Are there any external identifying characteristics to let you know if a 300D is a turbo or not? Wiki claims only the "T"D version got the turbo OM617 in most markets.
Safe to assume a 1980 wagon advertised as a "300d" is non turbo? Ad doesn't show any images of the rear, so can't see if there's a turbo emblem.
If it is a non turbo, just how slow is it? 0-60 measured on a calendar, or reasonable enough for daily commuter duty?
In reply to bigdaddylee82:
Request an engine shot?
Based on this if it's a 1980 it would be NA https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_W123#North_America_and_Japan
Turbo wheels
Non turbo wheels.
Period tests when the cars were new clocked the non turbo cars slogging to 60mph in 18 to 20 seconds.
I can tell you it feels much longer than that when you are dicing with modern traffic.
I had to deliver one across town a few months back. It seemed hazardously slow.
My best friend in high school had a 240d and his dad's 300d was very fast in comparison. My mom's 300d turbo was a rocket vs. those two.
In reply to BrokenYugo:
Weighing whether it's worth the effort to make contact, typically my experience shows that CL sellers are oblivious, and difficult to work with, additionally the images in the ad are bad enough, that I don't have high expectations for any requested additional images, if they were even willing to exert the little effort required to take more photos. The W123 Wiki page concurs with that chart.
However...
In reply to Stampie:
It definitely has turbo wheels. Could have been swapped at some point, allegedly a 1 owner car, must have liked it enough to treat it to upgrades and care to have had it this long.
In reply to Jumper K. Balls:
I have a 4 cylinder, auto, TJ Wrangler that I DD'd for a long time, I know dangerously slow well. I'm not real interested in adding another agonizingly slow rig to the fleet.
Conflicting info has me curious enough to attempt "first contact." Plus I sent the link to SWMBO and got a very surprising, "I love it!" in response. 
If SWMBO loves it my mom is selling her 85 300d turbo. But it's a sedan so not as many cool points.
bigdaddylee82 wrote: I have a 4 cylinder, auto, TJ Wrangler that I DD'd for a long time, I know dangerously slow well. ---
You may think that, but you'd be wrong. Until you drive an old, non turbocharged diesel in a huge, heavy car, you haven't really experienced slow.
Plus, is an '80 old enough to have the finger destroying cable operated glow plug setup? It will probably only take 45 seconds or so to get it started in warm weather, I guess.
In reply to Streetwiseguy:
I'm not doubting its slowness, but my TJ also has 32x11.50 tires with 3.73 gears, you have to plan traffic merging by watching oncoming traffic blocks down the street.
Quick response from seller, text messaging is an amazing thing.
It's NOT a turbo. Asking price is $3500, 1 Owner, 160K miles (seems crazy low), amazing manila envelope yellow color, A/C is either inop or nonexistent, ad is vague, everything else allegedly works, and it's a wagon!
Hard pass?
A non turbo will be slower. Turbo wasn't that bad. 0-60 about 12 seconds and 110mph top speed. Don't tell my mom that I know that.
Hmm. I thought all 300d w123s imported to the US were turbo?
penultimeta wrote: Hmm. I thought all 300d w123s imported to the US were turbo?
I don't know, and was/am confused as well, hence me making this thread.
If you can believe Wiki, none of the 300* diesels in North America got turbos until '81.
Technically the wagon is a 300TD, but that 't' doesn't designate a turbo. 160k is very low, I'd be suspect of the odometer having stopped at one point. I'd ask about the condition of the oil cooler lines, followed by the timing chain. Since it's the original owner, they should either have receipts showing replacement or have done the work themselves. If the miles are to be believed, then more than likely the timing chain won't have any slop, but if those oil cooler lines are original, then plan on replacing them ASAP. The OM617 requires that the valves be adjusted every 15k or so, and many people neglect to do this. Parts are out there for these cars and are reasonable. Almost forgot, the oil pressure gauge in the W123s is an old school model that brings oil right up to the gauge. I would definitely replace the hose. The last thing you want is oil in the cabin.
Being a wagon, it'll have the SLS hydraulic rear suspension. There are quite a few good videos on the system on youtube; it is DIY friendly, so don't be discouraged by it.
Also, Bundt alloys are not always indicative of a turbo.
I remember driving a 1980s non-turbo diesel Mercedes once. Evil-me thought that if I was a judge, I'd force speeders to sell their cars and use the money to buy and drive a diesel Mercedes. It was the closest thing to hell-on-the-road I could imagine at the time, though being pre-Prius, things may have changed.
So from looking around on a few forums the non turbo OM617 is a different animal from the turbo version and adding a turbo to it isn't the best idea. The Germans could have learned a thing or two from the Swedes.
So, there's a few high mileage turbo sedans for cheap locally, is it a reasonable swap, replacing non turbo engine with turbo? Transmissions the same?
Should I just hold out for a turbo wagon to start with?
In reply to bigdaddylee82:
There are a lot more turbo 300TDs in the USA than NA 300TDs.
300SD is what you are looking for, isn't it? Still the slowest car in the world 0-10mph, but once they spool up, they will cruise with highway traffic.
In reply to Streetwiseguy:
300SD is the W126, the big one. I think a 300TD Turbo (W123 wagon) would be quicker, same engine, less car.
In reply to BrokenYugo:
Not by much. The W126 is surprisingly light for what it is.
In reply to bigdaddylee82:
This 300TD wagon just popped up on craigslist, though it's not the prettiest car.
In reply to petegossett:
That's probably a bit crustier than I'm willing to deal with. I swore off rusty vehicles after dragging home a Cherokee from St. Louis, I really didn't think St. Louis was far enough north to be an issue. I was mistaken.
This one has peaked my interest, and at least 13 other folks too it seems.
1984 Mercedes-Benz 300-Series
That's a little more than I was willing to spend, but I guess the alleged 10K on a rebuilt engine and fairly recent-ish transmission rebuild are worth something. It's an easy day trip to go get it too.
I checked the ad out and, I don't know about that one. That interior seems to have had a water problem at one point or another. It's either VERY dirty, or it has mold. And that's some worn-ass MB Tex, so I am positive the seat springs will be toast. The SLS suspension should not be bouncy, which sounds like the spheres are full of hydraulic fluid. Consider that into the cost of repairs. Vacuum lines needing looking at is time consuming, but not horrible. Since it's rebuilt though, I wonder if they just used the original vacuum pump or sourced a replacement. Definitely not worth 4k.
I daily a 1980 300TD. Yes, the 'T' stands for 'Touring', which means wagon, not 'Turbo', as most seem to think.
My 1980 is non-turbo. In 1981 the Turbos came.
The turbo cars got a taller rear end, which makes for nice cruising, but from a dead stop honestly I couldn't tell much difference between my car and a turbo 300TD I drove once. The turbo lag on these is very apparent.
The HVAC systems on these cars are the worst. Mine makes heat in the winter, and that's it. The A/C takes a crazy amount of money and time to make work right. I think the later W123's are slightly less complicated (W123 went through the 1985 MY) but still problematic.
They rust, seat springs wear out, and the SLS requires a bit of maintenance. I know everyone says the valves need setting every 15k but I've never touched mine, and the car runs excellent. I think with modern oils, and frequent changes, they shouldn't need much adjusting. I run 15W40 diesel conventional oil, changed every 3 months (about 3k miles, my odometer's broken). The Wix filters, surprisingly, suck. Stick with Mann. Change the screw-on fuel filter once a year and the little plastic fuel filter every other oil change.
Odometers on these cars are known to fail, question any mileage unless substantiated. That said, there's one on CL now with 440,000 miles that seems to be in very good condition. Most mechanical parts are cheap and easy to replace. Brake pads are like $12 a set, for example.
I have bundt wheels on mine, never heard they were indicative of a turbo. When the tires on there now wear out I have a set of W126 15" wheels I plan to swap to. I picked these wheels up for $50 for 4. It's a common swap to get access to better rubber. Which you need- it's all about momentum with these cars.
As I said, I daily mine, and you just have to plan your maneuvers. Forget passing anyone on a 2 lane road unless it's a farm tractor. I have pegged the speedometer at 85 mph, so it will hustle, and the engine (unlike stereotypical diesels) loves to rev. I also only feed mine 50 cetane diesel, and a little DieselKleen additive. It idles very smoothly- about like a 4 cylinder from a 318i BMW.
Transmissions can be problematic. Make sure it shifts correctly. The adjustments are finnicky, and if it doens't shift properly it can require a foot lift to upshift or upshift waaay too early and very softly. Of course, the soft shifts will wear the trans out in very quick order. Make sure your Giubo (rag) joints are in good nick, too, or you could toss a driveshaft.
TL;DR version: Find one that's not too rusty, buy it, maintain it, drive it till the sun peters out.
petegossett wrote: In reply to bigdaddylee82: This 300TD wagon just popped up on craigslist, though it's not the prettiest car.
That car looks nearly identical to mine. That one cannot be a 1975, the W123 was '77 thru '85. Make sure the title is right on that one.
These cars can rust a lot before it becomes structural. That one doesn't look as scary as some I've seen. I bet mine's similar. FWIW, I bought mine for $800, which was what the seller was asking. I be he'd have taken less, oh well. It's been a great car.
You'll need to log in to post.
