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

£2.98 from Manchester

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CD-CAR-CASSETTE-ADAPTOR-MP3-CD-MD-DVD-PDA-IPOD-MP3-CASSETTE-ADAPTER-3-5MM-JACK-/290882589852?pt=UK_Computing_Sound_Vision_Drive_Head_Lens_Cleaning&hash=item43b9f4149c

£2.98 seems ok. The trouble with paying >£10 is that then I start to think "Well for only another £60 I can get an RDS enabled thing that goes into the aerial socket and charges the iPod."
And then mentally I am already spending a fortune on replacing the stereo....

Which begs the question why don't you change the rear discs and pads, and then it won't need anything, and you'll find it a lot easier to sell.

Have written a few replies ranging from the cocky to sensible.

The rear disc have the hand brake shoes inside the disc. Looked and its not just that, probably needs tyres and needs a few other bits and I'm afraid of getting the while I'm there.

What is the colour of the brake fluid?

Just change it. Just get a litre of DOT4 and be done with it. Can do Thursday. Will pop round with my syringe and tubes. Have you got a jack?

£2.98 seems ok. The trouble with paying >£10 is that then I start to think "Well for only another £60 I can get an RDS enabled thing that goes into the aerial socket and charges the iPod."
And then mentally I am already spending a fortune on replacing the stereo....

Personally, regardless of the intended purpose of the car, I need a half decent sound system. Last couple of trackdays I've had metal blaring out while lapping. For me £60-75 on a used or new head unit with a USB input or iPod cable is well worth it for that added "luxury" factor of having decent sounding music.

Personally, regardless of the intended purpose of the car, I need a half decent sound system. Last couple of trackdays I've had metal blaring out while lapping. For me £60-75 on a used or new head unit with a USB input or iPod cable is well worth it for that added "luxury" factor of having decent sounding music.

Better speakers too.

Yeah. The system in it is a Kenwood with 10 CD changer and it does sound really nice (considering it's a W124 estate with only room for tiny speakers). The speakers themselves are new too.
If I was to change it then I wouldn't be buying another aftermarket unit though. I'd rather find a Mercedes-branded Alpine MF2297 that fitted the interior better, and those a) aren't cheap, and b) don't have ipod inputs either, so then I would still need to convert it.

You can splice into the 10CD changer, I've done it on an old car.

The cable running from the CD changer to the head unit has a controller cable and the LR audio. Cut the audio out and solder it to a Stereo cable. As long as there is a CD in the changer, the head unit will think it's playing a CD but the sound is actually coming from the iPod. You will have to control the iPod from it's own controls rather than from the head unit but it's a neat little hack.

I may do that if I can find a pin diagram. Kenwood actually sell a conversion cable but it won't work with my head unit.
However if I got a switching input jack then both might still work.

on rr right now, 1300 quid - genuine bbs
me gusta

Well now that's very nice.
It's no W124, but it's nice :-)

how would i ever get insurance..... :(

how would i ever get insurance..... :(

That's hawt. Buy it anyway and figure the crap out later!

You're surely too young and have had your licence for too short a time to qualify for classic insurance, but do some research, maybe you can.

In stereo news, as predicted I have gone from looking at splicing into a CD changer loom to buying a new stereo, and have now stuck a Blaupunkt toronto 420 in my Amazon wish list, because it does everything but looks really subtle, unlike the garish, flashy shit from all the other manufacturers (or Kenwood KRC-377R the unit in there).

fuck, im so badly tempted - would have to sell the mini to insure it though

It looks cool but it'll feel slow as hell compared to the mini.

Keep both?

Where's this for sale?

How much nicer is it on the original Mexican Hat alloys, though?
Retro-rides - http://retrorides.proboards.com/thread/140667/merc-w123-230ce-coupe-1300

The original wheels are better. The gold ones are awful.

200,000 miles though :/

That's nothing to an old Merc.

Mine's done that and condition-wise it's like 40k on any other car. Not a wisp of smoke from the engine and the interior is almost mint.

hmmmm, anyone want to buy it then sell it to me when I can insure it?

have now stuck a Blaupunkt toronto 420 in my Amazon wish list, because it does everything but looks really subtle

Good choice. Blaupunkt always used to be OEM fitment for a lot of upmarket German metal for that very reason. Only other option would be a becker but probably too old school looking and a load more money.

Agree with that Merc looking better on the OEM wheels. Plus, as has already been said, 200k is nothing on a car of that age. Most modern rep mobiles can do over that in 3 years.

It would look best with this, as it matches the other switches perfectly.
http://i2.ytimg.com/vi/uwoSiJaF2eo/maxresdefault.jpg
But that's too old to know about ipods, and they are a hell of a price.

However, this will blend quite nicely, and I'll get full iPod control, charging, and bluetooth hands free for the phone. And I can plug the satnav in and have the music mute when the directions are spoken.
http://pics.ricardostatic.ch/ImgUsers/2/7/705/70516/7051668/705166858_2_Big.jpg

That's nothing to an old Merc.

Mine's done that and condition-wise it's like 40k on any other car. Not a wisp of smoke from the engine and the interior is almost mint.

Condition is more important than miles.