Cars that refuse to die - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

ROLLGUY · #1 11-24-2014, 09:37 AM

The Mercedes Benz Diesel cars made the list of "Cars that refuse to die" on Yahoo news:
https://autos.yahoo.com/photos/15-cars-that-refuse-to-die-1416346275-slideshow/

These lists are usually not very accurate, and I would have had something to say if the MB Diesels did NOT make the list. However, they are on the list and actually should be near or at the top. I can't drive anywhere nowadays without seeing at least one 123 on the road (not including the ones in my yard/driveway). These cars truly refuse to die, and I am glad for it

w123fanman · #2 11-24-2014, 10:25 AM

Around here you see tons of old Mercedes, more old Mercedes than old anything else.

MagicBus · #3 11-24-2014, 10:36 AM

I saw that, too. In fact, I also own two other cars on their list.

Interestingly enough, (and I don't think this is a spoiler for those who haven't seen it...) I saw Interstellar over the weekend, which takes place, largely, in the late 21st century. All the cars in the movie are current models or older, implying that global manufacturing is a thing of the past and that people are keeping old cars on the road for decades, much like in Cuba.

In one scene, some of the main characters are driving (has to be late 21st, early 22nd century at this point), and I see, among other cars, an early W126 in the background.

I could totally see an early 300SD lasting 100 years (with good maintenance and repairs as necessary).

mach4 · #4 11-24-2014, 10:45 AM

Any "cars that refuse to die" list that has Jaguar on it is immediately suspect in my book.

vstech · #5 11-24-2014, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mach4

Any "cars that refuse to die" list that has Jaguar on it is immediately suspect in my book.

oh no,

the Jag will NEVER die... they have to reliably run in order to die...

gerryvz · #6 11-24-2014, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mach4

Any "cars that refuse to die" list that has Jaguar on it is immediately suspect in my book.

+1

eatont9999 · #7 11-24-2014, 01:14 PM

I think a lot of the cars on that list are popular and manufactured more rather than reliable. It is funny how people think 250K on a Honda is an amazing feat of engineering. The truth is, I rarely see any Asian model cars in the junk yards with much over 250K on them.

Mxfrank · #8 11-24-2014, 02:04 PM

I gather nobody else on this list owns a Jaguar. Try it, you may like it.

The photo looks like the taxi stand in Agadir. World's best taxicab, for sure.

BillGrissom · #9 11-24-2014, 03:52 PM

The cable series The Walking Dead is now ~2 yrs after civilization fails. They still find cars that start up, usually 1995-2010 U.S. gasoline sedans. I doubt the batteries would still have a charge and not sure the gas would be good. Diesel fuel should be good for a decade, as long as no condensation gets in to grow black slime. Supposedly a W123 300D automatic can be started by rolling down hill, though I don't think that works on my 1985 CA model (1986+ tranny, I understand). Most reliable would be a diesel w/ manual tranny, if you always stop on a hill. Even better, a diesel 2-wheeler you can kick-start.

Another Hollywood comment is the 1970's Datsun 4 cyl in the movie Into the Wild. The rich dad (w/ Caddy) denigrates his kid's car, and the kid himself gives up on it (~1990) and leaves it in a dry wash. If you read the book, the park rangers found the car w/ no tag, applied for title and used it as a department car for decades, saying it was the most reliable vehicle they ever had. All the kid needed to do was dry out the distributor cap after the flash flood, and not stupidly run down the battery trying to start it.

Notice the reviewers avoided trucks. 1950-60's U.S. trucks seem to live forever. Probably because they are simple, the owners don't give up, and they always have utility value. Today, the prices are getting outrageous. Everyone wants to affect the look of a stubborn rancher.

MagicBus · #10 11-24-2014, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillGrissom

The cable series The Walking Dead is now ~2 yrs after civilization fails. They still find cars that start up, usually 1995-2010 U.S. gasoline sedans. I doubt the batteries would still have a charge and not sure the gas would be good. Diesel fuel should be good for a decade, as long as no condensation gets in to grow black slime. Supposedly a W123 300D automatic can be started by rolling down hill, though I don't think that works on my 1985 CA model (1986+ tranny, I understand). Most reliable would be a diesel w/ manual tranny, if you always stop on a hill. Even better, a diesel 2-wheeler you can kick-start.

Another Hollywood comment is the 1970's Datsun 4 cyl in the movie Into the Wild. The rich dad (w/ Caddy) denigrates his kid's car, and the kid himself gives up on it (~1990) and leaves it in a dry wash. If you read the book, the park rangers found the car w/ no tag, applied for title and used it as a department car for decades, saying it was the most reliable vehicle they ever had. All the kid needed to do was dry out the distributor cap after the flash flood, and not stupidly run down the battery trying to start it.

Notice the reviewers avoided trucks. 1950-60's U.S. trucks seem to live forever. Probably because they are simple, the owners don't give up, and they always have utility value. Today, the prices are getting outrageous. Everyone wants to affect the look of a stubborn rancher.

Having seen old gas in action, I wouldn't worry too much about two year old gas. I'm sure the cars wouldn't as well, but I'm sure they would run on gas that old. Five years out, I imagine there'd be problems. Ten years, I doubt any gas would be usable.

The batteries on the Walking Dead - I completely agree on that one. Maybe some of them could still take a charge, though.

Another plus is that a diesel can be run on any of a number of other fuels they could find.

Lucas · #11 11-24-2014, 08:20 PM

I'm a little bit of a doomsday prepper and this is why I bought a MB diesel.

FYI, ditch your glow plug timers and put in a button. An EMP will kill that board and in post nuclear war your car may not start.

uberwasser · #12 11-24-2014, 08:26 PM

You could always just have a jumper wire wound up in the glove box to touch the battery + terminal to the glow plug fuse in the event the relay dies.