I've owned both 123 and 126 diesels in the past, and now I am moving to California. I don't know if I am going to need a car when I am out there or not, but I have been looking at Craigslist out there and it seems like the old diesels in decent shape are pretty plentiful, so for once I may actually get to chose what type of car I want rather than see what comes along.

I have been thinking maybe about looking for a 115 240D, but I am wondering, is there any reason I wouldn't want one? Are parts harder to find, repairs any harder, any really common problems, etc...? I have been around this board for a while and haven't heard much about them positive or negative and can't find a definitive w115 guidelines thread.

I know it is probably really slow, but that's ok. After having a 126 with bells and whistles that always are going haywire, the simplicity of windows I can roll down by hand seems attractive to me, and I like the look of the 115 body style. I like the simple utility of the 240D, or I like the idea anyway.

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Watch out for rust... I had a 1973 230.6 where the floor pan was so rusted that the driver's seat moved

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Bob Roe
Lehigh Valley PA USA
1973 Olds 88, 1972 MB 280SE, 1978 Datsun 280Z, 1971 Ford T-Bird, 1972 Olds 88, 1983 Nissan Sentra, 1985 Sentra, 1973 230.6, 1990 Acura Integra, 1991 Volvo 940GLE wagon, 1983 300SD, 1984 300SD, 1995 Subaru Legacy L wagon, 2002 Mountaineer, 1991 300TE wagon, 2008 Murano, 2007 R320CDI 4Matic 52K, some Hyundai, 2008 BMW 535xi wagon, all gone... currently
2007 Honda Odyssey Touring, 2014 E350 4matic

I'll answer the question with another question: How practical is it going to be to keep a 30+ year old car running as a daily driver, considering honest reliability and parts availability?

No matter how elegantly simple the car is.... the age has to (I hate admitting this, but it's true) be a significant factor in how much more life it physically has left in it before it falls apart.

If you found a rust-free, dealer-maintained garage queen? Ehh... maybe.

The average rust-bucket on the street that comes at a nice friendly price? Nah. Not in my book, anyway.

I reserve the right to be wrong... but that's my no-experience, first-instinct reaction and should be interpreted as such.

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~Michael S.~
Past cars:

1986 300SDL
1987 300SDL
1982 240D
1982 300SD


Current:

1987 300SDL

There is less to go wrong in a W115.

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DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

I can appreciate that busted benz, but this is California we are talking about. I was under the impression that rust isn't such an issue out there if it is a car that has mostly stayed in-state and hasn't spent a lot of time at the beach. Or am I wrong about that? I'm open to ya'lls ideas about it though, so keep em comin'. Is 115 more prone to rust?

When we are talking about cars this old, is a 25y.o. vs 30y.o. car really going to be that much different in terms of amount of life left/amount of replacement needed -- given equal mileage, etc...?

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From what I remember the 115's only have odometers that go up tp 99,999.9 miles. You won't know the actual mileage unless you've got good service records as you can't carfax something that old.

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DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

I just wanted to add the info that my 240D has just gone round the clock for the 3rd time , and its still heaps of pleasure to drive , also its less down time than my wifes 190e.

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'72 240D
'76 300D
'88 300sel
'40 Chev pickup , the shop hack.
'73 Monte Carlo Landau, for "Super Chevy Sunday"

I actually just got one two days ago, pics:
Just picked up a 1974 240D

From what I've heard, the oil filter is hard to change, especially if the engine mounts have weakened and the engine sits a little lower. Also, if the heater/ac blower goes, there's a lot of dash disassembly to replace it. I could be slightly wrong on that, but its something to that effect.

They're a little more nimble than the 123's.

I dig em.

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1985 300TD-euro 352,000 mi
1974 240D (1?)52,000 mi - has a new home now

I am keeping my W115....I like it more than the W123 chassis. The car breaks just as much as the W123 did. In terms of mileage you'll have to inspect the car for maintenance since most of the odometers are broken on the W123's I have driven anyhow despite the ability to record more than 100k. I would keep an eye out for rust though. Both my cars are CA cars and one is much better than the other. The window seals and door seals fail causing water to run to the rear footwells which cause the floorpans to rust out. My 300D is so bad that there's a big hole on both sides and you can push the floorpans down with your hands!

If you do get a daily driver get a 300D automatic or a 240D manual....

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1974 240D 3.0L 4(M) - 250K -OM617.910 + 300D FW + Rajay turbo power!
1977 6.9 3(A) - 84k

The 115s are elegantly simple and if you can find a well cared one with no rust it could be just fine as a daily driver. All parts are available.

I would recommend an 82 or 83 240d though. Its a little better in many ways and a bit easier to work on. Find one with crank windows, a stick and such and the only thing more complex on it will be the glow plug timer.

A nice 123 also will be easier to find.

Costwise the 123 might be a little higher but a nice 115 won't be cheap either.

Good luck.

Tom W

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

We've had a W114 coupe (same body as a W115) running as a daily car for the last three years.

I was comfortable enough with it's reliability to have my daughter use it daily for high school and work. Biggest reliability problem was that she ran it out of fuel multiple times.....

She's in college now, but the coupe still starts every time and as yet has not had any isssues. Now, I'm not counting planned repairs, like the valve job, but more of the day in, day out, always gets you home sort of reliability.

While a W123 may be a more modern car, the vintage look of the W114 makes it much more distinctive. People still asume my W123 is fairly new.

Jim

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14 E250 BlueTEC black. 45k miles
95 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 66k miles
94 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 152k miles
85 300TD 4 spd man, euro bumpers and lights, 15" Pentas dark blue 274k miles

I've come to the conclusion that every older Benz mileage should be suspect. Dam if I don't wish I had a girl friend that went down as often as those odometers do....

I use My 115 1970 220D for a daily driver. Around town she is great. I stay off the interstate, most of the time and keep her under 65mph. I use the 1980 300SD for road trips.

Where is this mysterious corner of California that has adequate public transportation??? I live 9 miles from work. Taking the bus requires 2 transfers over 80 minutes and a mile-and-half hike.

W115s will rust sitting still in California. Not as quickly as a pre-75 911, but it will rust.

Sixto
87 300D

If I live close enough I would bike to work (though I doubt this will actually happen). We own another car, so this one would be for my car for driving to work, etc if I get it.

Are you saying the w115 will rust faster than the 123s or 126s? Or just in general, that a car will get rusty if it is just sitting around.

At any rate, I would just have to assess whatever car I look at individually, but it is nice to know what I am up against in general.

If the ODO only goes up to 100k, then is there any way to judge the actual mileage? Seat wear, steering wheel wear, anything else?

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