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  #1  
Old 09-29-2017, 06:38 PM
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Location: Greater Metropolitan Beaverdam VA
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Road Trip!

We took the '83 300CD for a nice long ride this week.

Beaverdam (near Richmond VA) to Geneva NY.
Cruised the wineries and restaurants for two days.
Geneva to Bennington, VT to visit friends and explore the Hemmings museum.
Home to Beaverdam via dinner in Alexandria.

About 1600 miles, 7 days, no interstates. About 29 mpg. No faults, no failures. Air conditioner (previously converted to R134A) most of the way. Turned 340240 by end of trip.

I love this car.


Last edited by rocky raccoon; 09-29-2017 at 07:25 PM.
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  #2  
Old 09-29-2017, 09:11 PM
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Happy the trip went smoothly. that said, I've been on road trips 1000 miles from the house and had something unexpectedly major break on the benzer. You may believe that your car is in top notch shape but remember, they are mechanical beasts and anything mechanical can break at an inconvenient time.

After receiving repair sticker shock from out-of-state MB stealerships one too many times, I have now chosen to rent cars when traveling. Instead of waiting around for hours to have the benz repaired by unfamiliar stealership mechanics, I merely call the car rental company and they bring me a new car which, BTW, has never happened. Last trip, I took a Buick Park Avenue that drove and rode like a dream. Great stereo, enjoyed the trip knowing I didn't have to worry about mechanical break downs.
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  #3  
Old 09-29-2017, 11:14 PM
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True Dat Husky but unexpected breakdowns happen unexpectedly. Happened last time I drove this car to Vermont in fact. A caliper bolt fell out and the loose caliper ruined one of my wheels. My fault for re-using it.

I just enjoy driving the car too much to not do so. To carry your logic one step further, perhaps one should not own a car at all; lease only.
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  #4  
Old 09-30-2017, 11:20 AM
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Actually, the lease idea has advantages. I've never personally leased a car, but I've known a few people that did. When the lease term expired, they simply turned in the keys to the dealership and walked away. What could be easier than that?
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  #5  
Old 09-30-2017, 11:53 AM
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I have leased a car, a SAAB turbo. It got stolen from my apartment in Alexandria. I was serving an 18 month sentence at the Pentagon at the time.

It was easy. I simply called the leasing company and said "Someone stole your car." They said "Too bad. Do you want another?"

Problem is one cannot lease a 35yo Benz diesel.
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  #6  
Old 10-02-2017, 05:15 AM
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Nice trip so far. Glad to know about it.
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  #7  
Old 10-02-2017, 09:14 AM
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I'm in the middle off a ~3000 trip from SoCal to WA state and Vancouver island in the $1100 the c320 wagon. So far the only thing I've had to replace was a wiper blade. Auto wipers are my favorite invention at the moment. Oregon trucks with up to 3 trailers on the twisty 2 lane highway 101 require triple digit speeds to pass. A couple of family members flew into Bellingham to join me for the rest of the trip north which necessitated more storage space so I put a 15 cubic foot bag on the roof. This thing is more practical than any cargo box I've ever used and I can just fold it back up when I don't need it anymore instead of dragging it through the air all the way home.
https://i.imgur.com/YycYkBu.jpg
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  #8  
Old 10-02-2017, 09:31 AM
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Hopefully when on trips that take you over 1000 miles from home you won't need emergency repairs. I believe the moment the stealership service writer sees your out-of-state license plate, you are in trouble.

Stealership doesn't happen to have the necessary parts in stock to complete badly needed repairs? No problem, you can cool your heels in a local hotel waiting for the parts to come from Germany. That is why I like the rental car idea though I always rent from car rental companies that have offices throughout the 50 states. Drive easy and worry free.....much easier on the anxiety meter.
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  #9  
Old 10-02-2017, 09:37 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HuskyMan View Post
Hopefully when on trips that take you over 1000 miles from home you won't need emergency repairs. I believe the moment the stealership service writer sees your out-of-state license plate, you are in trouble.
My tool box is in the trunk, my icarsoft MB code scanner is in the glove box, AAA with 200 mile tow is in my wallet. Whatever repair I'll need will most likely be a diy affair. The biggest headache would be getting parts into the middle of nowhere. Worst case scenario I rent a car and sell the c320 locally. It's disposable.
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  #10  
Old 10-02-2017, 09:49 AM
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TIME IS MONEY. Every minute you spend dicking around with a car that is down 1000 miles from the house is a minute you could be doing something productive. You just became a slave to the car.

I've lived this situation; after I received sticker shock from the out-of-state stealership for mercedes benz repairs, I limped home. Fortunately, the car made it but the return trip was touch and go. Now, if your benz is under warranty that is a different scenario. Even then, it could take a week if they have to order parts from Germany

Instead, rent a car from a car rental company and enjoy the trip instead of dealing with mechanical issues. Nowadays, you get your choice of rides, some of which are really really nice. Next trip, I'm thinking of renting a motor home and dragging half the neighborhood along with me! ROAD PARTY!!!!
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  #11  
Old 10-02-2017, 10:54 AM
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To each his own I guess. I don't think there's a right answer for everyone. I've been taking my old cars on very long trips for years up And down the west coast from Baja to BC and all points in between for years without a problem. I have confidence in my cars and my ability to keep them on the road without any major breakdowns. If I have a breakdown I have a plan B and C that doesn't involve the dealer.

I put 3000 miles on the c320 locally near my house before taking on this trip and had 2 breakdowns involving the badly designed transmission cooler lines which like to pop out of the radiator spilling atf all over the engine bay. I completely bypassed the radiator and added a separate trans cooler in front of the radiator. Compared to my w124 w201 and w210, the w203 has a lot of improvements as well as really obvious corner cutting. Right now the w203 and w211 are bargain daily driver's compared to the older MBs if you can diy.


PS: T-Mobile has free roaming in Canada and excellent coverage.
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Last edited by tjts1; 10-02-2017 at 11:06 AM.
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  #12  
Old 10-04-2017, 02:10 PM
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It's true; some enjoy the adventure of driving their own rides on road trips. If a Mercedes is being maintained well, it is most likely more reliable than other cars.

Only issue I can see is if you experience a MAJOR mechanical failure, i.e. transmission or engine takes a dump, you are pretty well stuck. If I knew there were reliable repair shops along my intended route of travel, I wouldn't have a problem traveling in an out-of-warranty mercedes benz.
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  #13  
Old 10-07-2017, 07:12 AM
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In the 300cd ride the slung back windsheild and the wider side windows gives you the impression your in a 60s to 70s sports car.Its not throwing you back in the seat at acceleration but the command of the road feel is actually better.In looking at some of the Mercedes VIDEOS of performance track tests on these vehicles the evidence of handeling and road hold is evident in how the engineers put these cars together.The best of its time.
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  #14  
Old 10-07-2017, 01:27 PM
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They handle really well if in good condition with good shocks tires etc. Very controllable. Lots of lean but once all the slack is taken up the grip is outstanding along with very good road feel. Excellent brakes and steering too.
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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.
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  #15  
Old 10-07-2017, 01:34 PM
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Husky, neither one of us is going to convince the other. In the 'coon's opinion, unless the trip is one of business 50% of road trip enjoyment is the drive. There is nothing out there I would prefer driving than my stone-age MB diesel. In full disclosure, we also have a 2008 E320 diesel in perfect condition. Our choice for this trip and many prior is the '83.

Obviously it has never let us down or I would not feel that way.

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