Something mildly interesting bought from a Japan Auction

Something mildly interesting bought from a Japan Auction

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Vacationboy

Original Poster:

171 posts

112 months

Sunday 9th November 2014
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Hello everyone!
Pistonheader from Norway here.
Been looking at some old merc uberwagons the past few months, toying around with a R129 SL perhaps, or W124 500E why dontcha? wasn't really bothered if it was a saloon, cab, or coupe. Just a big lump up front and a rifle bolt auto latched on to it ( a slow rifle perhaps hehe )

Anyway, 500E prices seem a bit on the up don't they? seem to remember they were 5-6k a few years back - not a snowballs chance in hell of finding anything other than bonafide wallet rapists nowadays for that sort of money anyway...
-
Anyhoo, my search carried on across europe and - after struggling to find value for money ( to my tight eyes anyway) .........across the pond - seen a few rather tasty AMG re-imports from japan and after a pint too many I Stumbled upon japanese auction sites... sweet baby jesus now we`re tolkien!

I don't really have a big income by most of you powerful company directors standards - so my budget was somewhat limited. Being a salesman without a fixed income and not knowing when the next quid is gonna come in - I dislike car loans with a vengeance. So that would be a cash only sir - which did limit me somewhat.

A few rather tasty R129 AMG models popped up , but I had to be realistic here and I weren't getting into these anywhere near my budget.

I got in touch with a bidding agent for a car I reckoned Id at least have a shot at, told him how much I could spend and told him to have a go. He wasn't being very optimistic, the car in question usually went for 30-40% above my max. Told him I had a good feeling about this one! According to an inspector these was some minor surface rust underneath the exhaust, and there was a little oil residue underneath the engine, which was also running a little Rough. Meh, nothing blowing the cobwebs out of it down a few main rows wouldn't sort out... Bork factor : President.

Well, Seems like Fortuna was with me that day - because I Won the car! for 10% below my max to boot!

The car in question? A model which Ive read and heard very little about compared to the haloed E500 W124, E60 models....

Its got a V12 NA. 7 liters. 720 NM of torque. 500 bhp of AMG goodness. A certain Horatio Pagani also seems to rate the engine.
Its an S70 AMG from 1998! Full fat factory delivered in Japan with AMG rims, AMG bespoke interior and a full service history.

75.000 Miles smile

How much I paid for it? Around 8-9 grand, give or take.. to my layman eyes it seems like better value than a 500E!



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Edited by Vacationboy on Wednesday 19th November 15:34

Yiliterate

3,786 posts

205 months

Sunday 9th November 2014
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Looks absolutely epic! Just for clarity, did you buy this in an auction in Japan, or at an auction where the auction style was Japanese (in the same way as a Dutch auction more commonly refers to the style than the location)? If the former, how much are the shipping and re-registration costs to get it on the road in Norway?

Anyway, enjoy...!

OttoJ9221

34 posts

122 months

Sunday 9th November 2014
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You lucky bar steward.

The 70AMG's are about as common as hens teeth.

If i were you I would definitely keep it on the road as long as humanly possible.

Vacationboy

Original Poster:

171 posts

112 months

Sunday 9th November 2014
quotequote all
Yiliterate said:
Looks absolutely epic! Just for clarity, did you buy this in an auction in Japan, or at an auction where the auction style was Japanese (in the same way as a Dutch auction more commonly refers to the style than the location)? If the former, how much are the shipping and re-registration costs to get it on the road in Norway?

Anyway, enjoy...!
Tokyo! will probably cost a packet to reg here, no doubt about it. worth it though!

Are these notoriously unreliable seeing as people doesn't seem that interested in them? a 500E usually fetches more...


Edited by Vacationboy on Sunday 9th November 01:46

dudleybloke

19,718 posts

185 months

Sunday 9th November 2014
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very tasty!

Vacationboy

Original Poster:

171 posts

112 months

Sunday 9th November 2014
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Donning my beard here, the 7.0 option was a 70.000 DM option when this car was delivered in 1998. Thats 40-45.000 pounds at the time. The AMG option for the 6.0 440 / 610 NM bhp upgrade was 20.000 DM, or about 12.000 Pounds.

Thats a fair bit of dosh!

Yiliterate

3,786 posts

205 months

Sunday 9th November 2014
quotequote all
Vacationboy said:
Tokyo! will probably cost a packet to reg here, no doubt about it. worth it though!

Are these notoriously unreliable seeing as people doesn't seem that interested in them? a 500E usually fetches more...


Edited by Vacationboy on Sunday 9th November 01:46
Given the rarity, I'd be surprised if they were notoriously anything...not enough of them to create the notoriety! Older V12s seem to be around for bargain basement prices; such as:

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/m...

...so I wouldn't leap to the conclusion there is anything fundamentally wrong with the S70 AMG in particular.

All in all, I think you're going to have an absolute blast with it...left-hand drive too!


Edited by Yiliterate on Sunday 9th November 02:30

dudleybloke

19,718 posts

185 months

Sunday 9th November 2014
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Seen a few 6ls about over the years but i dont think iv ever seen a 7l.

AndrewCrown

2,280 posts

113 months

Sunday 9th November 2014
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Sir

I think you may also find it had some interesting previous owners.
Japan drives on the left with Right Hand Drive cars..
Left hand Drive cars are status symbols, as they are even more obviously imported...
And certain Gentlemen who control certain underworld industries like Left hand drive S Classes, the rarer the better, the more conspicuous consumption the better...

Best of luck with it... It looks great!

A


dudleybloke

19,718 posts

185 months

Sunday 9th November 2014
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You might find a finger in the glove box!

TheAngryDog

12,394 posts

208 months

Sunday 9th November 2014
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Epic machine. Is that only 2 seats in the back?

williamp

19,213 posts

272 months

Sunday 9th November 2014
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the little vertical pole on the bumper. I assume its to help with parking but...

...but...


...which flag will you attach to it? Norway, Japan or Germany??

shoestring7

6,138 posts

245 months

Sunday 9th November 2014
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I like your thinking, nice one.

SS7

motco

15,919 posts

245 months

Sunday 9th November 2014
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williamp said:
the little vertical pole on the bumper. I assume its to help with parking but...

...but...


...which flag will you attach to it? Norway, Japan or Germany??
It's not uncommon in Japan, and the car is LHD in a RHD country.

LaurasOtherHalf

21,429 posts

195 months

Sunday 9th November 2014
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clap

wildcat45

8,056 posts

188 months

Sunday 9th November 2014
quotequote all
AndrewCrown said:
Sir

I think you may also find it had some interesting previous owners.
Japan drives on the left with Right Hand Drive cars..
Left hand Drive cars are status symbols, as they are even more obviously imported...
And certain Gentlemen who control certain underworld industries like Left hand drive S Classes, the rarer the better, the more conspicuous consumption the better...

Best of luck with it... It looks great!

A
Yes I thought that. Years ago I was chatting to a bloke who had a US Spec Maserati with RHD. The original owner who he claimed was shot in it found the driving arrangement easier for talking to pedestrians, especially female pedestrians in his employ

Vacationboy

Original Poster:

171 posts

112 months

Sunday 9th November 2014
quotequote all
Ecurie Ecosse said:
Mildly interesting? It's awesome in every way!

Do you have a link to the auction?
Bulldog Bros Trading out of Japan! Check them out on Facebook!

rossub

4,400 posts

189 months

Sunday 9th November 2014
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Vacationboy said:
I don't really have a big income by most of you powerful company directors standards - so my budget was somewhat limited. Being a salesman without a fixed income and not knowing when the next quid is gonna come in
....and you decided to buy a rough running V12 that's at the other side of the world scratchchin

Vacationboy

Original Poster:

171 posts

112 months

Sunday 9th November 2014
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What Could possibly Go wrong?

Ace-T

7,688 posts

254 months

Sunday 9th November 2014
quotequote all
rossub said:
Vacationboy said:
I don't really have a big income by most of you powerful company directors standards - so my budget was somewhat limited. Being a salesman without a fixed income and not knowing when the next quid is gonna come in
....and you decided to buy a rough running V12 that's at the other side of the world scratchchin
And you are in Norway? With the levels of tax they have for anything that isn't electric? I salute you sir! bow