Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

Anyone have an experience of the Mercedes Benz S205 C350e Wagon?

Have finally sold the Alfa Romeo and provided work returns to relative normalcy soon I'm considering one as a replacement...

Edit: That's a C450 in the picture...

Were none

once the finance is sorted you can often just call up within the "cooling off period" and pay it off without interest. within consumer rights iirc

Asked about this a page or so back as would like to know how it all works. Do dealers lose out on their commision if the finance gets paid off early? Am looking at getting a used volvo and we could potentially buy outright, but if I can get a better deal financing and paying off right after then quite keen. From what I've read it doesn't sound like there's going to be the post lockdown drop in prices I'd hoped for.

Whats the reason for paying it off so early? If it costs the same in the end why not just sit on the cash and let it slowly drip out

Presumably because you don't end up paying the interest so works out much cheaper.

could also consider getting a loan from the bank for the readies if you get a better rate with them.

I had another chat today with Krzysztof the DPD delivery driver with the 1000bhp Audi. Only a brief chat, as he's got deliveries to make, but it appears it's a 5 pot 2.1 litre block, as found in an ur-Quattro and Audi 200, standard crank but non-standard rods and pistons. Running 3.8 bar boost apparently. Big turbo, but he didn't know what kind. He still fancies a race against the RS6.

What fuel is he running to allow 3.8 bar, or is his compression plate dropping him to 7:1 or similar?

No decompression plate. I'm assuming the rods and pistons drop the compression.

Does your local Morrison’s have a toluene pump?

Morrison's? I live in East Anglia, not the fucking North.

They used to sell E85 in Morrisons here in London’s famous London.

Looks like new car day will be happening next week.

It's not actually new. It is actually a car. It's really not what I was planning to buy but I'm rather looking forward to it...

Yeah I think maybe he meant 2.8 bar? 3.8 is over 50psi, the 700whp cars make do with 30psi with a GT42Rs. Probably a 2.2 /7A or something though.

My dads new car (ordered in December) was supposed to be delivered in March.

Being delivered next week because of lockdown.

Delay means new tax rules and a £960 rise in first year tax. Ouch.

Third time lucky

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Munich Legends are going to sort this out?

Yes is the short story haha

Wheel nerds...

If I wanted to achieve the same fitment as an ET35 wheel with an ET25 wheel do I add a 10mm spacer or is not possible?

For an increase in offset add a spacer of __mm and a decrease in offset is not possible? Seems like a stupid question but it also seems like there are a lot of idiots answering it on the internet causing confusion...

Negative shim time.

The larger the ET the closer to the centreline of the vehicle the hub face is.

So an ET25 wheel plus a 10mm spacer should be equivalent to an ET35 wheel.

All else being equal - if the wheels are different widths then you might want them to be in different (relative) positions to clear for e.g. the suspension strut.

Unless I've got this the wrong way round.

Use this. Less faff than internet arguments.

https://www.willtheyfit.com/

Unless I've got this the wrong way round.

This is the danger... I'm fairly sure you're right though, or at least it makes sense to me that way?

So I'm collecting this next week...

2006 R53 Cooper S manual w/ panoramic sunroof.
156,000km original Irish car.
Full service history including original sales receipt.
New NCT (MOT) this Saturday.
All major servicing done with the exception of supercharger oil change.

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Short term plan is to just enjoy driving it ,do the supercharger oil change and make sure everything is tickety boo.

Longer term I've a few modifications planned, nothing major.

16x8 ET35 wheels (as below, they look great and Irish roads suck so more rubber is a benefit).
Coilovers would be a nice addition for a tiny bit of a drop on those chubby tyres.

Most likely a few interior mods, potentially a rear seat delete to help with squeezing bike in back.

Would love a set of these seats eventually. Try and aim for a sort of low key Porsche RS inspired classic club racer vibe.

Should be fun though.