Hi all....So I was ogling a nice 300TD on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1985-Mercedes-300TD-Turbo-Diesel-WAGON-NEAR-MINT_W0QQitemZ230255237418QQihZ013QQcategoryZ6330QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

When i noticed someone had submitted a question, well more of a statement which is as follows:

Greetings sir; As an owner of a California model 300d, here in Tucson, you might point out the lifetime warranty on the motor and turbo. MB lost a class action lawsuit years ago and has to honor this issue as long as the car is running. I had the turbo replaced, without cost because of this lawsuit. Have a great day, and good luck with your auction. Jim, Tucson.


So I have search lawsuit and class action with no result is there any truth to this?

It sounds like the trap oxidizer issue (applicable to '85 california cars only) where they will replace the trap oxidizer (along with the turbo, I believe). AFAIK, there is no "lifetime warranty on the motor" associated with this.

sounds like a setup to sell the car.. yes the trap ox is a real thing, but its not a "warranty" if your engine is destroyed after they replaced the trap ox its not there fault and they will not replace it.

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Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?

As long as they would add one additional commandment for you to keep thy religion to thyself.
George Carlin (Wonder where he is now..)

1981 240d (engine donor 1983 240d) recently rebuilt engine hurray! - No more.. fought a tree and the tree won.

pearl black 1983 240d 4speed (Converted!@$$%) atleast the tranny was rebuilt.

Once MB replaces the trap, the new one will never have to be replaced because they have been redesigned. the old ones had to be replaced something like every 30000 mi.

Had ours replaced 11 yrs ago when we first bought the car, it was real doggy. really improved the performance, but not like it improved after we converted to federal set up.

use to get 24 maybe on the hwy, now get 27 to 30 mpg. haven`t quite hit 40mpg like the ones on e-bay

new one will have 126 490 34 14 for the part#

Charlie ☺

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there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works

It shows how well taken care of the car was at this point, it hasn't returned to a dealer for jack its whole life.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

In the last 20 years we've only bought two cars from a dealership. Neither one of them ever saw the dealership or any other shop again, except for air conditioning - and I wouldn't be afraid (as a buyer) to buy one of our cars (since I know we maintained them).

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~Michael S.~
Past cars:

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


Current:

1987 300SDL

MB's should see the dealer. Only cheap SOB's buy a $60k++ car and try to skimp on service by going to a local shop. I can see after its older but for the first few years nope. I know their type quite well.

Just like my Grandfathers attorney who bought a 300SD new and never popped the hood for 30k+ miles.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Actually, if I had a new one I would still take it to my indy, who is probably just as well equipped as the dealer (and I trust him more). Unfortunately, he's not any less expensive than the dealer.

He probably couldn't fix it, does he have the SDS system?

I'm generalizing but, I have seen it time and again.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Actually, I believe he does have SDS (but I don't own anything that needs it). He just bought a hunter alignment machine with all the benz software (which apparently required some kind of authorization from MBUSA and cost a pile of cash). He seems pretty serious about having the same capability as the dealers.

Wow thats impressive! Those machines are very expensive and require a lot of money each month to keep.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

He told me he got sick of sending work to the dealer because he couldn't handle it. He has a pretty nice facility and a half dozen experienced techs. Last time I was there he was working on a Brabus K8, a very nice W109, and a bunch of "normal" cars:

http://startechmercedes.com/about-star-tech.htm

Wow! Impressive!

Whats the story on your new engine?

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Still messing around with the engine project; last week I had a line on a reman for a "to good to be true" price that turned out to be non-existent (big surprise), now the same folks are trying to sell me a used engine with low mileage, 325 psi compression "across the board", a "to good to be true" parts and labor warrantee, and a promise to take it back (free shipping) if I don't want it. I had them ship it to my indy so he can check it out next week. I guess I'll have him install it if it checks out as claimed. This might be a mistake, but it was lots cheaper than a metric reman and I got greedy. I will be very annoyed at myself if I get this thing installed and it turns out to be a POS, labor warrantee or not.

We'll see how this all works out, I still don't know which engine I'm going to end up with. Maybe I'll get lucky and this used one will be as advertised and last another 300K miles; and maybe I'll win the lotto (if I ever bought a ticket).

I'm confident that you made the right decision........with the proviso that the compression figures check out. The cost per mile of this engine is a fraction of the cost per mile for a new engine. The reliability might be slightly less, however, a fellow who accepts the reliablilty of an engine with 350K for extended trips will probably be OK with this one.