Thank you gentlemen...atld and Dr? Silvestro...
Actually, I have a love/hate relationship with this machine...I vascillate between rage and mourning.
We also own an '85 190e, which had lingered for weeks before dying...a proper death.This needs a new/salvage engine. I purchased it with 140k, and it now has 170k. The 170's are not good at our house. I don't enjoy pulling motors...not my line of work.
I don't care for the new models, and, yes, atld, I agree with you that these hold up very well, generally. Whenever I take my wife to test drive a new car, she states that she prefers her old car!
Glad to hear that some schools, at least, are still requiring shop time. The two closest to me do not,
Still, in terms of reliability, the '64 122s Volvo was remarkable...gear driven,push rod, cast iron. Easy access. This machine I definitely did not pamper. Perhaps a lesson there?