Sounds like you need to put that car up on a rack and drain it from bumper to bumper and replace all fluids. Do you have the five-speed? Wait til you have to remove the check plug on the tranny . . . . stop by Tool Shack, buy the 30+ mm allen key, measure the short distance between the body and the tranny check plug, take to machinist and have him cut the allen key down so it will fit . . . LOL. Then guard that allen key with your life. I have provided it to mechanics to check the tranny oil level, and every one has tried to keep it!!! I had to threaten one shop with refusal to leave (depriving them of the workspace) or refuse to pay them until they turned up that tool. Amazing how fast a mechanic finds the "lost" tool after management drags them out of the diner!!!!

And I'm sure that if the filters are that plugged, it's not rocket science to deduce what shape the coolant is in.

Does the 2.5 need valve adjustments? If so, I'd pull that cover off and check/adjust the valves. Time to do that 110-point inspection with a checklist and see what you'll have to start saving for.

How much did you get the car for??? What kind of mileage?

And despite what an earlier post stated, this woman did not get motion sickness her 190D over a 6-yr period, although if I had the auto tranny, I would have been suicidal before the second week!!!

Good luck with your new car.

Torie

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1983 300D, the "Avocado"
1976 240D, 4-spd the "Pumpkin", SOLD to Pierre
1984 190D, 2.2L, 5-spd, my intro to MBZ diesels, crashed into in 2002