My first thousand miles

AndyN01 · 13th July 2017, 16:25

Hi all,

Not too sure if this is in the right place.

Mods please move if necessary - thanks.

I had the very good fortune to buy Pete Livermore’s beautiful 2001 Copperleaf red diesel saloon.

A bit of a”left field” choice (not on here I know) but I was looking for something comfortable to cruise up and down the M1/A1 to the north east to see our sons (maybe I’ll meet marinabrian one day?).

Hunting around the “usual” suspcts, Mondeo, Passat, A4, Insignia, 3 series, 5 series etc. was just a nightmare.

How can you spot a good one from a duff but well presented one? And the tales of nightmares once there’s a few years under the tyres was erm.. “interesting” reading. And some forums are positively hostile. If the “reception” is that bad why would anyone want to be a part of it?

Anyway, the idea of a R75 slowly crept upon me and then with the help of very thorough, realistic and friendly forum I started to look around armed with info about waterfilled plenum’s, duff handbrakes, airbag lights on and broken springs along with all the usual stuff about servicing and gereral TLC.

Initially I was looking for a tourer for the practicality but ended up with a saloon…..

Went along to a local dealer to look at a diesel tourer. Now, being honest, I was never going to buy it as the dealer had covered up the number plates so no chance of doing the MoT history and it makes me wonder what there is to hide………

Nice looking car. Clean inside and out. Everyting seemed to work as it should apart from a clutch pedal the 6 million dollar man (I'm giving my age away here

) could use for a work out - possible big master cylinder/slave cylinder/clutch issues ahead??. MoT a few days old. Nothing obvious to tell if there had been water sloshing around the front or back. Took a note of the numberplate and there the story goes a bit pear shaped.

The previous MoT ran out several months ago with some serious failures including structural rust and a list of advisories you’d need to spend time in a quiet library to wade through. The new MoT was a pass with no advisories at all - but no paperwork to show want had been done to “correct” the faults in the previous one. Mmmmmmm………. I think I’ll pass, thanks.

Time for a bit more searching.

Saw Pete’s car and arranged to go over.

What a lovely guy.

Beautiful car. Sheaf of receipts and history and obviously smothered with TLC (the car that is – I don’t know about Pete!).

As has been said in a different forum, providence is everything. And this had it from day 1.

Sale very happily done.

Lovely comments from neighbours who couldn’t believe she is 16 years old. My Father in Law was a grumpy old man because it’s the sort of car he always wanted while the younger members of my family think I’m a sad old man (although they used a different word meaning to break wind) for getting it.

I think it’s brilliant.

Comfortable, refined and cruises effortlessly. Great sound system – picking up depth to the music that’s normally only audible on the home Hi-Fi.

I’ve matured since my Mini on 3 wheels in the corners days!!!!!!!

Now, I’ve never owned a diesel so that’s taken a bit of getting used to. I’m running her on BP Ultimate which seems to get the thumbs up over the supermarket stuff.

It’s been a good couple of decades since I owned a large car (a built like a tank and drank about the same amount of fuel Volvo 240) so parking sensors are going in as are front fogs and I’m looking at retrofitting cruise. Front and rear dash cams have gone in (that was fun……thanks for the descriptions & photos - don’t mention photobucket...Grrr - of how trim comes out and how & where to pick up the electrics) and the auxiliary socket by the handbrake will be in soon.

The plenum is bone dry and the bonnet release mod has already been done. She’s had the fan mod also and some other bits and bobs that I’ll understand soon. I did, of course manage to lose one of the windscreen clips when checking the plenum so have become acquainted with Rimmers!

She’s taken mother and father in law out for the day (FiL is now fiercely defending my choice to the younger members of the family….), done the trip to the north east and been to Blenheim Palace with our best friends who loved being “chauffeured” around the Cotswolds.

All done in quiet, restrained style.

Absolutely lovely.

I’m hoping to make the next nano meet and have booked onto Roverfest so I’m looking forward to putting some faces to names soon.

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to the site and made my first thousand miles so happy.

All the very best.

Drive safely and enjoy.

Andy.

FLYING BANANA · 13th July 2017, 16:31

Here's to the next 99,000 miles.

Congratulations on a good buy.

Annie · 14th July 2017, 06:51

i bought my first 75 after first reading these forums. if the info wasnt available and on such a friendly forum i would have gone and bought another mercedes.
my latest 75 i bought from a memebr and now that ive done a fair bit of work on it , it runs and drives like a new car. just need gbox mount changed and a few tyres and all set for another 10k miles this year and many more after that

AndyN01 · 14th July 2017, 07:21

Hi and thanks for reading.

Forum's are interesting things.

Some are friendly, helpful, respectful of opinions accepting that they may be different, welcoming and with a healthy level of humour and "banter" between those who are quite obviously very good friends.

In my BMW motorcycling days I came across a forum that was heavily subscribed by Americans. Apart form their spelling, which was quite odd (

), there were some truly impressive members - some being NASA engineers. Great place.

Some seem to be a medium for the prelude to World War 3 becoming increasingly hostile, personal and downright rude.

Some have some very dodgy individuals such as the one for a German manufacturer who posted about a "great car" that a "friend" of theirs was selling. A bit a research brought up that the "friend" was the director of a used car garage for which the poster was co-director. A bit more searching showed that this was a regular thing. Dodgy or what? And not taken down by the Mods? I'm not in any way knocking Mods - they have an almost impossible job - but surely something as blatant as this should have been tackled? Sort of sets the tone for the site.

I know which this one is

.

Annie,

Like you I was drawn in to the idea of a 75 by the forums became of their general tone and nature.

I'm happy to get my hands dirty and break out the voltmeter - indeed the ability to do so is part of the experience (although I'm not suggesting spending every waking minute spannering - I once owned a FIAT Uno for that - never again).

Really looking forward to my first nano meet, gaining some new friends and hoping to contribute in the future.

Regards.

Andy.

13th July 2017, 16:25	#1
AndyN01 This is my second home Toyota RAV4 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Tamworth Posts: 3,076 Thanks: 2,478 Thanked 1,579 Times in 968 Posts	My first thousand miles Hi all, Not too sure if this is in the right place. Mods please move if necessary - thanks. I had the very good fortune to buy Pete Livermore’s beautiful 2001 Copperleaf red diesel saloon. A bit of a”left field” choice (not on here I know) but I was looking for something comfortable to cruise up and down the M1/A1 to the north east to see our sons (maybe I’ll meet marinabrian one day?). Hunting around the “usual” suspcts, Mondeo, Passat, A4, Insignia, 3 series, 5 series etc. was just a nightmare. How can you spot a good one from a duff but well presented one? And the tales of nightmares once there’s a few years under the tyres was erm.. “interesting” reading. And some forums are positively hostile. If the “reception” is that bad why would anyone want to be a part of it? Anyway, the idea of a R75 slowly crept upon me and then with the help of very thorough, realistic and friendly forum I started to look around armed with info about waterfilled plenum’s, duff handbrakes, airbag lights on and broken springs along with all the usual stuff about servicing and gereral TLC. Initially I was looking for a tourer for the practicality but ended up with a saloon….. Went along to a local dealer to look at a diesel tourer. Now, being honest, I was never going to buy it as the dealer had covered up the number plates so no chance of doing the MoT history and it makes me wonder what there is to hide……… Nice looking car. Clean inside and out. Everyting seemed to work as it should apart from a clutch pedal the 6 million dollar man (I'm giving my age away here ) could use for a work out - possible big master cylinder/slave cylinder/clutch issues ahead??. MoT a few days old. Nothing obvious to tell if there had been water sloshing around the front or back. Took a note of the numberplate and there the story goes a bit pear shaped. The previous MoT ran out several months ago with some serious failures including structural rust and a list of advisories you’d need to spend time in a quiet library to wade through. The new MoT was a pass with no advisories at all - but no paperwork to show want had been done to “correct” the faults in the previous one. Mmmmmmm………. I think I’ll pass, thanks. Time for a bit more searching. Saw Pete’s car and arranged to go over. What a lovely guy. Beautiful car. Sheaf of receipts and history and obviously smothered with TLC (the car that is – I don’t know about Pete!). As has been said in a different forum, providence is everything. And this had it from day 1. Sale very happily done. Lovely comments from neighbours who couldn’t believe she is 16 years old. My Father in Law was a grumpy old man because it’s the sort of car he always wanted while the younger members of my family think I’m a sad old man (although they used a different word meaning to break wind) for getting it. I think it’s brilliant. Comfortable, refined and cruises effortlessly. Great sound system – picking up depth to the music that’s normally only audible on the home Hi-Fi. I’ve matured since my Mini on 3 wheels in the corners days!!!!!!! Now, I’ve never owned a diesel so that’s taken a bit of getting used to. I’m running her on BP Ultimate which seems to get the thumbs up over the supermarket stuff. It’s been a good couple of decades since I owned a large car (a built like a tank and drank about the same amount of fuel Volvo 240) so parking sensors are going in as are front fogs and I’m looking at retrofitting cruise. Front and rear dash cams have gone in (that was fun……thanks for the descriptions & photos - don’t mention photobucket...Grrr - of how trim comes out and how & where to pick up the electrics) and the auxiliary socket by the handbrake will be in soon. The plenum is bone dry and the bonnet release mod has already been done. She’s had the fan mod also and some other bits and bobs that I’ll understand soon. I did, of course manage to lose one of the windscreen clips when checking the plenum so have become acquainted with Rimmers! She’s taken mother and father in law out for the day (FiL is now fiercely defending my choice to the younger members of the family….), done the trip to the north east and been to Blenheim Palace with our best friends who loved being “chauffeured” around the Cotswolds. All done in quiet, restrained style. Absolutely lovely. I’m hoping to make the next nano meet and have booked onto Roverfest so I’m looking forward to putting some faces to names soon. Thanks to everyone who has contributed to the site and made my first thousand miles so happy. All the very best. Drive safely and enjoy. Andy. Last edited by AndyN01; 14th July 2017 at 06:55..

13th July 2017, 16:31	#2
FLYING BANANA Moderator/Club Shop MG ZT 1.8t+. No.3 of 4 in Sunspot Yellow & Ford Fiesta in Black. Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Rattler Farm Posts: 22,568 Thanks: 9,270 Thanked 15,645 Times in 6,806 Posts	Here's to the next 99,000 miles. Congratulations on a good buy. __________________ 233,431. That’s our second meet done, no.3 next weekend. onen hag oll

14th July 2017, 06:51	#3
Annie Avid contributor 2002 CDT Auto Con SE Saloon Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Worthing Posts: 113 Thanks: 62 Thanked 15 Times in 14 Posts	i bought my first 75 after first reading these forums. if the info wasnt available and on such a friendly forum i would have gone and bought another mercedes. my latest 75 i bought from a memebr and now that ive done a fair bit of work on it , it runs and drives like a new car. just need gbox mount changed and a few tyres and all set for another 10k miles this year and many more after that __________________ This vehicle was the 39,542nd 75 to run off the production line, out of 112,381 This vehicle was the 1,594th 75 CDT Connoisseur SE to be made out of 3,775 This vehicle was the 3,712th 75 in Wedgewood Blue Metallic (code: JEL) to be made out of 7,515 Wedgewood Blue Metallic 75s

14th July 2017, 07:21	#4
AndyN01 This is my second home Toyota RAV4 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Tamworth Posts: 3,076 Thanks: 2,478 Thanked 1,579 Times in 968 Posts	Hi and thanks for reading. Forum's are interesting things. Some are friendly, helpful, respectful of opinions accepting that they may be different, welcoming and with a healthy level of humour and "banter" between those who are quite obviously very good friends. In my BMW motorcycling days I came across a forum that was heavily subscribed by Americans. Apart form their spelling, which was quite odd (), there were some truly impressive members - some being NASA engineers. Great place. Some seem to be a medium for the prelude to World War 3 becoming increasingly hostile, personal and downright rude. Some have some very dodgy individuals such as the one for a German manufacturer who posted about a "great car" that a "friend" of theirs was selling. A bit a research brought up that the "friend" was the director of a used car garage for which the poster was co-director. A bit more searching showed that this was a regular thing. Dodgy or what? And not taken down by the Mods? I'm not in any way knocking Mods - they have an almost impossible job - but surely something as blatant as this should have been tackled? Sort of sets the tone for the site. I know which this one is . Annie, Like you I was drawn in to the idea of a 75 by the forums became of their general tone and nature. I'm happy to get my hands dirty and break out the voltmeter - indeed the ability to do so is part of the experience (although I'm not suggesting spending every waking minute spannering - I once owned a FIAT Uno for that - never again). Really looking forward to my first nano meet, gaining some new friends and hoping to contribute in the future. Regards. Andy.