Doog's Mercedes-Benz E350: My Biggest Update Yet

[Doog]

That black trim under the bumper's a bit dickered.

 

[ildd]

There's not too many places in my area that I could take my car to and take pictures of... Not that I have my car back, and the weather is looking good tomorrow (and all week), I'll wash my car and hopefully find a place... Your car is so clean and undamaged except for that door handle thing you posted last week. Almost unnoticeable.

 

[Harry6784]

There's not too many places in my area that I could take my car to and take pictures of... Not that I have my car back, and the weather is looking good tomorrow (and all week), I'll wash my car and hopefully find a place... Your car is so clean and undamaged except for that door handle thing you posted last week. Almost unnoticeable.

Yep same here. Try to find a nice backdrop and it's either muddy as hell or on someone's private property.

 

[Doog]

There's not too many places in my area that I could take my car to and take pictures of... Not that I have my car back, and the weather is looking good tomorrow (and all week), I'll wash my car and hopefully find a place... Your car is so clean and undamaged except for that door handle thing you posted last week. Almost unnoticeable.

I just give it a good wash once a week and kick the crap out of the floormats once every few days. It doesn't rain often (it rained today though), but when it does, cars look like crap. Compared to other places, the upkeep is pretty easy.

* * *

The big black Lexus rolled past 86,000 earlier today.

 

[Doog]

No new pictures in two and a half weeks?! What the hell?!

The little gray Bimmer continues to provide reliable daily transportation, with no new issues to speak of. Looking to get off my ass for once and get a job at Chick-Fil-A (that hiring banner's been out there for months), which means:

• dollaz in Doog's pocket
• dollaz for modz

Granted, I'm not really a fan of modifications, but I find myself wanting to hear that straight six a bit more when I drive. Because this car's an automatic, and I'm a pretty laid-back driver, I'd prefer something on the quieter side (for an aftermarket exhaust), and definitely something that doesn't drone. Too much time spent driving alongside lifted Silverados has made me very familiar with droning. Some of the de-muffler-ized 530is I've heard on the internet sound nice, but the lack of a muffler makes me wonder about droning. The exhausts that do exist seem rather big and show-y. I like my car looking reserved and vaguely sporting (them wheels), not tuner-y. I also quite like this lip:

Any information I've found online is rather vague, and I haven't seen any for sale, which is a bit frustrating. Even if I got a lip, I'd wait until I drove to school (only some juniors and all seniors can park there), because I don't necessarily trust that my dad won't unintentionally scrape it when coming in and out of the driveway.

TL;DR: Doog wants to throw money at his car in the form of a seemingly unattainable lip, maybe an exhaust.

 

[ildd]

Even if I got a lip, I'd wait until I drove to school (only some juniors and all seniors can park there), because I don't necessarily trust that my dad won't unintentionally scrape it when coming in and out of the driveway.

Exactly how my high school was set up. I also like that lip, gives it a bit more character.

 

[Zyla]

friggin rights boys

 

[ilikewaffles11]

You know, I've never really been a particular fan of the E39 5 Series, however that is a very nice clean and cared for example you have. Very nice. 👍 Maybe I don't pass them a second glance because they're all owned by middle aged women who only care about the badge on the front and have severely curb rashed wheels, but there's something about a well maintained car that I can't help but like.

Also, interior looks almost identical to my moms E46 325xi wagon she had... Never really cared for that car, even if it was a kinda sporty wagon with a nice inline 6 and a lovely blue color...

 

[Doog]

You know, I've never really been a particular fan of the E39 5 Series, however that is a very nice clean and cared for example you have. Very nice. 👍 Maybe I don't pass them a second glance because they're all owned by middle aged women who only care about the badge on the front and have severely curb rashed wheels, but there's something about a well maintained car that I can't help but like.

Interesting compliment.

I'd love to live in an environment where E39s are still owned by decent people like you described. I live in an area where cars are predominantly leased and then go on to a second life where they're never maintained, so I really only see new or recent 528is. E39s have long since left their initial nice, leased lives around here and have gone through the funnel of increasingly lower quality ownership. I don't see them very often (maybe two or three a week), but when I do, they are always in awful shape, being owned by young ballers who only care about the badge on the front. I have yet to find another E39 kept cleaner than mine.

Also, interior looks almost identical to my moms E46 325xi wagon she had... Never really cared for that car, even if it was a kinda sporty wagon with a nice inline 6 and a lovely blue color...

Props to your mom for actually having interesting cars, though.

 

[Ibonibo]

Yup, the lip fits really well on it 👍

Pics are always welcome.

 

[CAMAROBOY69]

A lot of wonderful pictures. I would really like to see more of the scenery. I noticed from your pictures that the scenery is similar to Sedona with all the red rocks in the backround. I went to Sedona AZ many years ago and that place is SO beautiful.

Such a stunning car too. Very well taken care of inside and out. 👍

 

[Doog]

A lot of wonderful pictures. I would really like to see more of the scenery. I noticed from your pictures that the scenery is similar to Sedona with all the red rocks in the backround. I went to Sedona AZ many years ago and that place is SO beautiful.

Such a stunning car too. Very well taken care of inside and out. 👍

We were going to go in September (before I had the car), but a massive car accident turned the highway out of the city into a giant parking lot, and not knowing of an alternative route, we had to go back. I'd still like to try and go again, though.

 

[CAMAROBOY69]

We were going to go in September (before I had the car), but a massive car accident turned the highway out of the city into a giant parking lot, and not knowing of an alternative route, we had to go back. I'd still like to try and go again, though.

If you have never been to Sedona it is simply breathtaking. Easily one of THE most beautiful places I have ever seen in my life. Its so beautiful and colorful that it seems fake. Just hard to believe something that colorful and stunning exists. A simple google search of Sedona AZ and you will see what I mean.

 

[Doog]

Got the urge to take the Mini out for a drive after watching Saabkyle04's video on his '05 Cooper S. Hadn't driven it like such in a couple months due to my waning interest in Minis. The car was a bit dirty, but there was really no reason to watch it, since the rural roads it would be visiting are a hotbed for some of the most annoying insects I've experienced. Got a good feel for its handling (it's good), wound it up a couple times and flogged it around a bit. Ultimately, though, the car's just too harsh for it to be any more enjoyable than my car is on the same drive. I imagine it'd be it'd be a much more well-rounded experience with a manual gearbox. The automatic just leaves you to deal with all the road feel without all the control. That said, it feels fine for being 15 miles away from 100,000 as of this writing, though it has a few irritating rattles.

 

[Doog]

A number of little paint chips have been bothersome for a couple months now, mainly the conspicuous one above one of the taillights. Went ahead and bought a touch-up kit from BMW last week, received it earlier this week but waited until the car was washed (last night, as usual) to try it today.

The stuff.

In case anyone wants some free instructions.

The only scenario where I'll use dish soap on my car.

I'll have to go see someone to get that crack fixed in the future.

Far from perfect, but preferable to the annoying white spot that was there before. May go and add another layer tomorrow to better fill it in.

Backing it in was a bitch and a half thanks to my lack of l337 parking skilz.

No post-application pics here, mainly due to the fact that I it was 100 degrees out and I wanted to get back inside.

Bonus Highlander pic.

Tomorrow I'll apply the clearcoat and/or apply another layer of paint where needed.

 

[Katiegan]

Is that... is the... is the Highlander clean?

Also, I should really do some paint chip removal on Bruiser's paint too. And get some scratch remover on him too. Washing him today made me realise how 🤬 his paint actually is.

 

[Doog]

Is that... is the... is the Highlander clean?

Also, I should really do some paint chip removal on Bruiser's paint too. And get some scratch remover on him too. Washing him today made me realise how 🤬 his paint actually is.

Good eye! The Highlander is clean as of yesterday, when mom decided to take it to get washed. It received an oil change that day, too. It's amazing what photos can hide, though, because your car looks pretty good when you post about it on here. The same goes for the Mini, which has spent at least the past 60,000 miles commuting about 40 miles a day on the highway, perfect for racking up paint chips. My mom's touched it up in the past, but as you can see in yesterday's photos, some new ones have since accumulated.

I wanna see some before/after shots when you get around to that. 👍

 

[Katiegan]

I actually thought you'd bought a new Highlander at first.

Yeah, the camera does a good job of hiding how bad Bruiser's paint is. Early in his life he was doing around 500 miles a week on the motorway when my dad had his old job, which obviously caused a lot of chips. Combine that with general careless passers by, being driven everyday for 10 years and driving on narrow roads lined with bramble bushes you can't help but scrape the paint on, and you end up with some pretty nasty scratches. I actually mistook a lot of the scrapes and scratches for patches of dirt I'd missed. Scratch and chip remover will help out a bit, but honestly he needs a complete respray.

Oh, and the Bimmer is looking pretty fine too. 👍

 

[Doog]

I actually thought you'd bought a new Highlander at first.

That is the worst thing I've read all week.

Yeah, the camera does a good job of hiding how bad Bruiser's paint is. Early in his life he was doing around 500 miles a week on the motorway when my dad had his old job, which obviously caused a lot of chips.

Impressive.

Combine that with general careless passers by, being driven everyday for 10 years and driving on narrow roads lined with bramble bushes you can't help but scrape the paint on, and you end up with some pretty nasty scratches. I actually mistook a lot of the scrapes and scratches for patches of dirt I'd missed. Scratch and chip remover will help out a bit, but honestly he needs a complete respray.

You know someone really loves their car when they've paid $$$ to have it resprayed, especially once it's as depreciated as any ten year old sedan can be. And I mean that in the nicest way possible.

Oh, and the Bimmer is looking pretty fine too. 👍

It is impossible for it to not look fine, unless you look at how much brake dust it accumulates in a week.

* * *

Aaaand we're back outside on this gross-feeling 95 degree day.

Here's all the chips one day after being filled in:

On the hood:

I applied a second layer of paint to all but the second to last chip. The chips on the rear of the car look mostly the same, but here's what the two chips on the hood looked like:

They'll stop looking puffy after they dry.

 

[ildd]

For the scratch/crack above the left taillight, use a toothpick and spead some paint in it. May take a few layers.
Otherwise, it's the best you can do without sanding and spot spraying. Which is a PITA to fill back in.

 

[Katiegan]

That is the worst thing I've read all week.

Well, I just don't think I've ever seen it clean.

You know someone really loves their car when they've paid $$$ to have it resprayed, especially once it's as depreciated as any ten year old sedan can be. And I mean that in the nicest way possible.

Oh, don't worry about it, I know he holds no market value. I once entered the details into an insurance website to see what I'd get for the lulz (came out to be like £6k a year or something stupid like that) and it said the value of him was £500. But this isn't Bruiser's final form - once I get my hands on him he'll be having a complete overhaul.

It is impossible for it to not look fine, unless you look at how much brake dust it accumulates in a week.

Any pre-2005 BMWs always look fine. Post-2005 BMWs are just meh for me, unless they're of the M variant or are particularly tastefully done.

 

[ildd]

Holy
6k euros a year? That's like...$11000.
England, stahp. Ur stuped.

 

[Doog]

Well, I just don't think I've ever seen it clean.

I think I'd die if we got a third Highlander.

Here's the old '03 Highlander shortly before it was sold in May 2010.

Oh, don't worry about it, I know he holds no market value. I once entered the details into an insurance website to see what I'd get for the lulz (came out to be like £6k a year or something stupid like that) and it said the value of him was £500. But this isn't Bruiser's final form - once I get my hands on him he'll be having a complete overhaul.

He'd fetch at least $5000 (£2973) over here.

Any pre-2005 BMWs always look fine. Post-2005 BMWs are just meh for me, unless they're of the M variant or are particularly tastefully done.

Pre-2005 = Classic style
Post-2005 = Bangle butt

Not as big of a fan as the post-Bangle Bimmers, but I like how well they're aging.

Holy
6k euros a year? That's like...$11000.
England, stahp. Ur stuped.

Pounds sterling, bro.

 

[ildd]

Oh.
Still, that's like... $8k a year.

 

[Katiegan]

He'd fetch at least $5000 (£2973) over here.

Nearly £3k? I could only dream of him fetching that much.

Not that I'd want him to fetch anything because he ain't fo sale.

 

[Ibonibo]

I would have sanded the edges of the paint chips a bit down, gives smoother edges, but it does look better now, and corrossion isn't a menace for the time being 👍

Nice pics of the Mini

 

[ildd]

I would have sanded the edges of the paint chips a bit down, gives smoother edges, but it does look better now, and corrossion isn't a menace for the time being 👍

Nice pics of the Mini

I tried doing that with a couple of mine and I just made a big mess

 

[Doog]

Finally finished now after four sessions touching up and applying clearcoat to all those chips. A tedious routine, but it the car's gained a bit more luster in the process.

The photo of the wear along the trunk-lid is too blurry for use, but it turned out nice. The front driver's side turn signal conked out today, which is annoying. Chick-Fil-A are showing interest, so I've got that going for me.

 

[Doog]

My internet's really deteriorated lately thanks to the router suddenly deciding to stop working correctly, so we finally got a new one (and a modem) today. That said, the PS3 (which was pretty much unplayable online) just isn't connecting to the new setup, which sucks because the internet's improved on my computer. Rather than deal with the Playstation's assholish nature, I occupied my time by photographing the Lexus.

 

[Katiegan]

My internet's really deteriorated lately thanks to the router suddenly deciding to stop working correctly, so we finally got a new one (and a modem) today. That said, the PS3 (which was pretty much unplayable online) just isn't connecting to the new setup, which sucks because the internet's improved on my computer.

Have you tried using an Ethernet cable? That way the PS3 has no choice but to be connected . Although sometimes mine likes to claim that the Ethernet cable isn't connected when there's quite clearly a bright blue cable connected to both ends.

oh and s1ck whip m8

Dat fountain doe.