hahahahaa that's a thing my friend and i have. every time we exit the 240, he asks "how's it feel? (to have the nicest car in the parking lot)"
"pretty good."

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1980 240D, 197580 miles - "The Stuttgart Stomper"

When I first got my car, I waved at all the older Diesel Benzes. I learned to stop as I found many of the owners to believe they were driving something more valuable or rare than they were. Now I only wave if the driver is either an older lady (who probably knows what she's driving and has been driving it for a long time) or dudes that either look "hippy-ish" or have facial hair. Strange rules but they seem to be working. I just waved at someone today and they seemes like they wanted to talk for a minute. They were on the other side of the street and getting out after parking. I was getting in my parked car to leave and didn't want to hang out.

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1984 300D turbo, 250K
1971 MGBGT, 101K
2007 VW Jetta, 4K

G'mornin' Folks,

Everybody around here waves at everybody else!! We even wave at folks sittin' in the porch, or out in a field.There are a few 'Benzes in this County of 5K inhabitants....and no traffic lights!!! Most all 123 drivers, around here, are ol' Hippies....I've got more hair on my face than I have on my head!!!

I don't drive the "Benz when I have to do gravel or dirt roads, and its 18 miles to the nearest "on road" Diesel pump.

I get far more attention and questions when I drive the 'ol Dodge Power Wagon.....my off road/snow vehicle. Must be those "flat fenders" that attract so much attention. She ain't real fast, dash plate says 55 MPH max in 4th, 2 wheel, and High range (when new)...now 45 MPH on a good day downhill with the wind behind...no difference if empty, loaded, or way overloaded.....must be that 5.88 gear ratio!!!!

SB

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Diesels:
'85 300D, "Max, Blue Benz", 155K, 27.0 MPG
'84 190D 2.2, "Eva, Brown Benz", 142K, 40.2 MPG
'77 240D (parts car)
'67 Eicher ES 202 Tractor "Otto" (2cyl, Air Cooled, 30HP)
Gassers:
'94 Ford F-150, "Henry", 170K (300 Six) 17.5 MPG
'85 190E 2.3, 148K....Parts Car
'58 Dodge W300M Powerwagon (Flat Fenders) Less than 10 MPG

I wave at ALL mercedes. Sometimes get a wave in return, especially from old guys in late model units. I think they see themselves as young men............

Yep, I also find myself waving at benzes when driving my mom's jeep!

Gets some screwy looks.............

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-Matt

EPA Section 609 Certified MVAC Technician
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Oil Burner Kartel Member #10

Ahh the smell of Diesel Fuel, it's like coffee in the morning!

My Car:

1982 300SD Turbo Diesel (231,500 miles!) RIP

1984 300SD Turbo Diesel Custom (235,500 mi on driveline.) - On Road!!

www.icsrepair.com

Yeah, here in Oyster Bay they are tons of them, the diesels are the only ones that I would try waving to. There is a guy up the road with a 1992 diesel G-wagon too!

It is a CJ thing for sure, when another one is seen the wave is returned nearly 100% of the time. Yes, I have waved while in the 'wrong' car.

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1986 190D, 2.5L, 5-speed swap, 180,000 Miles (60K by me).
Jeep CJ-7 with Cummins 4BT/NV4500/AtlastII 4.3.
Grand Wagoneer 4BT project in progress!

I'm a Southerner. We all wave at each other. We're a pretty friendly bunch down here.

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" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

I notice that when I am down south. Up here espeicaly in NJ and NY most waving is only done with one finger.

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

A while back I waved at a Mercedes 190D in Oakland (I was smiling as I waved). The car then overtook me, and the driver gave me the finger, and the passenger made a sign of a gun. I was rather shocked. One must be careful where you are. People are known to get shot for wearing the wrong color T-shirt. In certain areas, drivers are not used to actions contrary to the norm and your waving action could be misunderstood. When I reflected on what I did, the 190D was going slow, and was smoking - so the people in the car probably thought I was telling them off!

sometimes i will wave... depends on the condition of the car and the person who is driving it

Regardless of what they thought, their actions speak volumes for their character.
Ignorance is no excuse for reckless driving.

I don't wave at other drivers, unless they choose to initiate the first wave. I have gotten a few. Believe it or not, the most friendly bunch are those who drive the newest model S-Class. Middle-aged men, who seem to have an interest and aptitude for learning, and reminiscing about these older cars.

People that drive older Mercedes around my area seem to beat them to a pulp. They are never waxed. There's rusty holes, scrapes, and dents everywhere. The wheels have lost their finish. Trash is strewn about the interior. The dashboards are cracked in a million places. The leather or MB tex usually has massive tears in it (side bolsters and front section of bottom cushion), some patched with duct tape. And...

The mileage is always less than 200K on the odometer. Real pigs around here. Once in awhile I find a decent one, only to discover the current owners are the ones who originally purchased it.

Its more than just the "Rustbelt". Around here, people just don't care to keep up maintenence. Down south, almost every car is completely rust free, and the paint is glossy.

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1987 300SDL (324000)

1986 Porsche 951 (944 Turbo) (166000)

1978 Porsche 924 (99000)

1996 Nissan Pathfinder R50 (201000)

There are a lot of people in my area that have W123's and W116's which is an interesting phenomenon. Most are Filipino and for the most part the cars are in worn condition but people still run em paint or no paint, bumpers or not.

I did pull up to a stoplight next to an old lady in Glendale driving a mint looking 220D when I was in the W115. I waved and she smiled and then went on her way.

Another time I was headed 2 north (a good 5 mile 4-5% incline freeway) and a guy behind me followed me all the way to the freeway in a Blue 220D who passed me on the left going uphill at a 5mph clip and waved as he passed. It was frustrating cause I was trying to race him but his "weaker" engine had more power than mine!

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1974 240D 3.0L 4(M) - 250K -OM617.910 + 300D FW + Rajay turbo power!
1977 6.9 3(A) - 84k

Absolutely. Sometimes they beat me to the wave. I also get thumbs up & drag racing offers.

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1980 300SD (Mr. Sparkles), 1976 450SEL, 1982 300D turbo, 1989 VW Cabriolet morphing into a td cabriolet , 1997 TDI Passat, 1996 piece of Jeep,1993 F150, 1990 F250 7.3L...i think that's it, for now.

I got better than waving! A few weeks ago after entering Quebec the citizens saw "the panzer" and the whole province surrendered...

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JWJ
1983 MB 300D - > 430,000 miles - Deep Blue - Bilstein Comforts - 0-60 in 24 seconds - 27MPG
1985 MB 300TD (wagon) - > 275,000 miles - Manila Beige - Thule rack - 0-60 in 18 seconds - 22 - 25MPG
Biodiesel, Mobil Delvac 1, and Viton fuel lines!

The only time I ever got waved at was in the 300SD I had. At first I thought it was a coincidence, but after about the 5th person in a diesel that waved to me I realized I was now in some kind of quasi club I actually miss that kind of treatment now that I have the 300D. I guess it's because there are so many 300E's on the road that it's hard to tell if mines a diesel from the front, and who wants to wave at a gasser?

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87 300D - Running on Veggie oil; 260,000 plus miles; Original #14 head

I try and wave at all older diesel drivers... I almost always wave at w123 and about 50% of the time I’ll wave at a w126... it’s harder waving at a 126 driver because some times I don't know they are a diesel until they have passed me, and there is a lot of gasser 126s in the Sacramento area.

One time I was in Chico, and I was messing around with a friend, driving to fast, I came around a corner and saw a 123 the same color as my car, so I gave him a big old yehaw wave and he gave me a big thumbs up as I went squealing tires around a corner. That was really cool.

Another time I pulled into a truck stop and there was another 126 exactly like my car... that was really cool I talked to the own for a while.

I don't like new Mercedes owners. I'm always getting dirty looks form them. I’ll pass them on the freeway, and I’ll be looking at their car, because its nice looking and then when I make eye contact with the drive he looks at me like I’m some how offending him by looking at his car.
I was with a friend and she was like "that guy gave you a very dirty look" and I told her it was because he was jealous because I own my Mercedes and he was just leasing his! LOL

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