Der Klunker nee Pimpmobile, is a 1981 300SD, which we bought for $1,500 in 1999. We never should have bought it as everything that could go wrong did go wrong or was already wrong. But hey! We are not the first to throw good money after bad.
Over time the old girl got an all new suspension, even new rims (to replace the pimpmobile rims she came with), air conditioner, engine, transmission, etc., etc. We have driven her to Canada ands to Florida and she always got us home while driving like a Mercedes should.
Yestereday I took her for her winterizing maintenance. One item that had to be replaced is a cross member just aft of the front suspension and under the transmission. It was rusted clear through. Both sides of the trunk on either side of the spare tire well are rusted through, which we discovered when stuff started falling out of the trunk onto the road. The bottom of the body side rails on both sides are very severely rusted. I have visions of us driving a Flinstones jalopy, our feet on the road under the car propelling us.
She's good for the winter when little driving will be done, but I am wondering if the rust may become a safety factor. This car would never pass inspection in Europe though New York has no problem with it.
Is it time to say goodbye to this faithful old Klunker into which we have already poured ontold amounts of money? How best to deaccession her? Call a junkyad and have her towed away? Part her out? The engine and tranny are still good for many years to come, as are some of the other bits and pieces.
We have no idea what the mileage is, by the way. The odometer said 150K. But during a repair it was found that at some point a new odometer had been installed that came from a car several years newer. Today it is just shy of 200K, meaning we have put only 50K on it in eight years.