One time I was stranded on top of my refrigerator for a week because I thought I saw a mouse and there wasn't a man around to help me.

Now, the thought of mice wrecking havoc on the wiring in my car or dying in the works and stinking it up ... that's worth being scared of.

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1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles
1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited, light khaki/slate--140,000 miles
2018 Chevy Cruze diesel, 6-speed manual, satin steel metallic/kalahari--19,000 miles
1982 Peugeot 505 diesel, 4-speed manual, blue/blue, 130,000 miles
1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car)

It's worse in my mother's 300TE: she hauls along my nephew (her grandson, sister's son) in the back seat and you know how the S124's have folding rear seat.

Luckily for me the leather cleans up easily, no critical stains so far (except one in the cargo area, when she hauled a potful of FOOD filled to the BRIM). And to think it was SPOTLESS when we moved out and she had complete control of the 300TE.

I long for the day the 300TE gets back to this shape:



But that will only happen if I acquire or buy it from her (hey, I bought the wheels for that car).

My sister, on the other hand, told me she cleaned her car and got a new key from the dealer (original key head broke, what's new?). Went to her car to check a few things out and opened the trunk - that's where ALL the trash went

I am fortunate to have my wife be very meticulous about things - especially the house. She brings that meticulous cleanliness behavior to her 190E as well, which is why I can easily clean it up no problem.



Told her about this thread before I submitted and she told me to mention that she doesn't park the car under trees (a few episodes of me mumbling things as I took out the leaves from the cowls ) even if she has to walk far to reach their work building.

GREAT THREAD! This is one of those threads everybody can probably relate to!

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http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7271/7...144c3fc1dc.jpg

I had a couple of locust trees put in next to the driveway thinking that the partial shade would be great for washing cars. Those little leaves get everywhere.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

I accumulate clutter... paper, misc stuff, etc, but not trash. I guess I'm not one of the "meticulous" ones, but my '85 SL hasn't seen rain in years, and I haven't used a garden hose on it for a year now, just detailing spray.

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1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k
1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k
1980 240D Stick China 188k
2001 CLK55 AMG 101k
2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!!

My wife drives our diesel excursion with the kids most of the time. I will detail it all out and make it just right to find crackers, PB & J sandwich crusts, tipped over sippy cups with milk in it (ever seen that after a few days!?) all over. Also, have you ever seen what a McDonalds meat patty looks like after a couple days (it's like concrete....seriously - I don't think it's meat).

We definately don't have the same passion about cars and keeping them clean. The kitchen on the other hand is awesome most of the time, while my office is a bit rough most of the time.

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1987 300TD 147,000 miles- Palomino leather interior, 1995 facelift and body cladding, E350 wheels, Rebuilt suspension and sport springs, rebuilt turbo, New Monarch injection pump and injectors....and the list goes on and on...

Wouldn't it be less stressful if

a) You accept it is her car and only touch it to do maintenance, if that
b) Give her the name of a detailing shop that will drive up to meet her. When she decides the car is too dirt (maybe the maggots or the mice are holding the number for her begging her to set and appointment), she will call them. Let them fight the mice, roaches, and other vermin while you keep your car nice and spotless. It is her car; it should satisfy her first and foremost.

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Your TACH may have a loose connection...I was wondering why your mechanic would be dead one minute then flopping around the next... PanzerSD

i am inspired. i will replace my windsheild... with an intercooler. swedishK

My wife's stepfather used to buy all the kids cheap hamburgers on roadtrips, like two dozen at the start of the trip. One of my wife's sisters discovered a loose interior panel in his van- Anybody care to guess how many of those road trip burgers found their way into that space?

Now that she is pregnant and out of work I cant afford solution B, I am solution B.


Do you have kids? Its really not that hard to just not allow the kids to eat in the car.

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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

I shudder to think..

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hum.....
1987 300TD 311,000M Stolen. Presumed destroyed

Since we have been married, my wife has cleaned (partially, not much effort involved) her car maybe 2-3 times. She has had 2 new cars in recent years and they all meet the same fate. food, clutter, dogs, child. In the last couple years, I have given up trying to keep her car clean. mine isnt spotless, but there isnt food and other crap/clutter. It really is best to ignore it. Seek therapy if needed.

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83 300TD (need rear wiper assembly dead or alive)
84 300SD Daily driver
85 300TD almost 400k miles and driven daily.
98 E300D *sold
86 300SDL *sold and made flawless 10 hour journey to new home.

I had a simple understanding.
If i find your C##P in my car, better be careful next time you put your runners on after I do an oil change ! Only had to do it once & never a crumb in the car since. bread/biscuit crumbs in their bed works well too!!
If you find a mouse, break its neck & put it in the kids bed!! they soon learn to be clean!!

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Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

Yup...and relationships are more important than material junk we'll forget about in coming years. All the "stuff" we strive all our lives for, will one day burn up, but the people we love and the relationships we have will live forever.

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Thanks,
Mark in NC

"Spark plugs?...We don't need no stinking spark plugs!"
1985 300SD "Der Silberne Schlitten" 420,000 mi


Wish these were diesel:
2003 Ford Club Wagon 130,000 mi

At my last job I was in charge of keeping a fleet of anywhere from 2 to 8 airplanes in perfect cosmetic condition at all times. One day we had a guy fly one up from somewhere and I found a bunch of tiny spots of discoloration in the joints in the leather seats, and some down by the seatbelt receiver. It turns out that on his flight up he'd eaten a Subway or something that came with a bag of chips. The chip crumbs went everywhere and left oil on the leather, discoloring it. Cost the company about $500 to fix. I always found pen marks on leather side panels, too. I don't understand how that's possible. I fly with a pen and never once have I marked on anything besides the paper I write on.

I am very particular about the appearance of just about everything I own after that job. Not that that's a bad thing.

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1984 300D 193.5k miles
ASTM-certified B100 bio when able

Well, you could dig up an old copy of "How to win friends and influence people"

I actually found a copy of that book, buried under a bunch of other crap in a used car.