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He's a diverse actor with a long list of credits by his name.

Currently, he co-stars in the television series Rent-A-Goalie on Showcase and in Blindness on the big screen. He has also appeared in Homie Spumoni with Whoopi Goldberg and Donald Faison, A Lobster Tale, Citizen Duane, Highwayman and Pushing Tin — just to name a few.

But Joe Pingue hasn't let fame or fortune go to his head. And judging by his car, you'd think he was a starving artist instead of a successful actor: He drives a 1985 Mercedes-Benz 300d four-door sedan.

"That car, that model is indicative of my refusing to change with the times.

"I'm kind of digging my heels and resisting technology, but at the same time I'm embracing the fuel efficiency of that model. I get about 33 miles to the gallon on the highway, which is amazing," he boasts.

"It's a special car. I've always wanted this car.

"I bought it three years ago. I got it from a really sketchy guy who was like a professional used-salesman guy. He was so sketchy, but I wanted the car so badly and it was in pretty good shape. I got it for $3,400 and I really have done nothing to it since."

While he's no gear head, Pingue does know the history of his Benz. He rambles on. "This is a car that Mercedes made from 1975-85, for lack of argument. It's called a 1-2-3 body. And they made millions of them around the world — Africa, Germany — and to this day people are still running these cars as cabs because they traditionally go from 600,000 to 1 million [kilometres] before a rebuild is necessary. They made a perfect car. It's considered one of the last great cars Mercedes made," says Pingue, who plays "Joey Almost" on Rent-A-Goalie.

He keeps the hockey-mad main character Cake, who runs a hockey goalie rental service from a coffee shop in Toronto's little Italy, in line. Unlike his real-life persona, Pingue isn't as chatty on the show. His character is nicknamed "Joey Almost" because nearly everything he says ends with the word "almost."

Right now, Pingue's 300 turbo diesel has about 280,000 km on it and it's still going strong. But it does have some glitches.

"If you're going up a hill, you have to be prepared to pull over to the side and let people pass you. If you met me, you'd be like, 'Oh I get it. You don't really give a shit, do you?' It's not about how fast you go — it's about how cheap you can get there."

Luckily, its lack of speed hasn't been a hindrance on the road. "I'm not a fast driver, but I probably would be if I had a fast car.

"That's the great thing about this car. It's such a slow heavy tractor that I couldn't get a speeding ticket if I tried.

"I've never had a speeding ticket with this car. And when cops pull me over, and I have been pulled over for not having my front plate on — stupid things like that, they kind of laugh.

"They love my car; they get a kick out of it. And I feel like they're a bit more forgiving — 'Oh, this poor guy; he has to drive this old piece of crap diesel,'" laughs the Toronto resident, who is also working on a Universal flick called Repossession Mambo, slated to hit theatres next year, and another TV series called Testees, which airs on FX and Showcase.

"I try not to draw attention to the fact I'm an actor because it could work against me. I try to be anonymous.

"Usually with cops, they usually let me off. It's like 'Yes or no, sir, three bags full,' crack a few jokes and the next thing you know, 'Here's your license and registration, sir,'" says Pingue, who has had stints in Wild Card, This Is Wonderland, Puppets Who Kill and The Newsroom.

He admits the 300d attracts attention, but from the wrong crowd. "I have a lot of guys like African dudes come up to my window when I'm at a stoplight and they know the car. I get a lot of thumbs up from old-world dudes. A lot of old Portuguese guys love me. They're like, 'Nice car. it's a 300d, huh?'" he says, mimicking a broken Portuguese accent. "I'm like yeah, yeah, right on, buddy.

"But no chicks Chicks probably hate that thing cause it's so loud and smelly, but old Portuguese men and North Africans think I'm hot," he laughs.

"My car sounds like a tractor and it vibrates — you feel the wheel vibrating a bit. But I like it. I'm obviously going to have to upgrade it eventually, but for now, I'm very happy with this car."

Pingue sticks to the Germans when car shopping. He has also owned a BMW 535, a BMW 325 coupe and a Volkswagen Jetta. But the Benz takes the cake.

"This one is my favourite. The best thing about this car is the fuel economy. I would love to have the wagon version of it and I would love to live in a warmer climate so I could use 100-per-cent biodiesel all the time."

"It sounds like a keeper, but I may be very disloyal and go to California... and get another one, the same model, or I'd love the wagon version, and drive it back."

He'll take that until his dream car — a BMW Hydrogen 7 sedan — is available for sale. But even then, he'll probably wait a few decades after it's mass-produced to get behind the wheel.