In some ways I agree, I haven't seen a set of wheels on a 123 that look any better than bundts or steel w/hubcaps. And, ground effect hardware looks truly dumb to me on a sedan. OTOH, the aircleaner bracket, the seats, the ACC, the headlights and some other things leave a whole lot to be desired.

That said, it is turning out that I'm slowly but surely modifying my wagon to be more like a Euro...manual HVAC controls, manual tranny, taller differential ratio and, hopefully, someday a set of rectangular headlights; not because I'm a poseur Europhile but because things like an automatic climate control, an 80s-era automatic transmission, 3.07:1 gears and SAE sealed beams no longer make any sense to me.

Personal choice, comfort and reliability enters into the equation as well; for example, a year ago, I completely rebuilt Marlene's front seats. They are as new and stock as can be...they are also two of the most uncomfortable $500 chairs I've ever plopped my butt in/on. Sometime soon, they're coming out to have some high-density foam padding put in strategic locations. And how about that stupid aircleaner bracket on the turbo? Has there ever been a worse design? After seeing the two on my cars destroy themselves, I didn't hesitate to modify the damned thing. The fix isn't pretty but neither is a diesel that has ingested a couple of cubic miles of unfiltered air. I also believe that the lack of a voltmeter on these cars is criminal. I've added one on the wagon to have some tiny warning of impending doom...

When it comes to most repairs, I generally stay with the Benz-approved fixes. However, for my recent repair of the hydraulic suspension pressure line, I decided to have a local hydraulic shop build-up an SAE hose with adapters to go to the metric fittings on the engine and chassis. It was cheaper and, I can replace that hose anywhere in the USA! You can bet that when it is time to replace my oil cooler lines, I'll be doing the exact same thing: fabbing replacement parts from readily accessible materials.

On experimentation...
As you all know, I run a variety of fuels through the wagon. Consequently, the area under the hood periodically has the look of a laboratory that's been blown up...sure, long term, I'll clean up the installations and designs but Of course, no experimentation takes place on SWMBOs car...coz she wants it box stock...only the finished product goes in her ride.

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.