Ever felt in danger driving a W123 nowadays..?I didnt notice this because my 85 300D was on jackstands quite a bit last year but in 2006 heavy highway traffic, are we an endangered species?
Most modern cars are lightweight and pack about 200Hp and 4 valves/cylinder whereas we are heavier and and half 1/2 the horsepower. Quite a few times I've felt as if I had been in a 300hp Hummer vice my Benz, I might have been a bit safer--but I like my Benz more.
A Car really changes the personality of people! Mild mannered types suddenly become aggressive horn blasting rude nasty types and quite a few times I've had someone accelerate up to my rear bumber, flash or her lights and tail me at 3 feet distance for a 1/2 mile or so.
The last time this happened I was babysitting some kids. At the next intersection, I blocked the offending car and jumped out, expecting to see some grizzly sized construction worker. I was so pumped with adrenaline and anger, I dont think it would have made a difference if it were Mike Tyson, what the H""", 5 cups of coffee and sleep deprivation can really bring out the idiot in me...but i was stunned to see a sweet faced kid, and I just gawked, shook my head, and apologized and drove off....
Hint: On the super highways--should we leave the W123 home? Its a better car for the Midwest where people are 10x more polite and not so mean and nasty...

I've promised myself that I will rig up the "proximity regulator" very shortly for the SD.

It will consist of a small tank of diesel fuel (with some added waste crankcase oil), a pump, and two nozzles that are mounted to the rear bumper.

I'm trying to find a fuel pump that is reasonably cheap. I don't think the wsw pumps will survive the diesel fuel.

A small switch inside the cabin and I'll be all set.

You might want to redetermine the location of your nozzles. That area can have an air pocket that will cause the spray to swirl back onto the rear of the car. (I have determined this due to a recent tranny gasket leak.)

Also, I would prefer something that had a little more "smell", even if it was temporary, and I wouldn't want to spray something I can use to burn in the car.

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Sam

84 300SD 350K+ miles ( Blue Belle )

Maybe I need to get the nozzles below the bumper in some fashion??

Thats just how people drive in NJ! Seriously its NJ what do you expect? People drive like nuts, their is a lot of traffic, and it smells like chemicals. All part of the local flavor...

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Brian, if you're serious, please keep us updated. You might talk to a patent attorney as well...

You know, after living in Oregon I kind of miss the NJ drivers. It's a different kind of bad driving on the west coast. Here no one seems pay attention to anyone else on the road, making things like lane changes more dangerous. I remember people at times in NJ passing me at 100 mph on the shoulder, but at least they weren't clueless about it. It's calculated risk vs. clueless risk.

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Ralph

1985 300D Turbo, CA model
248,650 miles and counting...

Maybe there are fewer nutty drivers in CT because it's a rare event to even get up to speed there, what with it being the 'roadwork' state and all...

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Ralph

1985 300D Turbo, CA model
248,650 miles and counting...

I've got a good story about CT.

I've been commuting to CT for the business for about 16 years. Back in 1991, the state decided to rebuild the I-95 freeway and all the ramps in the area of Bridgeport.......about a 4 mile stretch or so. It was a big project and involved the addition of several lanes and some service roads.

They started construction on this section sometime in 1993-1994 time period.

Would you believe it........if I told you that they are still working on it.........12 years later?

and i frown on disobedience and civil unruliness but he he I still have the steel balls from my failed CV joints....perhaps a few tossed out of the sunroof opening into a headwind would...ONLY LAND MY BUT IN JAIL

........can you kindly provide the address for the jail??

........we'll all stop over and visit.

Just move to Eastern PA. People know how to drive there.

Northern central Jersey sucks, near Newark and all that, but way up north it isn't so bad.

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1976 BMW 2002- 100k
1995 BMW 325i 175k
1984 Mercedes Benz 300D Turbo Diesel- 270,000 mi

1981 Mercedes Benz 240D- Estimated 300,000+ mi Returned to the earth

I have 1990 420 SEL and 94' Cadillac Fleetwood feel safe driving both of those automobiles especially here in in the Tri-State area (wash, baltimore and va) on the dreaded Beltway, people don't get the concept of drive between the lines ,now add the "let's use our cell phones while driving" and its like bumper cars.

I bought my car because I feel safer driving it. We have a huge deer population here. And, after having a doe jump OVER my WRX (she left hoofprints on the roof), I felt like I needed something with a bit more substance. Let me tag a deer with my 123, and I think the Merc will come out on top.

On tailgaters, what about the old "put it in neutral, shut it off, put key to on position and put car in drive" smokescreen trick? I havent personally done this, but have heard of it.

-Ob

Personaly just feel well over 90 percent of my driving of my old diesels is in basically an area of a few small towns. Hustling in a big city area with congested traffic and high speeds does not strike me as one of these cars particular strong points. They are truly of an other era in some ways. Some people quote it as a gentler time. The upside is I suspect the next generation of cars to materialise once the concept of really high fuel costs errupts will produce new cars with simular or even less performance potential. The younger members should live long enough to see this fully implemented. Plus it is my belief someone out there will partially rework these engines and accesories with a strap on fuel metering system that may ultimatly increase the milage and performance. No need for a semi obsolete injector pump. Fuel rail, sensors and high pressure pump with a strap on control computor will probably come along as well at some point. All the required components are out there now. Great aftermarket concept perhaps at some point. Just perhaps needs someone to get it together.

The only time I feel in danger in my Mercedes is when I go through a questionable parts of some towns at night. I can't lock my doors, either. That's the next project...