It's far worse than you think ! .
When I had my Indie shop in the 1970's it was an VW air cooled palace, everyone else wanted chrome 2180 CC engines, I remained with the early 36hp engines, crash box transmissions, skinny tires, AM radios, the works .
I also piled on more miles in every week than most ever do monthly .
Then SWMBO did what neither of my Brothers could : got me to buy a Mercedes Diesel, this one was the first, I've had quite a few but this old plodder remains and will prolly be the one I die with .
I bought her a grey market fully optioned W123 wagon a few years ago on a tip here from the
CWC guys, she loves it and told me to junk the 240D, I can't .
I need to get busy and fix the cruise control as I often load it up with five people, set the air con to '
refrigerate' and head off across the Desert to Nevada or wherever .
@ 60 MPH it's cold like a meat locker and always gets over 32 MPG ~ what's not to love ?
.
I drove it alone to bury Pops in Colorado two years ago, it only had 200# in the #1 cylinder thanx to a tuliped exhaust valve but it ran O.K. if slowly on the hills ~ in New Mexico deep in the Navajo Nation it struggled up a steep highway at a walking pace for an hour or two, that's when I decided to bite the bullet and fully overhaul the drive train . I spent three weeks on the open road and put over 3,000 wonderful if slow miles on it .
Yep, I'm stupid alright
.
No regrets, not a one .
I even drove it on a few Road Rallies in So. Cal. ~ someone has to bring up the rear and drive sweep, right ?
.