Guys (and Ladies)
I just took a look at a 91 350SDL with 225k, that was immaculate, it looked, one owner and well kept, it was on a dirt lot here in Charleston.

So I ask the sales guy... (who for all of our freinds on here who like to trash salespeople, was very nice, not pushy, and the only thing he new about the car was it was a 300series mercedes diesel) Do you know anything about this car? do you have any records?, Any history? He tell me he can run an Auto check for me!

Anyway it cranks well (battery acted a little low) started good, all bells whistles and buttons work! Test Drive I ask, sure he says...my wife called got to go get my son. Ok I tell him I see you tommorrow.

Oh I forgot, in the glove box, a reciept from one of our highly respected indy shops around here, (I went to school with the owner) and it has the previous owners name and phone number on it!!

So I call, leave a message, and he calls back. We talk, he is first owner, never a problem, detailed once a year, changed evap core in 2000, and new transmission last year, was adding a quart between his every 3k mile oil changes, sold the car because his daughter told him to buy an infiniti from her!

Dealer is asking $10,990.00, he sold it to the dealer for 6700.00 5 months ago.

So now my questions for help from my band of Dieselheaded brothers...(and sisters)

Oil burn between every three? Is that within the acceptable range for the 350?

The owner told me he has only had brakes, and minor maintenace (also he gave entire folder of maintenance records to the owner of the dealership!) So no front end work, that I can handle, are there other pretty standard things that will soon go?

I wrote down the serial number of the head You guys talked alot about that in another thread(Ican't find it now HELP) this is a #17 head, can't remember if good or bad.

Anty other things I should check...

Thanks Y'all are the greatest support!

Joe

#17 head is very good.

#14 head is bad news.

As I recall.

Thanks, i found the thread, I never realized that there were only 2925 of these produced! (at least that is what I read @ http://home.concepts.nl/~vlimmere/index2.HTM
No wonder people say parts are high.

Joe

I've found his charts to be pretty accurate. Only 2066 SD's were made as well.

Now, comparing diesels, the 300SDL is a rare 126. Even quite a lot rarer than the SEC. However Mercedes made sbout 4 300SDL's for every 350SDL.

And for every 300SDL made Mercedes made 6 300SD's. Meaning for about every 24 300SD's a 350SDL was born.

Interesting huh?

do you think a 350 is going to collector status?

Maybe.

So far the 350 engine is the last diesel engine to be suited solely under the hood of an S-Class car. The 350, throughout it's years, never went into another Benz besides the S-Class, except for maybe the G.

And, in the US, the 350 was the last diesel powered S-Class.

We'll see what happens. I already know that 350's are commanding a ridiculous premium right now. That could be a foretelling.
Meanwhile, the older well-conditioned '86-'87 S-diesels with similar mileage are not nearly as expensive but on average right now sell for prices between the 560SEL's and the 560SEC's.

Supply and demand. Whatever's game for the market. Who knows? But the fewer the numbers, the greater the chance of collector status.

Mine with 163K now ... had since 99K ... bought from neighbor who DID NOT baby it on the road .... she had a very heavy foot!

Parts very reasonable through Phil ... easy to maintain with logical mechanical construction and high quality components!

I replaced AC compressor and vacuum pump ... nothing else except normal consumables ... tires last about 40K (still like my recent Kumhos!).

I removed intact system and cleaned out - big, big mess with about 30 percent blockage in crossover ... I think is due to placement of EGR and valve cover vent ... I was occasionally getting "spasm" and big puff of brown smoke under throttle at high speeds - think it was sucking some of the gunk out of the intact into the closest cylinders ... #2 and #1.

Switched to synthetic in everything ... doesn't appear to rust on the body, interior is pretty bullet proof ... nice car to cruise at 90 ... adequate acceleration in town.

Get the CD maintenance manual ... it will save you very quickly.

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George Stephenson
1991 350 SDL (200K and she ain't bent, yet)
former 2002 E320 4Matic Wagon - good car
former 1985 300 CD - great car
former 1981 300 TD - good car
former 1972 280 SEL - not so good car
a couple of those diesel Rabbits ...40-45 mpg

I have a 1991 350 SDL that I bought with 127K on it, in the best condition that I have ever seen a 126 in and I paid 13K as the market in the west is from 10 to 22K ! It starts great, will go fast enough to put you in jail, gets 20 to 30 MPG, handles and rides awesome with Michelin Destiny 215/65's, it has a sucky heater, but I would rather take it on a road trip more than I would our 04 3/4 ton, 4X4, 8.1, XM radio, Bose, autoride maxed out Suburban that I thought was the most amazing thing ever until I bought the "old" Benz and discovered what a real Automobile was about. The torque of the engine and how the turbo compensates for any load or altitude, the sweet spot of cruising at 80-100 MPH all day long, the way the machine stays flat in high speed cornering, the doors that go "click" when they close. How in the hell could you ever own anything else ? I often have the dealer people tell me that the 91 was the best year ever ? It uses no oil at 60-70, but 90-110 + will use oil at about one qt. per 500 miles. The way I understand it is if you do not have a rod issue, you need to block off, or better yet remove the EGR to prevent little hard coke balls from forming and getting into the bore, install an afterglow relay with new GP's to prevent any possibility of hydrolocking a piston from too much fuel on the piston during cold starts, and installing a K&N breather on the breather line going to the air intake and then this engine should last as long as the other MD diesels. I do not know why you have to pay 6K for a long engine when you can sleeve it, buy a set of the new rods, one piston, bearings, etc. and the labor for 4K. Any good mechanic with the specs, a CD and info from this site can do the work. The bottom line is, how much $$$ will you have to spend to buy anything that compares with the driving experience that the 350 SDL's deliver, cause the old rod bender will blow away any other diesel ever built.

One quart per 500 miles at high speed is NOT NORMAL. I can cruise all day long at 90mph in my OM603 and it's still around one quart per 6000 miles. If your bottom end is ok, it's either the turbo or the valve stem seals...

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