roadtrip to Germany in dizzlershite

[HMC]

We (I) decided to take my elderly w123 estate (dizzler, N/A automatic) on a trip to see the in laws in germany, via manchester and birmingham to pick up, then drop off my brother and see my parents, then hers. all in, probably getting on for 2000 miles. So far so good, just got to germany and alls well!

did a service the week before- fluids and filters etc and gave her the once over. Tried and failed to fix the fuel guage which has a habit of occasionally sticking at 1/4 full whilst the tank empties itself. Did sort the throttle linkage that in the midst of full bore 88BHP kickdown, would stick open. Not much more speed, just lots of black smoke.

Ended up being delayed leaving work, and picked up my brother late. Our planned trip to My parents local for last orders went out of the window. With a quoted max speed of 93MPH this is not a car you can make up for lost time in! You end up keeping a steely eye on eveyone elses speed so you can plan overtaking and slotting in etc carefully.

From manchester, via leeds to drop in on some colleagues, and finally hull to catch the Rotterdam ferry. Nudged 34MPG which is piss poor by modern dizzler standards, but I was fairly happy with the old tech ironmongery chugging away under the bonnet. I now had a vacuum leak, which meant that the engine wouldnt always shut down. Sometimes selecting a gear was enough, otherwise I had to pop under the bonnet and press the solenoid cut out. The drivers leccy window also gave up, so going through customs was a bit of a fiddle. (I always think scruffy old mercs must set a few warning bells going)

Ferry ok, but 13 quid for a breakfast was a suprise (quite nice though)

I managed to get lost,in holland and with no passenger to map read and no sat nav and no dutch language skills, was glad when I managed to pick up the route again!

Just over the Dutch-German border theres a fair few miles of de restricted autobahn. Had a nice clear stretch with little traffic. Probably the only car Ive taken over where I havent taken it up toward top speed, not really in the spirit of this old diesel. I wonder now and again about the autobox as the car has down nearly 400k and try not to give the 'box too much abuse.

Apart from a queue where the temperature started to creep northwards, and I whacked the heater/blower on just in case, made it to the in laws and cracked open some ice cold Pils (which im finishing off now)!

[pogweasel]

Great work!

 

And such a lovely car, a tidy W123 screams old-money-class, especially with the 4-digit plate.

[wuvvum]

^ WHS. Going on those photos, your "scruffy old Merc" comment seems rather harsh - that looks proper tidy. Even has rear arches...

[dollywobbler]

Excellent. Crazy to think that for us Brits, this was the powerful diesel!

[HMC]

The Technoclassica in Essen is fairly close by so the plan is to pass by today. Taking the camera so will put up anything that catches my eye, wonder how it compairs to the NEC?

[pogweasel]

Nothing compares to the NEC*.

[Richard]

Is the NEC as grim as the SECC?

[scooters]

top tale mate - love reading about road trips and a lovely motor you have there = can't beat a 123 - never owned one - get sticky sheets dreaming about them though - specially ones with coloured hubcaps

[Shep Shepherd]

I did something similar in The Volvo last summer, my destination being the lovely city of Magdeburg. The car performed faultlessly

 

 

I'm making a return trip this summer, albeit in TV2, as it has aircon and is much more fun to drive on the Autobahn

[fiatdaft]

essen is a must,you prob won't go to the nec again!

 

shep what crossing do you use?

 

btw should that n/a diesel not have a turbo?

[stoterstangen90]

I was on roadtrip in the UK with my Xsara dizzlershite this weekend.

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

The 'T' is for tourer, turbodiesels were available in LHD markets but the UK had to make do with atmo action in all Mercs until the mid '90s.

 

Your W123 looks a class act, it's got me looking on eBay for them.

[fiatdaft]

doh the wife is talking in the other ear and i was half thinking of a us import turbo diesel in bridge of allan.

[Shep Shepherd]

shep what crossing do you use?

 

The Dover to Calais P&O route normally, but I may use the Ramsgate-Oostende TEF route next time, as it's cheaper, makes the mainland journey shorter and the ferries are shite 1980s vessels:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TransEuropa_Ferries

[CreepingJesus]

...the ferries are shite 1970s vessels

Ferryshite!

Tell me they still have a disco with a light-up floor! If so, that's how I'm getting to the continent next time. Throwing shapes all the way. Oh yes.

 

Looks like a good trip, that. I'd imagine the venerable (and lovely) Merc's lack of top speed, would actually make it quite relaxing.

[dieselnutjob]

Nudged 34MPG which is piss poor by modern dizzler standards

 

I think it's not bad at all for a large automatic estate. It's about the same as my 607 HDI auto, and that's not an estate either.

[dieselnutjob]

shep what crossing do you use?

 

The Dover to Calais P&O route normally, but I may use the Ramsgate-Oostende TEF route next time, as it's cheaper, makes the mainland journey shorter and the ferries are shite 1980s vessels:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TransEuropa_Ferries

 

Transmanche seem pretty shite as well to me

as far as I can tell the ferry company is run purely to give Dieppe something to do

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transmanche_Ferries