Businessman’s ‘priceless’ 79-year-old Mercedes-Benz
BOSTON Moonsamy is enjoying a oneof-a-kind love experience – not just with his wife Sandra, but his $200000 classic car.
The uMhlanga businessman believes his 1938 Mercedes-Benz 200V Sports Roadster is the only one left in the world and hopes it will one day take its rightful place in a museum.
“When people approach me about selling the car, I always look at it and say it’s hard to give a price. It’s something priceless. How do I give a person a price when there is nothing to judge it against,” said the father of two.
“This is a priceless item for my children, but one day I do believe it will go home to a museum. That’s its rightful place.”
Moonsamy, who recently showcased his car at the Concords Elegance car show in Durban, said he purchased it at an auction in Arizona, US, two years ago as a gift to his wife for her first Mother’s Day.
“My former business partner is from the UAE, and he is a classic car freak. Over the years, he always told me to invest in them, but I refused. Five years ago, I purchased a 1963 and 1967 MercedesBenz, and I said no more after that. I told him the only other vehicle I would purchase had to be unique.
“When I heard the car was going on auction I decided to bid. My bid was US$200000 and after purchasing we were told 27 were made in 1938 and four in 1939 and this was the last one remaining in the world.
“It’s funny. Although I bought it for my wife, it arrived on my 50th birthday, so it was also my own gift.”
He continued: “Owning something priceless and something that’s the only of its kind in the world, gives me a sense of pride.
“It has a different, special feeling that cannot be explained. It also makes me feel grounded, but at the end of the day, a person’s life is far more precious than a car.”
Moonsamy, the chief executive of Umango Petroleum, said the two seater convertible, which took leaded petrol, was still drivable.
“It’s amazing that this 80-year-old vehicle can still be driven. I do drive it around now and then. Of course, when I purchased it, I had to do a little work on it, but it wasn’t anything drastic,” he said.
“It’s amazing how, if you treat things right, it stays intact.”