I thought I heard it wrong when I called the dealer.
After 7 years of trusty service, I decided to replace my old MB battery with another one. I have been monitoring the voltage and it certainly dips below 12V last week during the frigid days. To avoid getting stranded in the Chicago winter, I called my local MB dealer for a quote, and the voice from the other end says one "O" nine plus tax. I quickly chowed down my lunch and went to get one, $117 out the door. What a deal....

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98 ML320 (gone but not forgotten)