Steve:

It's not just cars, either!

One of the serious problems in Iraq appears to be that the equipment isn't "modern" (that is, completely digital) and no one knows (at least the Halliburton people, anyway) how to make it work without just replacing a non-working part. Needless to say, with the grid in terrible shape, equipment gets used improperly and abused, and there isn't enough to just replace everything.

I'm not personally convinced the "disposable" system will be with us forever -- it's VERY expensive, very wastefull, and oil is never gonna be cheap again!

I've also heard horror stories about parts for Japanese cars when the do wear out. When I replaced the center bearing on the driveshaft on the 220D some time back, it cost me $30. The one for a Toyota was $175, and was probably almost identical. The only reason Benz owners complain is that they keep their cars (or at least the folks on this forum, anyway) much longer than "ordinary" drivers, so they actually wear out suspension links, valve trains, etc.

MB is considerably higher maintenance than a typical Japanese car -- a friend of mine quite literally never replaced the brake pads on his Avalon. It was totaled when someone ran a stop light and T-boned him at 125,000 miles! Brake pads still OK. I have no idea how well the brakes work compared to a Benz, but that is one reason people complain (pads at 30,000 miles, what a useless piece of junk!).

After all, I remember when valve jobs at 25,000 miles weren't uncommon, and engines only had a paper oil filter if you special ordered the external filter system....

Who remembers tuneups every 3000 miles?

Peter

__________________
1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!