GTi! Mercedes! Towrope! Kerboing!
I have a history of rubbish cars. I like cars from the early 90s - I love old hot hatches, coupes, and if it has pop-up headlamps I'm sold!

As such, breakdown cover is a must.

I discovered this when my old Corolla broke down. I was visiting my folks in the back of beyond and my car just died. I had no cover, so I called my Dad and asked for help. He had just paid cash for a brand new CLK and welcomed any chance to drive it so he was there in a shot. I gave him my towrope, which happened to be elasticated, attached my bumper to his towbar, and off we went!

We got most of the way without incident until, at one set of lights, after applying my handbrake, I got carried away with the music and didn't notice my Dad set off. There was the sound of rending metal swiftly followed by a crunch sound.

I hopped out of the car and saw my bumper on the front of the Merc. I also saw a remarkably calm father, considering.

My bumper had given way under the pressure of the Merc setting off, rebounded (owing to the elasticated towrope) straight over the top of the Merc and into it's windscreen.
( disasterprone "Pyjamas caused the Holocaust", Fri 22 Jan 2010, 11:09, 1 reply)

Old Mercedes
John is a local Mercedes specialist and has a 300S sedan, commonly known as an "Adenauer" after the 1950s German chancellor who favored them. The driveway of his garage has a slope and a customer brought in his 1980s sedan in for work on the handbrake. Said customer parked the sedan in front of the Adenauer and pulled on the brake, which was why he was there in the first place. The Adenauer grille is formed of multiple strips of chromed metal, virtually hand assembled and all but irreplaceable. But not quite irreplaceable. Stuttgart Classic Centre had them for $15,000 Australian.
(Redemption blamed it on the Bossa Nova since, Tue 26 Jan 2010, 5:24, closed)