Got a speeding ticket with my 240D!
 

Haha, I know the title is turning some heads :cool:. In my recent woes with the speedometer and (sigh) odometer in "Betsy" my '80 240D, I got a speeding ticket on the way home from my buddies house. Approached by a rather confused officer I rolled the window down and because I've never been pulled over before, left the engine clacking away... :D. So after about the 5th "Sir can you turn your engine off" I quickly realized of ALL days, this would be the one day Betsy wouldn't shut off. So I explained to the officer i'd have to get out to shut it off.. popped the hood and pulled the yellow check valve, put my finger over it, and she finally.. slowly.. sputtered and shut off. The officer seemed to be in his lower 60's looked a little too familiar with the car and didn't even shake his head :eek:. So after the whole "do you know how fast you are going" ritual he asked what year Betsy was, now THIS is where I knew things were on the uphill. He tells me im going 73mph.. yeah, seventy three.. in a 55. I explained how the speedometer said nothing higher than 60, and he kind of calmly looked around at the interior. "She's got a real nice interior.... wow this nice for an 80?!" He laughed as he said "a 240D going 73..." So he "let me off" with a $108 fine, which isn't bad at ALL compared to what I should have gotten.. He said he started driving in a 190D :D and that it's speedometer didn't work at all, gave me a couple good references for getting the speedo and odo fixed, and the "be careful pulling away". I have to say that did piss me off, but I payed it and got to meet someone with similar respect to these old diesels.

Crazy huh.. now where should I get started with this speedometer? :D

Wow! That ended about as nicely as it could!

-J

Yeah I'd say! Ahhhhh you have a TDI.. Lucky :D

After watching a few too many of those ADD inducing 'Craziest Police Blah' shows during my lunch hour, his admonishment about pulling away may have been purely with your safety in mind. Several videos have featured pull-overs where either the cop or the pullee got creamed by a hypnotized or inattentive driver-by.

A 240D can do 96mph, its possible you were doing 73mph.

With a very powerful tailwind and going downhill? :D

73 is easy, I've taken an auto 240d to a little over 65....and it had plenty more to give.

Congratulations!!!

Exactly! I am impressed with your achievement! Great Job!

Putting the fine aside that's great news. No mean feat in a 240d especailly my auto!

That ended up pretty well. He did you a favor, I usualy say fight all speeding tickets, but when the cop does you a favor you shouldn't.

Thats pretty good, in PA they take your house and 1st born usually.

Ive always tried that excuse to no avail, now I dont even bother. Move to Atlanta, they dont bother with you until you pass 80. Any slower than 75 and you're a slalom cone :)

80 or so is no problem in mine. Just takes a minute or two to get there.

No I realize that, I was just using that as a time line of events kind of thing in my little story.

Sure wouldn't want to be going 96 in Betsy... things would be vibrating and the front end would be pretty angry at me.

Yeah I would of fought it too, but they have to make money somewhere.. Im betting he knew I downshifted into "S" to slow down because of my big plume of smoke, but he didn't say anything. :D

Haha he had some mercedes background to him, I was surprised that worked as well!

Thank you, and thank you :D:D:D haha. Not that im proud of actually having splattered bugs on my windshield instead of the back window for a change :cool:.

If you see a Manila yellow 83 240d doing 80 on I-275 or I-696 or I-94, it could be me.

I do keep it under 85, since I can't put a tach on the 616.912 and see how fast the engine is revving. I don't want my baby to 'splode while I'm having fun.

Lmao will keep an eye out, I do wave to most fellow 123 drivers so you might see me. Look out for the "cowspot" paintjob on the front fenders.. Right behind the 4 way lights :cool:. It's kind of funny how 123 drivers will wave though, mostly the older folk 'cause there are a couple grumpy teen drivers around here being spoiled with the chance to drive a 123.

I got to see one wrapped around a tree by a teen driver.. glad im not that kind of kid I do value the good old mercedes.

I thought it was 86mph, I've never hit 90 in my '83 with the pedal resting on the mat....

If I were driving a 240D, and got that kind of ticket, I'd take it as a cheap checkup...
You know your engine health isn't that bad!

I could never get past 87mph even downhill.

Can anyone VERIFY 96mph with a GPS photo? (assuming the GPS is calibrated and roughly accurate)

I got my SD up to 90 last summer on the Interstate just to see if I could. I didn't want to do any better than that cuz I love the old girl and I'd hate to see her blow up, so I still don't know how fast she'll really go. :D

A 3.69 rear end at redline=155km/h, 96.3mph.

I've had my car up to 107mph with the 3.46 rear end.