I'm trying to do my homework before I make a bad buy. Hope this isn't the millionth time you guys have seen this. I want to get a diesel, but dont know what all the #'s and letters mean? 200, 300, 55, etc & D,SD, TD, etc...? Is there an archive or sticky to point me to? Also is there typical spots on MB to observe for rust ? Is the sprinter dodge/MB van 5 cylinder similar to the 617? & why do they call it a 617 or 603? I'm not looking for a van,just curious. Looking for a four door,family car, low maintanence & very reliable. Of course, cheap, is this a crazy wish? I see some of you guys stumble on deals around $1,000. for early 80's models. Are these preferable years? Thanks ahead of time for any input.

I put in "Class Designation" and "Letter Designation" in the Search tab and came back with a lot of reading.

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Pictures of the MB: http://s230.photobucket.com/albums/ee41/EricandRobyn/1981%20Mercedes/

1981 300 SD with a Goldenrod water block and Injetor line heaters. EGR is missing

1999 F-350 with HP X-over, Dahl 100 Fuel Filter, Coolant by-pass filter, CCV mod, Tymar intake.

Both on single tank WVO blend

If you want a reliable car, it will not be low maintenance. Good maintenance is what keeps a reliable car, well, reliable.

240D is a 2.4 litre diesel
300D is a 3 litre diesel. The 300D was turbo charged for the 1982 model year. 1981 and below was not, except for the 300 SD.

D means diesel.

T means Touring (wagon) although some people use the T to mean turbo.

S is a type of class, usually larger and more luxury features.

A 300 SD is a larger car than a 300D

The numbers can also mean class of car, like the 80's 190. The 190 came with a 2.2 litre diesel, a 2.5 litre, a 2.3 litre gas and a 2.6 litre gas.

The 617 is an engine designation number, like the 603. Example, the 617.952 is the turbo charged one found in 1982 to 1985 models. The 617.951 was the turbo used in the SD prior to 1982.

So on and so forth.

You have come to the right forum, though.

Also, there is nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes.

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RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

91 W124 300D Turbo replaced, Pressure W/G actuator installed. 210K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

http://www.benzworld.org/modelguide.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-benz
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_W123
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W124

From my quick learning, look for rust that will hurt the structural support of the car... in places like the wheel wells, along the drivetrain, the jack points, etc. Then if rust really bothers you, check along the bottom of the doors on the inside, you may need to pull the rubber out a little to see it. Along the bottom of the front and rear windows. Around the sunroof, the headlights, and the hood. As far as deals....just be patient. It took me a looooooooong time to find the one I have. Craigslist is a great place to start. Be careful on ebay, as I there have been some scams. (duh). People will say the early 80's 617 motor is pretty much indestructible, but......its mechanical...its not....but it does take a beating pretty well.

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1980 300D

The number part of the badge (like 240, 300, etc..) typically denotes the engine size, with the decimal place moved over a few digits. There are exceptions to this, like the 190 with a 2.2 or 2.5 liter, but those are obvious because you will see a 2.2 or 2.5 badge on the rear of the car as well.

A 240 is a 2.4 liter. A 300 is a 3 liter.

If you're an air-cooled VW person, then you can just add an extra '0' and think of it a CCs instead. You know like the old (60's and earlier VW's and 50's Porsches) 1600 dual port air cooled motor is a 1.6 liter engine.

That helped me really appreciate models like 500SEL or the 1000SEL (I actually saw one the other day!). Those are some big motors.

The alpha part is pretty obvious, except for the "T" in "TD". It means Touring, not Turbo. There are both turbo and non-turbo versions of the TD, that's why people say "300TDT" for a turbo model.

Maybe others can chime in and let me know if I'm generalizing too much, as I'm still learning these fine automobiles.

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-justin

1987 300TD, 1987 300TD
2008 R32, 2000 Passat Wagon

retex, what do you mean? "early 80's 617 motor is pretty much indestructible, but......its mechanical...its not....but it does take a beating pretty well."
I mean, this part ; "but......its mechanical...its not....but it does take a beating pretty well."

I think he is implying that the engine is virtually indestructable, denoting reliability. But since it is a mechanical device, it will eventually fail.

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2005 Accord Hybrid (Wifes)
1995 Subaru Impreza L AWD (Snow car)
1984 GMC Sierra 1500 (Mine)
1983 300CD Best $ I ever spent. (Mine)
1984 190D (sold and glad I did)
1983 300D (sold and wished I hadn't)

The 617's { designation from MB brain trust } are long lasting engines, yet as with all things mechanical, MAINTENANCE, is an issue. Keep the oil changed, vac lines cleaned out. I have an '82 300D for sale, 226,000 miles, has issues. $1000. Starts, runs, stops. There is rust just under the left tail light, lower doors, front facia, the rear suspension arm, the most serious. Also has high blowby. CCU kinda works, high speed fan, heat only, regardless of buttons pressed, needs removal and resoldered. Needs front oil seal replaced, have the parts. This car is just taking up space, too much to deal with. I picked up something else as a commuter, an '83SD, which has a 617.951, so says the owners manual. Can't figure out how to send pics, could use help on that from anyone. Central Virginia. Work weekends, unable to attend N Va. meet.

sorry about the confusion there guys. I meant to say its mechanical....its not indestructible. meaning that it will fail eventually. something will break. something will stop working. if not, these cars wouldnt be in the crushers and the question of how many miles is too much...well would never be asked.

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1980 300D

if you have the time to get the motor in great shape, keep up with the antifreeze, oil, fuel filters, and glow plugs yourself, then it's quite low maintenance. if you don't wanna do anything to it. you will have to take the car somewhere to get the car serviced. ya gotta change the oil AND filter. oil filter is an element installed similar to the air filter in most cars. you open up a can and pull out the filter itself. then change a few seals, drop in a new element, put the cover back on, drain the oil pan and put a new seal on the oil pan bolt. and go.
if you like this forum, and you are at least interested in low dollar repairs and can turn a wrench and a screwdriver, then a low dollar MB IN GOOD PHYSICAL shape will turn out to be low maintenance.
the older the car, the more that will be ready to break. the trannys are built very well, the suspension is amazing, the breaks are above today's average car by a long shot. everything wears out though, so figure a car that cost over 30K in 1980 or so, and only costs 1K now (in 1980 $, that's about 250.00) is gonna have some issues that can be ignored, but shouldn't.
also beware...
if you get one and are even slightly car oriented...









you'll get hooked... look at my sig. the first one was the 82SD, and it was free.....
now I have 6!!! and i'ts only been since around march that I started with them. of course I am a complete lunitic when it comes to cars. I bought my house, because it has a nice shop... my wife can't belive I told the realtor selling it, this is my house. I love the shop, get it.
she tells everyone, I did not care what the house looked like, I just wanted the shop. (almost 3 acres don't hurt)
John

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

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

Pictures are useful.

Dave

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1970 220D, owned 1980-1990
1980 240D, owned 1990-1992
1982 300TD, owned 1992-1993
1986 300SDL, owned 1993-2004
1999 E300, owned 1999-2003
1982 300TD, 213,880mi, owned since Nov 18, 1991- Aug 4, 2010 SOLD
1988 560SL, 100,000mi, owned since 1995
1965 Mustang Fastback Mileage Unknown(My sons)
1983 240D, 176,000mi (My daughers) owned since 2004
2007 Honda Accord EX-L I4 auto, the new daily driver
1985 300D 264,000mi Son's new daily driver.(sold)
2008 Hyundai Tiberon. Daughters new car

Thats me with the realtor too, but I 'm still waiting for that big garage & little house! A MUST ! Right now short on $$$ again. OIY !

Dmorrison, BIG HELP !!! Thanks!!! I saved to favorites. I used to have a 280sl, but had too much trouble when wrenching myself (special tools for valve adjustment etc..) & was turned off by MB. (& of course no net back then) Are the diesels from 1980-1990, easier to wrench?

Also another question, feel like Mr Columbo here, the model like 123.19x.(not sure if that exsist) is found on body or in vin or where? So if I look at a cars for sale I can understand for myself what I'm looking at. Just in case an old lady doesn't know anything cause her husband is gone now.

look at the vin i think. i just always look at the body style to tell what kinda it is, the pick below is a 240D and a 300D. notice how they look exactly the same. The biege one is the 240 and the blue one is the 300. THey are the W123 body style. A particular favorite i'm seeing amoung members

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1983 Euro 240D 277K
2016 Mazda 6
Coming Soon, 2013 Mercedes E350 Bluetec
Formers:
2012- Mazda 3
2007 Outlander- complete pile
1995 E300 Diesel 208K
2007 VW Passat 2.0T 63K SOLD
2003 Jaguar X-type 3.0 Sport Sold 04/11 w/88K
2009 Lexus RX350 9061 miles. Sold 04/09
2008 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS:Totaled Sept.,09 @ 24,000
2003 Infiniti I35 58K Sold
1984 300 turbo diesel 222K