I found a (possibly imported) time capsule

"If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent" (essextee) 01/08/2019 at 16:49 • Filed to: Dots

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It was super duper clean, inside and out. Had a manual gearbox. Note the euro style headlights, and perhaps more telling, the tires were Vredes tein Quatrac 2s. That company is from the Netherlands.

These tires are awesome in an 80's way.

way2blu does a rev update > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 01/08/2019 at 16:52

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This makes me want to get ‘80s wheel turbofans for my ‘06 C-class.

Talk me out of it. Or talk me into it? 

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 01/08/2019 at 16:53

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Wow haven’t heard the word “Vredestein” in a while! It seem they are up to Quatrac 5 now.

And that’s a sweeet looking tire for sure, haha.

Mercedes Streeter > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 01/08/2019 at 17:00

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You can get Vredesteins in America. The Quatrac 5 is the  tyre of choice for my cars. :)

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > way2blu does a rev update 01/08/2019 at 17:04

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I'm not going to stop you.

fintail > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 01/08/2019 at 17:11

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Those hubcaps were also never sold on USDM models. Likely a Euro car, or an oddly obsessive conversion .

duurtlang > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 01/08/2019 at 17:23

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There’s a german emission zone sticker on the window, indicating it is dirty . It is either a diesel or it has no catalyst converter . Definitely  a n import.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > duurtlang 01/08/2019 at 17:27

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It was debadged so I couldn’t tell you what engine it had.

FSI > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 01/08/2019 at 17:28

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Probably a German import as it has an orange hexagonal sticker on the window. Those were introduced in 1995 in Germany to indicate that a vehicle was equipped with a catalytic co nverter.

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 01/08/2019 at 18:25

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Those little square patterns on the sidewall are just begging for some colored stic kers on them for maximum Rad!

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > way2blu does a rev update 01/09/2019 at 00:04

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Old wheels look terrible on  203's. Trust me.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Mercedes Streeter 01/09/2019 at 00:05

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Are you running them currently? How are they in snow? I've thought about throwing them on the R-class.

pjhusa > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 01/19/2019 at 14:11

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Did some research on it. T he VIN comes up as a 1988 190, painted Arctic White with Blue Fabric. Interestingly, it shows as having a catalytic converter. Yet this all seems pretty suspect : the license plate shows as being registered to a 2001 C-Class, but associated with the VIN from the 1988 190. I suspect it was imported silently before passing the 25-year rule; now, of course, it is legal, but shady steps were probably taken to allow it on U.S. roads earlier on .