Why a 2016 Mercedes is the right car for a rock star

Greg Richards remembers always being obsessed with two things – music and cars – and nothing has changed for the now 60-year-old muso.

When you are a musician, size of a vehicle matters, and he found the 2016 Mercedes Benz E250 was the perfect fit for his lifestyle. Richards the bass player for The Australian Eagles Show, as well as playing with Little Steely Brothers, who pay tribute to the classic songs of the Little River Band, Steely Dan, the Doobie Brothers, and the Eagles.

After being given a guitar by his grandparents for his ninth birthday, Richards started his first band. The oldest member was only 15 so they named the band The Young Ones, and after winning second place on a Channel 9 talent show, they were picked up to perform regularly on a 1960’s television show with Jim Illiffe as host.

Richards played in a number of other bands over the years before giving up playing for 12 years to run a business. Dusting his guitar off to help with a local singer’s album 2000, though, was enough to spark Richards’ interest in performing again.

“I have always loved being a musician, but since I retired in 2010 after we sold the business, I don’t think I have ever enjoyed performing so much!” he says.

What was your first car?

The Mercedes is a far cry from Richards’ fist car, a FB Holden station wagon.

“My dad said he would buy my first car when I was 16, and I was over the moon …… until it arrived on the back of a tow truck, with no front seat, and the engine in the back of the wagon!,” Richards said. “The car was parked under the house, and Dad and I would work on it at night restoring it. He did all the important work, I just passed him the spanners.”

Richards says his dad purchased the car unregistered from a wrecking yard for $80 in 1972.

“After I had overcome my initial shock, I really loved that car,” he recalls. “After it was registered, I spent more money than Dad had spent on the car buying a set of second-hand mag wheels, and a second-hand valve radio, which was pretty flash. Not many cars had radios then!”

Richards remembers spending many nights sitting in the driver’s seat under the house when he was still 16, dreaming of actually being able to drive around in it: “I couldn’t wait!”

Tell us about your car

It’s a 2016 Mercedes Benz E250 cdi Night Edition in ‘cavansite blue’ that I bought in December. It was a demonstrator vehicle at a Sydney Mercedes dealership, so I flew down to buy it and drove it back to Brisbane.

I wasn’t really in the market for a new car, and I already had an E Class that I bought new in December 2009. I had only just done 80,000 kilometres in the previous car and it was still in perfect condition. I still felt like it drove as good as new, until I bought my wife a new Mercedes in November 2016. After comparing the new car with driving my old one, I started to look online at what was available in a new E Class. I’ve been sticking with the E Class as it’s a larger car, and as a musician, I need to be able to fit all my equipment in it.

How much work goes into its upkeep?

I have been very fortunate with all the new Mercedes I’ve owned in recent years. None have had any particular problems, or extraordinary up-keep. The insurance is a little higher than some other vehicles, and the services are a little more expensive, but driving it makes up for all the additional financial pain. Actually, the most expensive part of owning a Mercedes (or any European car, I guess) is the depreciation! I lost more than the cost of two brand new Commodores in the seven years I owned my previous E Class. The only maintenance I do is washing it on average weekly, I’ve always waxed my cars about every three months, and I check and top up as appropriate any oils or other liquids every wash.

Do you know the history of the car?

It was first registered in August 2016 to Mercedes Benz and used as a demonstrator vehicle. I bought it in December 2016 with 2,997km on it.

What unique/special features does it have?

The E250 cdi is a 2,143cc twin turbo diesel delivering 150 kilowatts and 500 newton metres. I enjoy driving it as I can drive around with a very light pedal and it happily goes wherever I want with ease, and very economically. Actually, when I bought it, I drove from the dealership in Campbelltown to my home on the northside of Brisbane, and drove around for a few days before I had to fill up!

The Night Edition comes with a huge range of extra options anyway, but it has an AMG (high performance) package including 19-inch AMG wheels, the premium Harmon Kardon 10-speaker sound system, radar-controlled cruise control, leather upholstery, electric seats with memory, heated front seats, panoramic sunroof, keyless entry and start, intelligent lighting, blind-spot indicators, automatic parking, autonomous emergency braking, driver awareness alert, rain-sensing wipers, reversing camera and so much more.

What is your favourite car?

I am inclined to say the current one, but I really did enjoy the ‘76 Triumph Stag I owned in the early ’80’s … when it was working! 

Why are you interested in cars?

My father was a motor mechanic and was always working on cars at home as well, so perhaps that was why I became a car nut, but long before I was old enough to have a learner’s permit, before I started school, I used to entertain people by telling them the brand and model of the cars driving past on the street, I used to save my pocket money to buy a new Matchbox car each month, I was drawing cars, and collecting and building model cars etc. I can really only remember being “obsessed” with 2 main things in my life – becoming a musician (which I did from 9 years old), and cars!

I did pick up enough from my dad to be able to service my own and my family’s cars, and do some smaller repairs, but I have not had to fully restore a car.

What would be your dream car?

 My absolute favourite car would be a DB9 Aston Martin (although the new DB11’s look pretty good too!). In my opinion they are the most attractive looking car, from any and every angle, that I have seen.

Do you have any tips for other car enthusiasts?

Oh, I don’t know that I am in a position to be offering advice, but I really enjoy motoring, and even, to an extent, detailing my cars until they look like they are straight off the showroom floor again. I just seem to be able to “get lost” when I am driving around. I put my favourite music on, and basically forget my worries … in a nice car, that is!

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