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Would you take your 6.9 on a 1000 mile road trip?

Started by raueda1, 11 May 2018, 09:53 AM

raueda1

And then do it again a month later?  And again a month after that?  That's what I aim to do, or at least have the confidence that I could.  My Grand Design is to do much more than cruise around locally on weekends. 

My car is a very solid, low mileage (??), original 6.9.  It's definitely a driver, not an years-long project to get back on the road.  And it seems to have been well maintained but . . .   it's still 42 years old.  After fixing the transmission there don't seem to have any other major issues, just various small (??!!) odds and ends that I'm working through.  Most of them involve replacing rubber stuff.  As we all know, there's a lot of rubber stuff!  I've been on several sustained high speed drives (never more than 300 miles) without anything blowing up.*  I don't have suspension blocks, so if It died 500 miles from home that might be an issueb. 

So here's the question:  What 6.9 or W116 vulnerabilities concern you most?  Or would make you most nervous?  What should I be most nervous about?  Any particular and non-obvious things/tools/parts that I shouldn't leave home without?  Or do you think big road trips just asking for trouble by invoking Murphy's Law?  Tell me about your road trips and confidence in your cars!

FWIW, this group is an incredible resource and a huge enablement of the w116 lifestyle.  Thanks, as always!

---------------
*Fun sidebar comment:  On 2 separate occasions I had guys catch up to me at desert filling stations while refueling.  Both said they'd actually never seen a 6.9 and were racing to keep up in the hope of finding me gassing up.  We're talking about places where signs reading "Next services 80 miles" are very common, so it's not a long shot to assume that a 6.9 will need gas.  Both just wanted to see the engine, suspension going up and down etc etc.  We're driving bits of history.  There are more fans out there than we know.  ;D
-Dave
Now:  1976 6.9 Euro, 2015 GL550
Before that:  1966 230S, 1964 220SE coupe, 1977 Carrera 3.0

daantjie

#1
Dave, I believe Tim "TJ450" drove across Australia with his so he would be da man on this one ;)

Link to the post:

https://forum.w116.org/test-drive/driving-across-australia-in-a-6-9!/msg119529/#msg119529

Daniel
1977 450 SEL 6.9 - Astralsilber

3l33ter

Quote from: raueda1 on 11 May 2018, 09:53 AM
It's definitely a driver, not an years-long project to get back on the road.

This is the reason I would not drive a 6.9 too much. Because then it will wear out, and WILL be a years-long project to get back on the road. I would know, I bought my 6.9 in 2013 and have only driven it about 30 miles.

Not saying a 6.9 can't handle it, but it's a matter of maintenance. How are the head gaskets on yours?
'75 280S
'77 6.9
'82 300TD

Harv

1980 300SD
1983 240D
2000 E55 AMG
2002 G500

daantjie

Quote from: Harv on 12 May 2018, 08:23 AM
I'd be more scared of the constant 10 mpg.

Now-now it's more like 12 mpg ;D
Daniel
1977 450 SEL 6.9 - Astralsilber

TJ 450

Yep, as Daniel posted, I drove mine on about a 10,000km round trip (probably a bit longer including touring around various cities). The fuel bill ran into the thousands, but the car was no trouble whatsoever. Two oil changes were done, one with and one without the filter change.

When the cars are well maintained you don't have to worry about things wearing out. I've done about 50,000kms on mine since the big mechanical resto and hadn't done the heads until after trip.

Long trips are great for these cars.

Tim
1976 450SEL 6.9 1432
1969 300SEL 6.3 1394
2003 ML500

ptashek

Quote from: raueda1 on 11 May 2018, 09:53 AM
And then do it again a month later?  And again a month after that?  That's what I aim to do, or at least have the confidence that I could.  My Grand Design is to do much more than cruise around locally on weekends. 

I drive my (standard) 450 as much as my classic insurance policy allows me, which isn't much these days. Still, the vast majority of it is over long stretches, like the 4000km round trip across Europe I did in April. These cars absolutely love cruising on the motorway. Even before the restoration the only spare I took on it's first 2000km trip was some oil, which I never used in the end. If you look after it, it will reciprocate.
1993 "Pearl Blue" W124 280TE
1988 "Arctic White" W124 200T
1979 "Icon Gold" W116 450SE

oversize

Don't leave home without emergency blocks, or softwood cut to perform the same application, with something to secure them in place.  Apart from that make sure all the cooling system hoses and clamps are good, plus you have some type of Roadside Assist Cover.
1979 6.9 #5541 (Red Bull)
1978 6.9 #4248 (Skye)
1979 6.9 #3686 (Moby Dick)
1978 6.9 #1776 (Dora)
1977 450SEL #7010 white -P
1975 450SEL #8414 gold -P

raueda1

Quote from: TJ 450 on 12 May 2018, 11:58 AM
Yep, as Daniel posted, I drove mine on about a 10,000km round trip (probably a bit longer including touring around various cities). The fuel bill ran into the thousands, but the car was no trouble whatsoever. Two oil changes were done, one with and one without the filter change.

When the cars are well maintained you don't have to worry about things wearing out. I've done about 50,000kms on mine since the big mechanical resto and hadn't done the heads until after trip.

Long trips are great for these cars.

Tim
This is exactly what I wanted to hear! 
-Dave
Now:  1976 6.9 Euro, 2015 GL550
Before that:  1966 230S, 1964 220SE coupe, 1977 Carrera 3.0

raueda1

Quote from: 3l33ter on 12 May 2018, 06:02 AM
Quote from: raueda1 on 11 May 2018, 09:53 AM
It's definitely a driver, not an years-long project to get back on the road.

This is the reason I would not drive a 6.9 too much. Because then it will wear out, and WILL be a years-long project to get back on the road. I would know, I bought my 6.9 in 2013 and have only driven it about 30 miles.

Not saying a 6.9 can't handle it, but it's a matter of maintenance. How are the head gaskets on yours?
Hmmmm....  I don't know.  But the car runs great and I have no reason to suspect that there's a problem.  How would I know? 
-Dave
Now:  1976 6.9 Euro, 2015 GL550
Before that:  1966 230S, 1964 220SE coupe, 1977 Carrera 3.0

raueda1

Quote from: oversize on 14 May 2018, 05:26 AM
Don't leave home without emergency blocks, or softwood cut to perform the same application, with something to secure them in place.  Apart from that make sure all the cooling system hoses and clamps are good, plus you have some type of Roadside Assist Cover.
This is a concern.  I don't have blocks.  Fabricating some out of wood is on my agenda.  In fact I'm actually considering getting a run of them made if I can find templates for the molds (I used to be in the rubber business).  I've looked for good pictures of them from all angles but haven't succeeded.  Can anybody point me in the right direction?  Or, better still, if anybody has them post good pix from all sides?  I've got to believe that a run of several hundred of these would sell out if priced reasonably.  With a good set of pix from all sides I'd be able to start taking to some of the rubber molding houses.
-Dave
Now:  1976 6.9 Euro, 2015 GL550
Before that:  1966 230S, 1964 220SE coupe, 1977 Carrera 3.0

irvine

Nowhere near you guys in km clocked up in a trip. But I did 400km trip when I bought my 280se, no paperwork and just a quick look over.
Heart was in my mouth the whole trip but the car ran faultless.

Neil.

s class

CHeck out my thread here on a cross country 6.9 expedition:

https://forum.w116.org/the-org/trusty-rusty-victory-run/

Admittedly not quite in TJ's league, but still.

Subsequently, I used my red 6.9 as a daily from 2014 - 2016, and had no issues other than fuel, tyre and brake pad consumption. 


[color=blue]'76 6.9 Euro[/color], [color=red]'78 6.9 AMG[/color], '80 280SE, [color=brown]'74 350SE[/color], [color=black]'82 500SEL euro full hydro, '83 500SEL euro full hydro [/color], '81 500SL

rumb

Any well maintained MB should be capable of a 1000 mile drive.  Keyword is Maintained.  Thursday we are going on the Hagerty Silver Summit Tour, and will drive about 1200 miles total in 4 days. Will be driving our 1967 250S.   We have driven it up there twice in the last 5-6 years and driven our 72 MB Midget 3 times on the Denver MG club Glenwood Rallye.  There will be 40 cars pre 1979 including 5 DeTomaso Pantera. They have a mandatory inspection and spare parts list.



http://www.classiccaradventures.com/colorado-events/hagerty-silver-summit/ss-event-info-and-registration/

inspection form
http://www.classiccaradventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2018-Vehicle-Inspection-Form.pdf
'68 250S
'77 6.9 Euro
'91 300SE,
'98 SL500
'14 CLS550,
'16 AMG GTS
'21 E450 Cabrio

nathan

S-class, you note that was 2009 - almost a decade ago!! perhaps a re make of the w116.org badge will be made and distributed to those who have been posting over a decade!
1979 116 6.9 #6436
2018 213 e63
2011 212 e63
2011 463 g55
2007 211 e500 wagen
1995 124 e320 cabriolet
1983 460 300gd
1981 123 280te