Can a Mercedes-Benz E350 be a canoe car?

[Doc.]

This thread flashes me back to when my teenage daughter was getting her first "real" dog (previous pets had always been taken care of by Mama & Daddy). As she looked over the puppies she would say "What do you think my pals will think about this one?" Daddy: Are your pals going to pay for the food? Daughter: No. Daddy: Are they going to pay for the upkeep and vet bills? Daughter: No. Daddy: Are they going to provide daily care, training, love, and discipline? Daughter: No. Daddy: Then to hell with your friends and get the one you want.

 

[icedragonmx]

Enjoy the Benz, you only live once. I can tell you that it will be easy to throw the canoe on top due to the low height and will be just as easy to bang the car on low height rocks etc. I use to 4x4 a WRX in the woods with a Thule rack on top. I am now driving a Xterra Pro4x. Get what you like as that smile on your face will make it worth ever penny. Just don't go too fast with the canoe on top!

 

[Grandpa Paddler]

The suspense is killin' me Glenn.You gonna be a proud new owner of an E class?

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Driving to Pennsylvania in a few hours to look at a CPO E350 that has all the features I like, including folding rear seats. The flat surface length from the end of the trunk is just my height, so I could sleep in it. No worse than those one person tube tents.

Maybe I should leave my checkbook and credit cards at home.

 

[Odyssey]

Yes, leave the money at home, but not the dream. The E350 would get along just fine parked next to the Dodge Trojan Horse. Even if you only slide on down to the local coffee shop in it once a week, for a Lapsang Souchong and a natter with the other wizened grey hairs, it would still be worth that occasional self indulgence. If you're not going to spoil yourself, who else will?
And don't sell the Dodge.

 

[Trevor Paetkau]

Well ...
Not my car. Not my boat.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Last week I while I was driving to buy a 2009 E350 in perfect shape, which I had examined, test drove and heavily negotiated, I was called on the road by the salesman, who told me that someone just walked in and bought it 20 minutes earlier for the listed price. Ticked me off. But it gave me time to do another week of research.

So, eventually for a number of reasons, I decided to look for 2012 models. When this one popped up on cars.com in Pennsylvania, I decided to drive there immediately. But I made myself a promise that I wouldn't buy it until I had a cooling off period of three days. So I put down a deposit for the dealer to hold the car for that time and wrote my own escape clause into the contract. I blamed the three day delay to the dealer on the fact that I hadn't discussed the issue with the Secretary of War. Which is absolutely true.

I snuck out early this morning to drive 380 miles round trip to look at the car. Got them down $2741 plus a new set of floor mats. Mint 2012 CPO car, 40,000 miles, 172 checkpoint certification, new Michelin Primacy MXM4 tires, new wheels, new battery, and almost every option available except Parktronic. One year, unlimited mileage, no deductible, bumper-to-bumper MB warranty, which can be extended for two more years for an additional price. Sticker price was $63,000 new.

Tomorrow will be bedlam and Armageddon with the Secretary.

 

[Uncle_Skwid]

The guy in the know says drive it like you mean it, boat and all.


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[Grandpa Paddler]

Good luck Glenn

 

[Alan Gage]

Nothing like new toys and spending lots of money to get your blood pumping. If drugs feel anything like that I can understand the addiction. Have fun and good luck!

Alan

 

[Odyssey]

...ya haggled them down mercilessly, and then forgot to throw in the roof racks and tie downs. (lol)
Really nice car Glenn.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

I've only got a few hours left to make my cancellation decision or not. I am torn in the Jaws of indecision. It's agonizing!

 

[Odyssey]

I've only got a few hours left to make my cancellation decision or not. I am torn in the Jaws of indecision. It's agonizing!

If we lived closer I'd help you out, and take it for a test drive, help you make up your mind. I have the whole day off, so I'd do this just for you, just this once. Unless you did spring for it, then I'd be available every Friday for a weekly friendly neighbourly consumer report.
I'd need you to throw the canoe on top for a more thorough evaluation (and a full tank of gas)(picnic lunch wouldn't go amiss).

But as it stands now, I can't help you Glenn. Sincere best wishes on the decision.

 

[Waterdog]

...ya haggled them down mercilessly, and then forgot to throw in the roof racks and tie downs. (lol)
Really nice car Glenn.

Like Button!

Glenn, I agonize before almost all major purposes. If you're down to hours, do what I do and flip a coin. Just know you need to have a high level of conviction before tossing the coin in the air.

Barry

 

[Alan Gage]

If you're down to hours, do what I do and flip a coin. Just know you need to have a high level of conviction before tossing the coin in the air.

Barry

Sometimes a coin toss is needed to show you what your true desires are. I'll think I don't have a preference but as soon as a decision is made (either by random coin toss or by someone else) I find I'm either elated or disappointed, showing my true wants and desires. So do the coin toss but don't be beholden by the results.

Alan

 

[Odyssey]

Flip a coin to decide to whether to flip a coin? Best out of 3, no 5, no...
I distinctly remember once upon a time I heard from someone somewhere something about "How to make monumental decisions regarding big purchases." Needless to say, I with my enormous mental capacity for reason immediately filed this advice away for future reference, never to be found ever again. Till now. It just popped into my head. I guess I've never really needed it before?
Anyway, it goes like this:
You can't decide if you really want to make a purchase or not, so you take however much money that item costs and place it in a cookie jar on the fireplace mantel in the living room. Wait at least 2 weeks; don't you dare touch it, don't even THINK about it. Better yet, just forget about it for a month, because after waiting all that time you then decide now whether you really want to buy that thing or not. If you don't, then it was easy doing without it, if you do want to buy it, then go get the cookie jar and...Sonofabich !! I just remembered where I heard that! I was 11 years old saving up for a bicycle, and my brother gave me some good sounding advice. NOW I know what happened to mom's cookie jar!! And where my brother's new record player came from.

 

[Alan Gage]

Glenn: I don't know what you decided in the end but either way I found another small piece of gear that will help. It will either serve as a small consolation prize or else help you restore some of your street cred.



Alan

 

[Odyssey]

Respect to the spork. Who'd a thought it could be an edgy type tool?
"Back away from my quinoa Mr. Bear!!"

 

[old tom]

No Title

This works, & there are darn few vehicles less suitable for moving anything larger than a set of golf clubs. I built the trailer such that the canoe sits upright. That way all the gear stays in the boat, leaving the trunk for anything that should be kept out of sight until the last minute. It's super light, nothing but tongue, axle & two well padded 2X4s to rest the canoe on. The hitch is a "hidden hitch", more than adequate for the 70 or so pounds on it. They make them for all makes & sizes so I'd be surprised if you can't find one to suit.

 

[old tom]

I've tried a few sporks. Most useless tool I ever got suckered into buying. A spoon, real spoon, is an absolute necessity, sometimes a fork is nice, especially for the very rare occasion I catch a fish, but a spork...can't do anything right. Sorry, some things just have to be spoken aloud.