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Larry

wrote in news:h242c3tshc5mormk5adfmab4gf6g3bvcgd@
4ax.com:

Well, I'm retired now and don't have any money so all I can do is make
marks on the showroom windows pressing my nose against them...

Somehow Mercedes got my po box address, probably from my putting my
ticket into the hopper at the local Benz dealer in a contest they ran as
they were stuffing us with fine cheeze and wine to show off the new
models. (Yes, I do go all dressed up just to see if I can get away with
it...(c

I know that's the source because my name really is Larry,
named after one of my father's Army buddies who died in a battle with
Rommel in N Africa. But, on the ticket, trying to sound more important
than a "Larry" I wrote Lawrence as my first name. Lawrence has been
getting every piece of beautifully-produced Mercedes literature for the
last 15 years. They are relentless.

At one time, I kept my antique '73 220D in a nicely polished, showroom
condition. I even won a trophy at a local car show, the only Mercedes
there. It used to draw attention to itself when I would go to these
promos and park it in the lot next to the new Mercedes, which all look
just like Honda Accords with no chrome, no shine, just plastic. "I'll
buy that one as soon as I figure out how to wear out this one.", was my
standard line....(c; At either 480,000 or 580,000 miles, I had the 2.2L
naturally-aspirated diesel overhauled because its compression made it
hard to start, even though, once running, it would go anywhere. I forced
my mechanic to replace the sprockets and double-row roller chain that
drives the injection pump, overhead camshaft, vacuum pump, etc., but he
kept telling me it was a waste as it wasn't worn after only 28 years on
the road. I also bought unneeded new pistons to go with the new rings,
piston rods, piston pins, valves (only one needed grinding, valve springs
(that were all within tolerance). It runs as new, now at only 38000
miles from overhaul, as it did the day I got it back. They looked in the
4-speed automatic transmission with a flashlight, shrugged their
shoulders and Herr Reinert said, "These engines are never powerful enough
to wear out this transmission." The silly thing even DOWNSHIFTS every
time you slow up for a traffic light, through all 4 gears.

Some day I must find out where the R-12 leak is so next time Skip and
Lydia are riding around in it collecting food and boat parts they can be
cooler. I was embarrassed it didn't work. The A/C is American...a 2-
cylinder massive compressor I've forgotten the maker of. It had a
cracked head on it long ago and I stole one off a junker behind my
independent Mercedes shop with borrowed tools to save money. The
compressor works great but the system leaks a bit so I didn't reload it
as R-12 is a precious commodity, now, with all the stupid gummit/greenie
tampering and jacking up prices and taxes....damn them all.