Wed 22.1.2025.
There are two old cars in my porch right now. One is already 31 years old. The other is slightly younger - 20. That was how I got to talk to Sam in December about finding a replacement for one or both of them. There's nothing seriously, mechanically wrong with them. They're just old.
Then I mentioned it to Hank. He wanted one, too, immediately. It looks almost certain now that Hank will get his first.
Early this month Sam said he'd found a car, in Taiping. It belongs to "his childhood friend", a retired Prison Officer. Apparently he can't drive much now because of lower limbs weakness because of his age, and a heart condition. Sam has seen the car, and remembers that it's in good repairs. But he could recheck this if I was serious about it.
We had to attend Md. Sham's funeral prayers on 13/1, Hank and I. Since we finished at the Damansara Heights mosque around 11 a.m., Hank agreed at my suggestion that we meet Sam straightaway, and discuss the car-purchase in Shah Alam, somewhere.
Sam agreed to meet us, although he had planned to do some work on one of his many cars.
The problem was they decided to change the hotel's name to something quite different. "Waze" couldn't help, and my memory didn't also, although 15 years ago I frequented Shah Alam because Dekna was doing her 4-year law courses here. Sam had no problem getting to the renamed hotel initially suggested by me as our rendezvous. He remembers the location, unlike me. Well, there were several exchanges on the our phones, and finally we met at the roadside, at a location Sam suggested.
What was agreed was for Sam to get the car so that we could view it in Shah Alam before the arrival of Ramadan in 6 weeks.
Sam went to Taiping to bring the car to Shah Alam on Sunday, 19.1.2025. He called me Monday; I called Hank immediately, and at 12.30 we left for, again, Shah Alam. I told Sam we'll meet in Shah Alam in 2 hours time, with concern for a work-day traffic everywhere, I was right. I saw (I was driving, as usual) the Pejabat Pos Besar Shah Alam, with it's ample parking, and stopped there, and called Sam straigt away.
PKK 8238 is a December 2009 ckd Mercedes Benz C200 Kompressor Elegence. It's 14 years old. The specs are noteworthy:
- The model's production line was 2007-2011.
- The 1.8-liter engine is fitted with a supercharger, a belt-driven blower that force more air into the combustion chamber.
- It has 184 horse-power, with a 8.5 compression ratio, with an acceleration of 0-100 km/h in 8.6 seconds, and a top speed of 235 km/h ( 146 m.p.h.)
- Fuel consumption is 27 m.p.g. (city) and 49 m.p.g. (open road). The 14.5 gallon tank should take the car 700 miles.
We went all over it, inside out, Hank drove it on the highway. Everybody agreed that the car is in excellent condition, and would be a good buy. Sam even managed to get 10% off the original price. Sam also took it to Aik's workshop for service, and Aik, a Mercedes specialist, gave it a "thumbs-up".
All agreed that this sale is a done deal. Hank agreed to full settlement in 2 weeks.
Otherwise, as I told Sam, I'll buy the car, after all the trouble taken.
Addendum 31.1.25
Yesterday Hank regretfully declined the hitherto agreed purchase for several unexpected reasons. I've now offered to take over. Let's see where this ends.
Addendum to the addendum 23.2.25
Well, after much exchanges between Sam / Hank / me, this morning I collected PKK 8238 from Sam at the Subang Jaya KTM/LRT station. I had to dig into my old savings to acquire my 5th Mercedes-Benz and my first C Class. How the hell did an 81-year-old end up with this purchase, only God Knows. Driving it back to Seremban was a satisfying experience, though.
Addendum to the addendum 13.3.2025
Hank called just now to say that last week he bought a C180 Mercedes-Benz (2011) to settle the whole issue. It's 5K more but is 2 years younger.
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