I may be buying another car next year, as rust is consuming my 85 300D faster than I can fix....the car is mechanically great, but all doors are rusted, right rear trailing arm rusting, hole in floor, front fenders, etc... I have had this car since 1997 and love it. BUT, I don't have a garage, I have two young boys, and just dont have the time to spend tinkering. Here are some of my thoughts about a possible choice: (I would buy used, probably in the 12K to 15 K range): Camry, avalon, subaru forester, lexus, BMW, .....OR a 1990's mercedes gas or diesel model. Or I may just look for a pristine euro standard 240D (this would be my dream car, with pumpkin orange paint, matching wheel covers on steel rims, and german hounds tooth interior door panels and upolstery.....this car probably doesn't exist anymore.)


I may decide to buy 4 doors for my car and do some body work (all DIY) and a cheap maaco paint job, and drive it for another three years (my original goal was to get 500,000 miles on it, but now I would settle for 400,000, currently at 320K). Mechanically, the car is perfect. BUT, all the body work will be costly and time consuming.


That is my dilema. I love the old mercedes diesels, but I may have to ween myself from 20-year-old cars. Maybe someday when I have a garage, I will get a MBZ 123 diesel hobby car...with no body rot. Is there another car out there....a family sedan, daily driver.... that would give me the same feeling as when my deisel starts like a tiger with just a click of the ignition, or purrs down the highway at 70mph.

Should I just buy a camry (the smart thing to do) and joint a support group for former MBZ diesel owners???

Thanks,

Mark

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1984 300TD Wagon, 407,800 mi (current daily driver)
1985 300DT Sedan, 330,000 mi (gone to that great autobahn in the sky)

Get a wagon

Don't know much about Camrys but if you're going Japanese, you can't go wrong with accords.

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1985 CA 300D Turbo , 213K mi

I'm in a somewhat similar situation, and here's something I've considered: continue to drive the SD for a few more years. If I fail to stop, or do not get around to stopping/fixing the rust, go down south and get another SD without rust and transfer some mechanicals. This is partially because I have rebuilt my engine and I want to keep at least that. But not having a garage really limits your options, so I would keep driving it, see what things you could use like POR-15 to stop the structural rust.

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'82 300SD - 361K mi - "Blue"

"Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement."

listen, look, .........and duck.

i was looking at soobs. forrester gets consistent mid 20 mpg in town and upper 20s on hwy. i am suprised how many there are in this small town. can't beat fulltime 4wd. lots of soob related sites out there. i blew mine away when i got the 240.

my cousin has a lexus and enjoys it immensely. it is now about 5 yrs old and he sees no reason to get a newer one with the hefty price tag. it is the avalon plus model. not the big one or the little one. no lo little one then.

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currently
[1981 300 td tdidi 165500 dark brown/palamino-Brownie-mine-3k miles of ownership
1983 240d 162+++ Anthricite grey w/ henna red interior and hella lights-wifes car-Red

the above two cars are for sale
and can be seen on the cars for sale thread here. pix also available.


240d-144+ Manilla Yellow w/ palmino interior-greasecar kit-Blondie-the college kids car

23" gt 21 speed still on original tires-still got the nubs
21" khs tandem