Mercedes 300SL Gullwing wrecked by mechanics

[Mike C.]

http://cdn3.spiegel.de/images/image-477972-galleryV9-eoki.jpg

This one isn't going to be for the faint of heart. A mechanic recently destroyed a Mercedes-Benz 300SL during a test drive near Pleidelsheim in Baden-Wütterburg, Germany. The owner brought the car to Mechatronik, a shop specializing in high-end and vintage Mercedes-Benz vehicles, for some work. After the job was done, a 26-year-old technician hopped behind the wheel and brought a 19-year-old apprentice with him for the ride. As you can see, the car did come back in one piece, but that piece didn't quite look like it used to. Police say – surprise! – speed was a factor when the vintage Gullwing left the road and rolled. Neither the driver nor the passenger were seriously injured.

All told, the damage is estimated 650,000 euros, or $830,000 at current conversion rates. Both the car and the garage are sufficiently insured to cover the damages, and Spiegel Online says the owner took the news about his destroyed classic in stride. At this point, it's unclear whether their driver will pay to have this particular car repaired.

[ramblinmike]

That is a sin.

[matt clark]

It took that rolling well, though. Tough car.

I am a big fan of this video. Guy with a 300SL who loves to drive it. Some beautiful images and GREAT noises in this vid:

http://vimeo.com/42983057

[OverlandMan]

This makes me cringe. Damn shame...

[DL4567]

Wrecked Veyron and Enzo pics cans even begin to touch that. Wow, that is just sickening.

[eagle-co94]

It took that rolling well, though. Tough car.

I am a big fan of this video. Guy with a 300SL who loves to drive it. Some beautiful images and GREAT noises in this vid:

http://vimeo.com/42983057

"That's the way to keep them running, keep them on the road."

Damn straight!

[Dangermouse]

You know that they will rebuilt it better than new.

I like that it is being tended by a Mercedes ambulance and a Mercedes police car :) (yes, I know it's Germany)

[eagle-co94]

You know that they will rebuilt it better than new.

I like that it is being tended by a Mercedes ambulance and a Mercedes police car :) (yes, I know it's Germany)

Yeah, the pig slow Vito van (Polizei). I topped one out at about 140km/h. They are not fast by any stretch of the imagination.

[Domi]

Poor car... :eek5:

[Jimmyvonviggle]

I like to hear the explanation the two "mechanics" had for their boss.

[Michael]

It's a damn shame that even specialty shops can't hire people that show an ounce of respect for someone's treasure. I can only imagine that so called mechanic didn't see an extremely rare piece of automobile history, all he saw was a free joy ride to sastify his whim. When I was at Mercedes I routinely took customers' 6 figure cars to Knoxville and back(about a 225 mile round trip) and I never once abused that trust by mistreating or even putting their car at risk by spirited driving. I saw to it that everyone's car was treated as such, and if I ever caught anyone abusing the trust the customer placed in us I would had made sure they were gone gone gone. That mechanic should be prosecuted as much as the law allows(if any) ....termination is a no brainer.

[pezzonovante88]

Horrible to see such a valuable classic destroyed like that, even if it does get rebuilt. The guys who crashed it must have felt like SHIT!

[Rich]

Thanks for posting the sad/good story. Sad about the damage, happy they both somehow survived the rollover.

You posted it up here before it seems to have shown up over here: LINK: http://www.wreckedexotics.com/ (http://www.wreckedexotics.com/)

That site is also not for the faint of heart - exotic wrecks and oddball car situations, exotic and otherwise, from around the world.

[thirdmanj]

Oh thank goodness! Those are such ugly cars!!

[Jonathan]

I like to hear the explanation the two "mechanics" had for their boss.

I think the explanation was right in the article itself...

"a 26-year-old technician hopped behind the wheel and brought a 19-year-old apprentice with him for the ride"

Young and dumb I guess... and an example of this "no respect nor accountability" that certain generations are getting a lot of bad press about of late. I'd like to say this sort of thing would never have happened 20-30 years ago, but I don't know that for sure. I just feel like not long ago if you were 26 and 19 you wouldn't be allowed anywhere near this car. Any test drives would be done by the owner of the shop, and that's it. And the owner wouldn't have had to tell anyone this was the deal, you never would have even dreamed of touching it without permission. Sheesh, call me old school I guess...

[Dangermouse]

And perhaps the 19 year old apprentice was female ;)

[Jonathan]

And perhaps the 19 year old apprentice was female ;)

And the last thing said before it rolled was "watch this!"

[SS Spoiler]

If I remember right doesn't it have a swing axle like the earlier Corvairs? You get in a hard turn and the wheel will tuck under.

[Dangermouse]

And the last thing said before it rolled was "watch this!"

Or "hold mein bier " :)

[Jonathan]

Or "hold mein bier " :)

Wow, there are pages of these on YouTube...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zahrJStpuLk