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Why I Drove Mercedes Diesels for Decades—Then Switched to Tesla
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-lessons
https://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 & Review to keep the engines of automotive storytelling—and personal restoration—running strong.
View all episodes
By Doug & Christian - Your Guides to Classic Cars & First Car StoriesClick 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-lessons
https://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 & Review to keep the engines of automotive storytelling—and personal restoration—running strong.