{"version":"1.0.0","episode":{"title":"Why I Drove Mercedes Diesels for Decades—Then Switched to Tesla","url":"http://getcarcurious.com/episodes/why-i-drove-mercedes-diesels-for-decades-then-switched-to-tesla","audioUrl":"https://www.buzzsprout.com/2316026/episodes/17767475-why-i-drove-mercedes-diesels-for-decades-then-switched-to-tesla.mp3","description":"Click here to share your favorite car, car story or any automotive trivia!Croom's first \"car\" was a Ford 1000 Tractor. His second was a 1984 Mercedes 240D diesel that he drove into the ground—and kept driving.Most people see a Mercedes diesel from the '80s as just another old car. Croom saw it as a philosophy: build something right once, maintain it properly, and it'll outlast everything around it. That same thinking would eventually guide him from farm life to the cutting edge of healthcare AI.The million-mile Mercedes isn't just about durability—it's about the mindset that comes from trusting something enough to keep investing in it long after others would have quit.In this episode, Croom shares:- What driving a farm tractor first teaches you about vehicles (it's not what you think)- Why he chose a Mercedes 240D when he could have bought something newer- The actual cost of maintaining a \"million-mile\" diesel vs. buying new cars every few years- How diesel engine philosophy translates to healthcare AI development- The specific moment he realized the car had taught him more than transportation- What farm life and healthcare technology have in common (this is fascinating)There's one story about the Mercedes breaking down at the worst possible moment that Croom says changed how he thinks about reliability itself. You'll want to hear what happened next.Related episodes:https://buzzsprout.com/2316026/episodes/15009054-what-was-it-like-growing-up-delorean-kat-s-personal-automotive-legacy-and-life-lessonshttps://buzzsprout.com/2316026/episodes/17426714-classic-car-restoration-career-mason-ball-mcpherson-college-to-wayne-carini-s-f40-motorsports🔗 Connect: https://carsloved.com *** Your Favorite Automotive Podcast - Now Arriving Weekly!!! *** Listen on your favorite platform and visit https://carsloved.com for full episodes, our automotive blog, Guest Road Trip Playlist and our new CAR-ousel of Memories photo archive. Don't Forget to Rate &amp; Review to keep the engines of automotive storytelling—and personal restoration—running strong."},"annotations":[{"startTime":174.4,"endTime":180.0,"type":"car","title":"Chevy V8","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/95/Chevrolet_327_Cubic_Inch_Small-Block_V8_Engine_Marinized_By_Chris-Craft%2C_Incorporated_Of_Algonac%2C_Michigan%3B_Mounted_On_An_Engine_Hoist.jpg","quote":"He took a destroyed Tesla Model S and put a Chevy V8 in it. 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So he took a car tha...","canonicalId":"car:tesla:model-y","priority":0.5,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4o-mini","data":{"imageAttribution":"Alexander Migl (CC BY-SA 4.0)"}},{"startTime":184.0,"endTime":188.8,"type":"term","title":"internal combustion engine","url":"/glossary/internal-combustion-engine","quote":"...and turned it into a internal combustion engine car. 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And then they came out with GT and GTS.","canonicalId":"car:audi-gts","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.8,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4o-mini","data":{"explanation":"The Audi GTS is a performance-oriented variant of the Audi lineup, offering enhanced features and capabilities compared to standard models.","simplifiedExplanation":"The Audi GTS is a sportier version of Audi cars, designed for better performance and features compared to regular models.","imageAttribution":"Martin Lee from London, UK (CC BY-SA 2.0)"}},{"startTime":590.6,"endTime":593.6,"type":"car","title":"Audi GT","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/Audi_RS6_GT_DSC_8304.jpg","quote":"The 87 was the first year of the S4. And then they came out with GT and GTS.","canonicalId":"car:audi-gt","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.8,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4o-mini","data":{"explanation":"The Audi GT is a model that was part of the Audi lineup, known for its sporty design and performance. 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It's known for being tough and lasting a long time, which is why many people liked it back in the day.","imageAttribution":"nakhon100 (CC BY 2.0)"}},{"startTime":846.5,"endTime":849.54,"type":"car","title":"Delorean DMC-12","url":"/cars/delorean/dmc-12","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/DeLorean_DMC-12_%289979%29_%28cropped%29.jpg","quote":"That would be the 1981 DeLorean. Okay. That's amazing. Fantastic.","canonicalId":"car:delorean:dmc-12","priority":0.5,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4o-mini","data":{"explanation":"The DeLorean DMC-12 is a sports car that became iconic for its unique design and stainless steel body. It is famously known for its role in the 'Back to the Future' movie franchise, where it was used as a time machine.","simplifiedExplanation":"The DeLorean DMC-12 is a car that looks very different from most cars because it has a shiny stainless steel body and doors that open upwards. It's famous for being in the 'Back to the Future' movies.","imageAttribution":"Grenex at English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)"}},{"startTime":879.98,"endTime":887.2,"type":"car","title":"Nissan 300","url":"/cars/nissan/300-zx","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/1986_Nissan_300_ZX_%2814934639993%29.jpg","quote":"...one of my best friends had a 1990 Nissan 300 ZX when they first changed, uh, body styles...","canonicalId":"car:nissan:300-zx","priority":0.5,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4o-mini","data":{"explanation":"The Nissan 300 ZX is a sports car that was part of the Z-car family, known for its performance and distinctive styling. The 1990 model represents the Z32 generation, which featured a more modern design compared to its predecessor.","simplifiedExplanation":"The Nissan 300 ZX is a sporty car that many people loved for its speed and looks. The 1990 version is part of a newer style compared to older models.","imageAttribution":"Niels de Wit from Lunteren, The Netherlands (CC BY 2.0)"}},{"startTime":890.1,"endTime":894.1,"type":"term","title":"Z32","quote":"...Z 32, um, not pop up headlights. That was the Z 31.","canonicalId":"term:z32","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.9,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4o-mini","data":{"explanation":"The Z32 refers to the second generation of the Nissan Z-car, specifically the 300 ZX produced from 1989 to 1996. It is known for its advanced technology and performance features for its time.","simplifiedExplanation":"Z32 is a name for a type of Nissan sports car that was made in the late 80s and early 90s. It was known for being fast and having cool features."}},{"startTime":894.1,"endTime":898.5,"type":"term","title":"Z31","quote":"...That was the Z 31. I actually had a friend in high school at a Z 31 also.","canonicalId":"term:z31","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.9,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4o-mini","data":{"explanation":"The Z31 refers to the first generation of the Nissan 300 ZX, produced from 1984 to 1989. It featured pop-up headlights and a more angular design compared to later models.","simplifiedExplanation":"Z31 is the name for an older version of the Nissan sports car that had headlights that popped up when you turned them on. It was made in the 80s."}},{"startTime":900.5,"endTime":906.3,"type":"car","title":"Nissan 240 SX","url":"/cars/nissan/240sx","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/%2789-%2791_Nissan_240SX_Hatchback.JPG","quote":"...I had the, as I've talked about on other podcasts, I had a 89 240 SX, which was kind of the poor man's version of that car.","canonicalId":"car:nissan:240sx","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.9,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4o-mini","data":{"explanation":"The Nissan 240 SX is a compact sports car that gained popularity for its rear-wheel-drive layout and tuning potential. The 1989 model is often considered an entry-level sports car, appealing to younger drivers.","simplifiedExplanation":"The Nissan 240 SX is a smaller sports car that many people liked because it was fun to drive and not too expensive. The 1989 version is one of the earlier models.","imageAttribution":"Bull-Doser (Public domain)"}},{"startTime":1072.5,"endTime":1073.5,"type":"brand","title":"Lamborghini","url":"/glossary/lamborghini","quote":"Well, a little piece of trivia, uh, both Porsche and Lamborghini started making tractors.","canonicalId":"brand:lamborghini","priority":0.5,"confidence":0.9,"source":"hybrid-fuzzy+gpt-4o-mini","data":{"explanation":"Lamborghini is an Italian manufacturer of high-performance sports cars and SUVs, founded in 1963. It is renowned for its exotic designs and powerful engines, with models like the Aventador and Huracán being particularly famous.","simplifiedExplanation":"Lamborghini is another well-known car company from Italy that makes very fast and stylish cars. 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