Originally Posted by Volvo Diesel

An '87 300SDL is 32 years old; a '91 SDL is 28 years old. At either age (and with the mileage these cars often have when for sale), you're likely to have some issues with the car that will cost money to fix. The questions you ask in this (and other) threads suggest you are concerned about the costs involved in keeping whatever vehicle you purchase on the road. You need to make sure you understand that driving a W126 diesel (whether 617- or 603-powered) "from 200,000 miles to 300,000 miles" is going to cost you money, period. How much it costs you will depend on how much of the maintenance you are planning on performing yourself. Bent rods on the '91? Could happen. Cracked head on the '87? Might happen, too. Head gasket or transmission failure on either? It's a possibility. Suspension rebuild necessary? Quite possibly.

Look, I love my '85 300D. I've had it for about 20 years now. Driving it just feels familiar-it's like putting on the winter coat my dad gave me when I graduated high school. But, honestly, if reliability and cost were my main concerns, I'd buy a seven year old Toyota Camry for $4000, change the oil twice a year, buy tires when it needs them, and just drive. That's my two cents...