another one bites the dust - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Pat Shuff · #1 03-22-2003, 12:34 PM

My teenage daughter ended our '79 240D yesterday.
No injuries. Let's see...in that one was new rings,
valve job, shocks and coils all the way around,
driver's seat spring box and pad, steering arm
damper, manual window regulator, accumulated
dents, dings and scrapes taken out and freshly
painted. Sigh.

jrfreeman · #2 03-22-2003, 12:58 PM

Sorry

mpnye · #3 03-22-2003, 01:18 PM

Good to hear that there are NO INJURIES . . . LOOKS NASTY . . .

tjohn · #4 03-22-2003, 01:33 PM

Sorry to hear about your car. There's something sad about a Benz ending its life prematurely(!) even at 24 years. Still, its wonderful to see the way that the car gave itself up for your daughter so that she walked away with no injuries.

Pat Shuff · #5 03-22-2003, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tjohn
Sorry to hear about your car. There's something sad about a Benz ending its life prematurely(!) even at 24 years. Still, its wonderful to see the way that the car gave itself up for your daughter so that she walked away with no injuries.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yes, I think the safety engineering played a role in the accident.
Attached is the '82 240D that was to be her graduation present.
It is remarkable from bumper to bumper, inside and out.

As of today it is the spouse's new daily driver. It is simply
too nice to place in the hands of foolishness.

engatwork · #6 03-22-2003, 02:52 PM

damn

- hate to see that. Thank goodness no one was hurt.

#7 03-22-2003, 04:22 PM

Sorry for your loss.. looked like a real beauty..

R Leo · #8 03-22-2003, 04:37 PM

Cars are expendable; even a cherry 240D can be replaced. Look at it this way, that car was sacrificed for your daughter's life.

The alternative is burying your daughter...and, after having a close friend go throught that, believe me, it's not an acceptable alternative.

On a similar but lighter note...
SWMBO and I went junkyard diving this morning for some repair parts for the 300TD and her 300D. The thing that I immediately noticed was that every one of the wrecked cars maintained their occupant space integrity. Two vehicles had been rearended hard enough to put the taillight even with the rear axle and you could STILL open the rear doors on both of those cars.

Another had been tagged at about a 45 deg angle in the right real wheel and door area. The RR door and wheel well was comepletely caved in but, get this, the RF door would still open, shut and latch as if nothing had happened. The occupant of the RR seat surely would have been banged around but nothing penetrated that cabin.

Now I know that excellent German engineering isn't just skin-deep.

Go and find your child a beater 240 or a 300 and thank your lucky stars that there is a vehicle out there that is affordable, economical and most importantly safe.

Just my .02
R Leo

Motorhead · #9 03-22-2003, 05:09 PM

I gave my daughter a 240D just for that reason.
A friend had a '79 300SD that he bouhgt new...it was cherry. He was in Los Angles and was hit head on by a Cadilac going 55mph. He was going about 35mph in the Benz. Out of three people, He was the only one that didn't go to the hospital! The car crushed the frontend back by atleast a foot. You could STILL open and close ALL four doors.
Be thankfull that you made the right decision to put your daughter in the Mercedes!

Fisherman · #10 03-22-2003, 06:47 PM

What did she hit a log truck?

Wow, big bang and real bummer...

psfred · #11 03-22-2003, 07:44 PM

There is a reason I drive a Benz, and while it would break my heart for something to happen to the 300TE I bought my mother, at least I know she is very much less likely to be seriously hurt in it. Good thing, it's been in two accidents since I got it (flying debis the first time, cost me a windshield, and the garbage man darted out from behind the truck the second time -- scared mom half to death, but just knocked him around when he walked into the front fender).

I've seen a 81 300D that got broadsided at about 60 -- the turn signal lever was broken, the door was pushed in that far, both front and rear windshields were busted, but the little old lady driver crawled out the passenger side, was just bruised up a little.

Peter

thebern · #12 03-22-2003, 07:48 PM

we buy these cars for our loved ones. I am sorry about the Benz, but your daughters life and health were WELL worth it. Somethings in life are free and some cost, She may need another Benz to protect her along the way: but probably not one as nice described.
As an after look: not only do the doors still open and close, the windshield appears to be intact!

thebern

The Warden · #13 03-22-2003, 08:06 PM

Must have been a bad hit, but it's good that the cabin was undamaged, not to mention your daughter being okay.

Just wondering, what are you doing with the car?

These cars can be addicting; a board member here donated his '83 240D to my Scout unit, and the leader's having so much fun driving it that he's thinking about buying it from the ship...

rwthomas1 · #14 03-22-2003, 08:24 PM

Glad to hear your daughter is okay. Look at it this way: Your car will live on for many years more as it is parted out to keeps others running. All those new parts you put into it likely can be salvaged and used again. Some lucky bugger is gonna have a field day stripping her out. Wheres she sitting? Someone here will want to know...... RT