The W123 300D is actually a rarity at the Dealer now and many of the dealer mechanics, if younger than 50, may have very little experience on them.
Most of the dealer's service population are cars between 1997 and 2007 and since then training techniques have greatly changed for dealer mechanics. They are now just as highly specilaized as the chip technology in modern day cars and there are very few "Generalist Know it All" Mechanics that can service a wide range of problems on a car.
Add to this the fact that the production run of modern post 2000 Mercedes is very brief--you just dont have the lengthy 9 year run that produced the huge population of 78- 85 240D and 300D's today. The average run is probably three years.
Some systems, like the vacuum CLS or diesel IP tuning may be a total mystery to a modern Mercedes Dealer mechanic.
I mean, how many 300D's come in per day now? Maybe one or two against 50 cars a day. My bet is you will find more expertise on this forum on these cars at the Mercedes dealership.
I am being very reasonable, and not cynical, about this. If you dont believe me, go in and maybe query a shop mecahnic about your 300D. Go ask them technical questions about the car; ask them about troubelshooting the CLS, or IP timing or, or changing the rear CV boots, why the cluster invariably stops at 220K, ask them about the ALDA or whether you should rebuild your vacuum pump or what the diagnosis steps for your cruise control are. You will be really surprised, I bet.

I think the reason is that it's not cost effective to repair them at the dealer anymore.

One trip into the service bay can easily pass the entire value of the car, mainly because of the labor costs.

The average model life of MB now is 6 years, down from 8. They do a mid model face lift, this tradition started with the W126 in 1986.


If you need to bring a 20 year old car to a dealer for major work you have no business driving a 20 year old car. You can buy a new E350 for about $600 a month, thats one minor repair at the dealer.

To make it practical to own an old car you need to be able to fix it yourself.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

The Dealership that I visit, when necessary, has a few employees that drive W123's.....a salesperson, the parts counterman, and at least 1 mechanic all have commented on my '85 300D.....and like proud parents have pulled out photos of theirs, it the car was not physically on the parking lot........

I don't know if they are snapping up good ol' W123's when they come in for a trade (I know that the salesperson did) .....or are just fans of the older Diesels (I think the Parts Guy and the mechanic are in it for the OM617.9xx).....but they do still service them, and are knowledgeable regarding the W123......

SB

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Diesels:
'85 300D, "Max, Blue Benz", 155K, 27.0 MPG
'84 190D 2.2, "Eva, Brown Benz", 142K, 40.2 MPG
'77 240D (parts car)
'67 Eicher ES 202 Tractor "Otto" (2cyl, Air Cooled, 30HP)
Gassers:
'94 Ford F-150, "Henry", 170K (300 Six) 17.5 MPG
'85 190E 2.3, 148K....Parts Car
'58 Dodge W300M Powerwagon (Flat Fenders) Less than 10 MPG

Shorebilly,

I never heard of an Eicher tractor. Is it foreign? Sounds like it might be German made by the name.

Does it pa-putt pa-putt like a John Deere 2 cylinder? Is it air cooled?

P E H

Mercedes Benz of Buffalo has always helped me with my w123 - not dealer service - I do it all my self (With my dad) - But the parts department is always willing and eager to dive in and find the part I need...from dash screw covers, to drip rail trim...even my fuel and brake hard lines are from MBoB and never a bad price!
Jake

Our dealer here does a great job working on our diesels, even the advanced stuff. They have a mechanic on staff that loves to work on them.

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

A few years ago, when I didn't work weekends, the local MBCA section would have (still do) an annual Saturday tech inspection at the dealership, the last time I went, they mentioned they are losing business to indy's, so they have a reduced labor rate for anything more than twenty years old. That dealership is too far away from me to make it worth my while. When I visited my nearest dealer for front end work, I got the feeling of being rushed in and out, (a good thing?) anyway I had an appointment, they got to me on time. All's well that ends well.

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83 SD

84 CD

All I can say is this... you find the right crew, and they get it done. Parts, work... had my IP timing checked, brake fluid flushed out, the "diagniostic" on my noisy cold start,e tc, at the dealer, $220 Not bad. The tech actually had a gaggle near my car as he set the IP timing. Buy my oil filters there ( $12.97) too.

Guess it depends on the dealer...MBz of Buffalo is top notch. Parts counter is really top notch.

But, would I spend $4000 to get my evaporator changed out there. Naw..

Yup, it's a German tractor....Eicher PumaII (ES 202)...and as my sig says 4 stroke, Air cooled, 30Hp....

Here are a couple of links to German and European Eicher Clubs.....

www.eicherfreunde-forstern.de/

www.eicherfreunde-schwarzwald.de/index.htm

http://www.eicherfreunde.de/

I hope that you can read German, but there are lots of photos of their gatherings......my dream/wish/goal is to make a trip over to Germany and pick up some tractor and Benz parts.....should meet some nice folks.....unfortunately I do not drink beer any more......!!!!

When I first started locating a part here and there, I ordered some from Monika Schimmer Buldozer Zubruhor......and have corresponded with some of the clubs......have been trying (off and on) to determine how many of these made it to the USA.....none were shipped here officially, as Eicher did not have a dealership in North America.......so far I know for sure that 1 did make it here (mine) and I have heard that there may be another but have not heard from the owner nor have I seen a photo.......so you folks think that some Mercedes parts are hard to come by......lol.....

I also own a Dolmar chain saw and a brush cutter, the chain saw was made in Germany, Brush Cutter in California.....Dolmar manufactured the First gasoline powered chain saw.....here's a link for them as well....

www.dolmarpowerproducts.com/

I have owned several chain saws, and this is the first one that actually has torque!!! Powerful......Model 510

SB

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Diesels:
'85 300D, "Max, Blue Benz", 155K, 27.0 MPG
'84 190D 2.2, "Eva, Brown Benz", 142K, 40.2 MPG
'77 240D (parts car)
'67 Eicher ES 202 Tractor "Otto" (2cyl, Air Cooled, 30HP)
Gassers:
'94 Ford F-150, "Henry", 170K (300 Six) 17.5 MPG
'85 190E 2.3, 148K....Parts Car
'58 Dodge W300M Powerwagon (Flat Fenders) Less than 10 MPG

my dealer had a few guys that work on the older ones. One did my ball joint installation (into the spindle) and commented on how well I keep her up. Their was 3 W126's, 2 W123's (one a wagon), and then my 123 in the lot for cars to be worked on. one of the 126's was an SDL

Shorebilly,

I also own a Dolmar chain saw, a Model 111. I've had it more than 10 years. I like it better than my Stihl. I'm somewhat familiar with Dolmar's history. Seems like Stihl's invention was saw chain on a bar that was used to cut off logs at saw mills. Before the chain saw they needed huge diameter circular saws.

Use to have a Fordson Major Diesel tractor. Made in England wirh a Perkins Diesel engine. I couldn't keep head gaskets in it and it was damaged in a fire. Guy came along and offered me $500 for it so I sold it to him.

I have small Duetz , Kubota and Ford tractors too, all Diesel. Also a Case 530Diesel with backhoe and loader.

P E H

I had this problem with my Mercedes under warranty. I ended up taking it to an indy to have the work done right, and paying to do it outside of warranty.
I swore off Mercedes cars (for a while), and still would rather own a new Audi than Mercedes, ... and their quality isn't what it used to be either.

An older Mercedes I can justify having repaired by an indy or myself, just pissed me off to have to pay for same when my car was new.

I'll drive a 20-year-old car and enjoy working on it when I can, but still feel okay taking it in when I'm pressed for time or the tools are too much. It'll probably be going in for a rear wheel bearing soon, not a DIY job I'm told here.

Ya pick your fights with these things. Using your justification backwards, I can have a lot of work done on my old faithful for two car payments worth.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

I always see at least 2 or 3 W126 and W123s there getting serviced, mostly all diesel.

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91 350SD
14 F150 Eco
19 Fusion Hybrid
11 GT500

No your right. I swore off transmision service because its just such a PITA. Its not a battle I want to fight, I'll let someone else do it. As I get older and I start to have more funds then time I think I will be farming a lot more out.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200