Teenagers!!! My son, when he was 15-18 sort of sounds like Jerry! You know,
borderline retard. At times I thought they had switched the kid at birth. He is making progress though.

Come on, our kids are what we live for!

Sounds like lots of you have had some pretty bad experiences with your kids. Well, I'm going to rub it in for you.

I'm pretty mature for an 18 year old, I don't do the crazy stupid stuff my teenage "bretheren" do. People think I'm in my mid 20's sometimes because I'm so knowledgeable about older MBs and I don't talk like other teens, you know, they're cursing every other word and just overall butchering the English language. I don't trash cars, I take care of my car, you can find me at fuel stops checking the motor oil and transmission fluid levels and adding fluid if necessary, something even grown adults won't do, and I'm always hearing that compliment from my parents, thanks to them I know the value of a car and to always keep it in top notch shape and fix it right so I won't end up on the side of the road. I've had only one fender bender from that Suburban that backed into me at a red light that didn't really bend anything (that W123 is a strong car), and when I have my dad's credit card, I'm not going to do something stupid like go to the mall and spend $600 on clothes or candy, that card gets used for important things like repairs, parts, and other necessary non-car items. I see a lot of people at the University I attend drive little sports cars and SUVs, and they can't drive a lick, they floor it in the parking lot and almost hit me, rice and bondo everywhere. Come on, although their car will fall apart with they hit the W123 , they're immature when it comes to being behind the wheel, they're probably just immature in general, like some of the kids you've described. I don't really speed (10+ mph over the limit) unless road and weather conditions permit it, I go with the flow, I drive defensively, I don't just steer like other teens, I'm always checking the mirrors, and I do this thing called using TURN SIGNALS, apparently, most drivers haven't heard of them. If I have to use the cell phone while driving, I'm checking the mirrors and my surroundings every second and pull over if neccessary.
-Joe

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'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

This thread reminds me of all the nasty stuff my friends and I did to cars as teenagers, like seeing how far the family sedan would fly off the crest of a hill (remember Bullet and The Dukes of Hazard). Just don't tell my kids, I'm still having trouble with the whole "don't do drugs" thing.

as a teenager i was always surprised at how often my peers were willing to (and still are, as college students) risk their lives over stupid things. i guess none of them have woken up to hear their parents tell them their best friend died because of an idiot high and driving. makes you a bit paranoid on the road about other drivers....

i agree that teenagers in new cars can be scary as hell- i live near a high school and they seem to think that their little new bmw can turn left directly in front of a 96 silverado (extended cab, full bed...big ass truck) and they don't have to even look. i'm to the point where i want to get a unimog and see if they still pull out in front of it...or maybe a tank. i've nearly hit them so many times i won't even drive that direction if i can help it...i don't want to damage my MB over some idiot kid.

this is yet another reason why collision coverage is a problem- if the car just comes back all fixed, why be so super cautious? if you don't have it and everything comes out of pocket, you tend to be a hell of a lot more careful with the car.

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"Mischief" - 1983 300D - troublemaker with a big heart.
Currently in storage due to a transmission that was never reconnected by a now deceased family member and a hole in the floor the seat is easing into.

If you want your kids to repsect their cars make them pay for them.

Even if you buy them a new/er car make them pay for fuel and kick in say $200 a month for insurance and the note. Call it part of there education on real life.

When I was in high school the worst and most scary drivers were usualy girls that got the keys to new cars given to them, and all expenses covered. They beat the living crap out of them because "dad will fix it". Not to mention they drove like nut jobs on there cells, and usualy beat there cars to death in a year or two.

The best drivers were the ones who paid for all of or part of their own cars. You tend to respect things more when you will be paying to fix it.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

My dad ended up paying for mine but I'm responsible for fuel, oil, and repairs... I've never been one of the crazy teenagers, I grew up with my grandparents almost (next door, practically, and by choice) - and inherited from them at least some degree of common sense. yes, i've screwed up a few times... but i still treat the car like it's valuable even though i didn't pay for it... because I know I'll have to pay for the next one if I do manage to total it... I make mistakes but I do my darn best not to let them be big ones.

I think it all boils down to how much responsibility is shown BEFORE the car becomes an issue.

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~Michael S.~
Past cars:

1986 300SDL
1987 300SDL
1982 240D
1982 300SD


Current:

1987 300SDL

hah thanks for the laugh.

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http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

"POST REPAIR" ??? I'd call that Mid Repair. Hope they learned something.

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1986 Euro 500SEC "RUF" 9:1CR, "Rose"
1985 Euro 500SEC Cabriolet AMG Widebody
1982 Euro 500SEL "Blue"
2001 Texas Heeler (Aussie/Queensland X) "Sulphie",
2012 Queensland Red Heeler "Squeak"
Best dogs I've ever had.

I don't like teenagers driving in cars; I don't even like the idea of teenagers driving in cars. (To say the absolute truth, I don't even like the idea of teenagers.)

Judging by insurance premiums, insurance companies don't, either.

People who think whatever they are talking about on the cell phones glued to their ear is more important than driving, when trying to do both at the same time, makes the problem 1,000 times worse.

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

Having raised four daughters over the years I kind of enjoyed this thread. I still do not have all the answers. Actually probably none of them come to think about it.
The only thing I really insisted on was if a red light lit up in the dash and they continued driving it would be the last time they ever drove a vehicle owned by the family.
I did not care if they called a flatbed or rented a car.. Yet if they drove with a red light on in the dash until the car quit they should seriously consider not calling home.
Complete destruction of an engine so easily avoided is not rocket science. Really amazing how many stories I have heard over the years about people only driving it a few miles more in an overheated condition or with no oil pressure. This is of course the description you get when examining the remains of the engine.
Other than that you pretty well just have to trust that your childrens common sense is stronger than their lack of experience. Yes with our four daughters there were a few questionable boyfriends at times. At least they all eventually chose well enough that we now have four pretty good and reasonable son in laws. At least that was a break. There were times....

Well, on the other end of the scale, my brother and I (my brother is a sophomore in college and I'm a sophomore in high school) successively drove our family 300d. Then again, our dad basically said he would help us with repairs but that we needed to learn how to maintain the Benz.

And now, as a result, my dad keeps talking to his friends at work about how he gave his son in high school a new radio and said, "Here, install this in the Benz," and that night it was up and running. Now if only I could replace the stock speakers...
I also managed to talk him into helping me get a new compressor, and together we got the A/C working.

I dunno, I'm a teen so my opinion is somewhat... biased?
I say that if you get a kid to take an interest in the car, you'll be providing a valuable life skill and good life experience. If nothing else, you will be making sure the door locks work .

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1984 300DT turbo 138k mi

Still hauling me to school and back.

Handy Site:
http://www.dieselgiant.com/

My sister was given our minivan as her driver (until it dies and we use one of the diesels to drag it to the u-pick ) and she strooongly dislikes it, even though she has to pay for ALL associated costs (all fuel, maintenance and insurance). She doesn't even like paying for fuel for it! She does respect it though, and drives normally (keeps it alive longer). I'm taking bets on whether the timing belt or tranny will go first. Timing belt is original at 92k....was supposed to be replaced at 70k. We'll see.....its a POS....soon as it dies (one of those two things) away it goes....and in with a 240 auto or something along those lines. Slow but reliable. She never even drives over 55....so a 240 beater would suit her fine.

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

Its the girls that get new C300's, 330I's, or Boxsters given to them that you have to watch. Prada bags, expensive everything...I hung around with one back in high school, she was given a new 24ft Century center console. She beat that boat to death, along with here new BMW. Those girls are bad news, they are hot but you need massive income to keep them happy. Like my friend said, stay away unless you can giver her the world.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

My skin actually crawls when I see girls like that....drives me nuts. They are so stupid and helpless. I stay as far away from them as possible. I just can't imagine how people can be that oblivious and dense.

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)