Larry,

You explained it well, and I'll go along with you on everything including you being anal.

I think it is a good system and saves engines and resources. If you putz around town and change oil by the odometer, you may not be changing oil often enough and shortening the life of the engine. By the same token if you do more freeway driving, you may be changing oil too often.We keep talking about reducing oil imports so just think of how many millions of gallons of oil are wasted by changing oil 1000 miles too early. We also have to look at the waste stream that is generated. I know the system is designed around synthetics for now, but that could be changed to include Dino.

On another note, I have no problem with a computer helping me not have to remember things. I find computers to be helpful in that respect so I have to disagree with most of you. If you really want to know what I consider an invasion of my intelligence, it is a control that makes me put my foot on the brake before I can shift out of park. I am also irritated by cars that decide when my doors should be locked or unlocked. Have you ever gotten into one of those cars that knocks the soda cup out of your hand with the seat belt shoulder strap when you turn the key? I think I should be able to decide when to put on the seat belt or even if I want to put it on.

Peter

__________________
Auto Zentral Ltd.

Bud

You have to understand that I was just giving Larry " a ride ".
If I had 1 dollar for every hour I've spent, under cars, and still doing it at my age, I would be rich enough to take my vehicles to the dealer, for every minor task.
Btw. How did you like traveling in Europe?
I was born & grew up there.

__________________
2007 C 230 Sport.

Actually, I spent a year on special assignment working for IBM Germany. We lived in Feucht outside of Nuremburg. We traveled extensively during and after the assignment.

I'm considering a Euro Delivery of a new E320 CDI in September but my wife is reluctant to fly anymore. If we went back, we'd spend more time in France (Loire Valley, etc.).

We loved Europe and we'd love to go back but neither my wife nor I are anxious to spend 16 hours or more getting there.

BTW, we had a BMW 316I...bright orange We also spent 43 days traveling around by train...the only civilized way to travel.

manny,

Where in Europe did you live? I lived in Germany for two years in the late sixties, early seventies.

I did a LOT of business travel in Europe in 2000 through 2002. I spent a lot of time in Germany, mostly Stuttgart and Frankfurt areas, but also Dusselldorf/Essen, Hamburg and personal time near Pforzheim which was one of the places I lived.

I also traveled alot to the Zurich area, Milan, Copenhagen, Brussells, Nice, Monaco and Eindhoven (Netherlands.) These were my most common areas where I worked but I visited many other areas in Italy, Spain, France, The Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, UK and all over Germany. I've also vacationed in St. Moritz, Switzerland and various places in Germany.

Driving on the autobahn in a good car is about as much fun as I can have with my clothes on. I really, learned my expressway driving on the German autobahn and have been a very frustrated driver on American roads ever since. In Germany it takes lots of training and money to get a drivers license as opposed to the US where you only have to be 16 and have a beating heart.

Have a great day,

Larry

I was born & raised in a city called Speyer.
It is on the Rhine river, about 20 minutes west of Heidelberg, or 10 minutes west of Hockenheim ( Race track ).
Actually my mother was from Hockenheim, that's where the Racer in me comes from.

Seen pretty much most of France, Italy, Austria ( where I had some of my schooling ), Switzerland ( where is still visit friends from time to time ).
I enjoy vacationing there frequently, as most of my family is there.
The best part, as you pointed out ( aside from the fantastic food ), is letting it all hang out on the Autobahn.
Just have to remember, things change very rapidly, when you are travelling at 140 mph.......oh, and braking distances increase as well !

__________________
2007 C 230 Sport.

My favorite part of the Rhein is from the point West of Wiesbaden where the river turns North on up to like Bonn. I lived in Hanau in 70/71 and our favorite thing to do on a Sunday was to just cruise up the river and then cross on a ferry and come back on the other side.

My wife and I like to find a Hotel on the river in that area and get a room on the top floor facing the river and just watch the boats go by. It makes for a very relaxing time.

Our thirtieth anniversary is in May and we were thinking of using some frequent flyer miles to go to Germany, but with the exchange rate as it is I'm sure it would be more expensive than I was accustomed to in '00 and '01.

I have been to the racetrack at Hockenheim twice. It's a great facility and I'm sure it's better now. I saw Phil Hill there in the sunset years of his career.

There's a really great stretch of Autobahn that runs from that area West to Kaiserslautern. It is really wide open and mostly straight.

I came close about a year and a half ago to moving to Munich, but I was a little leary after 9/11 to move there to live. In general the people are great, but I don't know how all the political environment might have effected an Americans welcome.

Have a great weekend,

I have a 1998 C280 6 cylinder. I just bought it used from a friend. I did a search for the Flex Services and this site popped up. What I was wondering is, what should the A & B service cost? I was going to take it to a dealer but wasn't sure what is too expensive. Also, would it be better to take it to a shop that specializes in imports? I was reading through and you all seem to know a great deal about this so I thought I would ask. Any help at all is useful. Thank you.