(not) All Good Things...

889 Views 6 Replies 4 Participants Last post by janitz, Feb 28, 2014

janitz

Discussion Starter · Feb 23, 2014

must come to an end.

I am purchasing a new vehicle this week to replace the Beetle as my daily driver.

However the Beetle is not going to be forgotten, instead the Beetle will become my garage queen. But unlike before when the Beetle is on the jack stands while I slowly work on a problem in my free time, I won't be frustrated and annoyed that "my" car is not running. Instead the Beetle will be my fun project and summer funday driver down the twisting dirt roads near my home.

For those wondering, my new vehicle will be a 2014 Mercedes Benz CLA 250. It wasn't the car I thought I wanted when I started looking last year, but it is the car that fits my life best of all those I test drove. This vehicle is to myself and my wife the equivalent of the Beetle we purchased when we got married. It's a step up from what we were driving before but not a leap forward into unacceptable debt on a car too large to make sense for a house with two adults and no children.

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dnyed

· #2 · Feb 23, 2014

That's quite an ungrade!

Congrats, and I'm happy to see you're keeping the Bug.

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janitz

Discussion Starter · #3 · Feb 23, 2014

dnyed said:
That's quite an ungrade!

Congrats, and I'm happy to see you're keeping the Bug.

16 years with the Beetle every day, it's time to step up.

I think people that like the Beetle may like the CLA. Especially if they were looking at the 2014 Beetle GSR. The base MSRP on the Beetle GSR and the CLA 250 are within $300 CDN, the Beetle GSR with 6sp DSG is actually more expensive by $1000.

For the 98 beetle, first thing I'm going to do is replace the front brake calipers, the driver side caliper is failing resulting in much fear growing in my chest every time I press on the brake. I also want to replace the wheel bearings and pull the drive axles off to lubricate. I'm also going to pull the front macpherson's off and put the original springs back on. As well, I'm going to paint the brake calipers bright yellow to go with the bug. I may not want to drive a crazed up yellow bug every day, but when I want to drive a crazed up yellow bug, I'll have it. I should yellow plasti-dip my summer wheels too.

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billymade

· #4 · Feb 23, 2014 (Edited)

The MB; looks like a awesome car; please, post up some pics and give a "review" of how you like it! Sounds like your TDI Bug; just keeps on, keeping on! As you get your Beetle; back into ship shape, make a thread; I'm sure we all would like to see how you will spoil the new "garage queen" in your life!

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Pushing Fifty

· #5 · Feb 26, 2014

I've never had a MB, but from what I've seen, they're bulletproof and last forever. I go to an All-German car show every September, and there are MBs there from the late 1970s with half a million miles that look like they're maybe 2-3 years old.

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janitz

Discussion Starter · #6 · Feb 26, 2014

Pushing Fifty said:
I've never had a MB, but from what I've seen, they're bulletproof and last forever. I go to an All-German car show every September, and there are MBs there from the late 1970s with half a million miles that look like they're maybe 2-3 years old.

The MB dealer here has a beautiful 80s era convertible with a removable hard top for sale.

The only thing about a car like that, it's already restored, so what do you do? I'd say more than half the fun of an older project car is going to be in restoring it.

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janitz

Discussion Starter · #7 · Feb 28, 2014

I'm as giddy as a little school girl!

Drove my new car to work today for the first time.

I'll snap some pictures later and put them up in the other rides section.

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