My wife still cannot understand why I don't just let my 17 year old son drive 'the old car'. What can it hurt? She can't understand why I would let him drive the new benz but not the old one.

I went looking for a car for him and found my primo 240D that is absolutely mint. Had to tell him, 'sorry, it's way too nice to let you drive it.'

So we got him a 96 Camry and the first week in the school parking lot it got keyed. He doesn't wash it for weeks, never vacuums it out, can't see thru the windows, and there is usually trash in it. All I get is the deer-in-the-headlights look.

Hmmm...somehow I think the old man must be onto something. You think???

__________________
Chris Brown
"OC", So-Cal
1979 240D, 122K, 4spd, Colorado Biege w/Tobacco, Pwr Roof, AC, Cruise, Becker Corona - SOLD
Past Benzos: 71 250 • 83 240D • 84 190E • 04 C240 • 11 GLK350 • 13 c250 Coupe
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...ine=1276896801

It's the 17 year old that is onto something.

I stopped at one of my local fuel stations (top of exit ramp I75 south and Nine mile rd).

Went in for Orange juice, walked out to horns, siren, and screaming curses.
It was a W123 300D, being (human) pushed up the ramp.
The cars behind (including police) apparently thought horns would speed the pushing.

I and a couple other fuel station customers ran out to help push.
The helpful officer pulled up behind, as we cleared lanes for through traffic, and followed into the fuel station.

Vehicle owner gets it in park, just in time to be confronted by the officer about obstructing traffic, etc, etc.

I am talking to the Vehicle owners son, getting diagnostic details.
They filled up slightly more than a mile north, suddenly lost power and died on the exit ramp.

Ignoring the LOUD argument / confrontation, I grabbed my tool bag, spare filters, and a gallon of 2-stroke oil.

The vehicle owners son opened the hood, I replaced the filters (filled secondary with 2-stroke oil) and dumped over a quart in the fuel tank.

The vehicle owners son started the car while I worked the throttle under the hood.

The officer abruptly is in my face for (theoretically) interfering with the police ??

The engine is smoothing out, so I closed the hood.

The officer is obviously ticked off / venting, so I let him run down.

The vehicle owner steps up to ask what he owes for the repair ?

I traded his old filters for my collection, gave him the remainder of the gallon of 2-stroke oil, and gave him my technical lecture about bad quality diesel.

The W123 300D drove away happy, while I talked with the officer.

The officer asked (with a straight face) are you Santa Claus ?

I briefly explained my expertise and extreme love for these vehicles.

The officer freaked when I mentioned the forum and my ID, apparently he has been a lurker for years, using many of my DIY's.

The officer is coming by next week, for OM617 vacuum pump rebuild advice + drop off more nasty used fuel filters for my collection.

.

__________________
ASE Master Mechanic
https://whunter.carrd.co/

Prototype R&D/testing:
Thermal & Aerodynamic System Engineering (TASE) Senior vehicle instrumentation technician.
Noise Vibration and Harshness (NVH).
Dynamometer.
Heat exchanger durability.
HV-A/C Climate Control.
Vehicle build.
Fleet Durability
Technical Quality Auditor.
Automotive Technical Writer

1985 300SD
1983 300D
2003 Volvo V70

https://www.boldegoist.com/

Maybe you are and helping good strangers is what you do between Christmas's

__________________
1982 300GD Carmine Red (DB3535) Cabriolet Parting Out
1990 300SEL Smoke Silver (Parting out)
1991 350SDL Blackberry Metallic (481)

"The thing is Bob, its not that I'm lazy...its that I just don't care."