The 300SDL is generally reliable. The engine is known to crack its original #14 head at the drop of a hat -- overheat it even just once and usually you've toasted the silly thing. If this has already happened, various symptoms appear which have been discussed in numerous places. That's about the only thing I know of that's model-specific to look out for.

I can't keep window regulators in mine. It bends at least one per year if I'm lucky. Same story with the sunroof. But the S-class is really nice when it's working, and you'd have to put up with that kind of thing on other vehicles as well.

If it's sluggish on acceleration, after you've changed both fuel filters, then there's an atmospheric regulation component (ALDA) that can be removed for better performance with no known consequence. Also detailed in threads.

__________________


~Michael S.~
Past cars:

1986 300SDL
1987 300SDL
1982 240D
1982 300SD


Current:

1987 300SDL