"theres no such thing as cheap Mercedes"
While these machines can be really reliable, long term maintenance will NEVER be inexpensive, even if you do all of it yourself... But if your not a mechanical person, and take your vehicles to be serviced you will be spending WAY more than your current expectations...

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1987 300D(Erma)- #14 head, 193k
2003 TDI Beetle sold
1985 300sd sold
1987 300D(Ursala)- #14 head, 157k when sold
1987 300D(Wilbur)- #14head, 356,000+miles, sold after 7 days of owning it.
1992mercedes 300d- totaled and in a junk yard somewhere..
1983 mercedes 300sd- scrapped
1980 mercedes 300sd first mercedes diesel-sold