Advice needed please - Page 4 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

miljohnj5 · #1 07-22-2008, 09:31 PM

I've posted on this forum a few times. I would greatly appreciate some assistance. I'm pretty whizzed off so please forgive spelling.
I left upstate NY for AZ on Monday. After a sick drive of 15.5 hours I finally arrived at my reserved hotel which mapquest said was 11 hours away, not 15.5. I went to the car this morning, the cap was off and sitting in the ledge of the fuel port door. I noticed kids hanging outside the night before and I think they dumped stuff in the tank. The car ran like absolute crap. I changed both fuel filters and it still ran like crap. I checked the new filters and they're almost totally clean. Tank filter?
I called the hotel about it and the guy said "yeah, we have a form for that" like it happens all the time or something. The hotel said they would look at video footage and tried to hang up before I even gave the description of my vehicle.

I'm stopped in St James MO right now. I hate to keep driving but I tried. I can only get to 30MPH on the thruway which is Min. 40MPH. I almost was hit twice by truck drivers and its not worth it.
Advice needed here please. Has anyone had the same experience? If the footage confirms it, then what? Restitution of an engine? Insurance for me (USAA) won't cover the cost of an engine I don't think. Call a good indie?Any suggestions for a good indie?
I'm at wits end. Suggestions please...