!! I want to see the car.

My wife laughs but even she now points them out if we cross another, and deep in my mind I so much want to do so much more to mine forgetting how fortunate I am to own one.
 
My "metal mistress" my wife calls it. She says I take more care of it than I do of her. I love them both equally, but I don't sleep with my Pagoda yet!

Bob & Sharon Geco
1968 280SL

[JPMOSE]

"Never been wet in it's life"

"Never driven in rain"....sometimes this is true with specialty cars that's a extra car originally purchased for pleasure only.

Best Regards,

J. P. Mose
1968 250SL
1987 560SL

[Chad]

Will try not to buy anymore older cars.  Have bought too many in the past.  Used to be you could find honest straightforward sellers selling straightforward cars.  Very unlikely today.  This pretty much goes for everything in daily affairs anymore though.

1967 230SL

[paulr]

oh dear.

quote:Originally posted by Chad

Will try not to buy anymore older cars.  Have bought too many in the past.  Used to be you could find honest straightforward sellers selling straightforward cars.  Very unlikely today.  This pretty much goes for everything in daily affairs anymore though.

1967 230SL

paulr
1970 280 SL

[Shvegel]

I should be able to get it in paint for around $10,000...Don"t ask.

[Garry]

Should take me about three months in total to strip and paint.  2 1/2 years later %$&^#@!

Garry Marks
Australia
69 280SL Manual
02 320ML
05 A200