I was told when I started my MB experiment that when you got these cars up to speed, mechanically speaking, that they would be dependable. But I didn't expect this personal record.

For three years I had 5 daily drivers (Mine, wife's and 3 kids). My personal record is my daughter Aubrey's car which just needed its first part in 22 months. A tailight bulb burned out to end the streak. During that time, all I did was adjust valves and change the oil. And believe me, she drives everyday. This month she put on 3k chasing down wedding stuff.

However, what I saved in maintenance, I spent in wedding supplies

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DAILY DRIVERS:
'84 300DT 298k (Aubrey's)
'99.5 Jetta TDI IV 251k (Julie's)
'97 Jetta TDI 127k (Amber's)
'97 Jetta TDI 186k (Matt's)
'96 Passat TDI 237k (Don's
'84 300D 211k Mint (Arne- Undergoing Greasecar Conversion)

SOLD:
'82 240D 229k (Matt's - Converted-300DT w/ 4 speed

Congrats. You must be doing something right with your MBs. Do have the same luck with your VW-TDI? I have a 99 VW-NB-TDI.

Of course I didn't mention my worst MB which did require monthly if not weekly attention.

Regarding my TDI, I love that car but its only been a couple of months. It wouldn't start a couple of times (after a short move). Turned out to be the anti-shudder valve sticking (what would we do without forums?).

I love the mileage, the illuminating instrument cluster, the torque, performance, etc.

I bought it with 150k on it and we'll see if she'll make it to 300k.

dp

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DAILY DRIVERS:
'84 300DT 298k (Aubrey's)
'99.5 Jetta TDI IV 251k (Julie's)
'97 Jetta TDI 127k (Amber's)
'97 Jetta TDI 186k (Matt's)
'96 Passat TDI 237k (Don's
'84 300D 211k Mint (Arne- Undergoing Greasecar Conversion)

SOLD:
'82 240D 229k (Matt's - Converted-300DT w/ 4 speed

I bought my TDI with 117K miles on the clock in Dec 2004 for $6K on eBay. Now only at 122K miles. Other then the TB,pulleys,tensioner,water pump change-haven't had any big issues-a few minor electrical glitches but thats about it. Yea-great mileage and I like my NB's Dash lights also-look like Xmas tree at night. Easy to see. Had a nieghborhood weld shop make me aluminum belly pan to replace my broken factory pan and also we made Custom diamond plate aluminum rocker panel guards that run from the rear of the front wheels to the rear fender. Looks awesome and protect my rocker panels as they really stick out on a NB.Easy to dent them on the curbs in drive thru atms and the wendy's drive thrus. Problems solved with these.Also have a black LeBra in front.Goes like Hell.

The TDI really does want to hunt doesn't it? But I'll never give up that enjoyment of the 'tractor' feel of the MB diesel. I like them both

Don

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DAILY DRIVERS:
'84 300DT 298k (Aubrey's)
'99.5 Jetta TDI IV 251k (Julie's)
'97 Jetta TDI 127k (Amber's)
'97 Jetta TDI 186k (Matt's)
'96 Passat TDI 237k (Don's
'84 300D 211k Mint (Arne- Undergoing Greasecar Conversion)

SOLD:
'82 240D 229k (Matt's - Converted-300DT w/ 4 speed

If I go a week or two without doing something little I am happy!

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Same here! Usually I make it a month at a time or so before I do something or have to do something.....

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

Your realize you've just guarenteed something else will break very soon.


I say this as I stare at my 300CD on jackstands await rear-end parts and contemplate replacing the brand new rotors on my wifes 300D that appear to be ruined due to the car sitting 2 months waiting for me to have time to do the timing chain.

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'84 300CD Turbo 132k (Anthracite Grey) - WVO - My daily driver - Recently named coo-coo-coupe by my daughter.
'84 300D Turbo 240k (Anthracite Grey) - Garage Queen
'83 300D Turbo 220k (Orient Red) - WVO - Wifes daily driver

I'm not a certified mechanic, but I did stay at a HolidayInn Express last night.

My record for not putting parts on the 300D is probably 2 or 3 weeks. Not that the car needs them right then, but its preventative maintenance as well as keeping me busy. If a part is cheap, I'll buy it if it looks better then the one on the car. I know its stupid and throwing money away if things work fine, but It makes things look nicer and makes me love my car even more!

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Adam Lumsden
(83) 300D
Vice-President of the MBCA International Stars Section

Lets see last weekend I changed the sway bar bushing and bracket. Cleaned up a bit of rust down their. And while I was in their I made up a new ground cable and sprayed some rubber under coating on the battery tray.

Today I changed the oil.

This weekend so far I only plan on fixing two small cracks in the vinyl below the window. So far at least, maybe I will take a weekend off and go fishing. I'm sure by next weekend I will have another thing I need or want to do...

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Friday or saturday I am doing my oil change, also going to inspect it underneath, and so on....maybe adjust the alda as far as it can go (likin the power).......and I need to get my parking brakes repaired, something I don't feel like doing, it looks hard.....is it hard? Whats involved in re-doing all the parking brakes....besides removing the rear wheels/rotors/calipers? I need to replace all my flex lines for the brakes and do a flush at that point too.....lots comin up I may just have the stealership do the oil cooler lines/motor mounts/parking brakes all at once in a month or two, to get all of that out of the way, plus maybe I can get a temp car from them....a newer gasser to play around with a couple days....while they work on it....

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

The parking brakes are just little drum brakes and changing the shoes is a pita like on all drum brakes.

If your parking brake pedal won't come up all of the way and is tripping the light their is a metal thing under the car that the two rear cables hook up to. They tend to rust up bang the crap out of it and soak it in oil and it should work again. Just use the parking brake all of the time and it will work well.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I noticed that thing under the back of the car...mine is fairly corroded, but when I put on the brake it only pulls the cable from the left wheel, the right one doesn't move.....so I think the cable might be broken.....I don't want to deal with them so I'll probably just have it done as part of the cooler lines/motor mounts replacement.....

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

I bet it costs $150 to have one of those $23 cables replaced at the dealer.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Don, is the A/C still holdin up in Aubreys car? Glad to see it is doing very well!

Later,

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Current stable......
17' Rogue SV 70k
11’ Saab 9-5 NG 94k
10’ e550 4matic 185k

sold
02' e320 210k
00' e430 167k
01' e320 171k (regret sale)
91' 300d 2.5t 300k (sold to ecoofidaho)
79' 240d 177k (old yellow my avatar)
87' 300d 169k (junk but fast)
85' 300tdt 261k (RBM parts delivery)
85' 300dt 68k (one owner cream puff)
82' 240d 250k
84' 300dt 198k (sold to diesel don)
91' 190e 2.3 61k
88' 260e 140k