Driving to South America 1980 300SD Diesel - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

elbarto83 · #1 07-28-2007, 05:24 PM

Hello,

I've posted about the car trouble I had about a week ago. The link recounts the whirring noise I was hearing at high revolution, something that happened after slamming the front end of the car down hard coming up a ditch.

I took it to a mechanic in Cuzco, Peru, and found out that the smoke and the subsequent stalling of my 1980 300SD Turbo Diesel was caused by the faulty turbo which stalled as the car went into high revolution and had caused the smoking from underneath the air filter as well.

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions. You can, if you wish, follow my journey on the following link.

http://www.drivetosouthamerica.com/PhotoJournal/index.html

Left California 1 Jun 07
Arrived in South America 6 Jul 07
Currently in Arequipa, Peru, about to head into Chile, hopefully arriving at Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego on 14 Aug.

Need to sell my car in Argentina as shipping a car back to the states costs $5000. Anyone know people that may be interested?

Thanks,

Elliott Kim

Jim B. · #2 07-28-2007, 07:48 PM

Fantastic you are back on the road, Elliott. You + W116 300SD = dogged determination to succeed.

You mentioned the Anis tea that cured stomach aches. Buy a couple of bottles of "Anis Najar" in any liquor store. It comes in green, bue and red label. The green label is the best. That way, when you are back in the USA you can still have it, just add a jigger to your tea - especially after a haevy meal, like with beans. The "Anis Najar" from Arequipa is the best in all Peru, no tourist should leave without a bottle or two of it.

Cola Escosesa and Ariquipena beer are ONLY available in Arequipa, so be sure and try them.

Also, without fail, visit the La Iberica retail store downtown. It's the outlet for the locally made La Iberica chocolates, it is the best chocolate in all Peru, be sure and get plenty of "Milky" bars, and gift boxes too. No Peruvian would ever fail stock up on these. It's magnificent, not greasy and sweet like Hershey bars.

If you haven't left Arequipa, there actually is plenty to see there. Don't even TRY to drove downtown

I had married a girl from there, so I have been there a number of times.

The church up by Yanahuara and the plaza is worth a visit, and so is the lovely Mollendo de Sabandino out of town (the old mill)

Without fail, tour the Santa Catalina Monastery, if you do nothing else while you are there. It's like being transported in time back to the inside of a 16th century monastery in Spain.

Go ahead and check the cathedral at the Plaza de Armas, it is beautiful, probably the tower that collapsed in the earthquake a few years ago is repaired again. see also the Plaza de San Francisco and the square and church there. (Arequipa is called "more Cathlic than Rome")

There is quite a bit to see around the main area, especially stores. You can get good bargains at the mercado negro "black market" just up the street from downtown. (but watchout for pickpockets) Best silver jewelry, CDs and tapes, leather jackets from Argentina, etc., it is really fun to go through.

The very best Alpaca goods can be found at the "Alpaca 111" store. It is the best way to get Christmas shopping done ahead of time buying there,
and their wares are the best in Peru.

If there is time go up to the famous "Arcos" (arches) and see the Plaza there too. It's Arequipa's most famous place, and I remember my courtship days beneath those arches so well. It's like the Golden Gate Bridge is to SF.
Being there under the moon and stars is something you would never forget.
Rather like the seeing the volcanoes of El Misti and Chachani surrounding the city.

The food is the best, because Arequipa is Peru's second largest city, over 500,000 people live there, and they call themselves "Republica Independiente de Arequipa" because they resent being 2nd fiddle to Lima and are proud like Texans.

Try "Chupe de Camarones" (shrimp soup) or go to Lando's for Anticuchos
(skewered beef hearts), try Lomo Saltado (Beef strips over white rice with tomatoes, onions & french fries), or try Ceviche.

I'm biased, of course, but Arequipa, ("el ciudad blanco"), known as the "white city" because of the white volaanic "sillar" used everywhere in the buildings, is unique there, with the cobbled streets and middle age Spanish architecture is to me about perfect. High desert, but 75 degrees all year long. (It was also more grimly known as the white City because it wasn't too hospitable to non-whites in the olden days)

My favorate place was to stay was always the Posada del Puente, overlooking the river. Reasonable price, convenient location, totally modern, but with lovely views, garden and resaurant, and sat. TV.

Few American, or other tourists, ever get there, so it's not a tourist trap.

If you can, keep the pictures and stories coming. They are GREAT

I don't know how you can sell your beautiful car in Argentina, but www.mercadolibre.ar is certainly one place where you could start.

94mgm · #3 07-28-2007, 10:43 PM

great trip, i am envious...

Mojool · #4 07-28-2007, 10:58 PM

wow thanks for all the description.!!!you the man!

u need to smoke some rreefer tho;P

elbarto83 · #5 07-29-2007, 10:15 PM

Jim, you bastard! I read your message and had just enough time to get La Iberica chocolate the same night. Now I'm hooked but alas, I'm now in Chile!!! By the way, I loved Arequipa. It is now my favorite city in South America, although the most impressive remains Cartagena. People are much more relaxed than in Cuzco, and they're just a friendly bunch without being too pushy. Very much the opposite of Lima, and I can see how the not so agreeable sentiment has come about between the two cities.

I did visit the convent the day of, though. It's now updated on my xanga.

TheDon · #6 07-29-2007, 10:17 PM

that sucks you have to sell such a car

lietuviai · #7 07-29-2007, 10:18 PM

It'll have quite a history.

kerry · #8 07-30-2007, 08:41 AM

I'm jealous! What a great trip. I have a book about the first group to drive from Alaska to Tierra Del Fuego. It was a british group driving Range Rovers. Driving through the Darien Gap was the hard part. They found a group of abandoned Corvairs which had tried the journey in the early 60's and failed.

SD Blue · #9 07-30-2007, 11:35 AM

Elliot, what are your whereabouts in Chile?

I've visited there twice and thought it was a beautiful country. Northern Chile has one of the driest deserts in the world (avg. <1 in/year). I traveled the southern areas from Santiago to Patagonia city of Coyhaique. Loved the Carratera Austral Highway.....beautiful wild country with waterfalls, wild Fuscias blooming, night skies with virtually zero light pollution, and almost entirely gravel roads (top safe speed 35 mph, protect your windshield & headlights, fuel up at every station), and friendly people who will help you at every opportunity. However, I am unsure you can get through that area this time of year as it is the heart of winter, but I believe the ferrys and highway are open in December. You can cross over to Argentina from as far south as Chile Chico.

I don't know if you have set plans but if you get the opportunity the Chile side is much more beautiful traveling. The lakes district has a lot of German settlers and would probably love the sight of a MB. Puerto Montt, Chaiten, Futaleufu (world-class whitewater rafting..forty class IV-V rapids)Puerto Puyuguapi (Termas de Puyuguapi ...hot springs resort), Parque Queulat (waterfalls and snow-capped mountains), Manihuales, Coyhaique, Rio Baker (one of the highest volume rivers in S. America, Lago General Carrera (deep blue-turquoise waters), Chile Chico (site of Volcan Hudson eruption in '91).

If you want to make it part of your plans, I can give you a list of places to stay/eat in the Patagonia area with quality and low Pesos. Habla Castillano?

Jim B. · #10 08-17-2007, 02:55 AM

Just checked his xanga, it looks like he made it to Ushuaia, in Tierra del Fuego
Argentina.

That was his goal, so Elliott and the 1980 SD made it to the southernmost city in the world! Helluva accomplishment for a determined guy and an old Mercedes diesel in the middle of winter.

I hope he lets us know what happens next. Will he sell the car, abandon her or bring her home to the United States? He had a problem with the reverse gear not working in Chile a while ago...

rs899 · #11 08-17-2007, 07:02 AM

Looks like reverse is still not working...

Quote:

No going back now.
No going back.
Only forward now.
Only forward.

The guy's got guts to make a trip like that in an 80 W116 300SD (as much as I love that car)

I hope he posts here again with a wrap-up....

Rick

gatorblue92 · #12 08-18-2007, 06:26 PM

looks like he made it

Jim B. · #13 07-06-2008, 07:46 AM

http://www.drivetosouthamerica.com/index.html

Preparation: Car choice

Your choice of car is very important.

Do not choose a diesel engined car.
Try to take a manual stickshft car if possible.
4X4 is NOT a necessity. I never felt restricted by lack of 4X4 capability. However, if you plan on deviating much from the local roads and highways, you should obviously get a car with one.
Pay special attention to suspension/shocks. Are they going to last thousands of bumps, dips, cracks, up to 15,000 ft elevation for more than 15,000 miles? If not, invest in a a good set. You will not regret this move, trust me.

I want to take this time to finalize the list of things that went wrong with my car.

1980 Mercedes Benz 300SD Turbo Diesel.

Exhaust hangers broke at least 8 times
Rear CV boots cracked open and all 4 had to be replaced in Mexico
Front brake pads burned out and had to be found and replaced in Costa Rica
Brake master cylinder was leaking and was replaced the part in Ecuador
Accelerator was sticking and I had to tie the rod to a tube in Peru
Turbo blew out after landing on the front end hard and was repaired in Peru
Front windshield started cracking and I drilled a hole to stop it
All 4 windows malfunctioned and I had to open the door to pay toll several times
Reverse transmission gear failed in Chile
Car finally died in Argentina. (a gentleman from mercedesshop.com says similar thing happened to him and killed his 79 300SD due to a cracked crank)

Please learn from my mistakes and do not take an ancient Diesel engined car that no one would know what to do with.

Fortunately for me, Latin Americans are extremely patient and their clever ingenuity saw me through to the end. Also, it allowed me to get to know some remarkable people I otherwise wouldn't have gotten to know.

daw_two · #14 07-06-2008, 10:53 AM

I just read your website --- very good. I applaud you of your trip.

Boardmonger · #15 07-06-2008, 03:26 PM

Amazing!