This is a $500 LeMons car?

[the Teuton]

Indeed, it is.







We've seen the LeMons depreciation record shattered, with the '89 BMW 750iL that reigned supreme in that category since its (brief) appearance at the The Lamest Day knocked off its pedestal!

That's right, it really is possible to obtain a great big Benz with a V12 engine, dent-free body, and cherry interior for 500 bucks. Now, some of you may be asking yourselves, "How in the hell could a car that sold new for $130,000 just over a decade ago possibly make it past the LeMons Supreme Court without getting issued so many penalty laps that the judges get carpal tunnel syndrome from writing so many zeros on the inspection sheet?"

We had a hard time believing it ourselves, but here's how it went down: the car was brought into the country by a Paraguayan diplomat (it still has diplomatic plates), and then some hazily-defined event took place that resulted in a drug-smuggling bust and the involvement of police personnel from several nations. After that, the car became permanently radioactive in the eyes of the DMV, with dealer after dealer attempting to wash it clean of its sins and register it for street use. No dice! Finally, all the optimism evaporated and the last dealer washed his hands of the car, selling it for a grand to... the same LeMons team that once ran a Jaguar XJ-S. They sold the driver's seat for 500 bucks, and that was that. The heater works, the roll cage was installed without trashing the beautiful wood-and-leather interior, and we bought the whole story. There's talk that one of the LeMons Perpetrators may get the Chief Perp to claim the car (as is his, and only his, right) so that he can drop the engine in a '27 Ford Tudor. The team members say they don't want to see this car ever again, once the race is done, so things might work out well for all concerned.

http://jalopnik.com/5409819/adventures-in-depreciation-1995-mercedes+benz-s600-gets-zero-penalty-laps-at-the-arse-freeze

[Vinsanity]

stupid DMV...what could've happened during the drug bust that would make this car un-roadworthy?

[sportyaccordy]

stupid DMV...what could've happened during the drug bust that would make this car un-roadworthy?

They might have cut into the structural members for... additional... storage...

[CALL_911]

Mercedes' prestige just went down a little bit.

[Minpin]

Someone probably died in it.

[GoCougs]

Sounds like BS to me; the implication that the DMV cares about "criminal history" sounds off, plus paperwork has to be in order for anyone to legally own a car; dealers included; so there would be no need to "wash it clean."

[sportyaccordy]

Well Cougs, as I told you, 12 cylinder luxury can be had on the cheap.

[2o6]

Sounds like BS to me; the implication that the DMV cares about "criminal history" sounds off, plus paperwork has to be in order for anyone to legally own a car; dealers included; so there would be no need to "wash it clean."

I think people are cheating in this race.



I saw a Mini Cooper S in one of these races.

[Madman]

Seems to me anyone with a forged bill of sale from a private party can enter with damn near anything, no matter how much they really paid for the car.  I mean, how can anyone know the REAL purchase price for any of the entrants?

Cheers,
Madman of the People

[Vinsanity]

I thought I heard that it's up to the race officials' discretion whether or not to allow suspect entries like a $500 Mercedes S600 in the race. Maybe they gave this one a pass because the entrants made up a interesting and clever enough story

[the Teuton]

Here's the thing: if you could pass off any car to race in LeMons, would you legitimately race an S600 that is in near-perfect condition if you didn't get it for $500? I don't think so.

[ChrisV]

Well, the big V12 cars in less than stellar condition are heading under a grand, for 10-15 year old examples. Worries about maintenance/repair costs reduce the demand for them at this age, dropping the price like a stone.

[Payman]

You enter a car like this under the risk of "the people's wrath". I bet it gets sledgehammered to a pulp.

[the Teuton]

You enter a car like this under the risk of "the people's wrath". I bet it gets sledgehammered to a pulp.

It had a hose problem and spent the better part of the race out. It won't face the wrath if only because it didn't do that well and it really wasn't that fast on the track.

[the Teuton]

[the Teuton]

Believe it or not, Team Diplomatic Immunity's best lap was a slow-as-hell 2:56. The E30 and Miata running 1-2 were both down to 2:23/lap. That's quite a difference.

[sportyaccordy]

Well, the big V12 cars in less than stellar condition are heading under a grand, for 10-15 year old examples. Worries about maintenance/repair costs reduce the demand for them at this age, dropping the price like a stone.

I would buy one just for the motor. Take it out, throw it in a Miata or something.

[3.0L V6]

I would buy one just for the motor. Take it out, throw it in a Miata or something.

Which is what the organizer did - for $500, as per the rules. He's planning to use the engine for a project car. He could also make a killing selling off parts of the car on eBay. I bet he's a happy camper right now.