Hey everyone, just curious have any of you taken a REALLY long trip in your Benz's? I REALLY.....REALLY want to drive from Southern California to Skagway, Alaska which is like 6,000 miles, in my 240D. What is the furthest you have all driven? Did you encounter problems or was it all smooth sailing Just going to do some stuff like normal maitnence wait about a year and make sure everything on the car is good and then I plan to shoot up there.... It's just so damn hot here in the desert it makes Antarctica sound like paradise lol and I can't drive there and I always wanted to head up north twords the Yukon and check out Skagway in Alaska... but yeah share your stories please!!!

 

I just wrapped up a 3000 mile trip from Chicago to Boston and back with a few side trips along the way. The Benz did great. I have a e320 so it was a bit more peppy than your 240D but the ride should be the same and I bet you'll do better than my 26.7 mpg (that was the highest tank full on the way home) The car is at home on the highway and handles the winding roads with ease. You can carry on a normal conversation above 95mph and you will feel completely in control of the car. Take a bunch of pics and post them. The Appalachian mountains are awesome and the car was a great ride.

 

Awesome, good to hear that the trip went well! Yeah I think I might be really snail status on the mountains, although I have the torque so it should be all good... 26 is still pretty damn good! I only got 23 highway with my 300E but she always seemed like she got a little more. the E 320's are great cars, handling is awesome, I drove one for a few weeks and really liked it. smooth, comfortable and has the power! They always say they do better at high speeds :P I plan to take tons of pictures once I get going. I have to start slow though, probably driving to Arizona then New Mexico, Texas and maybe Colorado for some snow driving practice. I'm so excited to take it on a trip!!! I want to go now!! lol hopefully more people post!

 

If your car is in good shape you'll pull the mountains with no problem. Your compression will drop off a bit at higher elevations but you should be fine.

Yea the 320 is very nice. Variable valve timing is pretty sweet. My car is really happy at 80-100mph. I haven't gotten it over 105mph yet cause I just haven't felt like I have had a safe place to do it yet. Either Fuzz or other drivers.

 

Avoid being on the side of the raod waiting for a tow truck to take your beloved to a "Strange" car doctor, which will try to make his months paycheck from your wallet (credit card more likely, as most people don't carry THAT much cash).

Be sure to have a professional technician do a front to back inspection and give you an itemized estimate of ALL repairs and maintenance needed.

Then you can decide how to spend your $$$ on it.
This inspect fee will be the best $$$ you spend on the car.

 

Thanks for the advice, that actually didn't cross my mind! So before I would go I'll be all over the car and make sure I got an ok from a mechanic. When we had it inspected 2 weeks ago the guy said it would make it to Texas (from California) no problem. that's about 4,000 miles so about a years worth of maintence and taking good care of it unlike the past owner, should be good. I really want to drive it in the snow!!