I was thinking of guys like this for BD:

http://www.biodiesel.org/buyingBioDiesel/retailfuelingsites/

four sausages in an under-powered craig-mobile will hardly make it over a hill, let alone the rocky mountains, hahaha

let's just say, if lewis and clark were alive today, they'd choose a different vehicle than a 240d

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Personally, I would take four motorcycles for a recreational summer road trip.

WHY?



?

?

Don't you think they would want "dependable" or maybe they would just pass on "easy to maintain" or "comfortable"?

My 240 has been over 10,000' in elevation with two of us, and a dog, and trunk stuffed full! (No complaints from us!)

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82 240D Manual 277K and still rolling!
02 Volvo S60 AWD For Sale

mainly to bag on the 240 crowd. by the way, two dudes and a dog is only three sausages right there.


yeah, i was in colorado for two weeks. went from ft. carson to telluride and back a different route. saw exactly ONE w123, and it was a turbo with a giant intercooler on the front and a sick sounding turbo--not exactly a 240

i've got pics to prove...

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The probably sell it 'for off road use only'. Speaking of dubiously illegal (can't resist):
http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=7087147

If you check www.fillup4free.com you can register, and theoretically, line up VO contacts along your whole route.

Somewhere, there's a form to fill out to pay road tax on alternative fuels. Don't know where.

__________________
CC: NSA

All things are burning, know this and be released.

82 Benz 240 D, Kuan Yin
12 Ford Escape 4wd

You're four times

It's hard to

more likely to

concentrate on

have an accident

two things

when you're on

at the same time.

a cell phone.

www.kiva.org It's not like there's anything wrong with feeling good, is there?

Pics don't PROVE that a 240 won't do it, just that you did not get a picture of one doing it! (If a 240 won't do it . . . there is something wrong with that individual car, not everyone that is made . . .)

Like I said the trunk was full . . . I had bought 120 pounds of rubber mulch, besides coolers, water, tools & first aid kit . . . and I'm not a sausage either . . .

Here's a picture . . . on our way up to Alpine and then through Hannigan Meadows, AZ . . . details here So my 240D took me for a ride yesterday!


Take the 240 on the trip! Skip the van . . .

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82 240D Manual 277K and still rolling!
02 Volvo S60 AWD For Sale

One of the differences between New England and out west is that the hills in New England (I lived in VT for 41 years . . . Drove a semi in 48 states & Canada for 6 years) are relatively short, (less than half mi . . .) even though they may be steep, out west they tend to be longer . . . think 10+ miles without it leveling off!

You just need to not be in a hurry . . .I learned that driving a little 325hp truck pulling 80,000 pounds up those mountains . . . 10-15 mph . . . sure could fly down the other side! Also watch you coolant temps . . .

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82 240D Manual 277K and still rolling!
02 Volvo S60 AWD For Sale

How many friends? Our 240D has no back seat whatsoever. It's there, but there's so little knee room (My dad and I are the ones who drive it and we're both over 6' tall) and with the front seats back to where we can almost get our foot high enough to clutch without putting our knee through the steering wheel, the back seat is so reduced that even my 5'7" mom can't sit back there comfortably.

That's not a car to take more than one friend at a time in, if you're going to be in it for hours on end. S-class has a LOT more room for passengers.

Not to mention the cargo space you'd need for a trip like that.

A 300SD would be only marginally harder to keep going than a 240D (5 cylinders instead of 4 but same general engine design) and it would be the difference between "Fun" and "not fun" for everybody riding in the back. Not to mention the extra trunk space for all your plunder.

Just my two cents. I own a 240D and a w126 diesel, so I can truly compare both... and I wouldn't even ride to the grocery store in the back seat of mine, much less across the country. If you're all short then you might pull it off but the suitcase room is still going to be limited in the trunk, by comparison. There's some things you just need a grown-up car for.

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~Michael S.~
Past cars:

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


Current:

1987 300SDL

Well, at this point, it's just three sausages, and we're not that tall, I'm only 5' 10" As for power, I'm think maybe a 617 turbo swap this spring, considering I've wanted to do that anyway. Buying another car is more or less out of the question, we don't have the cash or space.

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1983 240D 3.0T 4-speed manual, now sold

1989 Subaru GL Wagon 5-speed Touring Edition

Seeing what American's have to say about travel makes me smile...

Most of the rest of the world made do with cars' the size of or smaller than 123's (and still do for that matter). Hell, europeans used to travel all over the place in Pontons's and if you've ever looked in the back of one of them you'll notice a lot less legroom than a 123. Of course it's better to be in an S-Class than a 123 for interior room and even better to be in a long wheel base S come to think of it. But there is no reason why you can't take a decent road trip in a 123. You just have to be able to take your time with the leisurely pace of the 240D and enjoy the trip.

- Peter.

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2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

You will be fine going over the rockies, dont worry about it.

Do your PM on your car I have no doubt will be fine.

I did a trip like this (not in an MB) and it was awesome.

You have a 15 gallon WVO tank. If you dedicate the trunk to WVO and tools you can fit 25 more gallons in there (I know). That's about a 1200 mile range plus your 13 gallon regular diesel tank.

You will be able to find folks on forums to get WVO...you only need 10 or so. Just hot pan test it for water on the spot and be ready to walk away. When in doubt, just fill with petro. No dumpster diving.

For cargo, you are going to need a roof rack and car top box like a Thule. I have both you can borrow, just let me know. Travel light - camping gear and the bare essentials.

Don't let anyone talk you out of doing this. Whether you do it on WVO or dino its so much fun.

dd

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'85 300D, 'Lance',250k, ... winter beater (100k on franken-Frybrid 3 Valve Kit)
'82 300D, 'Tex', 228k body / 170k engine ... summer car
'83 300TD Cali Wagon 210k, wife's car

I would actually love to do that, but me madre won't have the motorcycles, although I'm restoring an old Honda with a friend despite that.

I would actually love some of those trunk top rails that you can attach one of those old trunks onto, they looks so vintage. That probably won't happen, though, so I'll be coming to you this summer. And I remember what you told me bought that engine swap, but I think I still want to do it, although I'll be hanging onto the 616 and all of it's components in case the 617 I buy proves to be unreliable, I can do a swap back in a few weekends. Ambitious, I know, but it's what I like to do.

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1983 240D 3.0T 4-speed manual, now sold

1989 Subaru GL Wagon 5-speed Touring Edition

Hit a junkyard. There's an old volvo 245 w/ roof rack locally I've been eyeing for just that reason. The screws have big rubber washers, sealing should not be a problem.

__________________
CC: NSA

All things are burning, know this and be released.

82 Benz 240 D, Kuan Yin
12 Ford Escape 4wd

You're four times

It's hard to

more likely to

concentrate on

have an accident

two things

when you're on

at the same time.

a cell phone.

www.kiva.org It's not like there's anything wrong with feeling good, is there?

I know this is old, but I thought it could use an update. Plotting the trip, looks like it's going to hit 10,000 miles. The 617 swap might not pan out (surprise!) in time due to financial strappings. So that's three sausages, including me, a truck full of oil (probably a total of 25-35 gallons, tools and a roof top and one passenger seat probably full of other necessities. With 67 bhp. Our route currently takes us through the Colorado and Montana rockies. Oh no. Most of the time will be spent in the west. I'm going to start lining up oil contacts (already have you listed, moon). What specific tools/parts should I be bringing? Any more tips/advice based on that manifest?

__________________
1983 240D 3.0T 4-speed manual, now sold

1989 Subaru GL Wagon 5-speed Touring Edition