Sold my A2!!

Birchall

Birchall

Dick Chown Award 2016
As some of you know, I was hoping to buy back my “holy grail” project car (below)
B654CCA0-7DD0-4985-8DFA-3F1B0C850F66.jpeg


Unfortunately the current owner is so happy with it that he has just confirmed that he is pretty sure that he will not be selling it for a long time.

This is understandable but bad news for me.
I have decided that I don’t want to settle for (a very close) second best and so I have sold my silver A2 to my son.

I work in Mercedes Benz World and I am surrounded by Mercs and AMGs all day and I have been looking through the whole range of older models and I have finally found one that I want.
I have just bought a good example for less than the sale price of my A2!

It is a 2003 CL500 and it has a 5 litre V8 and lots and lots of “toys”
Active Body Control suspension, heated/cooled massaging seats, full leather, keyless entry, xenon headlights, TV, etc etc. List price when new £100,000.
B23B5F54-426D-40C8-8D46-A8CA9533CAE3.jpeg
Only done 62,000 miles. I bought it for £3,750!!!!
I couldn’t resist. I would have kept the A2 as well but I only have space for 1 car.
oh well, we still have my wife’s stunning red Storm.

I will still be an active A2OC member and attend socials (whenever they are allowed) again.

I feel a bit guilty but I tend to change my cars after very short ownership.

Steve B
 
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Birchall said:
As sone of you know, I was hoping to buy back my “holy grail” project car View attachment 71292

Unfortunately the current owner is so happy with it that he has just confirmed that he is pretty sure that he will not be selling it for a long time.

This is understandable but bad news for me.
I have decided that I don’t want to settle for (a very close) second best and so I have sold my silver A2 to my son.

I work in Mercedes Benz World and I am surrounded by Mercs and AMGs all day and I have been looking through the whole range of older models and I have finally found one that I want.
I have just bought a good example for less than the sale price of my A2!

It is a 2003 CL500 and it has a 5 litre V8 and lots and lots of “toys”
Active Body Control suspension, heated/cooled massaging seats, full leather, keyless entry, xenon headlights, TV, etc etc. List price when new £100,000.
View attachment 71294Only done 62,000 miles. I bought it for £3,750!!!!
I couldn’t resist. I would have kept the A2 as well but I only have space for 1 car.
oh well, we still have my wife’s stunning red Storm.

I will still be an active A2OC member and attend socials (whenever they are allowed again.

I feel a bit guilty but I tend to change my cars after very short ownership.

Steve B
Click to expand...
I wish you best of luck with that one Steve I had the SL amg version with abc same engine the most expensive car repairs bills I’ve ever had ..I spent more on that one than I did on 5 Porsche 911s ..nice sound ..and good in a straight line ...had it for less than a year ..picky when I found it huge history file ..£10 of thousands spent ...your probably fully aware of the abc issues £1500 + a corner ?..and it doesn't end there ..but nice to say you have had one for a while ..enjoy it but sell it on before probs start ..?
 

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Birchall said:
As sone of you know, I was hoping to buy back my “holy grail” project car View attachment 71292

Unfortunately the current owner is so happy with it that he has just confirmed that he is pretty sure that he will not be selling it for a long time.

This is understandable but bad news for me.
I have decided that I don’t want to settle for (a very close) second best and so I have sold my silver A2 to my son.

I work in Mercedes Benz World and I am surrounded by Mercs and AMGs all day and I have been looking through the whole range of older models and I have finally found one that I want.
I have just bought a good example for less than the sale price of my A2!

It is a 2003 CL500 and it has a 5 litre V8 and lots and lots of “toys”
Active Body Control suspension, heated/cooled massaging seats, full leather, keyless entry, xenon headlights, TV, etc etc. List price when new £100,000.
View attachment 71294Only done 62,000 miles. I bought it for £3,750!!!!
I couldn’t resist. I would have kept the A2 as well but I only have space for 1 car.
oh well, we still have my wife’s stunning red Storm.

I will still be an active A2OC member and attend socials (whenever they are allowed again.

I feel a bit guilty but I tend to change my cars after very short ownership.

Steve B
Click to expand...
Wow!! That’s a LOT of car for the money!!! Enjoy the slight difference in economy ?
 
greywolfhound said:
I wish you best of luck with that one Steve I had the SL amg version with abc same engine the most expensive car repairs bills I’ve ever had ..I spent more on that one than I did on 5 Porsche 911s ..nice sound ..and good in a straight line ...had it for less than a year ..picky when I found it huge history file ..£10 of thousands spent ...your probably fully aware of the abc issues £1500 + a corner ?..and it doesn't end there ..but nice to say you have had one for a while ..enjoy it but sell it on before probs start ..?
Click to expand...
Very true and I am expecting it to need sone time in the workshop but as I work for Mercedes Benz I do get parts at cost price and reduced labour charges, so it may still be eye watering costs but as you say, nice to own a luxury car for a while.

Steve B
 
Halduck said:
That thing is dying for lpg!

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Click to expand...
I just have a 6 mile drive to work each day and I think that I can put up with <20mpg on some nice runs occasionally.

I don’t own cars long enough to recover the cost of an LPG conversion, but a sensible suggestion if it was going to be a long term ownership. I change my cars as often as I change my underpants ? so LPG is not for me!

Steve B
 
Steve,

Shame to hear that ‘The Holy Grail’ will not be returning to your ownership anytime soon.

I so wanted to see this special A2 at a social, like you say, whenever they are allowed. Be good to meet up anyway regardless of what you’ll be arriving in.

Do keep dropping in as your posts are always a good read sir.

Kind regards,

Tom
 
Birchall said:
Active Body Control suspension, heated/cooled massaging seats, full leather, keyless entry, xenon headlights, TV, etc etc. List price when new £100,000.
Only done 62,000 miles. I bought it for £3,750!!!!
Click to expand...

That's a depreciation of almost £5,700 pa or £1.55 a mile! And £100 grand would be worth a lot more in today's money.
Edit: corrected the above figs.

Lucky you to have the opportunity at the expense of all the previous owners. Steve, enjoy the car while it has some life left in it :)
 
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It's actually around a 17.5% reduction on average every year for the last 17 years! Ouch

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Well, as I see it, he either loves the car so much he will never let it go, or he's holding out for a better offer or he's messed around with it and is ashamed to sell it back.
Either way, it must break your heart not to be able to get it back..
 
Something i'd always fancied, a slice of luxury, which i've fulfilled via Lexus. Hoovies on youtube put me off Mercedes. Kudos though for your choice.
 
johnyfartbox said:
Well, as I see it, he either loves the car so much he will never let it go, or he's holding out for a better offer or he's messed around with it and is ashamed to sell it back.
Either way, it must break your heart not to be able to get it back..
Click to expand...
Thankfully it is just because he loves the car so much. He is a decent bloke and in no way is holding out for more money.
He has also pampered the car and the guys at WOM will confirm that. He gets them to do any servicing etc so he is doing everything right!!!

Steve B
 
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