Titivating my Mercedes 124
Discussion
Lovely! I've spent a lot of time in Lorgues and have always really enjoyed it. Worth taking a drive down to Circuit Paul Ricard if you get a chance - some lovely roads on the way and there always seems to be something going on either at the circuit or the little cafe / bar further down.
Lunch ended early today so we had our drive up to the Gorge du Verdon after all. Starting in Flayosc, we headed through Draguignan and then up the D54 to Comps-sur-Artuby, a really fine climbing fast road on which something like a 911 would be in its element. From there we headed along the D71 to the south rim road as far as the Balcons de Mescla, an utterly jaw dropping spot. We cut through the medieval village of Trigance to the north rim road and so began one of the best drives I have ever enjoyed. The road is beyond spectacular; the light was wonderful (especially for December); and the views were simply astonishing.
The 124 was fine. It has blown out some of its coolant and I need to top it up. I can feel the weight of the massive diesel engine in the front. But it is a good car. Bizarrely my children decided they would like to do the majority of this journey in the rear-facing boot seats.
From Moustiers-Sainte-Marie we headed south on the fast, empty, smooth (but not at all well-sighted) D957 back to Lorries for a pizza. When arrived something was going on. We ordered the pizzas and went to check it out, whereupon the village firework display started up, as if they were waiting for our arrival!
A long run awaits tomorrow, 420 miles or so up to Vézelay in the Morvan, 20 miles south of Auxerre. That looks an interesting area but we won't have much time to explore, sadly.
The 124 was fine. It has blown out some of its coolant and I need to top it up. I can feel the weight of the massive diesel engine in the front. But it is a good car. Bizarrely my children decided they would like to do the majority of this journey in the rear-facing boot seats.
From Moustiers-Sainte-Marie we headed south on the fast, empty, smooth (but not at all well-sighted) D957 back to Lorries for a pizza. When arrived something was going on. We ordered the pizzas and went to check it out, whereupon the village firework display started up, as if they were waiting for our arrival!
A long run awaits tomorrow, 420 miles or so up to Vézelay in the Morvan, 20 miles south of Auxerre. That looks an interesting area but we won't have much time to explore, sadly.
Edited by r129sl on Sunday 18th December 19:20
Yeah. She's teaching my children to do it as well. Still, it took my eldest almost six years to realise I was a complete saddo.
Almost this entire area around Verdon is a military camp, Canjuers. There is a huge, modern, barracks or something next to the road, just south of Comps. Interesting-looking place.
Almost this entire area around Verdon is a military camp, Canjuers. There is a huge, modern, barracks or something next to the road, just south of Comps. Interesting-looking place.
Edited by r129sl on Sunday 18th December 20:55
You take very good photos. The strange thing to me is that to my eyes the W124 still looks like a very upmarket car, in a way that no subsequent Mercedes manages to do. I suppose this may be down to the fact that they were produced at a time when I was young and impressionable and my interest in cars was at its zenith.
Just north of Lyon. I've always had problems with the head lamp wipers. The motors seize and then blow the fuse. They're on the same circuit as the right hand side and tail lamps and the instrument illumination. Anyway, I managed to snap the wiper arm trying to reset them. I've disconnected them. They're utterly pointless anyway.
dbdb said:
You take very good photos. The strange thing to me is that to my eyes the W124 still looks like a very upmarket car, in a way that no subsequent Mercedes manages to do. I suppose this may be down to the fact that they were produced at a time when I was young and impressionable and my interest in cars was at its zenith.
I think it's also to do with a total lack of chintz, it's a classic design without in-necessary flash or complications.Later cars are far more trendy and age quickly because of it.
The BMWs of the time have also aged well for the same reasons.
It doesn't look very upmarket with us lot in it.
After breaking/fixing the headlamp wiper, we drove north into increasing darkness and a snowstorm. It got really hairy after the A6/A31 intersection, just below Dijon. The long climb up from Beaune was really bad, lane 3 completely whited out. I really didn't enjoy the responsibility and I was very glad I had the winter tyres on. But then we crested the ridge, the temperature came back up to 2 deg C, the snow stopped, the road dried out and, phew, thank goodness for that.
Vézelay is a superb village. It is ancient. We have driven right up into the heart of it. The town is a major stop on the pilgrimage route. There is a convent across the street. A pilgrim was in the restaurant we dined in. We will definitely come back here and I would commend it to anyone looking for an interesting place in which to break the long journey to the south.
After breaking/fixing the headlamp wiper, we drove north into increasing darkness and a snowstorm. It got really hairy after the A6/A31 intersection, just below Dijon. The long climb up from Beaune was really bad, lane 3 completely whited out. I really didn't enjoy the responsibility and I was very glad I had the winter tyres on. But then we crested the ridge, the temperature came back up to 2 deg C, the snow stopped, the road dried out and, phew, thank goodness for that.
Vézelay is a superb village. It is ancient. We have driven right up into the heart of it. The town is a major stop on the pilgrimage route. There is a convent across the street. A pilgrim was in the restaurant we dined in. We will definitely come back here and I would commend it to anyone looking for an interesting place in which to break the long journey to the south.
Speed addicted said:
The BMWs of the time have also aged well for the same reasons.
German cars of the period really are very special, I think. From Merc you have the 201, 124 and 129 (and, to a lesser extent, the 126). From BMW even more really lovely cars, the E21, E30 and E36 3-series cars, the E28 and E34 5-series and the E32 7-series, all really lovely, timeless designs. And for the same reasons: there is very little detailing for detailing's sake, very little jewellery, very little extraneous.Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff