A Luta Continua - My Merc E class

I'm rather fond of the blue my car wears, so much better than silver/grey or black. It's a fair bit deeper than that BM blue discussed on here though. My interior could be creamier, but its light hue still pleases. The total black interior in the Mazda annoys me now when I get in it.

Nope. It just hasn't even crossed Caversham Bridge in a while. I'm sure I'll discover plenty of new faults if I start using it regularly again.

Nasty smelly expensive to run thing that it is.

Forgot to say I also did a home service myself a few weeks ago, using sucky sucky pumpy to get the oil out. I used the service menu to get to the electronic dipstick to measure the oil accurately before emptying it (there's an easier function which gives you an "OIL LEVEL OK/NOT OK reading, which I had thus far used to check levels), it was on 5.8 litres out of a 7.3 capacity. So either the garage which serviced it last year under filled it or it has burnt/leaked 1.5 litres over 10,000 miles. Oil, air and pollen filters are all mega-easy to get to, easiest (ICE) car to service I've ever had. Brought back memories of the atrociously difficult to change pollen filter on the Ford Galaxy years ago, and the subsequent bleeding hands.

Refilling with oil I managed to over fill slightly, and had to suck a bit back out. But I quite liked using the service menu function to tell me exactly how much oil is in the car. I got it to 7.3 litres, the correct full capacity, and I'll keep and eye and see if it drops much over time. If I ever user the car, of course.

Minor faff this weekend. Got in the car to move it and got a "Visit Workshop" battery warning. As many of you know, this car has two batteries and I had replaced the main battery (in the boot) last year. So I suspected it was the smaller, auxiliary battery in the engine bay, under the cabin air filter. A quick google threw up a video showing the way to tell which battery needs attention. Start car, put in drive, activate SBC HOLD on the brakes. If you get a message saying the function is unavailable, then the aux battery is at fault.

Removed the cabin air filter box, and there it is, underneath. Original Mercedes battery, covered in filth. Could well have been an original original. It is essentially a motorcycle battery, so I searched for suitable replacements and found a Yuasa one recommended, in stock at my local Halfords. Could have got it a few quid cheaper online, but I wanted to do the job rather than have to wait until next weekend. Went and picked it up, but this battery comes with the acid separate, and obviously uncharged. Fills it up, seals it, charges it (takes about 4 hours to full with my trusty Lidl smart charger). Bit of fun and games installing it in the dark. Glad it's done, don't fancy running the car (if we need it this week) with a faulty battery connected to a complex braking system.

Its ironic, he now has an EV, constantly harping on about its state of charge, and now it turns out that phobia has manifested itself into a worry about Batteries on his diesel car.

There must be a medical or physiological name for it.  Galvaniphobia perhaps?

Right, you lot are in for a treat. The Merc's death warrant has been signed by Mrs A. I really ought to stop her watching telly, but she watched a programme on Netflix yesterday called "Dirty Money", about the VW emissions scandal, and got all horrified and guilt-ridden about the emissions the Merc must eject. She doesn't want to drive it any more. I know, I know. 5k miles a year at most, the difference to the world is neither here nor there, the next owner will probably be driving it more miles than us and any replacement in the up to £5k bracket will be just as polluting, even a petrol as it will be less fuel efficient. She now blames us having a diesel since 2004 for our son's mild asthma.

I know. Please don't try to convince me of these facts, you are preaching to the converted. But. Mrs A has spoken. She wants a petrol V70. It must have a light interior, external colour not an issue. Another Mrec is not an option as she "feels like an Albanian gangster" driving an old Merc. Last September, she loved the Merc, which is why the Mazda made way for the Leaf. Now, the Mazda would be an ideal replacement for the Merc. Argh.

This is not the time for logical discussion and educational insights. The die are cast. The search begins.

Enjoy.