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View Poll Results: Harder to Maintain Gas vs. Diesel
Gasser 35 94.59%
Diesel 2 5.41%
Voters: 37. You may not vote on this poll

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  #1  
Old 05-17-2010, 09:05 AM
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Gasser VS Diesel: Maintenence Difficulty Level

I am becoming an obsessive enthusiast and really want to buy a 450SLC, but if i do i must give up the 300tdt wagon that i already own pictured below.

Which is harder, more technical, and expensive to maintain? 300tdt or a 450slc? Gasser or Diesel. I know that diesels will last longer, but the car i am looking at has 50k on it. parts seem to be comparable.

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  #2  
Old 05-17-2010, 09:10 AM
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Gasser's are money pitts.
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  #3  
Old 05-17-2010, 09:20 AM
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well, you have spark plugs, spark plug wires, Distributer cap, and rotor button. all needing replacement between 30 and 100K depending on design.
coils, ignition controls, be it points, or induction pickup, crank trigger, computer contorller etc.
then there's the fuel management. map sensor, maf sensor, oxygen sensor, injectors themselves, if any of these fail, tracking them down is a problem.
the motors themselves are similar, and the longevity when maintained seem similar to other MB motors.
but the maintenance is higher on a gasser.
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  #4  
Old 05-17-2010, 09:26 AM
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lol, so this is just another one of my stupid questions that i already knew the answer to.
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  #5  
Old 05-17-2010, 09:35 AM
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You're asking this on a diesel subforum, what do you honestly think the answer will be?
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  #6  
Old 05-17-2010, 09:38 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by markho View Post
I am becoming an obsessive enthusiast and really want to buy a 450SLC, but if i do i must give up the 300tdt wagon that i already own pictured below.

Which is harder, more technical, and expensive to maintain? 300tdt or a 450slc? Gasser or Diesel. I know that diesels will last longer, but the car i am looking at has 50k on it. parts seem to be comparable.
I know the V8 models are popular with some, but the main reason I got into Mercedes diesels a few years ago is their far better fuel economy, even compared to the 6-cylinder Mercedes gassers I've had.
And I've worked on a few 450SLs (essentially the same as an SLC from the dash forward) and underhood space is very tight for routine maintenance.
You didn't say what year SLC, but the early electromic FI system tends to be more trouble-prone than Mercedes mechanical diesel injection. And again, reports of V8 gas mileage in the low teens are typical. Personally, I'd look for one of the grey-market '80s 280SLs with the factory 5-speed. There's a few of them around.
I wouldn't get an SLC unless I could hang on to the wagon, at least for awhile. Then decide which one to give up.

Happy Motoring, Mark
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  #7  
Old 05-17-2010, 10:03 AM
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Personal perspective question. I grew up with diesels and understand them better.
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  #8  
Old 05-17-2010, 10:33 AM
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X2 on the gasser money pit, And you already are familuar with Diesels...
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  #9  
Old 05-17-2010, 03:20 PM
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aw crikey, I clicked diesel by accident, my bad guys.

Gassers wear out faster and have more parts than diesels. Chassis should be similar, obviously. Gassers are for fun, diesels are for work.
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  #10  
Old 05-17-2010, 03:30 PM
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I would say the inline gasser engines are just as easy to keep going. The V6-V8s give more headaches.

Nothing is ever going to compare to the simplicity of a 616-617 though.

If you're shopping for a V8 aim for the ones that have already had the heads gone through. Otherwise you'll be fine.
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  #11  
Old 05-17-2010, 03:35 PM
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It's not only the extra maintenance costs, but your 300TDT has LOTS more cargo space that the tiny 450... The first time you have to haul a desk, or a Christmas tree, or even a couple of buddies, you'll be moaning and sighing about your good old 300TDT.
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  #12  
Old 05-17-2010, 05:08 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cirrusman View Post
It's not only the extra maintenance costs, but your 300TDT has LOTS more cargo space that the tiny 450... The first time you have to haul a desk, or a Christmas tree, or even a couple of buddies, you'll be moaning and sighing about your good old 300TDT.
did my wife put you up to this post!!! damn you conscience!! The family minivan will take care of all that. My issue is carrying my surfboards Theres no way im putting a rack on one of these.
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  #13  
Old 05-17-2010, 05:09 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TylerH860 View Post
I would say the inline gasser engines are just as easy to keep going. The V6-V8s give more headaches.

Nothing is ever going to compare to the simplicity of a 616-617 though.

If you're shopping for a V8 aim for the ones that have already had the heads gone through. Otherwise you'll be fine.
this particular car only has 50k on it. Should i still be worried?
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  #14  
Old 05-17-2010, 05:40 PM
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I bought my 84 500 sec with 80K miles when it was 18 years old for $8,000. I owned it for at least four years and put 60K miles on it with nearly 40K of that in one year when I had a family member in the hospital in Indianapolis. In that time I would have to say it was cheaper to maintain or equal to a 616 617 diesel excpet for fuel which it use a lot of. 12 around town and 17 to 19 highway.

I sold it for 5K IIRC. That is some pretty cheap driving (except for the fuel).

It was a pleasure to drive and look at though!
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  #15  
Old 05-17-2010, 05:43 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oldsinner111 View Post
Gasser's are money pitts.
Precisely...

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