Author Topic: How often do you spot another Pagoda ? (Read 534884 times)

Cees Klumper · « **on:** August 11, 2003, 13:16:29 »

I thought it might be interesting to share our experiences - last week, I saw another (white) W113 on the highway, in regular traffic. A very rare sight here in The Netherlands (excluding classic car events of course). I think that, by and large, I run into some 10 Pagoda's annually this way.

How is your experience in this regard?

1969 280 SL automatic

rwmastel · « **Reply #1 on:** August 11, 2003, 13:24:02 »

I saw a beige/gold one a couple months ago, perhaps the one for sale at the tech session. I also met an off-white one after work a few weeks ago. He joined the forum after I spoke with him! Other than these two, I saw a silver one on the highway about 3 years ago, when I was still shopping for one. So, about 1 per year?

Rodd
1966 230SL Euro
1994 E420

n/a · « **Reply #2 on:** August 11, 2003, 14:00:02 »

There are a couple in my neighborhood. There was a nice blue one in a shop near my house and I saw a green one go down my street. Wasn't in a position to chase him down. I'd guess I see one at least once a month. There is a very active MB dealer in town that's been here for years. I'd guess he sold a bunch of SLs of all numbers. I had a woman come up to me one day while I was working on mine who said she had a 190 years ago.

Anyone out there from the Mid-Atlantic MBCA Section? I'm considering rejoining now that my car is running. Pointless unless there are local folks.

n/a · « **Reply #3 on:** August 11, 2003, 14:27:08 »

It all depends where I drive...
In New York City, it is very rare to spot one (or it is doug or Richard racing on 5Th Avenue).
Whereas on Eastern Long Island, when weather is good it is customary to spot 2 to 5 a day on weekends...!!
Saw a silver one in average condition and a nice metallic blue yesterday...a brown one in poor condition and a black one ok on saturday....but weather was not the best.
By the way, I spent my weekend putting flyers on windshields of pagodas inviting owners to join our NY/NJ parade next sunday...don't know how successfull it was....
I also saw a nice 280 SE 3.5 convertible, whose owner also has a 280sl..but down in florida!!

Fabrice
Silver 1971 280 SL
New York City

Cees Klumper · « **Reply #4 on:** August 11, 2003, 14:44:21 »

Shawn - how about organizing a get-together with other Mid-Atlantic W113 enthusiasts? Summer is still here and there MUST be several W113 owners in your neck-of-the-woods who would like to compare notes?

bayleif · « **Reply #5 on:** August 11, 2003, 14:49:46 »

Since I've owned my most recent Pagoda (a year and a half):
1) A white and tan automatic with a child seat in the passenger side (as opposed to the parcel shelf) in Friburg Germany while on vacation last Oct. Shortly after that we went to the Octoberfest. My wife is finally speaking to me again but that is another story.
2) A white and tan 4 speed in my neighborhood with a 4 sale sign on it. The person selling it for a friend became my friend and really helped me straighten out some of the problems I was having. Unfortunately, he moved away.
3) A white and tan I think it was an automatic in Sedona Arizona. My wife made me take her on vacation there if I wanted her to speak to me again after the trouble I was in from the Octoberfest...but that is another story.
4) About two weeks ago while I was at a light in my SL a guy in a recent model Jaguar pulled up and told me he had one just like mine (red and black).
I invited all except the car in Friburg (my German isn't good enough although it did get a lot better for a while at the Octoberfest) to join our club. But I don't think that any of them did.

Chuck Bartlett
1969 Signal Red 4 Speed

Cees Klumper · « **Reply #6 on:** August 11, 2003, 15:00:51 »

Chuck - tell us the other story please! My wife is very understanding fortunately.

A colleague of mine who saw my 280 SL for the first time today could not really say why he never gets the compliments that I get on my Pagoda on his own pristine 2002 BMW 5-series.

And that's probably "Freiburg" there in the Old Country Germany ...

We are working on producing postcard-sized flyers to hand out to fellow-enthusiasts at traffic lights etc. Stay tuned ...

n/a · « **Reply #7 on:** August 11, 2003, 15:05:42 »

I see one most days on my 3 mile drive to work (beige with wire wheels), the poor slobs often leave it out, even in the rain. If I head 1 mile the other way from my house, there is a brown one, also often lives under a car cover or tent, not a beauty like mine. there are a few others within a 5 mile radius, or I can head to wolfgang's in tenefly and see a few.

-Lewis, closter, NJ

'66 230 sl 113042-10-016238
67 saab sonett II #43 of 258
99 saab 9-5
00 saab 9-3 viggen conv

graphic66 · « **Reply #8 on:** August 11, 2003, 15:51:24 »

The first one I saw 7 years ago for sale in my town, looked at it and fell in love. Unfortunately I have the champagne taste and beer budget. 4 years later a customer was in my shop and mentioned he had a couple of cars for sale, one was the very same 230SL I had looked at 4 years earlier. The price was less than half what he had paid, as at the time the stock market was kicking and he just wanted to get cash to invest, my gain his loss. I purchased it immediatly and 4 hours later was offered $3500.00 more than I had paid, however love has no price and I fell down the rabbit hole. The next one I saw was in Pheonix, AZ in a dealer showroom as I was passing through. The next was my friend who had sold me mine, under pressure from his wife to replace her car that he had sold to me showed up with, a bondo filled badly painted wore out 250SL that he paid to much for and ended up selling at a great loss. Then one day a person followed me into a store and said he had a car like mine for sale, a complete 250Sl rusted out totaly in a hedge row covered in poison ivy, he wanted $800.00. Now I have purchased 2 out of the first three I had ever seen. The next and last one I spotted was a very nice white 280SL parked in Hermosa Beach Cali, luckily it wasnt for sale, however I dont think you can have to many cars especially Mercedes 113's. I am always looking and have only seen 4 and bought 2 of them.

George Davis · « **Reply #9 on:** August 11, 2003, 16:25:53 »

In the past 2 years, I've seen perhaps a dozen Pagodas in Portland, OR; plus 6 or 7 at a gathering in Los Gatos, CA; plus two in Carmel, CA; and one in Washington. I've only ever seen one while driving my Pagoda (other than in Los Gatos); it was on one of my first drives in the car. The other owner waved, and I tried to wave back but got my hand tangled in the steering wheel!

George Davis
'69 280 SL Euro manual

n/a · « **Reply #10 on:** August 11, 2003, 19:02:05 »

Would you believe I see 3 or 4 every day, 7 days a week? Well I do.

Rudy
Los Angeles
1971 280 SL

Joe · « **Reply #11 on:** August 11, 2003, 19:34:18 »

I saw two here in Colorado Springs last week, oddly enough. Both white on white, and both had hard tops on. They might have possibly been the same car.
Saw two near Austin, Texas in June, one an open convertible, silver blue, and the other red, with the hard top on.
The first one I ever saw, as best I can recall, was in Hilo, Hawaii in late 1968. I was standing just in front of a bridge, probably shirtless, trying to hitch a ride back to Ookala, and a striking woman zipped by in an open 113. I distracted her, I guess, and she swerved to correct her path after looking at me and glanced off the curb on the bridge. I hoped she would return for her hubcap, but she didn't. If she had, perhaps my life would have been different. Her hair was blonde, I recall, but I don't remember the color of the car. Now, I would remember the color of the car and not the other details.
Joe

Cees Klumper · « **Reply #12 on:** August 11, 2003, 23:36:18 »

When I was on a business trip in Mexico City early 2001 I saw only one classic car during the week I was there: a beautiful white W113 (of course there are also hundreds of thousands of VW beetles).

I imagine California and Florida must have the highest concentrations of Pagoda's anywhere in the world, and possibly the French Riviera still. And, in those climates, I can imagine you see them on the road frequently.

Longtooth · « **Reply #13 on:** August 11, 2003, 23:39:57 »

Generally on street, traffic, parking, etc. I see maybe 2/month (different ones) in South Bay Area (SF Bay Area) & environs. On a week-end in Napa Valley summer it's almost guarenteed to see at least 1 or 2 per day on a sunny week-end.

I have noticed a tendancy to see more in LA and Orange County coastal area's (Newport, etc), and San Diego on any specific journey in that area.

Specifically, however I see 1 or 2 a week at the location of my restorer friend.... either in some state of restoration or from a prospective or past client. Most of these don't end up being sold to Californians ==== easterner's & other countries love the rust-free California SL's... so they're generally bought by out of state or out of country clients.... so I don't get to see them driving around after they're restored.

Longtooth
67 250SL US #113-043-10-002163
95 SL500

Sphe · « **Reply #14 on:** August 12, 2003, 00:32:55 »

I would say I see them 1-3 times a week. [Troy NY]

Ben · « **Reply #15 on:** August 12, 2003, 01:47:15 »

Interesting topic !

Before I bought mine I had only ever seen Pagodas at car shows, and over the previous 10 years only 2 of them. When I started looking for mine I came across 1 locally which was not for sale.

Recently, this summer, whilst out driving mine I see on average 1 a month. I havent seen another for quite a while but one day last month I passed 4 on the same day, a black with black hardtop on, a silver blue with hardtop on, another silver blue with soft top, and a gold/green with black hard top on.

At a car show last month I met a few owners with their cars, a silver '64 230SL, a beige 65 230SL, and navy blue 280 SL and the most immaculate vehicle I'd ever seen a silver 280SL !

Regards,
Ben in Ireland.
'64 230SL 4sp.

Albert-230SL · « **Reply #16 on:** August 12, 2003, 03:52:00 »

Excluding classic car events, and meetings of the Mercedes-Benz Club Spain (where are quite a lot of members with Pagodas), living in Barcelona is not easy to see classic cars here: traffic is intense, and it's really difficult to park in the street, so classic car owners prefer to keep them in the garage, and enjoy them during the weekend... unless you accidentaly met Roger Polls (one of our Board members) who uses his white 230 SL as daily car in Barcelona... even with an special seat for children at the back for his little son!... and coming soon: the second seat for child in his Pagoda!

Regards,

Albert de la Torre Chavalera
Barcelona (Catalunya/Spain)
Feb.'64 230 SL Euro 113042-10-002432

hands_aus · « **Reply #17 on:** August 12, 2003, 05:49:41 »

I rarely, if ever, see another W113 on the road. I use my car as often as I can both during the week and on the week end. The car draws lots of attention from guys of all ages but women never see it.
I know there are other Pagodas in my town/city because I have spoken to the owners on here or Yahoo etc, OR I have seen them at the local MB club meetings.
The MB concourse was on last Sunday with at least 3 cars for judging and 3 others including a LHD car, for display only. Some were presented beautifully and some, well, it is amazing how the cars have been individualized over the years.
I was out one day in my Toyota and there on the side of the road was a 250CE broken down. I pulled over and offered the guy the use of my battery to get him started. I told him I have a 250 SL and he said he knew my car because he had seen me driving it around. Funnily when we introduced ourselves he had the same surname as mine. Freaky!

Bob(Brisbane,Australia)

bayleif · « **Reply #18 on:** August 12, 2003, 11:08:37 »

Cees,
You are right, it was Freiburg. As far as the rest of the story, unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) it didn't involve a Pagoda so I probably shouldn't take up room with that here. Someday, when we meet.

Chuck Bartlett
1969 Signal Red 4 Speed

rwmastel · « **Reply #19 on:** August 12, 2003, 12:22:38 »

quote:
The car draws lots of attention from guys of all ages but women never see it.

Bob - Yes, the only SL my wife ever notices are the brand new ones. Some how, her sense of taste is directly related to price tags.

Rodd
1966 230SL Euro
1994 E420

n/a · « **Reply #20 on:** August 12, 2003, 12:54:03 »

I probably see one or two daily, since we seem to have at least 5 in my town [San Diego CA] that are daily divers for some. There are two older women here that have pristine 280sl's that they've had since new, but as much as I try, they don't seem to want to get rid of them.

Bob G ✝︎ · « **Reply #21 on:** August 12, 2003, 13:07:18 »

You should come to Los Angeles & beverly Hills. Classic car bug has bitten all who can afford it here. It is not rare to see another Pagoda at all with High price Porsches, Mercedes and BMW running around you would think it was the daily driver for this part of town. Pagodas hardely get noticed except by me when I go to chase one down so I can inform the owner of our group.
I have seen some very nice exsamples restored and unrestored driving around my neiborhood. Makes me want to get my car finished .
I kow when these cars were new people used to flash their headlights at each other does anyone do this any more?

Bob Geco

LFrank · « **Reply #22 on:** August 12, 2003, 14:29:13 »

There are five in my neighborhood in Wash., DC, but their owners seem to be reluctant to show these beauties off -- but I took mine to work today! Nevertheless, a pretty rare sight. (Mine, actually, is the first one I ever saw; I bought it a year-and-a-half ago from an estate sale behind my late grandfather's house). And yes, trips to L.A. (2x year) amaze: I usually see three or four, all seemingly pristine; In the hills between San Diego and LA (State Route 79; Aguanga), I pulled my cheesy rental car off into a storm of gravel upon spying a gorgeous 280 sl by an historic chapel. The owner popped out, I told him of our shared interest, but have yet to see any posts from him on my favorite site(s)...California vanity plate "bon bon", where are you?

LFrank
Washington DC
65 230 sl
DB334/Hellblau

n/a · « **Reply #23 on:** August 12, 2003, 16:54:52 »

Hey Bob, if you ever see a gold 280sl with whitewalls, ratty looking, with exhaust hanging low, running around Brentwood, Santa Monica or Venice, give me a beep. I'd beep back but my horns are missing. My lights don't flash either. Did you know in L.A., it's ILLEGAL to flash your headlights? Honest!

Rudy
Los Angeles
1971 280 SL

dwilli3038 · « **Reply #24 on:** August 12, 2003, 20:06:38 »

There are a couple of 113s in Athens (Georgia, USA) and a dozen or so in Atlanta. I usualy see about one per month. 107s I see every day.

Daryl
'64 230 SL

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Author Topic: How often do you spot another Pagoda ? (Read 534884 times)

n/a

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bayleif

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graphic66

George Davis

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Longtooth

Sphe

Ben

Albert-230SL

bayleif

n/a

Bob G ✝︎

LFrank

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dwilli3038