My semi-experience with these is when it needs something - fix it. Now. Then the repairs will just be painful and not wallet-crushing. Waiting will create wall-crushing bills.
Update by Tom Suddard to the
Mercedes-Benz 300SDL project car
Oct 2, 2015
Yes, it's long. At 208 inches, it's always the biggest sedan in the parking lot.
Here's what the majority of our commute looks like. It's not exactly Miata territory.
Yes, that's a real temperature reading from a sunny Florida parking lot. The Benz's A/C kept us cool and comfortable.
We've never rolled a car over 100,000 miles before, so it was a treat bringing the Benz over into our high-mileage world.
Seriously, this is a big car. It makes a BMW 5 series look like a Smart car.
There's lots of rear legroom. That isn't a standard 5-gallon jug. That's a 16-gallon monstrosity.
Yes, the trunk is also large. That's four wheels and four tires.
Having déjà vu? Sorry about that–you’re probably thinking of the last time we bought an aging German land barge to commute in. It doesn’t seem that we’ve learned our lesson, because we just picked up a very similar car: this 1987 Mercedes 300SDL. It’s just like our 300SD, with an extra cylinder (bringing it to a total of six), four extra inches of rear legroom (because big cars are cool), and a simpler vacuum system (because we still have night terrors from our last car’s system).
For once, we actually took our own advice and bought the nicest example we could find. In exchange for $3100, we got a car with shiny paint, no rust, ice cold A/C, and no issues. Seriously–even the sunroof works. We couldn’t have fixed half of our last car’s problems for that amount of money. Plus, second-generation diesel W126-chassis Mercedes, like this 300SDL, are much more refined cars than first-gen models like our 300SD. This thing cruises down the road just like a new car.
What’s next on the car’s agenda? Long, boring miles. We’ll be chronicling its journey here, including the inevitable wallet-crunching repairs it will need. Wish us luck!
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My semi-experience with these is when it needs something - fix it. Now. Then the repairs will just be painful and not wallet-crushing. Waiting will create wall-crushing bills.
wow that's big
You've got a Benz thing going on. I like it!
Does it have the power rear seat? Both my 560sels had that and it is pretty dang cool!
I'm guessing/hoping that the RPMs at 70mph shown in the picture are not in overdrive?
I've always like giant German sedans, I think I would go for a long wheelbase 7 series though.
I loved loved loved my W126. My daughter used to tell me she felt like a princess when she rode in the back, with the heated and reclining rear seat. And it had dark, dark tints when I bought it. I had the 560SEL, never did the diesel, but I desperately miss that car. It takes something special to make me want to do a repeat of a car I already had, but I really loved it.
I can't wait to read about what you'll do to this one!
In reply to Swank Force One:
Diesel gearing.
Yep, final drive is 1:1. For power, y0!
Though this one does have a taller rear end than my last car. That thing rattled and vibrated like a tractor at 70mph. This one is perfectly happy at 80.
So, this is #3 then?
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