As some of you have read here, I have been having to get my wife's Mercedes E320 serviced a lot lately. Failure of tire pressure sensors, wiper motor, and various MB recalls. Finally got all that handled last week, and Mrs. Statdoc was happy to get her car back once and for all. Until today.

I am in the hardware store, and get a call that her car won't crank. No lights, no clicks, no electrical power at all. I come home, and try to jump start it (note here). When I get it running, I take it immediately to the local MB dealer (never letting the car turn off!).

They discover that it is a faulty electrical system part. They called it a SAM (?), saying it allowed battery discharge even while car turned off. They have to order the part, and so we are in another loaner for a few more days-week.

The only bright spot of this is that they loaned us a brand new Volvo XC90. I wondered how they drove, so it gives me a chance to play with that for a while. After driving it just a few miles, I will say it is much nicer than that Chevy they loaned me recently, but it isn't a BMW. The handling is pretty good, and it feels agile. The interior is decent but not as luxurious as the X5. It is perhaps a step below the X5, but not something you would hate; just not something you would love!

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