I still say bring coolant. I have had recently changed hoses burst in the BMW sitting in the Lincoln Tunnel at 7am on a weekday. After limping the car out of the tunnel I did a quick duct tape job and filled the radiator. This got me to the BMW dealer where I got a new hose. Without the tape and coolant I would have been stuck by the tunnel waiting for AAA.

If you think your belt is iffy -- by all means change it before the trip. You can carry the old one as a spare.

I just remembered that I have a regulator in the glove box too!
I bought two of them when mine went hinky

__________________
"I have no convictions ... I blow with the wind, and the prevailing wind happens to be from Vichy"

Current
Monika '74 450 SL
BrownHilda '79 280SL
FoxyCleopatra '99 Chevy Suburban
Scarlett 2014 Jeep Cherokee
Krystal 2004 Volvo S60
Gone
'74 Jeep CJ5
'97 Jeep ZJ Laredo
Rudolf ‘86 300SDL
Bruno '81 300SD
Fritzi '84 BMW
'92 Subaru
'96 Impala SS
'71 Buick GS conv
'67 GTO conv
'63 Corvair conv
'57 Nomad

Take one jackstand. The MB jack does an outstanding job of lifting a corner of the car easily, quickly, and takes little space.
Take (2) 8"X8" pieces of plywood for the jack's and jackstand's base.
I always travelled with my jack and jackstand, because I carried no passengers.

Forget the jumper cables......you've got 1-800-4MERCEDES to call for a jump.

A couple three four five clamps of varying sizes, and some inner-tube rubber patch. Also a sharp hunting knife. Safety glasses.

How about a machete, don't forget a propane torch and some spare injector nozzles, a torque wrench... OK I think its enough!
I would like to suggest a Coathanger. Several of them. I've found them handy for jimmying open other peoples locked doors, tying down that treasure you found along side the road or picked up at a garage sale. Plastic bags for the trash that accumulates in the cabin. And IF you had to work on the car along the trip you would really want to have some rubber gloves (nitrile esp) some hand cleaner (Orange Goop or whatever) and paper towels. THAT stuff is ALWAYS in my car on a trip.

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'95 E320 Wagon my favorite road car. '99 E300D wolf in sheeps body, '87 300D Sportline suspension, '79 300TD w/ 617.952 engine at 367,750 and counting!

The machete isn't necessary. A pistol-grip, defender barrel 18 guage pump shotgun on a shoulder sling, with a bandolero full of ammo shells will suffice.

Of course hiring a Snap-On rep. and his truckloaded with MB replacement parts to follow you around may be an option......?

two words Joe - Duct Tape

__________________
H.D.B.
OBK #45
-----------------------
'75 W115 240D, wife's dd, 197K
........'75 W115 300D, my dd, 245K
.. .. ..........'82 W126 300SD, the 'someday' project

Don't forget the zip ties! My subaru's fuel pump was crapping out on me while I was driving it, 10 minutes later I was on my way with a spare pump installed and I didn't even have to jack up the car. The fuel pump is external and near a rear wheel.

IIRC, isn't one of those plastic shipping bands better to use than a coathanger, for slipping in the window seal and lifting up the lock?

I would change out belts & hoses and keep the old ones as spares, they're cheap enough.

I'll have to decide between my 300cd and Subaru XT to use for roadtrips this summer. Why oh why do I have two coupes Whoever sits in the backseat for more than 30 minutes will be angry.

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1980 240d
1999 SL500

Your forgeting this was my old car, and I don't mess with regulators or stuff like that. It has a very expensive Bosch rebuilt alternator. Pff old parts on my car, pff.

If it were me I would throw a spare set of fuel filters in the trunk, and an 18in breaker bar with a 17mm socket so I have a real wrench to change a flat with. The spare tire is brand new, your doing the breaks, the car has never burned oil on me so I probably would only bring a quart just in case.

IMHO I'd throw a new battery in it before leaving, since the currant one is 5 years old. But that might be a little over the top since Mercedes can do it for your on the road should the need arise.

Oh and I would fix the cruise control.

I can't think of anything that would strand you, have fun.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Get a list of telephone numbers of Forum members along the way. You can right my number down for anything within 75 miles of my address.

Even if I can't drop everything to come help, I could post your scenario on the forum and maybe someone can help\tell me what to take to you.

OH....use ONE thread for your trip and update it along the way. Post your trip "path".



ps --- note to self; "get TheDon's box shipped"

__________________
daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
Cluster Needles Paint
New Old Stock (NOS) parts

Past:
3/2008 1986 300SDL "Coda"
04/2010 1965 190D(c) "Ben"
& many more

Needle-nose vise grips (REAL vise-grip brand) and a mini-magLED with 2AA lithiums

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$60 OM617 Blank Exhaust Flanges
$110 OM606 Blank Exhaust Flanges
No merc at the moment

oil filter canister O-ring (the big'n)

upper radiator coolant hose - (unless new)

lots of water

__________________

Excellent ideas.

Everyone is too paranoid. I've never brought more than a spare quart of oil and a bottle of coolant on any of my long trips. And I've been fine. Then again this is a 603 we're dealing with, not an awesome 617.

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

Jack and a towing strap.

__________________
http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

My trunk always contains the following items, because almost every trip I go on is "long" compared to how far I would want to walk.

* Serp belt, though I hesitate to say how easy it would be to change on the roadside. It was hard enough in the garage.
* Oil (anywhere from 2 to 5 quarts, depending on how many I've used to top up)
* Transmission fluid (I have a main seal leak and am not up to dismantling things that far yet until it starts leaking faster.
* Power steering fluid (also leaks slightly)
* Brake fluid
* Antifreeze (at least a gallon, pre-mixed at home and ready to dump in)
* Quart of diesel fuel water remover for emergencies
* The usual complement of Diesel Kleen additive
* Fire extinguisher
* Craftsman screwdriver set
* spare fuses in the glove box
* A few assorted pliers, vise-grips, etc - I need to go through and add to that box a little
* Enormous ratchet set with little pouches of Allen wrenches inside
* Jumper cables (Won't drive ten yards without them, I rescue other people all the time, need a rescue once in a while, and every time I've called 1800-for-merc I've been told ("The closest dealership is x hours") - it beats being stranded but sure doesn't beat a fifteen minute rescue if you're equipped.

If I were smart I'd add fuel filters to that collection and a few hose clamps in case I had a real problem and had to bypass something... but I tend to live on the edge

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~Michael S.~
Past cars:

1986 300SDL
1987 300SDL
1982 240D
1982 300SD


Current:

1987 300SDL

Have you guys really had that many issues with the regulators? Granted I haven't been on the forum for very long (relatively), but I haven't heard much discussion around them blowing out. I'd bring a spare fuse set in the glove compartment, only takes up a tiny bit of space.

__________________
TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth