So I'm "teaching" a friend's little sister to drive on my '82 300D. She's 16 and has never riden a bike, driven a lawnmower/quad, never actually piloted anything beyond a wheelbarrow. The 300D got volunteered as their two cars are a Lexus(too fast/expensive) and an SUV(too top heavy/V8/pricey also)
*I have no formal training in how to teach to drive. My lessons consist of "Hold brake, put in drive, let off brake, don't hit stuff"

Lessons take place in a parking lot that loops around a building. Well lit, level, 2 stop signs, and LOTS of curbs. The VNT is disabled for the lessons, so there is no boost(Unless we somehow hit 3,000rpm under load).

Day 1:
1.5 hours, going slowly(under 20mph). She's surprised that the steering required more than 1 revolution to make the car turn Stops are rough, contacted the curb 8 times, jumped the curb 3 times.

Day 2:
1 hour, still slow, hit 20 a couple times. Better on turns, etc. only hit the curb twice(one jump) Learned signals and wipers.

Day 3:
1 hour, hit 30. No curb contact. Went around the neighborhood a couple times, waved to Mom&Dad. I said "Put it in neutral, and hit the pedal for a second" just to show off. She interpreted this as put it in neutral, hit the pedal, count to one-one-thousand, and let off. HUGE plume of smoke, (like 10ftx10ftx15ft) hit the rev limiter for a second. Got a surprised look from Mom&Dad all right

Tomorrow we might go onto back roads for a bit, who knows?



Also, once she has regular style driving down I'm thinking of pumping up the rear tires, and setting up a trash can autocross course.....

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$60 OM617 Blank Exhaust Flanges
$110 OM606 Blank Exhaust Flanges
No merc at the moment

My first training car was a 300D N/A, that thing was a Slug, but it made me pass my drivers test with a 90% (I forgot to turn the steering all the way on the up hill test ) But once i lay eyes on that W126 i ditched the 300D

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Current Garage
2008 Mercedes GL320 CDI 188k mi Repair/Work in progress
1994 S350 160k mi Garage Queen & prepping for repairs
2005 E320 CDI 203k mi Healthy & Daily Driver
1994 S350 357k mi Retried as parts car
1984 300TD 214k mi Blown OM617 Poss OM603 Swap??

Sold
1987 300SDL 200K+
1994 S320 181K mi
2008 E320 Bluetec 127k mi
1999 S420 130K mi
1980 240D 360k mi
15+ Others that has come, stay and gone

GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
1995 E320 SE 220k mi
1984 300SD 350k mi

i learned on a w123.. As did the previous owners two daughters...

I learned on my dad's 87 300D, which is mine now. I also had a lot of lessons in our 93 Dodge Caravan and 87 diesel GM Suburban. Between the three it was a good variety of driving experiences which I think really helped me. My only regret was that no one ever taught me to drive stick ... until I got the 240D this winter.

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1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles
1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited, light khaki/slate--140,000 miles
2018 Chevy Cruze diesel, 6-speed manual, satin steel metallic/kalahari--19,000 miles
1982 Peugeot 505 diesel, 4-speed manual, blue/blue, 130,000 miles
1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car)

When you get through with the bumping and grinding, and jumping curbs. you will be ready for a wheel alignment or...

I learned on my dads 55 chevy step side Pick Up, and "three on the tree" this was back in 1960. even had the starter on the floor.

I never heard of Mercedes back then. wish I had discovered them sooner, and the forum.

teaching a new person to drive can be nerv wracking.

Charlie

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there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works

I learned primarily in our 99 caravan as it was our only car at the time.....and on some chevys at the drivers training school.....for being brand new 4cyl impalas....they sure were gutless....I'm talking flooring it to get on the highway....way slower than a 300SD....believe it or not.

I was never taught stick.....I came into the Rav4 and....assimilated it. Figured it out in about 10 minutes of trial and test.....I guess I'm a natural (german heritage)

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

Brings back some fun memories. I learned to drive in my parents 1973 Cadillac Sedan Deville. It was so huge! I did my practice in that and my older sister's Mazda with manual transmission. It all came very easy for me.

My sister sounds more like your student though! Riding with her on a freeway induced as much adrenaline as most roller coasters. She actually got her brand new Mazda just before she got her driver's license, and in a year or so it was pretty beat and banged up. She never admitted responsibility for one dent, even though it had a new one every few weeks. They all happened "while I was parked".

I had a great Driver's Ed teacher! Unfortunately we moved overseas before I could get my license, so I ended up having to wait till I was almost 18. I think I had about 30k miles of practice before I finally took my driving test. I had a lot of observational learning as I traveled the world with my parents. Rome, where you drive as fast as you can at all times. and Iran where there are no rules. Really, no rules at all.

Anyways, sounds like she's in the right kind of car. Needs to be tough and not too valuable. And I definitely agree, she sounds like the wrong kind of person to be learning in an SUV.

Now that she can keep the car in her own lane, she needs to learn about defensive driving techniques. My sister, somehow, never did. Seems like all of her cars met their demise in car accidents. I remember back in the early 90's she wanted a Ford Explorer. I totally freaked out! She'd surely be dead now, if she'd bought one. My mom and I went out and bought her a slightly used Chrysler Minivan, instead. Since there were no car payments, she ended up keeping it for many years. Long enough for Chrysler to replace her transmission 8 times! Other than that it was very reliable, comfortable and safe.

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1979 240D, 4spd manual, Power Sunroof, manual windows, 147k miles, Pastel gray/Black MB Tex.
1991 300D 2.5 - Smokes like it's on Crack!

I am with Charmalu, as I learned on a '49 Chev(it was old, I was young) with the toe button on the floor just above the accellerator pedal on the hump. Mechanical connecting rod to the starter. That was in the back yard of my parents home in W. Va. Alot of memories, actually just recently sold that home. (wipe eye). Took the drivers test in a '66 Chrysler New Yorker, that thing was just a tad smaller than the StarShip Enterprise.

After the lessons have her assist in changing oil, in a month she will be adjusting valves and changing glow plugs, checking flex disks, looking for parts cars....

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Gary
Experience is something you get, Just after you needed it....
'99 E300 295K, '83 300D 220K, '75 240D 185K sold
'80 MCI Bus Conv DD 6V92TA, w/4 cyl. Kubota diesel GenSet 12.5KW

My dad paid $600.00 for that truck, and it only had 48,000 miles on it.
sure wish I had it now. same truck with rust probably $5000.00 today.

charlie

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there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works

Well said!

I taught one of my friends to drive a couple months ago in the 240D (auto) She learned everything pretty quickly, except parallel parking

When she finally got that down I took her home and we got her moms honda just so she could see how much of a boat the 240D is and get a feel for parking and driving the honda (she had to take the test in it).

Before she got in I started it and turned the traction control off while she wasn't paying attention . She backed out into the street. And as soon as she went to take off, parents and little sister watching, she did a sweet one legger, slammed the brakes and shut the car off thinking something was wrong with it.

"Whoops I forgot to tell you my car only has 65 horsepower..."

It was priceless. She passed the first time though .

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http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m...73378_30-1.jpg

In the winter,my dad used to take us out to the local shopping plaza parking lot on Sundays when it was closed and teach us how to drive out of skids on the icy pavement.
It was great fun in his 1965 Saab 95 with the 3 cylinder 2 stroke motor and a freewheel setting that would let the car roll for ridiculously long dstances.

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1981 240D 143k 4 spd manual -SOLD

2004 VW Jetta TDI 5 speed 300k -still driven daily

ROFL!!

It sounds like you have it well in hand! I could not have said it better myself. Except you need to be sure they hit the brake again to stop.

I learned how to dirive in a 1954 Chevy pickup. Starter button on the floor, 3 on the tree, vacuum powered wipers that stopped when you hit the gas, 6 volt system, etc... That thing left me stranded all over town. It put me and some of my friends in good shape though and pushed me to be on the track team in High School. My legs got pretty strong push starting that damn thing.

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AJ

1985 300D (SOLD)

Get your cones out, or better yet some gallon milk jugs, put about 1 qt of water in each, she will see the "damage" after she runs over one! Less damage to your car than curbs too!

Also remind her of reverse . . . teach her to use the mirrors . . . use a line on the ground or the water jugs to make a stop line, have her drive up to them and stop without hitting them, or spilling your coffee!

Have her check the oil before each "lesson" she needs to learn how to do this! Part of driving a car . . . same as changing a tire . . . do you need your tires rotated, let her help . . .

Yes, checking the oil is very inportant. I tought daughter #1, before starting the car, to check under the hood first. oil, water, look at the brake reservor for proper level, look at the belts, look for any leaks. as you are walking up to the car look under it for any new leaks, wet spots under the car. take a visual of the tires before zooming off, just some basics. It is the little things that will get ya.

another thing when stopping behind another vehicle, stop so the rear bumper doesn`t dissapear from your line of sight. the way these new vehicle are you can`t see anything past the dash the way they slope off. I like the MB for the long hood out front.

using the hood star to guide distance to the edge of the road, curb etc... works. turn the pass mirror down so they can see the side of the car to the edge of the road, and using the star guided on the white sholder stripe (If there is one where you live) will teach the new driver (or old) distance. will help to keep down curb rash and side wall scrubbing on the curbs.

the 123 is one of the best cars for sight clearance w/o blind spots than a lot of these new vehicles.

the best way to blind someone, is place a windshield in front of them.

Charlie

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there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works

Don't do it! Next thing you know your driveway will be filled with cars and your garage will be filled with car parts, spilling over into the house. Just ask my parents.

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1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles
1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited, light khaki/slate--140,000 miles
2018 Chevy Cruze diesel, 6-speed manual, satin steel metallic/kalahari--19,000 miles
1982 Peugeot 505 diesel, 4-speed manual, blue/blue, 130,000 miles
1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car)