The Deal, part 3

Continuing from here The Deal, part 2

During my walk back to the dealer to pick up the Mercedes, I had to make what I had hoped to be a quick stop at an insurance agent, to register the car and get a temporary operation permit to bring it home. I considered just getting new plates and a policy, but decided to hold off after I got the car home and gave it a through once over.

The insurance agent was very efficient at their job and less than 15 minutes later, I was back on the sidewalk and on my way. Too bad all my insurance experiences weren't that fast. Arriving at the dealer, I walked right into the main building and straight back to the young lady who processed the transaction and paperwork on the 190E. I asked her for some tape, since the permits to be displayed in the car weren't the self adhesive type.

Armed with both sets of keys, okay, two keys on separate rings, I hung the papers in the windows and started the car. First try, it fired up. I backed down the berm and aimed the front end towards the open road. Even with the light traffic, it was still about a 3 minute drive from the dealer to home. However, I decided on a slight detour to experience the car just a little more.

Much like my abridged test drive on the dealer's lot, I put the Mercedes through it's paces, as much as one can do on populated public roads. I swerved back in forth in my lane, getting a better feel for the steering and front end responses. I tried a few late braking stops, the sensations and results didn't disappoint me. Then, I turned right down a country-road-within-municpal-limits that had two very nasty speed bumps. 

The sign recommended a 50 km/h approach, I took them both at 70. Other than the slight feeling of being lifted up and down, the bumps had no impact on the car's suspension or steering. I remembered the ride quality of my old 220D and was happy to see this model, 15 years newer, kept that distinctive feature. 

As much as I didn't want my little joyride to end, I had to get back home. There was one last piece of unfinished business to take care of, the LeBaron. Part of the deal to get the Mercedes was the dealer accepting the LeBaron as a trade in. I didn't have the time to make a classified ad and wait around for any interested parties to make contact, thus starting the "let's make a deal" process. With having a job where I am working at night, then trying to sleep, squeeze in family and leisure time during the limited daytime hours, this solution made the most sense to me.

I arrived in time to see the deck truck pull in. 10 minutes later, the LeBaron was loaded up, chained down and rolling away. The Mercedes seemed to watch this event from across the lane. After the disappointing convertible departed, I backed the 190E into it's spot and waited for the family to come home.

My son's reaction to the car was difficult to properly gauge, my wife was much easier. Unlike the first time she laid eyes on the LeBaron, there wasn't any of the same shock value as before. Perhaps she knew I have been wanting another Mercedes for such a long time and allowed me to have the moment. 

Since the purchase, I have put almost a whole 17 kilometers on the car, slowly putting a list together of issues that need to be addressed sooner than later and those that can wait, since they don't affect the car in any serious manner.

However, it was that very first problem which was one I had never experienced before.