The seven million kilometers is the same as 5,000 kilometers every single week. And that without leaving Gran Canaria, where this W 123 hit the roads in 1988.
In the whole of Gran Canaria, you may not find anything more buoyant than the red-white Mercedes 240 D. It cruises around in idle mode.
That is what Tenerife News writes.
The many kilometers per week – it becomes 5,000 kilometers in 7 days – means 52 oil changes per year. Yes, it's one a week. On the other hand, in those short years alone, the car has traveled a distance equivalent to 175 times around the Earth.
It all began in 1986 with an extra-long version of the W 123, which Mercedes had at that time on the program for nine years.
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The extra wheelbase leaves room for a third row of seats. The 5.36 meter long Mercedes thus has room for 8 passengers. Including the driver, of course.
However, a full two years had to pass from the delivery date in 1986, because the conversion was ready and the car could roll its first kilometres. Since then, it has not stopped for much other than dropping off passengers, refueling with diesel and a 'little' oil change.
The old Mercedes has a four-cylinder diesel engine with 72 horsepower, and so it is included in three eight-hour shifts a day. This kind of thing cannot be done without thorough maintenance.
Every million kilometers the engine is almost disassembled and inspected or at least thoroughly checked. Should the engine one day break down, the taxi driver already has another engine ready.
In 2008, the taxi underwent a major restoration. At that time, it had just under 4 million kilometers. Along the way, the undercarriage was tightened, the brakes replaced with larger ones and all the seats were reupholstered.
The many millions of kilometers clearly roll onto the trip counter, so that both drivers and passengers can follow along in the life of the kilometer king.
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