motor

RC45 · 11-03-2003, 12:45 PM

Just got back from my ultimate road trip.

A friend of mine asked me to fly with him to Florida on Friday at lunch time to go fetch his new 2003 Sport package equipped SL500 - and help him drive it back to Houston.

Well - 17 hours 59 minutes, 1189 miles and 51 gallons of gas later we arrived in Houston - average trip speed, 67 miles per hour.

The SL500 is the ultimate long distance tourer - bar none!! It is the ULTIMATE people mover!

I suggest GM crush every XLR that comes off the production line to save face...

That is 18 hours TOTAL travel time - including potty breaks, gas stops and a couple nice long food stops.

There is nothing like blasting down I10 at 4am doing 110mph in the worlds best Grand Tourer.

p.s. I know I posted this story in the Convertible Poll - but I figured a new topic post was an ok way to become a more active member on JW..

1zippo1 · 11-03-2003, 12:53 PM

How nice. Wish I had been in your place...

Jabba · 11-03-2003, 12:58 PM

p.s. I know I posted this story in the Convertible Poll - but I figured a new topic post was an ok way to become a more active member on JW..

Sure is...do you have any exterior pictures of the SL500 RC45 ?

RC45 · 11-03-2003, 01:05 PM

I shot a little video on the trip - him picking up the car, and then at a few rest stops. We have yet to take it out for a "photo op".. LOL..

BTW, both of us had severe flu for the whole trip, that's why we decided to leave Palm Beach straight from the dealer - and not hang around in Florida for a few days.

We could have got into a bit of trouble - a fold-away top Benz and South Florida can mean great fun. I can see the wives faces now "Uhm - we have to stay in Florida for a week honey - yes, that's right on the beach front.. I know it's terrible - don't phone us we may be at business meetings.."

LOL

hemi_fan · 11-03-2003, 04:26 PM

hahha "business meetings" lmao

scubywrxr · 11-03-2003, 04:58 PM

My dad agrees with you RC45 .. So we are going to be picking up his new sl500 with panoramic roof in 4-5 weeks time.. nice combo of Silver with Berry red interior.. no sports pack though.. coz he says he wants to savour that on his black on black sl55

, expected delivery end of 2005 early 2006(thats how long the waiting list is in SA :roll: )

11-04-2003, 02:23 AM

Originally Posted by scubywrxr

My dad agrees with you RC45 .. So we are going to be picking up his new sl500 with panoramic roof in 4-5 weeks time.. nice combo of Silver with Berry red interior.. no sports pack though.. coz he says he wants to savour that on his black on black sl55

, expected delivery end of 2005 early 2006(thats how long the waiting list is in SA :roll: )

LUCKY FUCKIN DOG

scubywrxr · 11-04-2003, 02:46 PM

^Yeah ... I know.. this time of the year is always good for me ..

Supernintendo Chalme · 11-12-2003, 02:29 AM

I'm jealous. I'd love nothing more than to hop in a nice car and take off on a long, long drive. I've been thinking about this a lot lately. What is the absolute best car for a long distance trip?

I remember reading a story in Automobile mag last year, they sent a couple of guys on the infamous Gumball 3000 and called up Brock Yates (Grandpappy of the Cannonball Run) for advice on what to take. Based on his recommendations they took an SL500 (surprise, surprise). Now obviously, this is a solid choice but is there anything better. My thinking is that the SL, being a two seater, might get a little cramped after eight hours or so. That said, a proper four door may be overkill (I should mention that I'm operating on a two person trip assumption) so let's look at two plus twos. The names that come to mind for me are the Ferrari 456M, the Bentley GT, the Aston Martin DB7 Vantage, and the MB CL600. After careful consideration I've ruled out the Ferrari for being too frantic (an assumption), I imagine it would be too shrill after some time. I'm not a big fan of the GT, at first I thought it was beautiful but the more I see of it, the more I think it's just posing, not a real Bentley - it just plays one on TV. I know for a fact that the Aston's cabin, though beautiful, would be too confining (I get claustrophobic). And that leaves me with the CL600. It's quite, comfortable, and brutally fast. I'm pretty sure it's got that laser guided cruise control as well. It's kind of funny, If I were to become immensely wealthy tomorrow, I probably wouldn't think to buy a CL, what's the point when you can take the roof down on an SL? But for a cross-country run, the CL600 would be my choice.

Anyone else given thought to the ultimate long-distance cruiser?

BTW, I just did a spell check, does anyone else find it strange that it doesn't recognise the word 'ferrari'?

RC45 · 11-12-2003, 02:51 AM

If you want to reach Warp-Factor 9, just take the SL600 - same engine as the CL600, just that with the SL, you get to pop the top open as you arrive in your destination city - and that was the crowning part of the whole trip - when we made the last 30 miles of the trip with the top down.

scubywrxr · 11-12-2003, 02:04 PM

^ Just like what one famous motoring vid journalist said, its the swiss army knife of cars...

adlinyusman · 11-21-2003, 01:28 AM

ayayaya...such a nice car to be spending so much time in. I wish I had the chance to do what you did. I took my 355 for a 300km trip, and at the end of the journey, my back hurt so much i could barely get up. Wish i had enough money to buy a Modena Stradale tho..but i don't think that car's gonna do any favours for my back either...