I have acquired two cars that otherwise would have met that fate, over the years, so I suggest this scenario:

- car is pride and joy of older person
- elderly owner passes
- leaves car to favourite grand-child (or son or daughter)
- recipient may have always complimented gramps/grandma on the cool car, but is clueless about it
- proceeds to drive car with zero maintenance/no clue overall until something breaks
- all too often this 'something' may be major ("What, you're supposed to CHECK the oil?")
- car sits in mom's driveway for an extended period
- mom wakes up one day with a major bug up her butt and calls the number in the local "we buy scrap cars" ad
- bing bang boom, there you go.

I stumbled on one car I had seen at car shows 10 years previous, that way... waiting to be forklifted onto a pile on the back lot of a wrecker. One owner, 32 years, one grandson, one year, ended up at yard.

__________________


Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

All my cars were saved from the scraper....and yes I cry to when I go to JY's and see vintage mint condition Benz junked.....but if you have money and grams left her Benz parked at the mansion, and passed would you bother to sell it? Nah just call the hauler! One day I wish for a shiny Benz but I like the history of my cars and they will continue to wear their scars and faded paint. If I can't have my scars erased, then why should she?

__________________

Did you check the ashtray for spare change? I scored nearly $5 a few weeks back.

__________________
1980 300SD (Mr. Sparkles), 1976 450SEL, 1982 300D turbo, 1989 VW Cabriolet morphing into a td cabriolet , 1997 TDI Passat, 1996 piece of Jeep,1993 F150, 1990 F250 7.3L...i think that's it, for now.

A statement on our times, I think.
The other thing: a 240D auto would not sit well with most people now, just too slow for most people's taste...
A neighbour just gave me the magnamanious offer of $1000 for my rust-free Arizona 240D auto up here in the North-East. Figured he was doing me a favour since I just acquired a 300TD and the 240D is "just sitting in the garage". My answer to him "this car is not for you, sorry".
Hope I find a good buyer for it, when I get around to selling it. But I think "good buyers" for these venerable cars are getting fewer and far between...

__________________
1983 300TD 240K - 1982 240D 215K - 1996 Dodge Cummins 70K

Not sure what the rules are so hope I am not breaking one. Mind posting where it is located for the locals?

Thank you!

__________________
Current fleet:

1985 Mercedes-Benz 280TE - Waiting for heart surgery.

1985 Mercedes-Benz 300TDT - Rear ended 23 September 2016 and now looking for a new home.

1979 Mercedes-Benz 300TD - Parted out.

1964 Volkswgen Beetle - Vater's since September 1968 and undergoing a restoration.

1971 Volkswagen Sunroof Squareback with F.I. - in need of full restoration.

1971 Volkswagen Squareback automatic with F.I. - Vacationing with her caretaker until he is in better health.

There was no change in the ash tray, but I almost always find it under the front seats. The car is at Ecology on Broadway Road in Phoenix, Arizona.

__________________
Stop paying for animal enslavement, cruelty, and slaughter. Save your health and the planet. Go vegan! I did 18 years ago. https://challenge22.com/

DON'T MESS WITH MY MERCEDES!


1967 W110 Universal Wagon, Euro, Turbo Diesel, Tail Fins, 4 Speed Manual Column Shift, A/C
1980 W116 300SD Turbo Diesel, DB479 Walnut Brown, Sunroof, Highly Optioned, 350,000+ Miles

Ah! That is right, you were kind enough to help with local yards; sorry I forgot and thank you so very much! B.T.W., might be a yard down in Chandler.

Darn shame but might take a look. Just have to get better...

As for change, I figure it belongs to the yard so I leave it. However, I would have just taken the photographs as have no value to the yard. They were nice and good reminder to keep are's in good shape. I have paid for a Volvo manual I found as it was in the original plastic and figured be of some use especially to the new owner.

__________________
Current fleet:

1985 Mercedes-Benz 280TE - Waiting for heart surgery.

1985 Mercedes-Benz 300TDT - Rear ended 23 September 2016 and now looking for a new home.

1979 Mercedes-Benz 300TD - Parted out.

1964 Volkswgen Beetle - Vater's since September 1968 and undergoing a restoration.

1971 Volkswagen Sunroof Squareback with F.I. - in need of full restoration.

1971 Volkswagen Squareback automatic with F.I. - Vacationing with her caretaker until he is in better health.

I have been thinking about checking that one out but I haven't need any major parts to make the journey worth it.

__________________

Think Squiggle said there was others. Only reason I go is reconnaissance. Maybe us locals should get together sometime? I prefer having a community as then can share information and know who is who. I have seen a beat up 300D and a 2nd generation 300SDL but haven't a clue who they are. That is why I joined the Club but not always interested in their events.

__________________
Current fleet:

1985 Mercedes-Benz 280TE - Waiting for heart surgery.

1985 Mercedes-Benz 300TDT - Rear ended 23 September 2016 and now looking for a new home.

1979 Mercedes-Benz 300TD - Parted out.

1964 Volkswgen Beetle - Vater's since September 1968 and undergoing a restoration.

1971 Volkswagen Sunroof Squareback with F.I. - in need of full restoration.

1971 Volkswagen Squareback automatic with F.I. - Vacationing with her caretaker until he is in better health.

That really makes me sad. But as someone else said, I hope the parts go to other W123 owners to keep their cars on the road.

You AZ guys are LUCKY!!

Certainly hope they are not going on a Honda .

...

__________________
'87 924S
'81 280SEL

Sold ->

81 300SD -
93 300E w/ 3.2
85 300D-
79 300SD
82 300CD
83 300CD - CA
87 190E 5 spd
87 Porsche 924S

"..I'll take a simple "C" to "G" and feel brand new about it..."

Is it not possible to rescue the whole car?

Or is there some daft law (like here in UK) that when a car goes to the yard, it becomes 'scrapped' with the DVLA (Our vehicle registration lot) and cannot be put back on the road...

__________________
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z...0TDnoplate.jpg

Alastair AKA H.C.II South Wales, U.K. based member

W123, 1985 300TD Wagon, 256K,
-Most recent M.B. purchase, Cost-a-plenty, Gulps BioDiesel extravagantly, and I love it like an old dog.

W114, 1975 280E Custard Yellow,
-Great above decks needs chassis welding--Really will do it this year....

Buy them and keep them. That's what I do with parts that I consider rare.
When I go to the junkyard and I see a car that was not wrecked and is in good condition sitting in the yard it pisses me off.

So sad. I always want to adopt those cars...

Speaking of pristine cars in the yard. Once, back in the 80's I saw a very nice '72 Chevelle at the top of the pile. I climbed up and the keys were in it. For fun I gave then a twist and the damn thing started! I yanked the keys out and jumped down. I figured somebody was hiding the car from a vengeful ex-spouse or something.

At the same yard was a nice '66 GTO convertible. Since I was working on my '67 at the time I asked them to "hold" the car and gave them $50. They gave me a can of black spray paint to write "HOLD" on the sides, trunk, and hood. The next weekend I went there and it was gone. I asked where "my" car was and they said they had crushed it on Friday!
I was livid...

__________________
"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

Unlike Britain, where you have a national scheme, in North America vehicle registration regulations are mandated by each state or province. Only new car safety standards are federally regulated. So ultimately it varies.

__________________


Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22