Are there any mercedes diesels I should avoid?

I have been looking at cheap cars on CL. We have been taking longer trips on weekends and vacations so I want something cheap and reliable I can use for trips and maybe some banger rallys. We need some space for my wife's ever growing pile of stuff that comes with use and fairly comfortable. Old rusty diesel Benzs seem to fit this discription. I see a few different engines and have heard some complain they we bog slow and others putting engines into jeeps so there must be better and worse ones. Which will be the best of a bad idea?

Go for a W123 300. Anything 1980? and newer will have a turbo. It is slow but not terrible like the older N/A diesels.

Any of the 4 or 5 cylinders, avoid the 6.

But how new of a Diesel Mercedes would you recommend?

76-85 240d, 300d, 300td and 300sd are all pretty reliable, and able to keep up with 70 mph traffic if there are no steep hills as long as they are running properly except for maybe the 240d automatic. Of course a lot of them are pretty worn out and will need a few thousand dollars in suspension parts to drove nicely, the heater and a/c won't work, they will leave puddles of nasty black diesel oil wherever you park it, etc, but will still go anywhere you want. Most of the newer ones have various issues that you would want to research before you buy one, although I think the 1995 e300d doesn't have too many scary issues, I'm actually considering getting one to replace my 300sd if I can find a good one.

I think around 1992-1996 they used bio-degradable wiring harnesses under the hood. AVOID!!

A 240D automatic is the slowest car I have ever driven. The three cylinder two-stroke SAAB 95 I drove was quicker.

I've been looking early '80s and under a grand. There have been a lot if bad ideas floating around lately. This has been one where depending on which is worse when the drivetrain gives up I could put in a V8 a few inches of lift like an old desert rally racer or if the body desintegrated I could put the drive line in a small jeep or truck.

I owned a 5-cylinder 300sd for 30,000 miles.

I loved it, and want another one. But it was also terrible. But it was also super comfortable and fun. But it was also fairly weird to work on (vacuum lines...).

At the end of the day, it was a fun, comfortable, neat-looking boat that somehow got 20-25 mpg no matter how you drove it. Mine kept up with traffic fine, but certainly wasn't fast. 1/4 mile took 20+seconds and the trap speed was 60mph.

Do it, but be prepared. It was a great car to have in college, as it disappeared from my mind when I parked it. Door dings? Rain? Sun? Drunk frat boys? Who cares–it took it all in stride.

I like that body style but I keep coming across the ones older than that. There was a wagon listed this morning for $500 but it was gone almost instantly. I keep picturing one jacked up a bit, some KC smiley face lights on the front and a couple spare tires straped to the roof.

Bumboclaat wrote: A 240D automatic is the slowest car I have ever driven. The three cylinder two-stroke SAAB 95 I drove was quicker.

Try an old 190D some time then. It will redefine slow for you.

Sounds like the benz is no better than a (modern) g-body (think lumina, malibu, grand prix, etc) but way worse reliability wise. Pick up a grand prix or regal from the 90's, you'll be better off imo!

inspiration

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/37908-Mercedes-W123-Expedition-300TD <--- in africa

http://www.thiseuropeanlife.com/ <-- european traveling the US in one.

Bumboclaat wrote: A 240D automatic is the slowest car I have ever driven. The three cylinder two-stroke SAAB 95 I drove was quicker.

Same here. I got to watch the speedometer move backwards while flooring it up a hill that wasn't very steep.

HiTempguy wrote: Sounds like the benz is no better than a (modern) g-body (think lumina, malibu, grand prix, etc) but way worse reliability wise. Pick up a grand prix or regal from the 90's, you'll be better off imo!

This is my thought as well. While the benz is undoubtebly cooler, you'd probably be better off with a Crown Vic or something.

There are plenty of things that would be better or smarter ideas. I could just put some money into my Malibu and fix that up or get a pre owned Corolla and know i will get to my destination trouble free but what fun would that be.

foxtrapper wrote:

Bumboclaat wrote: A 240D automatic is the slowest car I have ever driven. The three cylinder two-stroke SAAB 95 I drove was quicker.

Try an old 190D some time then. It will redefine slow for you.

There was a pic floating around of a 240D with a trailer hitch...stating that it was the definition of an optimist.

An old Benz is waaaaay better than a 90's GM FWD thing. There's no GM FWD thing that will give you 500,000 miles without missing a beat. I read somewhere that 20 years after W123 production stopped there were still something like 85% of the cars produces still on the road.

In reply to DrBoost:

My Malibu is at 400k and it's only major repair has been intake gaskets.