Few cars have enjoyed a better life than that.......

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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

bwhahahhaha
i just fell out of my chair

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1993 2.6 (040) SportLinE 5-speed - Armed to the teeth w. roof rack/2x bike carriers/8x ski carriers/MB towing bumper
1993 2.6 (040) - deceased/reincarnated as a trailer.
1987 16v (702) - Now parting out(9/22/10)!!! - Email me your requests for 16v parts- Engine and full body kit avail!!
1987 300SDL (122)- For sale!

My recommendation will almost always be toward a W123, like a 240D or a 300D. I have both and the fuel economy is good for vehicles this heavy and solid and they are very reliable when well maintained! Although there have been discussions on this on this forum debating different models, I honestly feel that the W123 was designed and built around and to a standard, not a price and that makes them worth keeping and the price. Later models, while most of them good, showed more design by stylists, not mechanical engineers! My 300D and 240D are bulletproof mechanically and it is so simple to do routine maintenance on them and they just go and go.

My 300D+ 161 miles since last fillup on 5 gallons Biodiesel= 32.2 MPG!

That's a good one! ROFLMAO!

Totally different tasks, huh? What would those be other than transportation?

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1982 240 D, 308,000 - 321,127 miles (sold)
1982 300 TD,166,500 - 226,000 miles
1998 E 320, 120,000 - 144,000 miles
2005 C 230 K, 26,000 - 77,000 miles (sold)

I have two W126 300sd's and find them ok around town. Guess I do not know what I am missing. They are larger, but handle well, and turn sharp eneough to get in and out of places.

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83 300SD Dark Silver Dark brown inside

That, my friend, is what your missing. Utilitarianism as it's finest

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1993 2.6 (040) SportLinE 5-speed - Armed to the teeth w. roof rack/2x bike carriers/8x ski carriers/MB towing bumper
1993 2.6 (040) - deceased/reincarnated as a trailer.
1987 16v (702) - Now parting out(9/22/10)!!! - Email me your requests for 16v parts- Engine and full body kit avail!!
1987 300SDL (122)- For sale!

Truck broken, had to get over the dunes.

I'll see your Blizzaks, and raise you cable chains.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

the 300sd is not very good in the snow, I will give you that. But that gives me an excuse to drive the monster truck a week or so per year.

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83 300SD Dark Silver Dark brown inside

They are very different cars.

These cars have whats called a 603 so you don't get more confused, and that 300D is a W124. Its a very good sedan in all respects, with a very good engine.

If you are DIY you will come to love MB's because once you figure out how they do things they are very easy to work on. MB does things different than the GM's you are used to so their will be a bit of a learning curve.

Anyway do a search on 603 and sit back with a drink and read. The largest problem is a potiental for the head to crack if you overheat it. Mine has near 270k miles on the original head and head gasket and doesn't burn a drop of oil or coolant, so to everyone who is afraid of them, bah!

Since its for your wife I would have her drive both the W124 and W126, to see what body she likes more. The W126 is a large car so a lot of people don't like them. However the W126 has a lot more room under the hood...

Oh and 603's certainly do have glow plugs and for some reason love being glowed, even when they are hot. Skip the glow cycle and they will start like crap.

These are not slow cars, any example should be able to do 0-60 in 10-12 seconds, a lot of them are down on power because people don't take the time to tune them, usualy low power is a very simple to fix.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I'm not sure why this thread was resurrected, but check the date of the OP.

I'm the OP, and since this thread, I purchased an 83, put 35,000 miles on it, then purchased a 97, put 9,000 miles on it, so I'm not looking for pre-purchase advice anymore.

and BTW, my wife will drive the 97, but won't drive the 83.

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Mark in MA
05 MB E320CDI 402k Granite Grey Metallic
05 MB E320CDI 267k Black
05 MB E320CDI 232k White
05 MB E320CDI 209k Tectite Grey
99 Dodge 2500 Cummins 5sp 148k
62 Jeep CJ-6 120k

Well someone dug it up.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

yeah it was me, im thinkin about buying an SDL here

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1993 2.6 (040) SportLinE 5-speed - Armed to the teeth w. roof rack/2x bike carriers/8x ski carriers/MB towing bumper
1993 2.6 (040) - deceased/reincarnated as a trailer.
1987 16v (702) - Now parting out(9/22/10)!!! - Email me your requests for 16v parts- Engine and full body kit avail!!
1987 300SDL (122)- For sale!