I bought my 300td in November ’06, with 312,000 miles on the clock. I knew most non-automotive-enthusiast-types would consider that high, but I’ve got 320K and 340K on my two BMWs, and since W123s have a reputation for being rock-solid, I didn’t give much thought to the mileage. I also knew that MBs have certain peculiarities or quirks, which I thought I could deal with or work around. The car was dirty, but straight, and had the 3rd row seat and still had its cross-bars and original owner’s manual and MB map.

You know what? The 28 MPG and overall utility I’ve been getting out of my ’84 300td in the 14 months I’ve owned it are pretty much negated by the overall effort and PITA this damned vehicle is. Before eviscerating me for being a heretic, hear me out, and if you haven’t taken on the tasks I’ve done, don’t bother telling me how easy you think they are. I’ve rebuilt multiple engines, differentials, transmissions (auto and manual), brake systems, and other various things on multiple cars, but none have come close to being the PITA this 300td has been.

Since obtaining the car, the incomplete list of what I am doing or have done:

1) Adjusted the valves and installed a new valve cover gasket. That was the first thing to do, and it was easy. All I had to do was buy the 27mm socket – I didn’t need to buy or make any special wrenches. This was no big deal at all. I thought this was a good omen for working on the car. Little did I know!

2) Completely rebuilt the brakes, except for the master cylinder. I rebuilt three calipers, bought one rebuilt one, and installed four new rotors and four new sets of pads. The brakes have been power bled twice, using ATE Typ 200. This was mostly no big deal, but MB’s decision to bolt the front rotors on from the rear of the hub (and thus requiring you to repack the bearings) is silly. PITA #1. Yeah, older American cars required the same deal with the bearings, but they had an excuse, lame as it might be – the rotor and hub were one piece.

3) Installed new front wheel bearings. At least GM has cast-in notches so the drift has areas to catch the race and drive it out, but thanks to MB’s design of the hub, hammering out the inner drift with a race was a PITA as the race only hangs out about 1mm. PITA #2. Does the leaking grease that makes the Bundts extra-dirty count as a PITA?

4) Installed new front sway bar bushings. Thanks to MB’s design, replacing the driver’s side bushing takes hours instead of minutes. PITA #3

5) Installed all new seals on the transmission, with the exception of the shifter and input shafts. It seems that my transmission has o-rings that neither Fastlane nor MB shows to exist, so I had to search the four corners of the earth or splice my own. PITA #4

6) Installed a new Bowden cable. PITA #5

7) Installed a new oil filter housing gasket. PITA #6

8) Diagnosed and fixed all the locks. PITA #7

9) Diagnosed and fixed the HVAC system. PITA #8. I will say, though, that once fixed, the system works extremely well. I just wish I could control it manually instead of being at the mercy of what the rudimentary brain decides is the best air flow pattern.

10) Fixed two inoperative power windows, one with sheared rivets and one with a bent motor frame (which every W123 I’ve ever seen in the yard exhibited). Semi-PITA #9. At least the motors work, but the shearing and bending is annoying.

11) Installed a new oil pan gasket. Meh. This was no harder than other cars, but was messy due to the diesel oil.

12) Cobbled together one good rear wiper assembly from multiple broken assemblies. Apparently, every wagon rear wiper assembly exhibits loose screws and/or some broken parts.

13) Replaced both rear door checks.

14) Installed a new HVAC case drain. PITA #10

15) Installed a new Blaupunkt MP36 and speakers, completely re-wiring the system. I didn’t “need” to do this, so I don’t hold this against the car.

16) Installed 7” H4 hi/lo headlights and 5.75” hi lights. I didn’t “need” to do this, so I don’t hold this against the car.

17) Removed, cleaned, and reinstalled all interior components. This is a labor-intensive, ongoing effort. The previous owner was a slob, with a serious hygiene and diet problem. He also didn’t understand how to shut the hatch, so there was a lot of soot inside. I have hours and hours into this and am still not done. Now that I’ve discovered numerous cracks in the driver’s seat frame, I’ve got welding to do, and am tired of this car being a one-seater until I get it all back together. My cats are going to be mad when I take away "their" sheepskins I bought for the 300td's front seats. It’s my fault for buying a very dirty car.

18) Rebuilt the SLS pump. PITA #11. Contrary to board legend, there are three o-rings, not one, and neither Fastlane nor MB have them – you must either find a used one, buy a rebuilt, or buy a new one. After going through and testing nearly three dozen o-rings, I’ve perfected a set that work great, with no leaks whatsoever. If I ever get around to it, I’ll sell these as a kit. The non-availabilty of these parts is PITA #12.

19) Added a 3rd brake light, using a GM LED unit from a truck. Winmutt said “It looks as if it was made for the car.” PITA #13, only because of the Cosmolene in the frame and having to work through the hinge area and wire it to the brake lights. Yeah, this wasn’t something I had to do, but the brake lights suck on this car.

20) Not the last, but the lead up to the last PITA – rebuilding the front suspension. In mid-December, I decided to replace the lower control arm bushings, thrust rod-to-control arm bushings, and lower ball joints, since all exhibited signs of serious wear. Of course, to do this, you need an MB factory spring compressor – PITA #14. Thankfully, a local friend lent me one. I pressed in the new bushings with a hydraulic press – no problem. To R&R the lower ball joint, you have to remove the spindle, which is sort of a PITA by itself, but that means you also have to remove the brakes, which makes this PITA #15. Now, to remove the lower ball joint, you can use an impact gun, but the “alcove” the ball joint sits in means that you have to use either a factory or some other specialized tool – PITA #16. I had to wait 18 hours until I could rent a specialized press – PITA #17.

NOW, THE PITA THAT CAUSED ME TO WRITE THIS RANT…

21) While rebuilding the suspension as per #20 above, I discovered the outer tie rods were bad. I obtained the tie rods earlier this week and just this evening played shuffle-the-cars to get the 300td in the garage so I could get them in. I have a tie rod popper that works on my ’57 Chevy, both my BMWs, and worked on my Porsche 914, Chevy G30-based motorhome, AMC Eagle, an ex’s Honda Accord, and a neighbor’s Nissan truck. Well, surprise, surprise – it doesn’t work on a W123! PITA #18! Why, why, why do so many things have to be PITAs and/or require specialized tools?

The straw is just about to hit the camel’s back. I’ve given this car more TLC than it’s had in the last fifteen years, but I’ve just about had it. I’m sick of the specialized tools and R&Ring things that shouldn’t be R&Red to get to other things. I’m sick of the leaks which have made my driveway look like a Dalmatian and keep popping up like I’m playing Whack-A-Leak. Too bad for me that I’m a picky engineer-gearhead who wants to fix everything, but good for the next owner who’s going to get a car that’s pretty much been wrung out. By itself, this tie rod issue would not be a big deal, but this is the proverbial straw. I’m torn by frustration and the desire not to let a mechanical object “beat” me.


The tie rods are the last bit of decorative icing on a sooty cake recipe. Maybe I can stir the batter with the new-CV-joint style axle I have to install to match the other. Yay!

I just don't get it -- why do Y'all love these cars so much? Are the benefits really worth the cost in frustration? Thanks in advance for explaining to me why these cars are loved so much!



-Shawn