Pagoda SL Group
W113 Pagoda SL Group => General Discussion => Topic started by: suzy on September 30, 2007, 10:00:06
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i just have to vent a bit. parked my car (as always) in my driveway. it was covered, alarm on. came out this morning and it's gone. i can see tire tracks--my husband thinks it was towed away. i am devastated. i had the car for 7 years and it was just terrific, a lovely thing to drive.
i know i'll never recover it, and can't imagine owning another one.
sad in LA,
suzy
suzy adler
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Suzy,
This is just awful. I'm sorry to hear the news. One bit of consolation is that you're posting this information in the best forum possible. We can all stay vigilant and keep an eye out for your Pagoda. I've got to think it will re-emerge on the market at some point and one of us will notice it.
If you wouldn't mind, could you describe the car, including any distinctive features that would make it stand out? (VIN, colors, options, radio, engine #, etc.)
At one point a couple years ago, I had suggested we have a special section in the forums with info on stolen vehicles. Perhaps this should be up for consideration again.
I would love nothing more than for you to get your car back and for us to help nail the thieves.
Keep the faith.
Douglas Kim
New York
USA
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Dear Suzy
So sorry to hear such sad news.
Put a picture or 2 up on here, as someone may see it & inform you.
You never know.
Regards
Kemal
280 Sl Manual 69
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Susy:
I am very sad for you. I own my Dad's 280SL that has been in the family since 1968. Though it need tender loving care I will not park it out side were it becomes a prime tarket. I had a beautifull 1986 Toyota 4by 4 turbo silver with 140,000 miles with no problems ever. On a trip back from a customers home I stopped in West Los Angeles at Rancho park and walked into a restraunt to get some food. 45 minutes later it was a bad night mare after three months they recovered my truck in peices and the insurance company could not fine prices on Turbro SR5 extra cabs. Dam I miss that truck it was perfect condition and to buy one then to replace it would of cost three times the price and half the quality.
So don't think I do not understand what you must be feeling , it terrible to drive a car that is a tarket . I too know that who ever got my truck had a m0ving truck to pick it up . The police were there in 15 minutes but it was long gone and no one was going to be suspious of every moving trucks on the road.
My daily beater is a toyota corolla I do not drive my SL with out my wife and having an eye open at all times.
I truly hope your sitution turns out that they fine your car. I will pray the theafts are not that smart and make a mistake and get caught.
Sincerely
bob Geco
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Hi Suzy. That really stinks. I know its a longshot but the police might get lucky. And like other said -- lets all keep an eye out. It probably won't be long before stuff appears on E-bay. It almost makes you want to brand your chrome grille. Very sorry to hear it -- those people suck. (sorry moderators).
James
63 230SL
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Kemel and his pictures.! ...sorry for your loss Suzy please. Too conspicuous to be out on the street for long. Fingers crossed that it turn up please.
cars including SL's
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Every once in a while I hesitate to open the garage door, afraid the car may be gone one day. One trick I heard thieves employ here in The Netherlands is that they note down your license plate number as they spot you driving, then through links to the DMV records (not too difficult to obtain I understand) they find out the street address the car is registered to, and that's where they come looking. In my case, that does not help since the car is in a garage miles away from my home address.
Cees ("Case") Klumper in Amsterdam
'69 white 280 SL automatic
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i want to thank all of you who have written for your thoughts. i am attaching a photo (hope it turns out ok).
the car is a stick shift, which i loved. the VIN # is 280sl016402, the odometer says @ 20,060, and the interior cover is a very light blueish gray.
i've been told that these cars go pretty much straight to Europe where a seller can get more $$ than here, so i guess it's going back to its home.
when i get over this shock i just might be looking for a replacement, so if anyone knows of a good, daily driver on the west coast, i'd appreciate knowing about it. of course i will check this site, and put the word out with my mechanic, etc.
(by the way, i still have the hard top)
suzy adler
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i uploaded the photo of my car, but it doesn't show up in my previous email. i will try again from work this week.
suzy adler
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here is a photo of the car (sorry about including me and the dog).
she and i are still in mourning.
Download Attachment: (http://images/icon_paperclip.gif) IMG_0020.JPG (http://www.sl113.org/forums/uploaded/suzy/2007101111752_IMG_0020.JPG)
34.52 KB
suzy adler
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Suzy,
Have you considered listing the hardtop which was not stolen for sale on Craigslist? This might drive the culprit and your missing SL back to you.
1971 280SL
Arabian Gray
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Oh Suzy, I'm so sorry for the loss of your beautiful car. We keep and eye on the European market and will look here. However, I suspect some of the crooks are actually filling "orders."
On a nasty twist to the problem Cees describes, the crooks in Florida (where almost everyone has automatic garage doors) are using random wave generators to open the door, then taking cars directly out of the garage. We solved that by installing a simple cut-off switch that we flip at night and when we're gone...but I still worry about parking lots.
Trice
1968 280SL US, signal red/bl leather, auto, kinder seat
Sarasota FL; Alsace France; Switzerland
Think of your Pagoda as a woman with a past...
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Suzy
Sorry for your loss. Will keep an eye out for the car in this part of the world.
Nirmal
1969 white 280 sl
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So to summarize, here are the specs on the car we should be looking out for:
•Late-model 280 SL
•Ext color: 350/medium blue
•Int color: gray MB Tex
•Lt blue carpet
•US-spec
•No hardtop
•black soft top
•4-speed manual transmission
•VIN: 11304410016420
•Odometer: approx. 20,060 when stolen
• Becker radio
• no a/c
Keep an eye out for this car, folks.
Douglas Kim
New York
USA
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That's a very nice color. I've never seen that color before actually.
Umh...maybe I should get one of those steering wheel locks....I always leave the top down when I park the car...
1965 230 SL White Manual
Hong Kong
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Steering wheel locks are of no use. The the thief will simply hacksaws the steering wheel. One of the better devices is a hardened steel brake/clutch lock. The brake/clutch pedal lever is one of the strongest parts of your car.
1969 280sl 5 spd
Gainesville, Fl.
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Suzy I am devastated for your loss! Losing my car would freak me out completely. I feel so bad for you.
For all that have never seen a tow truck in action the following was an eye opener for me. I witnessed a tow truck pick up an unattended brand new Mercedes (PARKED ILLEGALLY in handicapped parking spot) at a recent car show.
This is how it was done. They placed a tire jack under each wheel- one at a time. Using square metal lifts individually on each wheel (similar to 4-wheel skateboards that slid under each wheel very easily). Then rolled the car over to the tow truck- winched it up the ramp and it was secured and gone in about 5 minutes. It was as if the car had roller skates on! They could move it sideways, or from between closely parked cars on two sides, if needed. They didn't have to do much, no putting the car into neutral, or even opening up the car door or window. And only took 2 guys, a tire jack, the 4 small lifts/rollers and the truck with a ramp.
It was then it came to weigh heavily on me how ANY car can be taken, and quickly, at any time. This of course was done with the Police in full attendance who cited the owner. He eventually returned and rescued his car off the truck, but not before he got numerous citations, argued with the police and got a couple more tickets (about $1500 worth). gulp.
Ann
'70 Euro 280 SL silver
'06 BMW Z4 Montego Blue
'98 Jeep Gr.Cherokee (125K mi.)
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Which tells me our only hope is a motion-sensor with a very LOUD alarm! Guess you Californians couldn't use that--every little earthquake would set it off :D lol from an ex-Calif. girl. Having said that, both New England and the mid-West are long overdue on their faults...
Trice
1968 280SL US, signal red/bl leather, auto, kinder seat
Sarasota FL; Alsace France; Switzerland
Think of your Pagoda as a woman with a past...
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Start checking Ebay for parts. You might find it there.
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I agree with your recommendation. My 280SL has a security system which if activated automatically runs up the Hirschmann antenna and transmits a signal to a small pager-like unit I can carry in my pocket. I've tested it and have been able to receive a security page over 1/2 mile away from wherever the car's security alarm is activated. My car has had this little add-on for several years.
quote:
Originally posted by France
Which tells me our only hope is a motion-sensor with a very LOUD alarm! Guess you Californians couldn't use that--every little earthquake would set it off :D lol from an ex-Calif. girl. Having said that, both New England and the mid-West are long overdue on their faults...
Trice
1968 280SL US, signal red/bl leather, auto, kinder seat
Sarasota FL; Alsace France; Switzerland
Think of your Pagoda as a woman with a past...
Tom in Boise
'71 280SL 4-spd, signal red w/lt. tan interior, restored/enhanced
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No one pays much attention to car alarms anymore unless it's the owner and the car is parked at home. There are so many false alarms these days most people find them more of a bother than anything else. I know I do. And if someone is messing with your car? What then?
You can't go out and shoot first and then ask questions later BTW. This isn't the wild west althought I suppose some people might still live there or think they do......
Dan Caron's
SL Barn
benzbarn@ebtech.net
slbarn.mbz.org
1 877 661 6061
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How about the lojack type devices. My friend sells and finances cars and he can locate them to repo anytime.
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Oh I don't know. It seemed to work okay one evening in Nevada when the alarm went off silently and then I excused myself from a restaurant and walked up to a couple of guys who were hovering around the car a little too close & long for my comfort. No need for gun play; sometimes just a friendly howdy does the trick.
quote:
Originally posted by Benz Dr.
No one pays much attention to car alarms anymore unless it's the owner and the car is parked at home. There are so many false alarms these days most people find them more of a bother than anything else. I know I do. And if someone is messing with your car? What then?
You can't go out and shoot first and then ask questions later BTW. This isn't the wild west althought I suppose some people might still live there or think they do......
Dan Caron's
SL Barn
benzbarn@ebtech.net
slbarn.mbz.org
1 877 661 6061
Tom in Boise
'71 280SL 4-spd, signal red w/lt. tan interior, restored/enhanced
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I kind of like the LoJack idea. I think I'll check that out. I wonder if the insurance people would give a discount because of it?
quote:
Originally posted by graphic66
How about the lojack type devices. My friend sells and finances cars and he can locate them to repo anytime.
Tom in Boise
'71 280SL 4-spd, signal red w/lt. tan interior, restored/enhanced
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Lojack can't be to complicated. My Daughter just purchased a Mac laptop and it can be located whenever it goes online with GPS coordinates. It most likely won't be stolen, I'm sure she will need it just to locate it in her room.
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Here's a website that offers a similar capability for tracking. Give it a whirl:
http://www.sat-gps-locate.com/english/index.html
;-)
Douglas Kim
New York
USA
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That phone number search function seems to have the ability to turn up some pretty impressive results! :D
quote:
Originally posted by Douglas
Here's a website that offers a similar capability for tracking. Give it a whirl:
http://www.sat-gps-locate.com/english/index.html
;-)
Douglas Kim
New York
USA
Tom in Boise
'71 280SL 4-spd, signal red w/lt. tan interior, restored/enhanced
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Alarms a pointless except for discouraging joyriders and stereo thiefs by making the alarmless car next to yours an easier target.
Professional thiefs would short out the alarm through a parking or brake light.
Besides professional thiefs have a shopping list. They are there specifically for your car and are going to get it.
Suzy and I are in port cities which makes us all the more likely to have our cars stolen. Mine could be on a ship in less than an hour.
Alarms need a backup power source and a hard to get to secondary siren. Lojacks are better but I can't believe that the real pros don't scan for them.
Laptop lojack is just a software program. A laptop thief would just turn off the wireless connection via the switch on the side of the computer, then turn the computer on and reformat the harddrive. The program would never have a chance to work. It is good for finding lost laptops.
1967 230SL Havana Brown Auto with A/C
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Very good, Douglas ! (' :D ')
Kemal
280 SL Manual 69
quote:
Originally posted by Douglas
Here's a website that offers a similar capability for tracking. Give it a whirl:
http://www.sat-gps-locate.com/english/index.html
;-)
Douglas Kim
New York
USA
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well, reading all these posts (especially ann's) is pretty disheartening :evil: .
i am on the hunt for a new pagoda, but now am fearful of having that one stolen, too, as it seems there's little one can do to keep it safe, short of garaging it (i don't have a garage) or fencing it in--a possibility.
that of course helps when it's parked at home, but not when it's parked around town...
maybe i should move to a small town ;)
suzy adler
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I have a hidden switch installed in the fuel pump circuit that I flip off when leaving the car.
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Have installed hidden switches in all my cars, but they all inhibit the starting circuit:Works just like the switch that you have on every automatic transmission that prevents starting except when in P or N. Switch on the fuel pump isn't so effective, because on the W113, when the tank is full, it'll still run. You must also park the car on gravel, dirt or grass, so that dollies and jacks are difficult to use. Nice thing about the switch: You can flip it while you drive, it just inhibits starting the engine, not running it.
'69 280SL,Signal Red,Automatic,retired engineer, West-Seattle,WA (http://www.sl113.org/forums/uploaded/theengineer/20051219121123_Drehstern.gif)
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quote:
Originally posted by suzy
i just have to vent a bit. parked my car (as always) in my driveway. it was covered, alarm on. came out this morning and it's gone. i can see tire tracks--my husband thinks it was towed away. i am devastated. i had the car for 7 years and it was just terrific, a lovely thing to drive.
i know i'll never recover it, and can't imagine owning another one.
sad in LA,
suzy
Hi Suzy
We've already talked over the phone, but I just saw your post too. I didn't realize that your car had just been stolen. I am surprised that it hasn't been recovered yet. In L.A. these cars are usually stolen because some !@#^#!$ needs parts for their own crappy car and they strip them for parts only and leave the drivable the shell on some desolate street. Unfortunately everything that is easily removed, will be. Two of my Pagodas met with the same fate. Both times I had to battle my insurance company (never use Chubb insurance!) to retain the salvage and put them back together.
I'd still give you an 80% chance at this point that it will be recovered. Good Luck.
Regards, Tom
ClassicAutosLA
Tom Colitt
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There two deterrents in my opinion that we can use.
1) Thick chain wrapped around the front axle and then anchored to the foundation of your house (preferably to 20' steel reinforced concrete column similar to those that support highway bridges), or
2) A hidden video camera that records to a tape. These devices are very cheap these days and are available almost anywhere. They can be activated by a motion detector, similar to those that activate your driveway lights.
If you park your car away from home overnight make sure you have good insurance.
HARRY
68_WHITE
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I think this falls under "don't name the livestock". We all get too attached to our cars. Insure it well and buy another one which is easy to say.
It is an opportunity to do all the sorting out right the first time on the new car ;)
1967 230SL Havana Brown Auto with A/C
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Try insurance by Smith & Wesson
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quote:
Originally posted by theengineer
Try insurance by Smith & Wesson
..or Heckler & Koch!
- Mike Hughes -ô¿ô-
1966 230SL Auto P/S
Havanna Brown (408)
Light Beige (181)
Cream M-B Tex (121)
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quote:
Originally posted by suzy
...maybe i should move to a small town ;)
suzy adler
Hi Suzy. I know you meant this tongue and cheek (didn't you?) but its not the worst idea in the world. We did it about 10 years ago -- and there are lots of things to like about small-town life. Less crime, less traffic, better schools, and a good place to raise kids. And the only real threat to my Pagoda is me with a wrench...
James
63 230SL
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suzy,
not sure what your budget is
there is one for sale at
http://www.motoringinvestments.com/MainPage.htm
and I bet Gernold has one avaialble
http://www.sltechw113.com/
you will have to call him since his web site does no have cars for sale on it yet
there are more here
http://www.oursl.com/listings.php?op=showads&modelid=3
http://www.oursl.com/listings.php?op=showads&modelid=4
http://www.oursl.com/listings.php?op=showads&modelid=7
Matt
Austin Tx
66 230 sl - "white"
78 300 D - Blue
98 C230