I Gave My Mercedes 500SL Away

by Rosalind Gardner on December 28, 2009

in Personal Musings

Yes, it’s true. I GAVE my 500SL (an AMG version no less) away over Christmas.

I donated it to the automotive program at Okanagan College in Kelowna.

ML500 goes away

My reasons were many-fold.

  1. We needed the space it was taking up in the garage for Ed’s brand-new Ford Lariat pickup truck.
  2. I didn’t drive it at all last year.
  3. It was besotted with electrical problems, i.e. you couldn’t drive it without charging it first, even after spending almost 3 grand to get the computer control unit fixed. (Yes, I have an ongoing issue with Mercedes over this).
  4. The car was too big. Rather, the driver’s seat was too big for me. If I wanted to haul a** up the 3A curves westbound from 97, I would be thrown around in the seat. Ergo, I either needed a 5-point harness to be able to drive the thing properly (properly meaning foot-to-the-floor around those corners) or get a seat that fit me.
  5. Lastly, but most importantly, I’ve gone very green and a gas-guzzler like the 500SL doesn’t exactly fit my lifestyle.

Regardless, it was with a lump in my throat and the hint of a tear in my eye that I said goodbye to this beautiful piece of machinery as it left for points north.

Sniff.

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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }

Henery Schaffer December 28, 2009 at 7:59 pm

Nice writing style. I look forward to reading more in the future.

Annette December 30, 2009 at 4:24 pm

Ah, Rosalind. My heart hurts for you. Though your reasons all make perfect sense, and will be ones I keep in mind if/when I ever shop for an AMG (cause boy oh boy do I love those cars!), it had to have hurt to see it go.

So what are you driving now?

Rosalind Gardner December 30, 2009 at 4:31 pm

Hi Annette,

Ah thanks! It’s OK, I think I’m over it now. It’s nice that Ed can park inside now that it’s snowing to beat the band.

Besides, I still drive a Mercedes, a 2003 ML350. :-)

Cheers,
Ros

iphonekönig January 3, 2010 at 3:58 am

happy new year – love your blog

Lee January 9, 2010 at 12:59 pm

Ouch!!! Awesome that you are going green though. Apparently in 2010 Mercedes will be launching their 100% electric cars, so when your sick of the ML350 you can go SUPER green :)

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