I'm thinking about buying another diesel and didn't see any posts specifically about this year of car. Is there a basic primer on what to look for when buying one of these used?

Is the 6cyinder 3 liter a reliable engine? and does anyone have a good idea of what mpg I should expect to get?

Sorry for the grade school questions, and I did do a search/scan of the previous posts. The last MB diesel my family had was ~1970 and I was only a kid so I really know nothing of what to expect for the latest generation of MB oilers.

Thanks, Brett

Considering a 99 E300 turbodiesel..opinions?

Also, try searching under e300dt instead of td.

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Marty D.

2013 C300 4Matic
1984 BMW 733i
2013 Lincoln MKz

I have one and love it! ......... 33 to 35 MPG.
Drive over 200 mi a day.....
....its not just another diesel .......drive one and see ....

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2003 SLK 230 (85000)
1999 E300 Turbo Diesel (388,000)
1991 350SD Turbo Diesel (185,000)

I believe this is an unusually high figure for this model. My '98 gets in the 26-28 range and most other 98 and 99 owners I have spoken to get no more than low 30's. Of course I do much stop and go driving not too much highway, but still have yet to break 30MPG even on the highway the way I drive.

I would guess if you did 100% highway miles at 65 MPH with the cruise set and no A/C or windows open you might squeak out mid to upper 30's on one but assume you won't see near that when you buy it and let it be a pleasant surprise if you do as well as this owner has. Besides, fuel economy should not be a motivating factor in buying one.

26-28 MPG is still respectable given its size and weight and the fact that it is a joy to drive, hear and, yes, smell

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Marty D.

2013 C300 4Matic
1984 BMW 733i
2013 Lincoln MKz

I am making 30 with mostly highway and some city driving. And by highway driving I mean at 85+

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01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

The 98-99 E300Ds are nice cars. Still command a good price too.

If speed is not your thing, check out the 95 E300Ds. It has the same basic engine (24 valve 3.0 inline six) minus the turbo in the W124 body. You can get one of these for about 1/2 the price of a turbo. The 96-97 E300Ds have the non-turbo motor in the newer body style.

Depends on what your budget and your needs. There are some things to watch for on all of these cars...the info is on this board and can be set free with the search function. Try searching e300d and you should get most of it.

My car does a really good job at going slow.

Mine seems to be pretty good at that too.

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'02 BMW 325i
'85 300D 450k
'93 190E 2.6 170k(killed by tree)
'08 Ducati Hypermotard 1100S 6k
'06 Ducati S2R800 14k(sold)

I'm a four month owner of a 98 e300 TD -- amazing ride and comfort. This weekend I rode in the back seat of a 2005 LX430 Lexus -- the ride of my 7 year old car was far, far better - smoother and quieter. My car has 85000 mile on it. Yes, I did have to have some work done - and yes, find an independent mechanic that you can trust and develop a long term relationship with. The less you do with dealers the better. The car will cost more per annum than a Camry, but so far I have found it well worth it. I should probably check back in a year. Incredible car. Best I've ever owned. My other MB is a 87 560SL -- on sunny spring Colorado days it is still my favorite event. Stan of Boulder

I bought one of these at a premium ( I live in the SF, Cal. area) in January. My car needed a fair amount of work, especially leaky fuel lines and a recalibrated injection pump, as well as work on the suspension. Most of this labor, however, seems to be normal on a car that has seen 100,000 miles. Nonetheless, it is a wonderful car. I own an SLK also, but I enjoy the Turbodiesel nearly as much. The in-line six diesel is a true pleasure. I get about 28-30 mpg while driving well in excess of the speed limit.