Diesel Model Buyers Guide - FYI?
 

Looking for info on diesel models, like what things go way wrong (or not) on what models, what ones to avoid in general and what service intervals to use. I am in the market and know quite a bit about Mercedes diesels but 2 heads is better than one, can anyone point me to a resource that would help me make a decision on what models to / not to buy.

thx in advance

Myke

Compression test on any diesel is the best way to find out if anything serious is wrong. I'm partial to the 617 engine. '77 to '85.

No matter how much you read, you'll miss stuff looking at these older benzes. I sure did. If you can, find someone who owns one to come take a look. There can be some 'hidden gem' problems that seem trivial but are actually expensive/PITA. The converse is true - by hooking up a loose vacuum hose you can make car that has a 'shot transmission' act like new.

The biggest thing to look for, now that Ive been through it, is maintenance records to verify that stuff has been kept up with. That way, you wont have to be too concerned that everything will start failing at once.

And take you prospective purchase to a Benz mechanic you can trust. And learn enough to evaluate what they say to you.

dd