I used my topsider to pull the oil from my 1999 E300Turbo-diesel. Put in the Moble1 15W50 and replaced the filter. As I was pulling the dirty oil from the topsider and putting in the old jugs the hose jumped out of the jugs and got on the car, engine bay, garage floor, me, and my garage door facing. I just discovered that Simple Green doesn't break down the synthetic oil like it does dino oil!

I almost did this job in my good clothes but thought better of it. I'm glad I did. Ernie in Louisville.

Why not just drain it in a pan and pour it in the jugs? It's worked well that way for over 100 years and you save the cost of the gadget.

With the topsider you don't have to get under the car. This is a big deal to some people.

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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.

The problem with not getting under the car is that you are missing a scheduled opportunity to check everything underneath. For me an oil change is more than an oil change it is also the opportunity to shake and pull on things and look around to see what might be falling off or leaking, so that you can repair little problems before they become big problems.

Not getting under the car for a look see on a regular basis is NOT good preventive maintenance.

x2!!!

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RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

91 W124 300D Turbo replaced, Pressure W/G actuator installed. 210K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

I feel for you having to clean up used oil. clean oil is bad enough, but used diesel oil always leave that black reminder some where.
you can do the same job time after time, and then that one time, nothing goes right.

a top sider is good on some of the low slung models that are hard to get under. I use a couple 2x8`s if the vehicle is too low, just high enough to get
the drain pan under. then let it drain for a couple hours.

when I slide under the car my wife thinks Iam really doing something. like catching a few ZZZZZ`s

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

Couldn't have said it better.

Wow theres alot more smiley's here than on BenzWorld

We don't take ourselves too seriously here.

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77' 300D, "Cartman" SOLD @ 150K (didn't know what I had)
83' 300SD, "The Superdon" 325k+ @ 28mpg
95 E320 wagon, "Millennium Falcon" 231k+ @ 24 Mpg
95 E300D, "Sherley" 308k @ 33.69 Mpg, currently anticipating a head
99 Suzuki Intruder "Trudy" @ 45 mpg

The Topsider was great for me when I lived in a place with a "No Vehicle Maintenance" rule. I was able to check the oil without question but had I gotten out the ramps to drain the oil (need clearance under a c280) it would have put an end to me doing it at home.

Besides, I could (and did) still take a look underneath periodically, certainly with a better eye for something being out of place or failing than the average wrench-turner at the quick-lube places.

-Tad

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1995 G320
2003 C230 Kompressor Coupe
2005 ML500
2007 ML350

My 12 qt oil pan fits under the car w/o lifting it and has a nice 10" dia hole on top so I rarely "miss" or spill anything.

Why are you using 15/50wt oil? Pretty heavy unless you take a daily 100mph drive through death valley in the summer.

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Terry Allison
N. Calif. & Boca Chica, Panama

09' E320 Bluetec 77k (USA)
09' Hyundai Santa Fe Diesel 48k (S.A.)

I suck the oil out, put in new, then check the underside I don't like the mess pulling the plug creates.

-J

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1991 350SDL. 230,000 miles (new motor @ 150,000). Blown head gasket

Tesla Model 3. 205,000 miles. Been to 48 states!
Past: A fleet of VW TDIs.... including a V10,a Dieselgate Passat, and 2 ECOdiesels.
2014 Cadillac ELR
2013 Fiat 500E.

This is a periodic topic of debate here. The point of using a Topsider or similar device for me is to make changing the oil - which happens to be a regular item, and usually twice during the winter months - when you don't have a garage a simple, easy task. There are relatively few regular maintenance tasks on a W210 TurboDiesel as important as changing the oil regularly. Removing any obstacles to getting the job done on time in my book is worth the cost of the device.

Additionally, with the sound proofing/aerodynamic panels on the bottom of the car - that don't actually have to be removed to change the oil the old fashioned way the view from under the car is very limited. These things are a pain to get back on, and when the threaded inserts begin to pop out of the recesses they get to be a real pain in behind to take of and put back on.

I use Mobil Delvac 1, 5W40. This stuff washes off without any trouble with regular soap and water. In the old days of my 1971 220D and 1974 240D I used to get at least one arm covered in black that lasted until it wore off - no soap, not even Lava stuff or any hand cleaner got that stuff out of your pores. Delvac 1 is completely different.

Larry, a long time ago, convinced me the most important thing was changing oil hot, and changing it often. I still think that is the highest priority, and if using a Topsider makes that reality, go for it.

Jim

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Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)

My Mercedes shop puts that in all Mercedes requiring synthetic. I'd prefer a 15W40 but I couldn't find the diesel rated oil in 5 of my local Walmarts. I wanted to buy the oil in large jugs, too. Ernie in Louisville.

I understand and totally support those who believe draining oil from under the car is an ideal opportunity for an underside inspection and I have forty years of experience in so doing. When I drove GM iron, the filter had to come off from underneath anyway so there was no excuse not to "get out and get under." (And it was impossible to remove the oil filter from my 1989 Olds 88 without making a mess--a frame member guaranteed a spill of some size.)

OTOH, having been converted to Mercedes, with oil filter access from above, and having picked up an inexpensive oil sucker from Harbor Freight last year, I find that the convenience of not having to raise the car, remove the belly pan, get on the creeper, etc., etc., is wonderful. I still do an occasional check of the underneath as part of an over-all inspection of the car, once or twice a year.

Jeremy

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"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970