Official High Mileage Reward

[TA250SL]

The U.S. Mercedes-Benz Classic Center is rewarding U.S. owners of vintage MB's with over 155,000 miles with a special star and laurel grill badge and certificate.  Which club members will qualify?

See  http://www.mbusa.com/brand/container.jsp?/heritage/index.jsp

for more details and an online application form.

Tom
1967 250SL    
Los Angeles

[Chad]

They actually go by 250,000 kilometers, 500,000 km, 750,000 km, 1,000,000 km and 1,000,000 mi.

I have obtained the one for 500,000 km for a Mercedes, but certainly not for a *gasoline* powered Mercedes.  These things are manufactured primarily for diesel w123 and w115 owners. They changed the way they make them a few years ago, they are no longer metal but are plastic now.  They look okay though and they are free once you have a dealer sign-off on your mileage.  You might find that most dealers do not know what these high-mileage applications are, they are pretty busy selling Hyundai look-alikes.  

Cheers and good luck to everyone getting their high-mileage badges.

-CD-
1967 230SL, 113.042 10

[Chad]

BTW, 250,000 km is about 155,000 miles. So that is where the odd milestone comes from.

-CD-
1967 230SL, 113.042 10

[dsomusic]

I have the old metal ones for 200,000 km and 500,000 km. One even came with a stickpin.
Am awaiting the one for 1,000,000 km. They say it was sent. I ordered it last summer.
How disappointing to hear they are now plastic. Ugh. After all that! I'll let you know when it arrives.
Daryl Spadaccini
1968 250 SL

[Douglas]

How sad and ironic that the manufacturer is celebrating the durability of their product with a disposable (plastic) item.

[J. Huber]

I recently went over the top. It was the second time for me and unless the PO drove only 85000KMs in 16 years, likely the 3rd overall. What kind of documentation would get me a badge?

And Daryl S., how about some scoop on your car? 1,000,000KMs? Did you get it new? There is a gentleman in our neighborhood who has upwards of 800,000 Miles on his 1966 230SL. Nice guy -- nice car.

James
63 230SL

[dsomusic]

Wow... 800,000. eh? You really have to keep it on the road to get that kind of miles.. my car was laid up almost all of 1994, and has been idle 4 months of this year sofar.
I bought it w/ 149,000 on it in 1975. It's been a wonderful daily driver all this time. Right now it's being painted. My friend laughs, since the last paint job was in 1982. The feeling is we both deserve it.
It's a 4spd car, 2 tops, tinted windows. I added the rh mirror in '82, and the power steering in '94. Whew... how did I do it w/o?
Would love to know more about the 800,000 car. Where do you live? I'm in Seattle.
Thanks for writing, James. I'm at about 675,000 miles.
Daryl

[Chad]

James, you need to post more info/history about the 8oo,ooo mile 230SL.  We would be very interested.  How many times rebuilt? When did the transmission (manual I assume) need rebuilt? How many heater levers? How many wiper motors? Everything, and on and on.

This car probably has a great story to tell about the level of quality of these vehicles.  Certainly seems to me worth documenting for this forum.

What an interesting possibility.

-CD-
1967 230SL, 113.042 10

[Chad]

BTW, that is a LOT of miles for a gasser. It has general interest beyond w113.

-CD-
1967 230SL, 113.042 10

[J. Huber]

Hi. Well, I'll take the liberty to tell what I know. The owner is a gentleman here in Nevada County CA, who I'd guess is in his late 70s or early 80s. I have spoken to him twice -- once when I happened to be walking by him as he got out of the car. A year later he passed me in mine and we pulled over to chat. He has had car since new -- and he also had a 64 before that. The car is in fairly good shape I'd say. I know he got broadsided here in town once -- and had the car fixed. Learned this from a local bodyshop as I talked to them about repairing my floors. They did an excellent job on his.

Anyway, both times he mentioned the 800K. He has had 3 engines and just had to change out the tranny.   Asked me to join him for a round of golf someday...If I do, I will bend his ear some more and see if he wants to share his stories here.

Dick M. might you know anymore?

James
63 230SL

[dsomusic]

Well, the 1,000,000 km award arrived today. Surprisingly, by FedEx, and in a large box.
Inside were a METAL grille badge, a certificate "framed" in a black folder and signed by
the Gen Mgr of the classic division, and catalogs for the mdse they sell thru the Classics
dept. The badge is different from the previous ones in that the 1,000,000km designation is on a drop-down tab below the blue ring. Otherwise, it looks like the hood medallion.

Just thought some of you might like to know..
Daryl Spadaccini
250SL 675,000 mi.

[Chad]

Tell us more. The longevity of the components: how many rebuilds, engine tranny etc.

-CD-
1967 230SL, 113.042 10

[dsomusic]

OK>
Some things have outlasted beyond anthing I'd have thought reasonable. The Tex upholstery, for sure! Weird failures have included a gear shift snapping off in LA traffic!
Left me w/ less than 3" for shifting. And a window riser handle breaking in half. On what
Chevrolet has this ever happened?
Transmissions... I'm on #5, I think. I really have lost count, but I think I have what amounts to close to 3 of them lying in storage. You know how that goes... one gear is poor, so why
toss the whole unit?
Engines... I had it rebuilt in '82 when the valves were really unhappy. That would have been at about 240,000. The fellow did a fabulous job, and the car was a bullet for years. In
about 1994 it would foul out and leave me stranded. All my efforts to get to the bottom of this were useless. The Benz dealer certainly was no help. (The rebuild was done in LA, and I had moved back to Seattle.) By then, the car was nearly 30 years old and no one knew what to do with it. Sigh. I ended up rebuilding the injection pump and at the same time accepting the advice to have the engine rebuilt. I'm sorry I listened to that advice. I really don't think it was necessary. All that was at about 434,000 or so. It's burning oil some, now, but I don't foresee any major mechanical stuff yet.
Brakes... I got over 500,000 miles out of the rotors. Hated to rip out the old ones, but two
rotors, at opposite corners, were not happy. So, all 4 got replaced.
Electrical... I bet I have original fuses in this car, and in some places, original bulbs. In 30 years of driving it, I can't remember ever replacing a fuse or dash bulb.
Other replacements... fuel pump once, starter once, drive shaft once. Been through 2 canvas tops..  a new one goes on in the spring. Car was hit in the left rear wheel in '85, so a new rear end was necessary. It now has over 300,000 on it.
The rest has pretty much been routine... exhaust, tires, wiper blades, etc.. The tach and speedo have been rebuilt, and probably could use it again, now. Both are starting to irritate me.

Thanks for asking, Chad. What about the experience of others?? I'd love to hear from you.
Daryl

[Chad]

Daryl, thanks for your posting.  I think it is all fascinating.  Has your power steering posed any problems??  What about steering box and wiper motors, wiper hardware assemblies???

-CD-
1967 230SL, 113.042 10

[dsomusic]

Hi, Chad, and thanks for asking. The car didn't come w/ power steering, so for 19 years I
drove it w/o. Whew! About a year or so ago the pump needed replacing (Seems it was used when it was installed 10 yrs ago...), and that's about it for the steering. Never touched the box. Nothing with wipers but blades. Consider all the rain in the NW, too!! The turn signal arm broke one day. Ya think it got tired?? The NOS replacements aren't as good as the old one was, so "some day" I"m going to reconstitute the old one.
Called the body shop today.. they are all excited about how the paint turned out, so I know
I will be. YAHOO! Maybe a couple weeks and I can go get it!!
I remember driving thru a flood in LA in the 80s..  I turned a corner, and suddenly was in water about 2' deep. Pulled onto the freeway w/ only 3 cylinders firing, and it was really kind of scary at first. But as the plugs dried, each cyl would join up. Thirty years of daily use fills memory banks.
CU
Daryl ourdaryl@dsomusic.com

[Chad]

Daryl, I just thought of a funny thing to ask...

About how many of the 800,000 miles did you do wih the hardtop on?
About how many with the softtop down?

-CD-
1967 230SL, 113.042 10

[dsomusic]

Hello, Chad. Sorry for the delay here.
You may be confusing this car with the one in Nevada City, CA, I believe..
I've only got 675000.. and as many as possible w/ no top. For about 6 years
I stored the hardtop. Then there were a couple winters up here in the NW I
decided to not use the hdtp so I could justify getting a new soft top.

Am leaving for LA in the morning to pick the car up. It's been painted, and I'm
pretty excited. Haven't seen it since primer. The shop folks are dancing around,
they are so pleased. Will know on Monday, won't we.
I"ll figure out a way to post some pix..
CU
Daryl
250SL

[eboati]

Hi Daryl,
any photos of how the paint job came out?

A couple of questions...after all these years of use, in the rain as well, any issues with rust?

What sort of routine mantainance did you perform?

Cheers,  ennio

1964 W113 230SL
1982 W123 240d

[JPMOSE]

Hi Daryl,

I would be curious about what oil you have used, along with how often was it changed?  Also, were you real strict about following all the maintenance schedules, etc?

Very interesting indeed!  One always hears more of high milage diesel Mercedes...not as many stories about the gas models.

I hope you make it to 1 million miles!


Best Regards,

J. P. Mose
1968 250SL
1987 560SL