Something mildly interesting bought from a Japan Auction
Discussion
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 )
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...
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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
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!
[
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 )
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
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!
[
Edited by Vacationboy on Wednesday 19th November 15:34
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...!
Anyway, enjoy...!
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!Anyway, enjoy...!
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
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...
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: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
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
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
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
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 employI 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
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 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 Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff