Diesel 300TD Station Wagon Recommendations?? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

MBWannaBe · #1 10-03-2007, 12:57 PM

I am looking for a good Mercedes Diesel 300TD Station Wagon. The ones I like the most are the 1985 and the 1987 models. I like the styling in the 1987 300TD Station Wagon better, but I have heard really good things about the 5 cylinder diesel and it appears that this engine was discontinued in 1985 (is that correct?). I have not heard anything (good or bad) about the 6 cylinder diesel that is offered in the 1987 model. It appears that Mercedes discontinued the diesel 300TD Station Wagon in 1987 and it also appears that there is no 1986 model.
Can you guys offer any insight into the 5 and 6 cylinder diesel engines? Also, can you offer any preferences between the 1985 and 1987 models? Finally, the cars I am looking at typically have between 120K and 300K miles on them, is there a point where I should start being concerned about the mileage?

Adenauer · #2 10-03-2007, 01:29 PM

Hi, and welcome to Mercedesshop!

You can have a look at the thread below that was posted earlier, today. It will answer many of your questions

87+ MB diesels

As for mileage on a Mercedes,
1. Buy the car with the fewest miles possible (in some cases, though a car that is rarely driven is like an airplane never flown - it's not airworthy)
2. Try to find a car with as complete a service history as possible.
3. No matter the mileage, if all things mechanical check-out, adhere to a religious routine of preventative and routine maintenance. 150,000 miles is just getting broken-in. 300,000 is getting up there but still, a car with lots of life left given attention to preventative and routine maintenence.

Any questions, don't hesitate to ask. You'll be glad you've made an informed decision.

Best of luck.

MBWannaBe · #3 10-05-2007, 05:57 PM

Thanks Adenauer, I do like the looks of the '87 better, but I had heard that the 5 cyl engine was one of the best that MB has made. I wanted to see the guys who are really driveing them thought.

Thanks again for your response.

Chad300tdt · #4 10-05-2007, 09:32 PM

I had the same choice to make when I got my wagon. I liked the 85 and the 87. I went with the 85 because the feedback I heard made them sound easier to deal with for someone new to diesels like myself.

I am very happy with the 85, but have since learned that the 87's aren't really that much harder to deal with. I would say go with what you like best. If you maintain it properly, they will both be great.

I believe the 87 has the better potential for someone looking to enhance speed and performance.

veggie190 · #5 10-06-2007, 02:53 PM

I have an 83 300TD and it is a great car. I bought the car a little over a year ago in CA and brought it to the Midwest. I put 30,000 miles on the car in one year and haven't had one break down!

Just make sure to take good care of it. Mine was in good condition when I got it so it didn't take much. I had to replace the nitrogen accumulators to get the SLS working properly ($200ish). I recharged the AC with R12 ($140). Then I replaced a master cylinder (don't remember $). Other than that it's been routine stuff. Changing the oil, brake pads, valve adjustments.... It's a great car and loves the freeway.

My advice to you is to make sure you get one in good condition. Don't waste money on a rust bucket with problems. Just spend a little time looking and you'll find yourself a great car.

MBWannaBe · #6 10-10-2007, 01:07 PM

Thanks for the input, I value and appreciate your help.

swogee · #7 10-10-2007, 03:27 PM

I personally prefer the 1987 300TDT styling over the 1985 300TDT. However, the 6 cylinder diesel (OM603) engine seems to be prone to cracking heads. Specifically the original heads with "14" casting number seems to have a higher than average failure rate.

The OM603 motor does have the potential for more performance than the older OM617 motor.

The 1987 300TDT (W124 chassis) is more refined than the 1985 300TDT (W123 chassis). Handling is improved as are the features such as power seats, SRS, outside temp. display, vehicle alarm system, etc.

Since the 1987 300TDT was the last diesel wagon sold in the USA by MBUSA, be prepared to pay a bit of a premium price for it.

Make sure the vehicle is throughly inspected in advance, since there lots of problems that can exist in a 20+ year old vehicle. There is a list of things to check on a W124 chassis vehicle someplace on this forum.

-Steve

winmutt · #8 10-10-2007, 05:59 PM

I believe the head numbers are 12 and 14. You will have GREAT difficulty finding a replacement for the TD as it has the SLS head which is pretty much only found on TDs. The 85 model has a 2.88 rear end which is much better suited for the highway and also gets better fuel economy than other W123 TD's. The W124 TD does have more "features", after 20 years I consider "features" to fall in line with "more things to break/fix". There are newer diesel wagon models (despite swogee's claim).

The OM60X line of engines has fantastic potential for more power. The W124 is also much easier to swap to a manual transmission. If you want rock solid reliability stick to the W123 aka the best car EVER built. If you want a bit of looks, mildly better fuel economy, power potential then go with the W124. Things to note. The W124 TD is also a ONE YEAR model. Some things may be difficult to procure (the engine and body are found pletiful in other cominations however).

swogee · #9 10-11-2007, 03:30 AM

I'm not aware of any DIESEL wagons that were sold in the USA by MBUSA after the 1987 model year; however, there were W124, W210, and W211 diesel wagons sold outside of the USA after the 1987 model year. Diesel sedans were imported until 1999 after which there were no diesels imported until the introduction of the 2005 E320 CDI.

I'm hoping that MBUSA will bring back a diesel wagon sometime soon. A W211 CDI wagon would be nice.

The cylinder head for the OM603 engine that is used in 1987 300TDT (wagon) and the 1987 300DT (sedan) is identical. The MBUSA EPC calls out the same part number 603 010 96 20. There might have been a difference in the OM617 cylinder head used on the W123 chassis wagons and the W123 chassis sedans though, but I am not sure.

The parts for the W124 1987 300TDT are no harder to find than parts for the W123 wagons. Mercedes wagons in general tend to be more scarce than the sedans which are fairly common. However, many engine parts used on the 1987 300TDT can be found on the 300DT sedan, and the larger "S" class 300SDL W126 chassis. The body parts from the driver door forward are shared as well. In addition, diesel W124's that used the OM602 motor were made from 1990-1993 and the W124 that used the OM606 was made in 1995. Some parts are similar between those models as well. Don't let the scarcity of parts deter you from getting a 1987 300TDT.

-Steve

t walgamuth · #10 10-11-2007, 05:30 AM

The 617 diesel engine is one of the most bulletproof reliable engines ever built. Having had many of them and one 603 I would never buy a car with a 603 again. the 603s are much much more difficult to get right and they do not stay right for long in my experience. Once you get the 617 right it will stay right for a good long time without fiddling.

Finding a good 123 wagon though is getting tough because of their age. The newer body style wagon is almost as old though.

Tom W

winmutt · #11 10-11-2007, 07:52 AM

e320 and r320 both came in diesel wagons

BioBens · #12 10-11-2007, 09:38 AM

I really like my 84 tdt. I've put a lot of DIY work into it to get it where it's a great DD. In addition to the the foregoing recommendations, I recommend you get a turbo model. Friends who have non-turbo 5-cyl and 6-cyl tdt's find them sluggish.

swogee · #13 10-11-2007, 11:14 AM

The "R" class is not a wagon. It seats 6 or 7 persons, and is actually closer to a crossover SUV according to MBUSA. I get the impression that a lot of people don't particularly care for how it looks as well.

There has not been a diesel "E" class/"300" class wagon imported to the USA after the 1987 model year. Only diesel sedans/SUVs/trucks have been imported by MBUSA after 1987. I'd love to own a newer diesel wagon, but they just don't exist in the USA yet as far as I know.

-Steve

Robert W. Roe · #14 11-06-2007, 01:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swogee

The "R" class is not a wagon. It seats 6 or 7 persons, and is actually closer to a crossover SUV according to MBUSA. I get the impression that a lot of people don't particularly care for how it looks as well.

There has not been a diesel "E" class/"300" class wagon imported to the USA after the 1987 model year. Only diesel sedans/SUVs/trucks have been imported by MBUSA after 1987. I'd love to own a newer diesel wagon, but they just don't exist in the USA yet as far as I know.

-Steve

The R class has been described as a crossover by the mainstream press, a large wagon by some car magazines,
a luxury minivan also by some car magazines,
a light truck by Mercedes-Benz in some of their literature that came with the vehicle, "another loaf" by another car magazine ... but I think of my R320 as an awd diesel wagon, a 2007.
Of the R320CDI, the ML320CDI and the GL320CDI, I feel that the R is closest to being a wagon.
It drives like an S-class wagon; they are roomy for the passengers, with excellent seats.
Alas, Pennsylvania changed its emission laws for the 2008 model year, so PA doesn't allow the MB diesels, up to the 2007's were exempt from emissions.

#15 11-06-2007, 02:07 AM

I consider it a crossover minivan/wagon.

Look at it, how can it not be a minivan/wagon-wagon/minivan?