I went to the graveyard (auto recycler) to search for parts for my daughter's Volvo. There were three MB Diesels there. A 240D, a 300SD, and a 300D. They had their wheels stripped off and were laying in the mud. Their windows were shattered, but the interiors were intact except for weather damage. They looked like cars that could have been saved by their humans.

What a shame!!

Joe.

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www.jerseyplanning.com
1987 300TD 440K - My car
2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 107K - Tim's car
2000 - CLK320 100K - Deb's car
1994 C230 150K - Josh's Car

The good news is that MB's tend to be last in line for the crusher... Most junkies are hip to demand for interchangable parts that span several years.

My greatest junk-yard adventure? Finding low mileage twin camshafts & carrier to replace worn out camshafts on my 280/8. Earned the respect of junkies, by spending an afternoon removing it myself.

Best thing about pulling your own parts from junkyard cars? You will learn how to disassemble and install parts on your own vehicle!

Have never known a junkyard that I didnt enjoy exploring.

Sure, and the worst thing about pulling your own parts at the junkyard: POISON IVY

Why does it always seem to sprout from 108 bodied cars?

I just wished here in OKC they would take better care of the cars. The 108's are totally trashed and I needed some interior pieces.

Sholin

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What else, '73 MB 280 SEL (Lt Blue)
Daily driver: '84 190D 2.2 5 spd.

Sure, and the worst thing about pulling your own parts at the junkyard: POISON IVY Ha!! When I lived in TX the worst thing was the bloody rattlesnakes in the junkyards!! They really seem to like living in old cars.... RT

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When all else fails, vote from the rooftops!
84' Mercedes Benz 300D Anthracite/black, 171K
03' Volkswagen Jetta TDI blue/black, 93K
93' Chevrolet C2500HD ExCab 6.5TD, Two-tone blue, 252K

It does become uneconomic to maintian an old benz at times, but they usually end up in the graveyard due to neglect. Americans have become so enamored of the "disposable society" that they have lost sight of the value of things.

My 280 SE would be in nearly perfect shape if the last two owners had done regular maintenance, especially body/interior. Engine is strong, doesn't use oil, tranny is fine, but the block is cracked from leaving water in it for two years, there are holes in the trunk for a leaking rear window, and the leather is shot, also from damp, I suspect -- the fabric "tail" on the rear seat is ripping.

A couple thousand dollars in maintenance over the last 5 years, and she would look and drive almost new......

Sad.

Peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

Down here in Florida, you have to keep a sharp eye out for wasp nests in the cars in the u-pull it yards. I have more than once been greeted by more than a dozen pairs of angry insect eyes upon opening the hood of a potential donor car- carcass

While I agree that snakes, wasps, poison ivy are bad...... mosquitoes (by the 1,000's here) and fire ants are the worst.


Oh, and the occasional large rat that's defending his turf isn't nice either.

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1985 300D Turbo ~225k
2000 F350 (Powerstroke) 4X4, SWB, CC, SRW, 6spd ~148k
1999 International 4900, DT466e (250hp/660 ft/lbs), Allison MD3060 ~73k

There is a great junkyard with alot of interesting benzes.. GI Auto Salvage in Fairfield, NJ. One particular benz stood out from the rest, a "mint green" euro 85 380SE with a dark green velour interior was there. It was a really nice car.. don't know why it was scrapped.

rw,

Yeah you got a point there. I'm really not that affected by poison ivy. I've got to get in it for some time before it shows. Rattlesnakes, on the other hand, I have no special immunity to or fondness of.

At least they rattle.

jhal, I was in Tampa in January for my former job (I'm currently in the process of moving to another team--kind of bummin' about it). We have a radar site right south of Lakeland right off hwy 37. Since it rarely freezes there, the entire radar tower was COVERED with wasp nests. When the sun heated the tower up, they were everywhere.

I think in Florida, wasps are the top predator:p

psfred, You got that right about disposable economy. (Not to get too far off topic.) There's another factor wrt cars: Today, if you don't own a SUV or full size pickup or aspire to own one, you are looked upon with some disdain. I'm not taking a shot at PU/SUV owners here: I drove a '74 GMC for a couple of years. 8 mpg on a good day, but it still proved very useful and my dad has it now. I'm just saying that people don't take a "step back" from the latest revision of pop culture and look at other posibilities.


Wasuchi, sure mosquitoes are bad, but they're not just limited to the junkyard: Gotta defend my house/yard from them here in the spring. It's not warm enough here year round to have a problem with fire ants (thank god).

Sholin in Oklahoma

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What else, '73 MB 280 SEL (Lt Blue)
Daily driver: '84 190D 2.2 5 spd.