For brief road trips, like a weekend, we usually rent a vehicle. My wife usually has a coupon or offer. Last time, she paid $32/day for a 3-day trip to LA (~1000 mi total). That was just 10c/mi and the GM cross-over got much better mileage (~35 mpg) than our 2002 T&C (~23 mpg). If the vehicle breaks, you just phone them and say "your problem, bring another". You do need to take many photos so they don't claim you scratched it. Our T&C stranded us for a day due to a minor cracked plastic p.s. pulley (auto parts had pump but no pulley). In my 300D's, I keep the old fan belt and radiator hoses in the trunk. But, it is so hard to tension the alternator, that I carry 1/4" nylon rope to form a temp belt to keep the water pump turning, since it can run a long time without the alternator.

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1984 & 1985 CA 300D's
1964 & 65 Mopar's - Valiant, Dart, Newport
1996 & 2002 Chrysler minivans

Well i am only 21 so maybe that explains why i decided to take the risk of piloting a $400 34 year old Mercedes diesel on a 700 mile trip

I plan on really fixing up some more things on this car so i can take it on a massive trip. Maybe that is a bad idea. The door moldings are shot and leak water, tie rod ends are meh, etc.

When I was 18 I bought a $300 V6 Mercury Capri with a stick cut off the mufflers and drove from Southern California to and through Canada. The Capri threw a rod in Skagit WA on the way back to So. Cal. so I bought a Dodge Monaco for $100 cut off the top and drove all the way back to Gilroy CA where the engine melted down on I-5. I went Greyhound from there.

When I was 18.

With age in mind, GO FOR IT! The worst thing that can happen is you take a Greyhound home.

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1981 240D Four on the floor, Orient Red over Parchment, bought with 154,000 but it's a daily driver and up to 180,000 miles, mostly original paint and all original interior.

Back in the day (my late teens, early twenties) I had a trusty, rusty 1971 240z with a seriously burnt intake valve and a leaky head gasket. Drove that car everywhere... to and from college, multiple 500+ mile road trips, etc. Did several parking lot repairs on it. Good times...

My Dad had a '77 300d that died on him 300 miles from home. Alternator crapped out. Somehow he roll-started it and drove it home. No lights. No air. No electricity.



Best advice is to take along some tools, distilled water, fully charged cel phone.

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1991 300D 2.5 "Rocinante"
2002 Golf TDI "Teen Spirit"
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1984 300D
1966 Mustang I6 3sp
1985 Mazda RX-7 GSLSE
1982 Toyota Supra
1977 Datsun 280z
1971 Datsun 240z

You will be ok, these cars are well built and stand a lot of abuse from previous uncaring owners.

Fluids are key as are tires. Since this is a spring trip, severe snow storms and cold are not an issue.

And since the vehicle is a diesel (hence no di-lithium crystal for warp-power generation) you don't have to worry about a flux capacitor!

Have a great trip!

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Strelnik
Invest in America: Buy a Congressman!

1950 170SD
1951 Citroen 11BN
1953 Citroen 11BNF limo
1953 220a project
1959 180D
1960 190D
1960 Borgward Isabella TS 2dr
1983 240D daily driver
1983 380SL
1990 350SDL daily driver alt
3 x Citroen DS21M, down from 5
3 x Citroen 2CV, down from 6

Seats: If your MB's seats aren't comfortable to ride for more than a few hours, they probably need to be rebuilt with fresh pad and perhaps new springs.

Rental cars: I've got my 124.193 set up with a blue tooth radio (that syncs with my phone so I can listen to my podcasts and make hands free calls) and a dash cam, I love the sound of the engine, and I get a big kick out of driving around a car that I fix and maintain myself. Any of the rental cars I've been in are soul-less machines full of nanny-state intrusions and / or "look at our fancy lights and stuff" style, and I've got to spend time learning the ins and outs and getting the seat and mirrors and everything right, and then learn some trick for the parking brake or some new way of getting the headlights on or the wipers to work. Lastly, some have such convoluted controls for the transmission and radio that I just give up and go without radio and don't even try to figure out the transmission beyond park - drive - and reverse. Too much hassle usually, and I just miss my own cars that much more. Most rental cars are inferior to my Benz and just irritate me, and can't carry nearly the same amount of luggage as my wagon.

I guess I'm becoming a curmudgeon who would prefer the adventure of driving the devil I know to learning about the new devil I don't.

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Respectfully,
/s/
M. Dillon
'87 124.193 (300TD) "White Whale", ~392k miles, 3.5l IP fitted
'95 124.131 (E300) "Sapphire", 380k miles
'73 Balboa 20 "Sanctification"
Charleston SC

I live by this saying!

The one rental thing I need to add to my DD: Hyundais play a little jingle when you start or stop the engine. It's adorable!

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

I don't know if it was mentioned, but knowing how well spread out this forum is in the country you're definitely not an hour or two away from a member.

If someone was really desperate, I'd be willing to come by and offer assistance.

Call it the Peachparts Roadside Assistance Service :p

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-Typos courtesy of my mobile phone.

The seats in our 240D aren't comfortable after a few hours because I'm crusty, stiff and old.

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1981 240D Four on the floor, Orient Red over Parchment, bought with 154,000 but it's a daily driver and up to 180,000 miles, mostly original paint and all original interior.

Ha, when I was your age I drove my 300D cross country and enough times each year to warrant both biannual oil change and a yearly valve adjustment.

She had 300k miles which is more of a testament to her previous owner's maintenance regiment.

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-Typos courtesy of my mobile phone.

At age 18, I drove a 65 Mustang from Chicago to Tampa where the trans went out. I got a job making pizzas for $2.50/hr to earn $75 to buy another transmission. The Chgo car was a rusty, dented piece of junk. The replacement trans came out of a beautiful red convertible that unfortunately had no title so the whole car couldn't be bought.

My GF at the time got mad and flew home to mama leaving me to hit up hitch hikers for gas money on the way back home. With more experience regarding women, I would have taken her flight as a warning not to marry her. Live and learn.

I still have a 78 Datsun Z in the shop and returning to the road this summer. It got stuck behind the 300SD parts car which has moved on.

Stay healthy, play with your toys until they are no longer fun is the best advice I can give.

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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.

My dude..... it's a W123 DIESEL, you can drive it to Europe underwater.... I've owned over 50 Mercedes in my life and hands down the W123 is matchless for reliability..... I have a newer CDI and an E300, I adore both, especially the CDI.... but they can't compare to the reliability of an old 240D or 300D..... about 20 years ago I sold a 240D with 460,000 original miles without any major repairs on it.... It was so clean that I'm willing to bet that it is probably still on the road, factory surf blue and GORGEOUS!!.... You have a fine automobile, my friend!!.... ENJOY IT!

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Currently Driving
2006 E320 CDI
1999 E300 Turbo Diesl
2002 ML500
1995 E320 Station Wagon


MBs I've owned
1997 E320 Assassinated by Pine Tree
1987 300E Wife Killed Engine
1981 300D Stretch Limo Total Loss
1970 250 Coupe 212,000 mi.
1974 450sel 184,000 mi.
1974 240D 377,000 mi.
1977 300D 204, 000 mi.
1979 280se God Only Knows!
1983 240D 130,000 mi.
1972 220D 280,000 mi.
1983 300SD 244,000 mi.

My son got his Euro 300D with 5 speed 8 years ago while in college. He still owns it and has not desire to sell it. Has driven it cross country twice with no issues, while towing a motorcycle behind it, and the trunk and back seat loaded to the gills! His only major thing he has had to other than routine maintenance, was change the clutch. He has about 375k miles on it now and it had about 240K when he got it.

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Von
Fairport, NY
1973 Unimog 416 Doka
1980 Unimog 416 Doka
1981 Unimog 416 Doka
1984 Euro 280CE w/diesel conversion
1985 300TD Estate wagon
(I really need to stop buying these things!)
http://vonsmog.com

I call BS on this one.

I've been through the desert on a horse with no name
It felt good to be out of the rain
In the desert you can remember your name
'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain
La, la

After two days in the desert sun
My skin began to turn red
After three days in the desert fun
I was looking at a river bed