need help choosing a diesel

[justin]

I'm in the market for an early to mid eighties diesel, we live 1 hr from town and our landcruisers are getting to expensine to drive. I know cruisers like the back of my hand but not a thing about mercedes. We live at 9500 feet so I think a turbo would be nice. Can you guys tell me what would be some good choices and what I should stay away from? Any help would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks...... Justin

[sixto]

If you're into early Land Cruisers then an 82-85 300D sedan or 81-85 300TD wagon would be just your style. an 87 300D or TD of the next generation body style will probably not notice the altitude. A step up in performance and a step up in complexity as well. Nothing you can't handle with a resource like this forum.

Sixto
93 300SD

[sixto]

Forgot to mention the 81-85 300SD sedan which is a touch bigger and more luxurious than the 300D, and the 86-87 300SDL which have a more modern engine like the 87 300D/TD and a proper dose of rear seat legroom.

Sixto
93 300SD

[Samuel M. Ross]

Originally Posted by justin

I'm in the market for an early to mid eighties diesel, we live 1 hr from town and our landcruisers are getting to expensine to drive. I know cruisers like the back of my hand but not a thing about mercedes. We live at 9500 feet so I think a turbo would be nice. Can you guys tell me what would be some good choices and what I should stay away from? Any help would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks...... Justin

and I would recommend a 300D with turbo but specifically a W123 chasis which are lighter and more plentiful. I think most if not all 300SDs are the heavier W126 chasis. These earlier model are much simplier to learn and perform the ongoing service than the later SDL models. There are turbo 4-cylinder models but relatively speaking far fewer than the 5-cylinders 300(s)... and the 5 cylinder engines are naturally smoother running.

Sam

Originally Posted by Samuel M. Ross

and I would recommend a 300D with turbo but specifically a W123 chasis which are lighter and more plentiful. I think most if not all 300SDs are the heavier W126 chasis. These earlier model are much simplier to learn and perform the ongoing service than the later SDL models. There are turbo 4-cylinder models but relatively speaking far fewer than the 5-cylinders 300(s)... and the 5 cylinder engines are naturally smoother running.

Sam

AFAIK, there were never any turbo 4-cylinder models. This is a good reference for the models:

http://home.hiwaay.net/~gbf/mbmodels.html

[rrgrassi]

There was a 240D Turbo. European only, though. The only way one could cometo the US is by gray market, or owner moving from Europe to the US.

Originally Posted by rrgrassi

There was a 240D Turbo. European only, though. The only way one could cometo the US is by gray market, or owner moving from Europe to the US.

I didn't know that.

[sixto]

From http://archives.mbz.org/mblist/2000/Oct/Vol_1_Num_3572/

"From: Chris Gonsior
Subject: RE: [Re: [Re: [MBLIST] Re: 240D exhaust, etc....]]

There was a turbo version of the 240D. I had the pleasure of driving one in
Cape Town some years ago. The owner had imported it from the UK. Further
research turned up series type number 123.183, and engine type OM616.916."

Sixto
93 300SD

Cool, AFAIK I've never seen one.

[sixto]

I've seen and been in just about every variant of W123 passenger car but never a 240D turbo. The post says it was out of the UK but my guess is that it's an African or Asian only variant.

Sixto
93 300SD

Definitely stay with a turbo. 300D's are plentiful and easy. The 240D non-turbo will do nothing but drive you crazy going up and down those hills. Personally I like the 240D's with their simplicity and manual A/C. If you can put in a 617 turbo in a 240D with a 4spd. Now that's a hill climber.

[Samuel M. Ross]

Originally Posted by Craig

Cool, AFAIK I've never seen one.

yep, almost none in the U.S. anyway!!!

What the Sam hill does AFAIK mean anyhow ? But don't get yourself thrown off the FORUM divulging what it means !

What about some 300D turbo with stick shift... maybe a 5-speed... now that would be my choice for a mountain car... and IF I really started feeling adventuresome and willing to take a chance I'd go for an SDL with stick shift!

Sam... Hill !

[rrgrassi]

AFAIK means...As Far As I Know...