How many of you put your Merc diesel 'up' for the winter to keep it out of the road salt and then drive something else to 'soak up' the road salt?

I wish I could I try to work around it by spending the final two months before each winter inspecting and treating all rust areas, and undercoating EVERYTHING. I just did the final phase of treatment today infact, tomorrow is undercoat day, then it will be pretty much set to face the winter. When it does get cruddy out and they salt heavily....I go to the car wash and drop in a buck or two and use the power sprayer to clean the car like heck on the underside and body, just a super good hot rinse, to get all the salt off. I do this as often as possible, the other solution is garden hose and spray gun from the water heater out to car, and rinse it right at home, so it doesn't have to be re-driven through salt to get back from the auto wash. Rinse rinse rinse. The key to aiding survival of a Michigan car, but super undercoat/etc is also uber important.

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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)

My SDL was a Texas car and had never seen salt or much snow in its life. After I brought it back to Canada last year I had it completely rustproofed and I made sure to wash it regularly on top and underneath throughout the last winter. These cars seem to stand up better than most to the harsh conditions and I have seen many earlier W126 SD's and SDL's that are still running around pretty much rust free, at least on the visible areas.

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1991 M-B 560SEL Arctic White/Grey 99,000 Miles
1987 M-B 300SDL Ivory/Palomino 229,000 Miles (sold but never forgotten)
2006 Volvo XC70 Blue/Beige
1999 Porsche Boxster Arena Red/Savanna Beige
1986 Porsche 928S Goldweiss/Brown

I've found that washing my car every couple of days in the salty season seems to keep it from rusting for a few extra years (just a guess of course). A couple bucks at the self wash to get the under carriage and other problem areas is all it takes.

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1987 300SDL 167k
1992 Volvo 740 140k
1990 Volvo 740 250k
1989 Volvo 240 269k

Anyone want to trade an old Volvo for an '87 300sdl?

I just put my baby away the other day. Gave her a nice hand job and backed her into the garage.

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'85 300SD (formerly california emissions)
'08 Chevy Tahoe
'93 Ducati 900 SS
'79 Kawasaki KZ 650
'86 Kawasaki KX 250
'88 Kawasaki KDX200
'71 Hodaka Ace 100
'72 Triumph T100R

I love my car too, but DAMN, you really love your car.

Seriously though, I've got no room for more than one car, so I drive all winter in my 300TD. I tackle problem areas in the fall (working on a few now), and wash it after every road salting. Its been one winter under my care so far, entering winter two, and the rust is no worse than when I got it (and better in a few places). I'd love to garage it, but thats not going to happen.

St. Louis doesn't get a lot of snow, but when it does, we think the world is coming to an end and dump the salt like you wouldn't believe... Its really annoying.

peace,
sam

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"That f***in' biodiesel is makin' me hungry."

1982 300TD Astral Silver w/ 250k (BIO BNZ)
2001 Aprilia SR50 Corsa Red w/ 5.5k (>100 MPG)

Am I the only one who raised their eyebrows at this statement?

EDIT: I just read Phidauex's post.....

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1982 240D.
My name is Michael, and I am an 18 year old binge-drinkin', cigar-smokin', novel-writin', all around unsavory and unnattractive guy. I tell long-winded stories, and I only shave once a week, although I've had to do it every day since I was 16.

me too. pretty much like the others. whenever the weather warms enough to thaw a little i try to get to the wash and do a thorough wash top and bottom. no othe sacrificail lambs here.

tom, w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I use my 1991 Saab 900 as the sacrificial winter car. I own a 1970 MGB, a 1984 300SD, and my 'newest' car is the beater car. Go figuire.

Wow am I outta touch. I didn't know Mercury had a diesel........


Being a life long Texan, this is such a foreign concept. Running the air conditioning occasionally in February is not out of the question....

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Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

Yup it'll go from the low 80s to mid 40s overnight.

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I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

The good news for my 300Ds is that salt only works around 0*F and higher and since its rarely that warm north of the Alaska Range in the winter, they rarely use salt! Growing up back east and working on Dodges caused more than a few torn knuckles. I bought a 20 yr old Dodge up here and could remove any nut without stripping it, even on the exhaust system!

Regarding garaging vehicles, Click and Clack advise us to put the engine inside and leave the body outside!

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1983 300td 240k (down with bad tranny)
1984 300d 222k (daily driver) "Olive"
1997 GMC K2500 105k (sled dog limo)

"The scenery in ANWR is as spectacular as the Grand Canyon and the wildlife is more impressive."

Every good intention of putting her to bed this winter. I just bought a '90 Jetta to drive until spring. I paid $1000, then took it in to Canadian Tire for the Provincial Inspection- they quoted me $2000 in necessary repairs
No way I'm spending $2000- if I had to spend that much on car repair, it would be put on the Benz, not an old VW. Anyway, the proprietor of my favourite junkyard does MVI, and I'm taking the VW into him- he thinks he can do all the necessary fixes for more like $1000. It's not serious stuff- just a lot of it- front struts (entire units including upper bearings and lower mounts- they are shot and rusted), brakes all around including calipers and e-brake cable, fuel guage sender is leaking gas, a couple of minor holes in floor- that's about it.

I would like to know what you all do for storing your Benz- in garage or outside, car cover or not, remove battery or leave it in so you can run the engine every so often, etc?

Dave M.
1976 300D

This will be my 10th year with the SD. I'm in the middle of welding in repairs in a bunch of areas - really needed to be done. Plus, I replaced the rear window seal this weekend, which was responsible for some rust in the trunk and completely compromised a front seat mounting point - that has been completely fixed. It's not too bad to do, really. Areas are being treated with Rust Bullet as I go. I plan on continuing to drive this car every winter, all winter unless I need to be out with my pickup (plow) truck, for years to come. In the slop, snow, sand, salt. Yep.

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'82 300SD - 361K mi - "Blue"

"Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement."

listen, look, .........and duck.

Way to go Pete!....your an old diesel road warrior like me! Welding is like theropy....you have to concentrate and it takes your mind off of everything else. What you have when your done welding is something you can drive away in!
Diesel Mercedes actually handle very well in the slop and snow inspite of being rear wheel drive. They are heavy sedans and that helps.

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FRED

Daily Driver: 98 E300TD 199K
Hobby Car: 69 Austin Mini
Past Diesels: 84 300SD, 312K
87 300SDL, 251K
94 Chev. K-1500 6.5Ltr.TD, 373K