I still think you need to park your car for a while. Didn't you have a dangerous situation a while back. Come on, I need to catch up!
:cool:

Seriously, I was pleased with the way my SDL handled last winter in snow. And with a turbo kicking in at over 2000 rpm, it is perfect for those slow, easy starts in the snow and ice.

I'm more worried about rust, I have to much $$$ into this car to have it rust away.

I'm looking forward to 240k in a few weeks btw. :p

E300D,

You could use Castrol Syntec 5W50 and use it all year long. You only have to change it every 10,000 miles. I've had good service from it.

P E H

I park mine, and it doesn't see the road as long as there is even traces of salt. But it does get started and moved around my driveway at least once a month, no salt no rust.

Before winter
 

adjust your valves.
The engine will start and run better.
Replace all fuses with NEW.
Possible cooling system flush.
Brake check.
Add road flares, wool blanket, candles, Sterno, tin cups, wine, a sealed metal box of cheese/crackers and candy bars to the trunk. :D
A small 6' X 6' tarp can save you a soaking, if you must get under it on the road side. :eek:
A cell phone and charger……… :D

I use a timer on my block heater. It goes on about 2-3 hrs before I need t start it and it starts like summer. It also saves your block heater, elcetricity too.

GT

I'm trying to get prepared before hand. Soon there will be a storm of posts that are dealing with starting problems, diesel gelling up, snow tires ETC.

I highly recommend that everyone gets ready for winter if you live in the colder zones. It will be here before you know it. :cool:

I tried this last winter but found that on the Mercedes, 2-3 hours was not enough. My boat has 1200 watt block heaters and 1 hour makes a huge difference.

Does anyone know the wattage of a standard Mercedes Block heater? Perhaps I have a problem with mine.

Oh heck, I measured the power to the block heater on a 617 a while back but forget what it was. Several hundred watts (350ish I think). In Cincinnati area, I found engine reached max temp in about 2 hours, after that the needle did not move. So, I hang a high power timer outside on the garage wall in winter and plug in daughter's car. My car (and wife's) get to hide inside. Biggest problem is forgetting to unplug before driving away. I hang the cord over the hood so she can see it. Then she drives off and rips off the star as she goes. Timer I bought is for outside lights I think. Big box with grounded plug outlet. Cost about $12 I think.

i have not had my car in a winter yet so iwill be curious to how it is. im about to get a valve adjustement and will change to a lighter oil aswell. althoguh im considering buying another merc for the winter hiding mine under covers on my drive

finest in-snow car
 

I've never experienced any rear wheel car to best a 300TD on the white stuff.. I have a set of... Shhhh :eek: ... studded Michelins I'm going to add to the Winter Road Warrior bag of tricks, along with the pair of sacks of Redi-Mix just behind the rear bench seat.

I'm working hard to get ready, hopefully by December I will have the extra $$$ for a nice beater. Then my SDL can sleep in the drive way with a cover over it. It would be nice to have another car for a few months, I could then fix the rear window and trans leak without rushing.

I hit 155,000 and I have a pic to prove it. Maybe I should post it? :D

I want to ctc MB to get one of those high mileage badgey things....

Alan Hamm - You can measure the resistance at the plug. Should be around 31.5 ohms cold. Mine does just fine at 2-3 hours. The timer is a good idea.

Kamil (and anyone else who might encounter bad icing conditions) - a trick I learned when I was enjoying Plattsburgh NY courtesy of the USAF was to carry a gallon jug of bleach in the trunk. When you find yourself stuck on glaze ice and the wheels just want to spin, pour a little bleach on the rear tires and along the path out. Amazing the grip you will get.

Cheers,
Wes

Danger there:
 

If you get excess bleach on/under/around the tires and spin the tires enough to build up friction = street drag racers flame out hole shot trick.
I watched a Toyota Corolla owner try to use that idea, used a full gallon for four tires, climbed in and punched it, the rear tires burned through the ice, but the tire wells where balls of flame, owner abandoned the car for a snow bank. :eek:
The tire rubber caught fire and the car was history. :eek: :(

Don't let Police see you use this trick; it is illegal in some areas to put bleach on tires at all. :(