Adios Mexico! Sat. 10/20/07 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

cgryphon · #1 10-18-2007, 04:20 PM

Well, my 2 year job in Monterrey, Mexico is coming to a close. Time to pack up the trusty 240D and get to Colorado before the snow gets serious. It’s going to be about 1,500 miles according to Google, including a slight detour to go to Carlsbad Caverns.

This car has been perfect here. Great city car, good mileage and tank like qualities that hold there own in the crazy traffic here. Not too many plastic econo-boxes have challenged me for lane position! No problems speed wise, but I don’t want to start a debate! Only saw one other W123 and one W115 in the time I was here. Lot’s of modern MB’s, mostly W202’s. Nothing diesel.

During my stay here on-going maintenance items have included:
New brake master cylinder
All flexible fuel lines and tank strainer replaced, mostly to stop a leak at the strainer
A/C leak found and fixed, blowing cold for the last year
Flush and fill radiator, including new hoses
Oil cooler lines and all belts
Junkyard steering gear box, works perfect, found south of San Antonio at A&J auto.
Blisten Comfort shocks, just added as a going away present from the Mexican roads
and several other things I am sure I forgot, oil, filters, etc.

I am going to miss my Mexican mechanics. Good guys, don’t know the cars, but using what I know and can read, and their general experience, everything went fine. Inexpensive also, like labor to rotate my tires for 7 dollars, install my oil cooler hoses for 60 dollars.

Also going to miss the great food and people. A delightful country in most respects, as long as you have the attitude to enjoy it for what it is.

Planned route is:
San Antonio on Saturday and spend Sunday at Sea World, then on to Kerrville, TX for the night.
Across lonely I-10, up through Ft. Stockton and on to Carlsbad for a quick cave tour Monday afternoon, and to see the bats if they have not migrated to Mexico for the winter, then on to Roswell for that night.
Tuesday, push up to I-25 near Las Vegas, NM, and on into Colorado Springs and home.

Wish me luck! Any members along the way for possible rescue missions feel free to volunteer! Looking forward to finding some good independent service garages in Colorado Springs and Denver.

Adios amigos. Hasta la vista!

TX76513 · #2 10-18-2007, 04:48 PM

Kerrville? Don't tell me the YO Ranch

Sounds like you have alot of memories to take with you. Drive Safe Home.

cgryphon · #3 10-18-2007, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TX76513

the YO Ranch

iwish.com

zeke · #4 10-18-2007, 06:27 PM

I'll keep my eye out for my car's prettier twin this weekend! (Check my sig)

Mister Byrnzoil · #5 10-18-2007, 06:35 PM

vaya con dios

Da Hawaiian · #6 10-18-2007, 06:36 PM

Take Care..Sounds like a GREAT road trip..Be Safe...oh and HI from Houston!!!

Dakota 300d 1981 "Helga" 192k and climbing

Jim B. · #7 10-18-2007, 06:43 PM

Was the quality of diesel fuel any good? Years ago the Pemex gasoline was terrible, and it really messed up my Ford Crown Vic when I took it down there on the West Coast

Did you have to go to the border and get the turista status of your vehicle renewed each 6 months, I heard that long time US expats had to do that

Have a great trip coming back, it should be a lot of fun (and a relief to get back home)

funola · #8 10-18-2007, 10:50 PM

How about bringing back a case of R12?

Whiskeydan · #9 10-19-2007, 12:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TX76513

Kerrville? Don't tell me the YO Ranch

Quiet Valley?

cgryphon · #10 10-24-2007, 07:05 PM

Well, we made it without issue. Just short of 1,500 miles all together.

Great trip with a few highlights:

Crossed the border with no searches or stops, thank goodness. I was traveling with a lot of stuff. Nothing illegal, just did not want the delay/hassle. Wifey was in the Suburban with daughter #2, packed to the gills. I was in the “D” with daughter #1, trunk full and back seat pretty much the same.

Weather temperature ranged from a high of 124 F. waiting on bridge #2 crossing into Laredo, to the low 40’s overnight in Roswell.

Do go to Sea World close to Halloween! Excellent “Spooktacular” stuff going on there. Do go see the caves at Carlsbad…..way cool. Do not go to the UFO museum in Roswell….way Cheezy!

I basically kept the car floored for the whole trip. Burned about 1.25 qts of oil. Max speed had the needle buried.

What I learned about “speed” in the auto “D”:

I think these cars are geared to run at close to max RPM. IF you can keep it up past 80 you can climb some pretty long hills. Steep grades will steal your speed, so the best there is around 60 MPH, in 3rd.

The key here is that in West Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado, the speed limit is 75 or 80 MPH, so you can go like hell and not worry. If I tried the same thing on I-40 in Tennessee or Arkansas, it would not work, because most of the time I can only run a legal 65 MPH. So……..maybe they were built for the Auto-Bahn ? I figured that winding it out in 4th was no harder on the engine than winding it out in 3rd so just keep it on the floor.

Running 75 to 80 on I-10 from Kerrville, Texas to Ft. Stockton I got around 23 MPG. Running fast really takes a toll on the MPG! Pretty good front quartering wind most of the run, around 10 to 20 MPH, so that was not helping. Some big hills on this stretch and I was amazed at the speed I was pulling some of them. My daughter was split timing the mile markers to confirm the speedo. So ya’ll can believe it or not.

Great trip! Great car! And happy to be back in a Great Country!

Pic #1 Near the cave entrance
Pic #2 On the Rattlesnake Canyon Loop
Pic #3 Rest area between Roswell and Vaughn, New Mexico
Pic #4 Chasing the Suburban
Pic #5 Buried needle on a uphill run.