Hello & greetings from Belgium (soon to be back in the UK)

[gr1nch]

Hi,

This looks a smashing forum, with an impressive amount of stuff on the car I'm most interested in (Mercedes W222) and the coolest forum software I've seen for a long time. I've not lurked at all, but from the posts and reactions that I've seen here today, I felt attracted to join immediately ;-)

Looking forward to participating, being informed and entertained.

I'm an Englishman called Kiat (Dad was Malaysian Chinese) living and worked in Belgium, taking a mini-retirement and planning on making it permanent if finances will allow! I'm married to Sarah and we are moving back to England this year, almost certainly Lincolnshire, where the roads are nice and uncrowded ;-)

My car is currently a new 2017 W222 which I hope to hang onto for a long time. It's my first German car and likely not my last. For years, I've somehow managed to avoid German marques with a mix of British, French, Japanese and Swedish cars (still a big fan of Saab).

Looking forward to chat, info and banter to see how the different fans interact as well.

Cheers,

gr1nch

 

[Betty Swollocks]

Welcome to the forum!! Lovely S-Class you've got there. My choice of spec too if I owned one.

I'm British and have been living in the Netherlands for 16 years.

 

[mercpassion]

Hi and Welcome to maybe the best forum online. A great car you have there mate, if you don't mind asking, did you not consider waiting for the facelift model?..and also I am a brit too living in the uk..

 

[Rainer271]

Welcome to this forum.

 

[fortuner]

Welcome nice to see your story...I am also in UK from South Africa..

You have a absolute beauty of a car a Silver S class is always a sign of class.

 

[Giannis]

Welcome Kiat!

This looks a smashing forum, with an impressive amount of stuff on the car I'm most interested in (Mercedes W222) and the coolest forum software I've seen for a long time. I've not lurked at all, but from the posts and reactions that I've seen here today, I felt attracted to join immediately ;-)

Ok, the software is nice, but the people suck.

My car is currently a new 2017 W222 which I hope to hang onto for a long time. It's my first German car and likely not my last. For years, I've somehow managed to avoid German marques with a mix of British, French, Japanese and Swedish cars (still a big fan of Saab).

Interesting car history. We've got quite a few S-Class owners here, but people with a love for French and Swedish cars are quite a rarity!

I'm British and have been living in the Netherlands for 16 years.

Well, I'm sorry for that.

 

[Matski]

I'm just surprised @Betty Swollocks hasn't identified the location of the S-Class in the photo, and disclosed an interesting reason for knowing it

But welcome to the forum Grinch...

Come for the software, stay for the Internal Combustion.

 

[martinbo]

Welcome to the home of internet car forum legends!

 

[Mick Briesgau]

Welcome Kiat and a nice AMG Packed S you've got there. Which engine lies under the bonnet?

 

[gr1nch]

Thanks everyone for the welcome!

Hi and Welcome to maybe the best forum online. A great car you have there mate, if you don't mind asking, did you not consider waiting for the facelift model?

To be honest I didn't know there was a FL model cooling it when I ordered the car back in October (2016). However, with the big discounts MB were offering, I should have guessed! . I'm not sure I would have waited any longer had I known though as I'd held off for a year by that point, whilst searching and figuring out what my dream car would be! Everything came together in the end. The tech and engines of the new model impress, but I'm not sure of the generic look.

Welcome nice to see your story...I am also in UK from South Africa..

You have a absolute beauty of a car a Silver S class is always a sign of class.

Couldn't agree more It is MB's standard Iridium Silver and not Designo. Same reason if I'd have got a Jaguar it, would have been British Racing Green.
Having got over, with my wife, to Stuttgart last week for the MB Museum and Sindelfingen factory tour, there were some silver beauties on show! Here's a couple of photos I took, old and new!

Sindelfingen

Welcome Kiat!

Ok, the software is nice, but the people suck.

Interesting car history. We've got quite a few S-Class owners here, but people with a love for French and Swedish cars are quite a rarity!

Saab's generate a lot of affection for some reason!

I'm just surprised @Betty Swollocks hasn't identified the location of the S-Class in the photo, and disclosed an interesting reason for knowing it

But welcome to the forum Grinch...

Come for the software, stay for the Internal Combustion.

Sounds exciting . And for the location, anyone fancy a guess? It's a 3hr drive SW of here

 

[Matski]

Sounds exciting . And for the location, anyone fancy a guess? It's a 3hr drive SW of here

Well, my geography isn't stunning, but if we're talking a 3 hour drive south-west from western Belgium.... hmmmm.... how fast are you driving? That doesn't look like Paris!

 

[gr1nch]

Well, my geography isn't stunning, but if we're talking a 3 hour drive south-west from western Belgium.... hmmmm.... how fast are you driving? That doesn't look like Paris!

Quite right! But "here" was referring to the mountain pass in the picture, rather than Belgium

 

[Betty Swollocks]

The pass looks like the Stelvio Pass. The other photo? Lake Como?

 

[chonkoa]

Welcome to GCF, we don't consume exotic drinks here but we are usually high on cars.
I hope you will enjoy your stay here.

 

[gr1nch]

Welcome Kiat and a nice AMG Packed S you've got there. Which engine lies under the bonnet?

Thanks Mick. Sorry to disappoint, but It's the stock 2997cc OM642 diesel! The full spec is a 2017 S350d SWB AMG Line Premium Plus in Iridium Silver with Black Nappa inside and a bunch of cool extras.

The pass looks like the Stelvio Pass. The other photo? Lake Como?

Betty (just in the 1 in a billion chance that's your real name ), you're very, very close. Both guesses virtually next door! You get the prize

Was Lake Garlate and Livignio Pass, both stunning. The Stelvio was the plan, but closed that day a couple of weeks ago and the Giro d'Italia was in full swing in the region which we were lucky to experience, but also needed to get around. The Val di Fassa was exceptional.

Welcome to GCF, we don't consume exotic drinks here but we are usually high on cars.
I hope you will enjoy your stay here.

Thanks Chonkoa, I'm sure I will. I fancied a ribena earlier, but didn't have any, so ended up with something a bit different. Let there be more exotic drinks to be consumed on here

 

[Mick Briesgau]

Thanks Mick. Sorry to disappoint, but It's the stock 2997cc OM642 diesel! The full spec is a 2017 S350d SWB AMG Line Premium Plus in Iridium Silver with Black Nappa inside and a bunch of cool extras.

Not dissapointed at all, Kiat. I drive more or less the same car and I like our OelMotor642 very much

 

[gr1nch]

Not dissapointed at all, Kiat. I drive more or less the same car and I like our OelMotor642 very much

Me too . So that's what OM stands for - practical the Germans!

 

[martinbo]

Was Lake Garlate and Livignio Pass, both stunning. The Stelvio was the plan, but closed that day a couple of weeks ago and the Giro d'Italia was in full swing in the region which we were lucky to experience, but also needed to get around. The Val di Fassa was exceptional.

I've been there - I sh!t you not - even had an Apfel Strudel while the Giro came whizzing past... magical palace.