There seems to be the odd good W123-240D around. Just how slow and smokey are these cars? The specs says they have about 65hp. I live at 4000ft so that means even less than that. I have never driven one so I don't know but the specs say it would be sloooowwww and smokey????

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Mark
82 300SD 110k
91 Caprice SS
92 Jetta TD
97 Cadillac Concours(300hp)
84 Celebrity 4.3L diesel

I noticed you own a Jetta TD. Have you ever driven a Jetta with the regular (non-turbo) diesel motor? I'd say a 240D is on par with a non-turbo diesel Jetta. Your foot is always planted to the floor. Although some 240Ds I've driven are faster than others, and I have no idea why that would be. I'm guessing the slower ones had motors that were badly out of adjustment (pump timing, valves, timing chain, etc.).

Greg

I test drove one once. SLOW... I have a 84 300D Turbo (slowest) and the 92 300D 2.5 Turbo (fastest of the group) and 86 190D 2.5 (in between).

I think they are dangerous to drive. When you are entering traffic or making a left turn, a lot of times, you need the power. In a 240D, the likelyhood of you getting smacked on the side is pretty great. This is only my opinion though. Its top MPH isnt that great either.

You should look into a 300D Turbo, the turbo does make a differnce.

Last summer I drove my 1982 240D up to Lake Tahoe which is at 6,200 feet. It went over Echo Summit on Highway 50 without a problem. While there was a slight noticable loss of power at that altitude, the car drove fine. Driving a 240 is a mental exercise and requires lots of anticipating and planning due to the lack of power.

Steve Forscutt

240D are slow but the only way to tell is to drive one. As far as the smoke, mine hardly smokes at all. You might get a little when you start a cold engine, but if all is well, the smoke disappears after a few minutes.

If you're worried about power, try a 300d, and then a 300D turbo, in that order.

Joe

Thanks for the replys. I have driven a non turbo VW. One does need a certain mental attitude to drive those cars. If a 240d is about the same then it is borderline in my mind.Not to say I would never own one, might be good for the wife!?.

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Mark
82 300SD 110k
91 Caprice SS
92 Jetta TD
97 Cadillac Concours(300hp)
84 Celebrity 4.3L diesel

Your wife might like it. It depends on her attitude on cars, age, if shes in a hurry, etc.

I think women look best in a SL. Like the newer ones or a older one. Younger women like HS and collge girls look good in a SLK or some other small sporty car. Its just my opinon though.

I've seen performane numbers of this car put it at almost 20 seconds 0-60 MPH time.

sigmet, any severe icing in the forecast

you might be able to take an old VW type 1 bus....For my money I'd try to find a 190D 2.5 Turbo; think there are some floating around. If what you want is a diesel with decent performance that's the best bet. I have a 87 300D and the performance is barely adequate for my needs and am retiring the diesel; have a 1995 Audi S6 Wagon on the way (227bhp and fulltime AWD). The diesel will be replaced by a 300E or 300TE.

I agree with the comments regarding safety; I've felt the same way when I've driven 240D models. Simply too slow. I think the horsepower rating of the later 240 models was 75bhp; does not work with a 3000 plus pound car.

Carl

A diesel doesn't lose as much power due to altitude as a gas engine. The power is mostly determined by the amount of fuel injected into the cylinders. The air prevents excessive combustion heat.

Have a great day,

Having been the owner of 2, 240D's, I can say that they are no fireball getting away from lights, but their pickup is simply a matter of getting used to it. Consumer Reports called the '78, a nearly perfect car, and I'd have to agree. It was simple, very easy to work on, very reliable, and a good car to drive. Once you were on the road, you had adequate power to run all day at 75 mph and you had a 22 gallon tank with a fuel consumption rate of over 26 mpg. If you want good transportation, you can't beat this car as you can buy them for well under 3K$ in great condition and they will truly last forever. My current SD and TE are definitely in the category of luxury cars, which the 240 was not, but I kind of miss the old 240.

__________________
'76 240D-Sold
'78 240D-Sold
'85 300 SD, 165K-Sold
'88 300 TE, 165K-Sold
'64 Porsche 356C Cabriolet- under restoration
'86 560SL 124K Miles-Sold
'94 320E Wagon, 74K Miles-128K Miles JUNKED
'06 E350 Wagon, 84K Miles
07 SL550, 14K Miles

Greetings Mark,

Have you had your fill on MB diesel stories looking for an answer to your speed or lack of speed problem? Sorry, I don't have one either but can provide like others have done already, support that you are not alone. In the early eighties I owned a 240D that was about six years old that we use to drive from Leipheim to Frankfurt every weekend, sorry this is a story of life in Germany while I was there with the A.F. I swear I'd have the pedal to the floor the whole three hours of the trip on the autobahn in the right lane of course, Momma didn't raise a fool that would get run over by Audi's or gas powered MB traveling in excess of 110 MPH. I was of course breaking the sound barrier at a mere 90 MPH on level ground and pedaling up hill to keep it above 70 MPH. It's just a fact of life and the nature of these cars to run at these speeds, but run forever, almost at these speeds. Like Larry and so many others have stated, it's a state of mind that you must enter to be a good driver, speed wise in these cars, speed up before entering a 15% grade hill, etc. Now I own a 1980 300TD non turbo, not much faster than your 240D just cost more to feed the back cylinder, but I believe it will probably outlast me, engine and body wise, and I'm young, so I keep telling myself as well as others.
I can only say that if speed and performance is in your blood, stick to gas engines or other short block, light weight turbo-charged diesel imports, that MB will never satisfy those needs. If you want a car that is dependable, predictable, reaks of diesel smoke and runs behind the rest but won't be in the junk yard sitting next to them in the next twenty years, keep what you have and adapt. After driving my Benz for a week then driving my little 2.5 Plymouth reliant, seems like a rocket when stepping on the gas pedal. I miss the class I traded for the power.


Charles

I realize this is an old thread, but I see the phrase "dangerously slow" quite frequently on this board. If you are a competent driver you should know your vehicles limitations. If you pull out in front of someone in a vehicle that is not capable of accelerating at a rapid pace, it is not the vehicle that is dangerous, but the interface between the steering wheel and the front seat. My '83 240d has over 360K miles with nary an issue. I know its limitations. I do not expect to pass on the interstate, and likewise, I do not drive in the left lane so that I am not a hinderance to traffic.

I am a volunteer EMT, and I have never been to a fatality accident in which "lack of speed" has been a factor; I have, however, responded to many speed related fatalities.

Fast on the track/Sane on the street.

-RL-
ASE master auto tech
Driver certification instructer
NHRA,IHRA Licensed driver
EMT

Yep, I would contribute that mostly to dumb kids who just say things dumb kids do (heck, I did it too), or the type-A personality guy that isn't happy without "hair-on-fire" speeds.
Having a standard tranny helps, but I've also driven automatic 240's that would be no problem.
It is just in-accurate statements, that's all...........

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

Secret of the 4-spd 240D is performance and power band almost exactly match typical human driving habits. This makes the car appear to have a soul of its own unlike any other vehicle you will ever own. Especially the 4-spd shiftpoints are well placed for grabbing and dropping gears with typical human response to accomodate diverse driving and road conditions. Arguably its the most "human" automobile that's ever been built, hence the near cult following these vehicles attract.

Am not sure I'd want anything slower then a 240D, but the weird thing about owning one is you soon dont care how fast or slow the car goes - *everything* becomes relative when you own one. And whoever said your driving habits will change and you will suddenly become more aware of the road is correct. Performance power band of the 240D matches typical human response, nothing more and nothing less, seemingly with unbelievable insight and understanding on the part of the car.

Meanwhile yeah, all those jokes and gags about being the slowest car on the road contribute to legend and lore. And should NOT be discouraged. I want to make my next MB either a pre-73 220D or another pre-66 fintail 190c. I think the basic 110 fintail 190c gasoline Benz more closely replicates 240D performance characteristics then any other MB I've ever known, excellent anscestry there from automobile historian's perspective. But then it aint a diesel and that fact alone might bother me now.

But in the mountians is the 240D slow? Driving mine cross country last month on lengthy New Mexico uphill East of Albuquerque heading West i had to drop into 3rd and take the climb at about 55 mph. Same deal at Flagstaff Arizona, dropped into 3rd and ended up climbing hills at/near 50. Basically you will be driving with semi-trucks on uphill mountain climbs. Otherwise the same 240D does an easy 80mph on flats and gently rolling hills.

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'80 300SD/ w116
'79 240D 4-spd
'71 750cc Guzzi

previously owned:

'83 240D 4-spd
'77 280SEL 4-spd
'74 280/8
'72 250/8
'65 220Sb 4-spd
'63 220Sb 4-spd
'63 190c 4-spd
'61 220Sb 4-spd
'60 190b 4-spd