Who can explain these designations properly? Why do the part stores list parts for a 300dt versus a td. When is a wagon a "tdt"? Thanks!

Because parts stores can't read the badge on the back. Right Jimmy?

Usually when dt is written it refers to a sedan with a turbo (incorrect, but that is still what they mean). When tdt is written is refers to a wagon with a turbo (again incorrect). If they just have td, you have to assume it is a wagon.

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2009 ML320 Bluetec
1985 300CD
1981 300TD

Past Mercedes
1979 300TD
1982 300TD
2000 E320 4Matic Wagon
1998 E430
1984 300SD
1980 300SD

Yeah, td is "touring diesel". A number of parts stores will use tdt, the second "t" being turbo, because early models didn't have a turbo. But from 81 on they (wagons) all had turbos, so it's just td, usually.

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83 SD

84 CD

I like using the Rogue T because it denotes the awesome Turbo under the hood.

I also love the sound of a turbo charger in a truck spooling up.

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-Typos courtesy of my mobile phone.

TD is a wagon, all US wagons 81 and on are turbos, and sometimes refered to as TDT, prior to 81 all TD's were Normally Asperated(NA or Non turbo)
D is a sedan, all US sedans are turbo from 82 on and sometimes called DT, or mistakenly a TD, prior to 82 all the D's were NA.

The purists will tell you that using a T after the D on any of the diesels is a misuse of a T. The badges on the trunks never had a T after the D.

We wagon owners wear out T proudly and we tend to get a little snippy when other try to take the T away or use in improperly.

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LOL Bio! Good times...

All of the comments above are correct, but just remember that if you go to buy parts over the counter, the wagon is designated as a 300TDT in their computer systems almost every time, in my experience. That's the only time that I call my wagon a TDT.

Of course, if you're not impatient like me, you can always buy from reputable internet dealers that know the difference.

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84 300td (Yes, a wagon)
"The Golden Dragon"
195k, 2nd owner
Lives in Redmond, WA

Agreed, but on the trunk of the car the they did have a T of sorts.

300D_______Diesel
300D_______TurboDiesel
300TD______TurboDiesel

or on the W124
300D_______Turbo
300D_______2.5Turbo

That's correct.

My E300TD has a T and a D on the trunk lid. It has no D immediately behind the 300 - why would it, it's not a non-turbo engine. Just the E300. It certainly isn't a TDT, and since I have the MSO having bought the car new - the MSO from Germany reads; E300TD - well, I'm not going to argue with my German ancestors. Since E300TD is what it is.

*The TDT designation is for wagons - that's it.

E300TD is the shorthand version. The proper name of your car is E300 Turbodiesel. Skid_Row_Joe vs. Skid_Row_Joseph.... Josiah.... Josephine whatever. On your form do they put a space in between there (E300 TD)?

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1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k
1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k
1980 240D Stick China 188k
2001 CLK55 AMG 101k
2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!!

all good responses -thank you!

im out and about.....

i'll check tonight when i get home...... i dont recall a space

one thing i do recall.......it is absolutely not e300d or e300dt.....that's a certainty

Mercedes never designated whether a 123 model was turbo or not in the number and letter system. Whether it was a turbo was designated by the existence of TurboDiesel on the trunk or hatch badge.
Plebes are unaware of this and often advertise 123 diesel sedans as TD's.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

BHAMM!

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This is the most frustrating thing to see, especially on CL or ebay when searching for wagon parts, or wagons for that matter.

I generally find myself asking the ad poster who has 300 TD parts "Does it have a 3rd row?", or "How much do you want for the cargo cover?", or my personal favorite, "Describe the condition of the cross bars". Ninety nine percent of the time the response is "car is a sedan"; and 100% of that time the seller thinks I'm the fool based on his tone...

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1982 240 D, 308,000 - 321,127 miles (sold)
1982 300 TD,166,500 - 226,000 miles
1998 E 320, 120,000 - 144,000 miles
2005 C 230 K, 26,000 - 77,000 miles (sold)

OUCH!
that's a good point.
My 83 SD also had this badge in the glove box, and it does indeed say 300SD T
which blows my mind, because, allSD's are turboed...

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!