After reflecting today (nasty headache and tummy ache) I realize that we did have a good time. We ate ice cream Wednesday night because we deserved it and I even slept well that night. I must have known that things would turn out alright because I don't sleep in beds not my own. My mind doesn't turn off.

I got to learn more about my daughter and she got to see her mom stand up and deal with things. She said 'I knew you'd fix it, why didn't YOU know it?' That made me laugh.

I also learned a lot about myself. I've driven a strange car across the country with my child, fixed the problems and earned the respect of many people (you all). Guess I'm braver than I give myself credit for. Everyone should try it. You learn about you.

Thanks again. I can't seem to say that enough.

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Ginny in Denver-ish
78 300SD, 265K (mine)

Man have I missed out on a lot of stuff today. Everything broke loose after I finally left the house today.
I am simply so pleased for yall. Pleased not really because you made it home, although that too, but pleased that you have an experience to talk about for years to come.
Me and my youngest daughter went to pick up China just a half hour/45 minutes from the house, and now her/my gag is to remember the confirmation # for the tow truck. {1170! Just went and asked her. What a smile} Ha


Wasn't her first choice of activities for that morning....


She has also bonded with China, and would rather ride in her than the wagon or the Squash. First manual roll up windows she'd ever seen in her life.

So, was simply saying all that to assure you of future references and memories yall will have about your trip. But yall have a much larger body of work!
You, Sunnyntex, Cecily, etc... are all tough MB dames with a lot of determination and ability. Dirty nails are cool too......

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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

That was some trip ,thanks for sharing your adventure,kind of like a ship on the open seas with points of call signaling you on your journey ,greet post.

Congratulations Ginney, you and your daughter beat me on aquisition milage. My longest haul was 1700 miles in great weather. My worse was 900 miles through snow and ice trying to outpace a storm. Or at least hope not to see it get much worse. I was heading generally north with the storm intensity increasing from the west.
It was like a slow race for 900 of the eleven hundred miles home. This was less than a week before christmas several years ago. I was determined to be home for christmas. Fortunatly the car had no issues underway.
Had to stop and stay at a parking area as the highway was totally ice covered at one point. All other traffic was off the road as well. Thats when I found out how little fuel is really used by a diesel at idle for 6-7 hours. Had enough if not lots of heat at idle all night long.
The sleep really relieved the accumulated anxiety from the storm. That the icy road was salted when I woke up helped as well.
I really had pushed as hard as practical consistant with not leaving the road. Gave me some respect for a 123 in the snow and ice with only good all season tires.
I had also checked the weather from the motel before leaving. There was supposed to be a foot of snow on the ground that morning. When the motor vehicle paperwork was finished I headed out. No snow at all until 100 miles out . I really thought until then I was well ahead of it. As you well know and as others express. It can sometimes be a bit of an adventure..

Glad to see you made it home. Been too busy the last couple days to post. Now the fun starts, what to fix first, what to live with for a while. At least you know it's reliable and starts on cold mornings. Good luck with it.

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82 300SD 202K
82 300SD 233K
83 300TD 340K
82 300TD 98k euro (parts on the hoof)
85 300TD 282K
83 300TD 197K

Wow it sounds like you had a really fun trip! In the end if you can handle that you can drive anywhere, no limits now! Your way more adventurous then me! Buying an old unknown used car and driving it half way across the country! I wouldn't have done it, I would have called DAS.


It sounds like its a pretty decent car with just the usual old MB problems. So in the end probably a good buy.

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

I think the fix it list will be in this order:
Oil Leak
Brakes
Valve Adjustment
odo
Heat

Engine Mounts
Door seals
Hood insulation (damn is it noisy)

I'm also going to take the original Becker out of this car (Buttercup) and put it in my car. I think it's the original radio for my car and there is something sooooooo cool and nostalgic about it that I must have it in my car. I'll put the CD player radio in the 123 for DH. I think he's going my way on the car-not a delivery car.

I'm still trying to get Angel to post her thoughts on the trip, maybe she will as soon as she gets done with her math homework.

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Ginny in Denver-ish
78 300SD, 265K (mine)

Ginny-

I think your W116 probably had the earlier classic chrome Becker (Europa) with the pinstriped faceplate. Your W123 probably has the black Europa II (if it has manual tuning) or the Grand Prix if it has electronic tuning.

I think your punch list is about right, although I might move motor mounts up in the order if they are known or suspected to be bad. Are you still thinking of taking her to a mechanic to find the leak? I think I would take a shot at that myself after you clean the engine off- that kind of open-ended task could cost you more than you think with no good result, IMO.

Rick

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80 300SD (129k mi) 82 240D stick (193k mi)77 240D auto - stick to be (153k mi) 85 380SL (145k mi) 89 BMW 535i 82 Diesel Rabbit Pickup (374k mi) 91 Jetta IDI Diesel (155k mi) 81 VW Rabbit Convertible Diesel 70 Triumph Spitfire Mk III (63kmi)66 Triumph TR4a IRS (90k mi)67 Ford F-100 (??)

Sorry to dig this one back up but I thought some of you might get a chuckle out of the fact that I've been home for 3 weeks now and the seller hasn't emailed or called to see how the trip went or if I got home alright.

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Ginny in Denver-ish
78 300SD, 265K (mine)

Take the money and run.

Well, even if the seller didn't have my back, you all did.
Thanks again.

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Ginny in Denver-ish
78 300SD, 265K (mine)

give me his address- I'll copy this thread , tie it to a brick, and throw it through his window.

or maybe we can do some sort of group lynching when the next Cental FL GTG comes up.


Rick

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80 300SD (129k mi) 82 240D stick (193k mi)77 240D auto - stick to be (153k mi) 85 380SL (145k mi) 89 BMW 535i 82 Diesel Rabbit Pickup (374k mi) 91 Jetta IDI Diesel (155k mi) 81 VW Rabbit Convertible Diesel 70 Triumph Spitfire Mk III (63kmi)66 Triumph TR4a IRS (90k mi)67 Ford F-100 (??)

He is consumed by the relief of having unloaded the car and has no interest in your plight. I would take this to mean he was aware of the condition of the various parts that gave you trouble. Did you ever identify the oil leak? Good luck, and don't look back at the buying experience - an encounter with a pretty random human like that will just lower your expectations. Jim

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Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)

Oil LeaK? What Oil Leak?
No kidding, the car doesn't use any oil any more and doesn't even mark his spot on the driveway!
I wonder if the combination of the correct oil (I think he put gasser oil in it) and the high altitude changed something.

And if I start becoming cynical about the human race, I just remember all of you and your generous and quick help and I know that not all are dopes.

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Ginny in Denver-ish
78 300SD, 265K (mine)

Awwwe...