GREEETING ALL, I JUST BOUGHT A 87 300 SDL I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT MY FIRST STEPS SHOULD BE. REFERENCE TUNE UP, GEN MAINT OR THINGS TO LOOK FOR PROBLEM WISE. THIS IS MY FIRST DIESEL, BUT I HAVE BEEN READING THIS SITE FOR INFO ON DIESEL PREPARING FOR THIS DAY, AND ITS FINALLY HERE . I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM ALL. HAVE A GREAT DAY MERCEDES OWNER.

Step 1. Please stop yelling.

Step 2. Change the oil. Check the brakes and the air filter. A trans service probably wouldn't be a bad idea either.

__________________
Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.

Maybe have a look at the differential fluid as well, since you're under there.
You'd be amazed at how many people forget that it's back there!

Check the brakes for pad wear, bleed new fluid through the system?

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-Josh
Testing the cheap Mercedes axiom, one bolt at a time...

Check all fluids, power steering, transmission, diff, brake, coolant, tire pressures. I always jack up each wheel, yank the wheel back and forth, up and down, looking for play. See if any shocks are leaking or worn. Open all doors, put car through all the gears with foot on brake, listening for pops, cracks, clunks, and such. Check all the bulbs, including license plate and trunk light, glove box lights, and so on. Just give it a good combing, its a great idea because it gives you an idea of the road ahead, and wether your future comprises of repair bills in the hundreds, or thousands.
Trust me, it goes quick, I got my 240D for $1200 thinking id put in another $200 and be golden..... NOT!!!!! an additional $1200 later, and now Im approching golden, Injector rebuild, all new filters / fluids, brake rotors / pads, cruise switch, bulbs, fog lights, alternator, starter, battery, UCA bushings, Lower ball joints, sway bar bushings, shocks...... you get the idea. Basically I am just helping you prepare. Mercedes are GREAT cars, and sometime the first few months can be hell, but I can assure you, your Stutgart designed masterpiece will, and I mean WILL return the favor for your hard work. With a glistening, gleaming, upper eschlon car that many only dream of owning.

thanks for the info i, will look into those things this weekend. i already noticed that driver side engine mount need to be replaced and maybe a few bulbs but other than that everything seems to be ok for a car i paid $1100 for. All the door locks work ,windows, sunroof a/c, heats good and the body in good shape with no rust at all. thanks for the info

HI, BILLY MAYS HERE!

Get a recommendation on a local independent shop then spend ~$150 on a retrospective pre-purchase inspection.

Do you have maintenance records for it? If not, replace all the fluids as suggested. I'll specifically mention replacing coffee colored brake fluid and green coolant.

Sixto
87 300D

Congrats!

Pictures if possible? And what are the miles on it?

Apart from what everybody else told you here is what I would look at.

1) Take out the battery and clean the tray area.
2) Clean out all the leaves between the firewalls
3) Check the climate controls to make sure the AC works
4) Look at the flex disks on the drive shaft to make sure they are OK.

How many miles are on her? Do you have records?
1) If you are over 150000 and the timing chain has not been replaced, have it checked for stretch and replaced if needed.
2)Check the serpentine belt and the idler adjustment If they look old, replace both.
3) Check all the vacuum and boost plastic lines. You can remove all the lines going across the engine to the passenger side. This all runs the EGR system. Plug the lines at the vacuum pump.
4) put a voltmeter across the battery and check the output of the alternator. It should read 13.8V at idle and go up from there. If not, replace the voltage regulator.
5) most important POST PICTURES!
6) Join Club SDL
7) Join the Mercedes Benz Club of America (MBCA.org) Go to your local chapter meetings and you will find a wealth of information about your car.


Everything I have said can be looked up on this site.

GOOD LUCK and again welcome to Club SDL

__________________
"I have no convictions ... I blow with the wind, and the prevailing wind happens to be from Vichy"

Current
Monika '74 450 SL
BrownHilda '79 280SL
FoxyCleopatra '99 Chevy Suburban
Scarlett 2014 Jeep Cherokee
Krystal 2004 Volvo S60
Gone
'74 Jeep CJ5
'97 Jeep ZJ Laredo
Rudolf ‘86 300SDL
Bruno '81 300SD
Fritzi '84 BMW
'92 Subaru
'96 Impala SS
'71 Buick GS conv
'67 GTO conv
'63 Corvair conv
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