Just got back from picking up a "personal watercraft" with my son that he purchased from a guy in Alabama. We left Friday night at about 10:00 pm from the local Diesel fuel station where tire pressures and last minute fluid checks were finished. Filled up with fuel and we were off! Arrived in Chattanooga on Saturday afternoon about 2:15 pm. Averaged 32 mpg.

Checked out the jet ski, a Sea-Doo Xp from 1997. Has a new engine, zero hours on it, with a guarantee. Starts right up. So all seems ok. We'll find out today. The son is out buying a life vest.

Left Chattanooga at around 5:00 pm last night (Saturday), with the 240D towing the PWC (seems like it is about 650 lbs and the trailor is about another hundred or so). Had to get some stop leak for one of the trailer tires after about 150 miles. Went down to 10.5 psi. Kept checking the tire pressure every few hundred miles and pumping it back up all night. At the end, after two applications (from the same can) of sealant, the tire seemed to stop leaking. A new one is on its way though. Arrived home at about 12:15 pm Sunday (today, I think). Drove significantly slower and only got about 27.5 mpg on the way back dragging the extra 800 lbs. Left with 314,949 miles and got back with 316,852 miles. The 240D ran flawlessly, although it managed to leak about a quart of oil past the rear seal.

What we saw of the mountains along US 81 were beautiful. Great road, but it seems there must be a lot of dangerous fog in places. Never saw so many tire skid marks!

Bumped into a stranger with a 1983 240D on the street down by the acquarium. I stopped to admire the car, as it was pristine and asked him a few questions. It was looking like new but had 290,000 miles. The owner said he had the engine rebuilt at about 250,000. It has an automatic transmission and what looked like brand new MB tex inside. According to the owner, "It is somewhat like a pet, you just don't want to ever get rid of it." We laughed, I told him the climate in Chattanooga is much friendlier to those cars than New England and wished him luck.

Anyway, good trip. I am going to pass out now, as even only driving half that distance and catching winks in the car left me feeling like someone sand papered my eyes. Jim

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Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)