I am doing the oil changes on the 1983 240D that I rebuilt the engine in and then sold to my neice (17 yrs old) about a year or so ago. Her dad called this week saying that the transmission was "going out" on the car (it only has 132k miles on it) because it would not go over about 60 mph when you got up on the freeway. I picked the car up this evening to change the oil and check it out. Got on I-75 and nailed it and sure enough I could not get more than 60 mph out of it. Got home, checked the tranny fluid level, everything looked/smelled good and then I proceeded to replace the spin on fuel filter. Took it for a test drive after the oil/filter and fuel filter change and ran it down the interstate at 70+ without any problem. I took the car back over to their house and asked her why she thought it was the tranny and she said someone told her that the reason it would not go over 60 was because the tranny was on it's way out - WHAT A CROCK!!!!!! I asked her if the person that told her that had any MB transmission experience and she no. I told her that these trannies easily go for 250k+ miles with regular fluid/filter changes and she will know when she has a transmission problem. Sometimes I find the stuff that people come up with on automobile analysis is simply amazing. I just had to share this story with everyone.

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Jim

There are so many myths and old wives tales regarding cars that they would fill a book the size of War & Peace.

Had I been taking notes when I was in the Army, I'm sure I would have enough material to fill that book.

Have a nice Holiday,