This is an excerpt from my first post on this forum:

November 2001- Family friends buy a slightly used 1999 E300 Turbo Diesel but the dealer would only give them $2000 for their well cared for 1987 300 SDL, 198K. Deal- if I would drive the 300 SDL to South Florida delivering their personal effects I could have the car!!! Left Cape Cod Thursday Nov. 1 at 8pm and returned Sunday Nov. 4 11pm, 3142 miles/53 hrs. driving = 59.28 mph avg. Most of the time I drove 83 cruise control or faster with the pedal when no officials in sight. Traffic in NYC and Jacksonville FL on the way down and DC and NJ/NYC on the way up was slow bumper to bumper rush hour traffic. Between Jacksonville and Daytona I ran long straightaways and flat sweeping curves for nearly an hour between 95 and 103 the top speed. I burned 111 gal. of fuel = 28.3 mpg. Fuel cost between $1.56 and $.99 =$1.28 per gallon, $142. fuel cost. So for 4.5 cents per mile I spent over two complete days driving an fine specimen of Germanys' steel and diesel autobahn grinders. The car handled great at all speeds as long as I remembered it was 5000+= pounds and 18-foot long. Never missed a beat, and in my mind, purred the whole way. I got it for nothing (practically), I'll probably end up selling it, wish I always lived the "Mercedes" life, and wonder if I could ever put that motor in my boat? Yeah man, Life Can Be Good!!! How's that for entertainment value!!!!!! I'm even happier because found this forum. P. S. I almost forgot the $30 post trip oil change was like a 15% tip on a meal.

The combined experience of driving and maintaining the car along with the interaction with the collective wisdom and generosity of this forums membership = priceless!Thank you!