Seems like I've known Mark for a few years now and witnessed him falling into diesels. Bravely make an automatic 240D his first one. Glad to see this 300TD 5-spd stayed in the family bein bought by forum member.

You're referring to my '57 DKW of course.
Then to finish off the collection, there's the '71 Audi Super 90 wagon, '87 Isuzu pickup, and '98 Nissan Altima.

Happy Motoring, Mark

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DrDKW

If my first automatic 240D hadn't been so cheap (and hadn't come with four brand-new Michelins!) I probably wouldn't have bought it. It turned out to be a pretty decent driver. The second, stickshift version, is even better. Too bad they're both such rustbuckets.
After that, you'd think I would progress through owning a nice 300D sedan maybe. But instead, I took the plunge directly into (as rs899 called it) the "Holy Grail" of W123 diesels.

Happy Motoring, Mark

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DrDKW

Then ye better ditch the honda civic assuming ye git used to drivin this wagon everyday as it should be.

W123 Holy Grail for me would probly be 5-spd 240D equipped with factory trailer hitch and "toy hauler" capabilities for moto-cross bike, small popup camp trailer etc... Its a push though - given yer wagon has the same capabilities EXCEPT it aint the amazing simple 240D engine gittin 20% better fuel economy and at least 30% more maintenance free.

I don't know what a DKW is so I searched....
Is this what your DKW looks like

Attached Thumbnails

 

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Thanx,
Alberta Luthier
1983 300CD ('Stinky')155k miles, 2.47 diff, EGR removed, AAZ injectors with 265 nozzles from Sean,and vogtland lowering springs.
1984 300SD ('Old Blue')150k Klicks from Japan originally, came with rear head rests, no sunroof and never had an EGR

Yep, except instead of white over pale-yellow, mine's white over black. Note the suicide doors (used on two-door models up through 1957)
3-cylinder two-stroke (hence the OEL burner mentioned by Lycoming-8), rack & pinion steering, 4-speed columnshift with selectable freewheel device, and front wheel drive.

Just as Daimler and Benz were automobile pioneers, DKW was a pioneer in front-wheel drive, building the first volume-production FWD car, the F1 two-seater, in 1931 (three years before Citroen!)

Other bits of trivia - The first prototype postwar FWD Saab was built around a salvaged prewar DKW driveterain.

DKW became part of Daimler-Benz in 1958 when they acquired Auto-Union, but after limited success in the low-mid price car market, Auto-Union/DKW was sold to Volkswagen. FWD DKWs, powered by a Benz-designed 4-stroke engine, were rebadged Audi, and thus the postwar Audi was born!

Happy Motoring, Mark

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DrDKW

That looks like a 2-door sedan, as it has a non-moveable painted quarter-window frame. Where Mark and I both have 2-dr hardtop coupes with chrome framed quarter windows that can mostly disappear into the body.

For the uninformed these have a 900 or 1000 cc 3 cylinder, 2-cycle engine, burn oil/gas mix, front wheel drive, three points, three condensors, three coils, thermo-syphon cooling system, radiator serves as the heater core, factory grille shutter, freewheeling, four speed tranny, shifter on steering column, suicide doors, chipmunk stripes, and most important: push button starting!!!!

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1961 190Db retired
1968 220D/8 325,000
1983 300D 164,150

Well, I haven't had any Hondas for quite a while. I used to drive an '84 Honda Accord but I replaced it with a '98 Nissan Altima in 2005. I did have a friend's dead '87 Honda Civic in my back yard for a few years, but it was hauled away by the same tow-truck that delivered my first 240D over a year ago.

As for maintenance and MPG, despite the 'turbo-diesel' badge on the tailgate, my 300TD is non-turbo, so except for the one extra cylinder, I don't see where the engine should normally require significantly more maintenance than a 240D. Indeed, this 300TD might require LESS maintenance than a typical 240D, as the overdrive gearing insures that my five-cylinder engine isn't screaming for mercy at highway speeds.

As for MPG, my TD owner's manual covers all the W123 wagon variants, including the 240TD, and the specifications page gives the 240TD five-speed about a 10% MPG advantage over the 300TD version.
I'm hoping my 5-speed TD delivers a better than 10% highway MPG improvement over my automatic 240D.

Happy Motoring, Mark

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DrDKW