Will my rust-free 300D survive the Midwest? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

MonsieurBon · #1 06-06-2007, 01:48 AM

Hi Folks-

I am planning a possible move from Portland, OR to Madison, WI. My '84 300D is in great condition, without a spot of rust.

Will it survive the salty roads, gravel, and snow of the Midwest? Should I get any dings and paint chips fixed before I go? Or should I just sell the car since it's in great condition and get a rusty car in Madison?

Thanks for your help folks.

stcbenz83 · #2 06-06-2007, 01:57 AM

Living in northern Illinois, i am worried about the same thing. However, i purchase a seperate car for the winter. that way from Nov. till around april or May, my 240D is in storage. Thus avoiding the salty roads

#3 06-06-2007, 02:01 AM

Unfortunate as it may sound, I'd say sell before you go or keep it in the garage all winter and use a beater.

slarson80 · #4 06-06-2007, 02:41 AM

With FI. Be prepared to get a beater. Or give it up. Or worse, watch it rot away before your very eyes

Towel Rail · #5 06-06-2007, 03:10 AM

Gotta third the above. Unless you're willing the POR-15 the entire undercarriage, apply Waxoyl (or similar) every fall, take it to the carwash every week (or more), and THEN subject it to the increased risk of accidents on slippery roads...

Garage it for the winter.

NC Benz · #6 06-06-2007, 04:50 AM

HUH, having lived 40+ years in Wisconsin, and never having a vehicle rust on me, if you just take good care of it (good waxing, decent washing) you should not have any troubles.

In the middle of Winter you will end up with a white car of salt. You dont need to wash it off right away, but a few days later when the salt lets up.

deerefanatic · #7 06-06-2007, 07:43 AM

You know, when we were thinking of moving to WI, we noticed on our trips up there that they don't have nearly as many rusted-out cars as MI & IN do.... Of course, MI is the largest user or road salt in the US, so what can one expect........

I'd still say garage it.. That's what I'm doing this year to my Tennessee-body 84.......

NC Benz · #8 06-06-2007, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deerefanatic

You know, when we were thinking of moving to WI, we noticed on our trips up there that they don't have nearly as many rusted-out cars as MI & IN do.... Of course, MI is the largest user or road salt in the US, so what can one expect........

I'd still say garage it.. That's what I'm doing this year to my Tennessee-body 84.......

Actually if you have salt on the car you do NOT want to garage it. You want it to stay as cold as possible until you get a chance to wash it off. If you garage a car with salt on, moisture will build up and that is what causes the rust.

If I had the chance to park it for the winter that would of course be the best method.

babymog · #9 06-06-2007, 08:15 AM

It will rust, eventually, no matter where you live. The 123 are much more rust prone than the later bodies.

To not drive a car you enjoy so that it lasts longer is well, counter-productive. If you have a pristine collectible then garage it on salty days and drive it on other days, or just buy a car that you're not worried about for daily-driving.

Drive the car, when it gets salty, wash it top and bottom, including lots of water under the rockers and around the inside of the fenders, spray inside bumpers and valence panels, and basically rinse any salt or dirt/sand that will retain moisture. It will still rust whenever it is wet, and salt will accelerate this, pretty much difficult to avoid.

I do garage my winter cars, have for years. It is better for them to remain cold when salty this is true, but having to scrape ice and snow from windshields just to slow the rust process is again impractical.

Surprisingly, there are not a lot of days that actually have active salt on the roads, and much of winter is dry roads and dry air.

odie · #10 06-06-2007, 11:05 AM

get a winter diesel beater, sell it, or wash it allthe time. Those are the choices.

col klink · #11 06-06-2007, 11:12 AM

After spending 4 winters here in Minnesota I can say that people who like their cars will garage them for the winter and drive a <$1k gasser through all of the salt. The salt is relentless here. Besides, a gasser will start when the temp is below 0 without a heater core. My 300 TDT battery gave up at about -4 without plugging her in.

Personally I'd keep your car -- there's not too many of them here in the Midwest. Just make sure that your glow plugs are in working order.

Unfortunately I have one more winter to go before I'll be able to garage my baby and drive a beater.

col klink · #12 06-06-2007, 11:17 AM

I should also mention that if you do decide to sell, you'll have a better resale value on the Left Coast than here due to the higher density of hippies who want to run WVO. We have 'em out here too, but you can get almost twice as much for your diesel in Portland or Seattle than in the Midwest.

FYI, the bloody mary's are far better in the Midwest than on the left coast -- they take them as religion here.

pdxwaker · #13 06-06-2007, 11:22 AM

I live in Portland now... used to live in Iowa. One reason I love the pacific northwest is the availability of old cars in great condition. This just wasn't possible in Iowa.

Your car will rust if you move to WI (unless you are an absolute maniac about keeping it clean). Personally, I wouldn't want to sign myself up for this battle again rust in the midwest that you'll never win.

Of course, one good option is to keep it and just drive a beater in the winter.

rg2098 · #14 06-06-2007, 02:21 PM

2 Winter with no rust on my Texas 300. Every fall I prep it making sure any loose undercoating is repaired and any open metal is painted. Then in the spring its a metter of touching up a few small spots of surface rust that start where the paint gets dinged and surface rust starts. By surface rust I mean the kind the wipes off with your finder practically.

Ken300D · #15 06-06-2007, 02:39 PM

A Mercedes W123 in salty road conditions will melt like a sugar cube in hot water.

Park it during the winter months and drive a junker with good traction. Something 4WD.

Ken300D

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