Well, a short time ago I arrived home after moving my college kid to a new apartment. This car is nothing to my little girl.

I made two road trips on this partial tank, including last weekend and a round trip to Milwaukee, and I have my mileage. 34 + MPG, HWY. Just over 300 miles on 8.9 gal.

This is 90% road, and 10% local. I did one trip for about 100 miles and one trip for 180 miles (plus local travel on each), and was careful with how I filled and re-filled the tank. The 180 road trip was with the sunroof wide open and a fully loaded car, and the shorter trip, the sunroof was closed with no load other than mon petite body. Based on the tank readings, I believe I got much better mileage with the sunroof closed, and driving 70+ much of the way. Go figure, Mercedes says mileage drops at this higher speed (per my owner's manual). It was enough of a disparity that it seems the sunroof + a fully loaded car really hampers mileage a lot more than I would have thought. It was such a nice day today, there was only one way to do the trip, roof wide open. Am I a narcissist? No, but I have many dreams about what could be for all of us.

Perhaps, with sunroof closed, and one really large driver (none other), I may be over 35 MPG, highway. It could be a year from now, but the goal still stands. I am fortunate to have a car that has survived 30 years with such aplomb.

I am going to join the Chicago Mercedes club, even though I am not normally into "joining," hoping it will give me access to someone from Mercedes, or other, who will help me reach my seemingly impossible goal (others). I have never had a doubt about this car and my goal. Perhaps, this car was a gift from who knows whom. The highway mileage may be 36. It may be 38, and it may be 41, and who knows, maybe more. Only time will tell, and any naysayers, will join in. Never, say never, only ask, why not.

Am I full of horsefeathers and other parts of the horse........ of course. Am I the type to say something that is misleading? No, it is not in me. More than ever, today, people need the truth.

I just love this car. And now that I am at 67 years, it could be said that the car is over-powered, and I now want 50 MPG. Go ahead and laugh, and I will raise the goal.