hello wolfgang,
where in munich are you located?
i lived there for quite a while.

my first ml sighting was a fully equipped ml320 in munich with rear tire carrier in azure blue in fall of 1998.

i then knew i had to have it and ordered it upon my return to us in 1999. dealer had me wait 3 mths, but that was fine with me. but dismayed couldn't get rear tire carrier in us.

does dot really think they have higher safety standards than tuv? safety stds here i think are a little bit of a joke compaired to what you go thru with tuv.

anyway i do miss going 250km/h on autobahns (when traffic is ok). it really makes long distance trips a non issue. i had a bmw740i in munich and it made 250km/h drives a true non issue. very effortless. you get used to speed after a while.