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#1
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Another gem....66 200D fintail
Another gem....1966 200D fintail....original, immaculate, low miles...what a beauty!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4514422118&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT
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1984 300TD Wagon, 407,800 mi (current daily driver) 1985 300DT Sedan, 330,000 mi (gone to that great autobahn in the sky) |
#2
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As a general rule, I'm far from hard on a vehicle. I follow the fluid change schedules, try to wash/wax it when needed, and don't do things that I see a lot of others doing.
I do have a question though: can someone lay out what steps that I need to do to have a car like that in 30 years? I have 52k miles on my current daily driver and the engine compartment isn't that clean. My seats have more "mileage" than that after 52k miles. I'd think that the door gaskets would just rot at that age and use. What's the secret? Someone must know. -Tad |
#3
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Dont use it much
As you can see on that 66 fintail, it has only about 67,000, miles on it. So if you don't use a car much at all, and store it in a nice dry garage...then it will last a long time. Don't get me wrong, a car that is simply stored for 30 years will have many problems, unless special measures are taken.
But a car like the one on ebay probably spent its life in very favorable climate (Southern California?) and was probably not an only car...it was probably used for around town errands, and only on nice days. This car has not been exposed to cold, rain, road salt, heavy use etc. etc. Ideally, a car like this would have been taken out for a nice highway run every month or so. I see a lot of cars like this (190SLs, 300SLs, 280SEs, etc.etc) up in Maine where there are a lot of very wealthy folks (old money) who have a nice antique toy at their summer place....these cars are strictly used for summer fun, evenings out, etc. The rest of the year, the car is garaged (probably a heated garage). If I had a garage and some extra cash, this car would be a blast to own....this is the type of antique that the "average Joe" could afford (it may sell for around $5,000, but probably more). Just think of how much fun this car would be to tinker with...and how easy to work on!!! I could spend many entire days having a great time just doing basic maintenance on a car like this, such as cleaning out all water drains, cleaning and lubing all moving parts, or removing all light housings, cleaning electrical contacts and greasing with anti oxidant, cleaning accumulated dust from behind housings then waxing, re-soldering where needed, new vinyl sleeves for wire harnesses, nylon ties to neaten up, etc... great fun. The list of fun things to do on a car like this is almost limitless!
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1984 300TD Wagon, 407,800 mi (current daily driver) 1985 300DT Sedan, 330,000 mi (gone to that great autobahn in the sky) Last edited by MarkM; 12-27-2004 at 12:43 PM. |
#4
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We don't salt the roads here in WA, and there's so much rain that it keeps everything washed clean Keeping the underside free of mud and muck helps keep rust at bay. The cool climate helps rubber items last a good long time too without drying out and cracking.
I think it's just the absence of extremes of weather that helps up here. Kevin
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'85 300SD |
#5
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agreed
Yes, lack of road salt and lack of climate extremes is very easy on a car.....unlike here in New England.
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1984 300TD Wagon, 407,800 mi (current daily driver) 1985 300DT Sedan, 330,000 mi (gone to that great autobahn in the sky) |
#6
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Quote:
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Proud owner of .... 1971 280SE W108 1979 300SD W116 1983 300D W123 1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper 1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel 1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified) --------------------- Section 609 MVAC Certified --------------------- "He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche |
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