I'm not taking a trip IN the Mercedes but I'm going to pick one up for my friend! Does that count? From Grand Rapids area to Manchester, Tennesee to pick up an '8? 300SD and drag it back home with my '84 Ford F-250. ( hey at least it's a diesel!) I also have another buddy bringing another one TO me from the D.C area during the Holidays :~)

O.K., maybe my other question should be whether anyone has rebuilt their seats and whether it was worth the trouble. My seat bottom is still firm, but there is absolutely NO lower back support. And I'm comparing this seat to the one in my Saab 900 (great seats, especially when you consider the heating element), the seat in my '89 Camry (don't laugh until you've sat in one, they are unbelievably comfortable), and the seats in my brother's '94 Acura Legend.

Most of these japanese cars have adjustable lumbar support, and I've found that to be really important in aligning my back so I don't slouch in the chair. This is what ultimately gives me back pain. Also, those BMW seats I was refering to had an adjustable lower seat cushion which extended out and supported your legs. I have long legs and the 300d's seats are just too short to support my legs.

I'm still not sure whether the seats were originally uncomfortable (for someone with my frame), or if my seats are just worn out. I've sat in other MB cars and I think my seats are actually in pretty good shape comparatively speaking.

Thanks for the replies.

Greg
'84 300D

Doing 2500 miles in my '79 300 SD and some more in my '85 300 D. It is worth rebuilding the seats. Not cheap. The uphostery holds up so well they look like new, but the support is lost. I do a lot of long distance in these cars and the only thing more comfortable is the seat in my '65 Ford pickup (also rebuilt). The seats in the older cars seem to have been built like stuffed furniture (springs, padding, etc). I rent new cars on occasion for long, fast trips just to save wear and tear on the old stuff. With the exception of one Buick, none of the newer cars have matched the comfort of my old cars. In all honesty, though, it may be related the shape of my old hind end.

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Dan Stadt
'85 300D turbo
'79 300SD
'73 220D

The springs do get soggy and the horsehair padding dies and filters out the bottom of the seat.

I'd bet the padding is starting to go -- replacement is about $295 I think (maybe less, the $295 may be for both upper and lower pads), or you could get some good furniture foam and make a replacement. That would be softer, without sacrificing much of the essential firmness that I like so much.

The seats in the 300D are nearly new! Ditto for the 300TE, although the drivers is getting mushy, probably bad springs.

Peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

I made my long distance x-mas time road trip today to Tn and back (300 miles each way). Unfortunately, it was not in a Benz but a 240D engine was in the back on the return trip (I went in a Toyota truck - borrowed). I purchased the engine from a fellow mercedesshop member. I also got to take a look at his manual tranny 240D with a 300D engine. In discussing it with himit seems that the "biggest" modification was taking the 3 or so inches out of the driveshaft to allow the tranny to be moved back to allow room for the longer 5 cylinder. The mounting holes for the relocated tranny were already in place. Really neat looking swap.

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Jim

300D turbo and a 4spd?

Does anyone know if my 265/75/16 studded winter tires off my Suburban will fit my MB Diesel so I can drive it on the ski trip?

I'm really not serious. I'm just don't want to leave the MB diesel at home and have to take the Chevy on such a long drive.

A 300D with a fourspeed was probably available in Europe, but no the US. The only thing necessary to make the coversion, other than the engine and tranny, is the front section of the drivshaft. I suppose you could find the factory part number and get one, at that!

Otherwise, its just a bolt-in proposition unless you have to fabricate the driveshaft. The tough part is that it is the front section, not the rear -- rear section is the same on all models. Probably easier to make the section than to get the driveshaft balbance, though! I've never found anyone who would do the one in the 220D after I replaced the center bearing!

Peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

It is Claude Jones (mercedesshop.com member) car. It is a US 240D that he has dropped an '86 5 cyl turbo diesel into. In talking with him yesterday he made it sound pretty easy. Ask Claude - I had my doubts until I saw it yesterday. Pretty impressive conversion that he has done a good job with.
Sorry for deviating from the thread topic but I am thankful that my long holiday travels are over with.

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Jim

Trip report:

2412 miles, averaged 30.5 or so mpg, no car trouble whatsoever. Didn't use any oil!

Did have the flu for the entire trip (bummer).

Made the run from Hollywood, Florida to Macon, Georgia in 8 hours (hehe) by getting up at 4 am -- didn't have any significant traffic until daylight (Fort Pierce or so), and only stopped once, for fuel, at Jennings, Florida, almost to the Georgia line.

Good trip!

Peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

Actually my family and I are away on "holiday" right know, we decided to drive the newly acquired TD. Granted we only drove 195 miles, but it was all highway. Since I ahve owned that car, the longest highway run it has had is about 10 miles. I wanted to see what kind of highway mileage I can get and how much oil she uses. Well I checked the oil and it doesn't appear she used any. As for mpg, just based on the trip odometer and the fuel gauge I am guessing maybe 30-31. Back home in NJ, in combination driving we were getting 28-29 mpg. For this trip we averaged 70 mph, which for anyone who has traveled on the NJ turnpike knows, is the slow lane.
People are commenting on seat pad replacements. I don't know where you're getting your prices, but Performance Rpoducts sells the lower seat pads for $40 or so. I am not a home so I can't look up the exact price, but it is definetly not in the hundreds.

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1999 MB SL500 (110,000 mi)
2004 Volvo V70 2.5T (220,000 mi)
2014 Tesla Model S 85 (136,000 mi)
MBCA member

Kinda funny, this thread. One of the reasons why I sold the '83 300D I used to have was because I thought the seats were awfully uncomfortable on long hauls. The other reason I sold it..The color. NO diesel should have been made available in Signal Red! Great color for an SL, awful color for a W123 diesel. I actually had two Signal Red 123s, the first was an '81 240D which I stripped down to bare metal and had refinished then sold, and of course then came the '83 300D. I think the W126 seats are good for long trips, we made Atlanta from Cincinnati in our 380SE in 6 hours flat (hauling a**) with maybe one or two stops for fuel along the way.

I do like the seats in my '70 280SE. Not as good as the W116 or W126 seats, but better than the W123 seats! I ordered a set of sheepskins for the 280SE, thinking it would make them perfect, but I didn't like the way they fit so I returned them. The other nice thing about the W108 is that it has the long armrests, but the down side is that the tops of the door sills are not wide enough for me to rest my elbow on! Otherwise, a great long distance hauler.

And I am looking forward to taking my 6.9 on the long awaited cross country trip to Seattle this summer! Can't beat a big block V8, hydropneumatic suspension and W116 seats all in one package!

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Regards,
Aaron

I've really enjoyed this thread, especially about the seats!

Yes, Saab makes great seats, and so does everyone now! well, except FORD maybe...

One thing I noticed about my 240D' s seats is that the bottom cushions spring unit has sagged toward the door, so that you sit at an angle, not square to the wheel. This really kills your back because you are twisting your spine all the time you are sitting there. If I keep the car, I shall have to replace the springs.

I don't think it would be too hard to fit Saab seats into a MB, there is certainly enough room! Or maybe Peugeot seats! Now you're talking pure comfort and support.

I was actually surprised at how comfy these MB's seats are.
Before I had driven one, the only experience I had was sitting in one breifly and thinking these seats aint gonna work!
But yea, they really do work well.
The thing that really amazed me, was the ride! Must be the Bilsteins!!!

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Ed
1981 300CD (Benzina)
1968 250 S (Gina) 266,000 miles!
1983 Alfa Romeo GTV6 (Guido)
1976 Jaguar XJS-saved a V-12 from the chevy curse, what a great engine!
1988 Cadillac Eldorado (better car than you might think!)
1988 Yamaha Venture (better than a Wing!)
1977 Suzuki GS750B
1976 Yamaha XS 650 (sold)
1991 Suzuki GSX1100G (Shafty Gixser)
1981 Yamaha VX920RH (Euro "Virago")
Solex Moped
1975 Dodge P/U camper


"Time spent in the company of a cat, a beer, and this forum, is not time wasted!"

Recently did ~1500mi on the E500 N Cal to S Cal and back while on vacation

Then, 3 weeks later did ~1500mi on the E320 Coupe N Cal to Baja, Mexico and back

No Problemo(s) and tons of motoring enjoyment
-fad

Are the 123 seats different from the 114/115 seats? I have 76 300D as daily driver; also 87 Cadillac and 90 Jaguar VDP---for a long trip I will take the Mercedes 300D---seats seem perfect.
Ken

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K. Weimer
300SD (1)
300D (5) [Plus 1 parts]
300SEL 4.5 (2)
280SE (4)
280 (2)
250 (1)
250SE (1)
240D (7) [Plus 1 parts]
220D (11) [Plus 3 parts]
200D (2) [Plus 1 parts]
180c (with sunroof)

1995 Nissan UD1800 rollback
"If I can't fix it, it don't get fixed"