http://www.kiplinger.com/features/archives/10-cars-that-refuse-to-die.html

In a Kiplinger article today, Mercedes 300D and 300TD are listed as one of 10 cars that refuse to die. Only they got it wrong in that they think it has an inline 6 cylinder diesel engine.

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85 300D 75K Anthracite Grey 0-60 in 13 seconds **For Sale**
84 300D 333K Black (The Velveteen Rabbit) 0-60 in 14 seconds
00 Toyota Sienna 208K (Sold)
15 Subaru Outback 43K
11 Subaru Outback 67K
98 Ford Taurus 100K (Gertie - Was Grandma's - drove it to church and shopping - really) Daughter's car now.
30 Model A Ford 2 Door Sedan (Sold) 0-60 in . . . Never reached 60

Inline-six?

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Current Mercedes
1979 maple yellow 240D 4-speed

Gone and fondly remembered:
1980 orient red 240D 4-speed

Gone and NOT fondly remembered:
1982 Chna Blue 300TD

Other car in the stable:
2013 VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI / 6-speed MT

Gosh, what about 240's ?? What are we, the step children to be hidden away when company comes? If I'm not mistaken it was a 240D that that Greek Taxi driver drove almost three million miles wasn't it? Well, wasn't it? Hmmmm? 300D indeed...

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You're a daisy if you do.
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84 Euro 240D 4spd. 220.5k sold
04 Honda Element AWD
1985 F150 XLT 4x4, 351W with 270k miles, hay hauler
1997 Suzuki Sidekick 4x4
1993 Toyota 4wd Pickup 226K and counting

I wish I could get a copy of the 2006'ish road n track 100 best cars of the 20th century the 300d was #1

I agree 240"s don't get enough credit! Plus I've broken my Euro in and I can say she's as fast as a 300D turbo if not quicker on the acceleration.. I can actually keep up with traffic quiet easily.... though I can't say I would pass a 300D up If I found the right one haha

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1983 Euro 240D 277K
2016 Mazda 6
Coming Soon, 2013 Mercedes E350 Bluetec
Formers:
2012- Mazda 3
2007 Outlander- complete pile
1995 E300 Diesel 208K
2007 VW Passat 2.0T 63K SOLD
2003 Jaguar X-type 3.0 Sport Sold 04/11 w/88K
2009 Lexus RX350 9061 miles. Sold 04/09
2008 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS:Totaled Sept.,09 @ 24,000
2003 Infiniti I35 58K Sold
1984 300 turbo diesel 222K

You think?

In 1986-87 they were absolutely correct. They just put the wrong year with the wrong engine. Both 300D and 300TD in the late 80s had inline 6 603s.

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~Michael S.~
Past cars:

1986 300SDL
1987 300SDL
1982 240D
1982 300SD


Current:

1987 300SDL

Sorry, but somehow I doubt they were referring to the 60x engine.

Well, mines an inline 6-cyl. (300TD) - says so on the MSRP and Statement of Origin from Germany.

Bought it new, so I know.

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'06 E320 CDI
'17 Corvette Stingray Vert

I just read the article and it now says inline-5.

Yup, that's more like it.

Well... if they're good journalists... they got their hands on one of every car they wrote about just so they could see with their own eyes how good it was.

Printing time came, it was the last minute, and the 240D hadn't had time to get back from its test drive yet so they couldn't include it

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~Michael S.~
Past cars:

1986 300SDL
1987 300SDL
1982 240D
1982 300SD


Current:

1987 300SDL

Yep. I left a comment for them and they took my advice. They printed my comment at the bottom of their article, made the correction, and left my wording about it being an inline-5 out. I am glad to see they corrected their article.

Now I'll just wait for my royalty check to come in for giving them a diesel consultation.

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85 300D 75K Anthracite Grey 0-60 in 13 seconds **For Sale**
84 300D 333K Black (The Velveteen Rabbit) 0-60 in 14 seconds
00 Toyota Sienna 208K (Sold)
15 Subaru Outback 43K
11 Subaru Outback 67K
98 Ford Taurus 100K (Gertie - Was Grandma's - drove it to church and shopping - really) Daughter's car now.
30 Model A Ford 2 Door Sedan (Sold) 0-60 in . . . Never reached 60

One of yjr Kiplingers is a MB owner. He's a MBCA GWS Section member and has a Gullwing. It wouldn't surprise me if he had a W123 at one point and personally suggested it for the list.

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'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

If you mean the one in the museum, it's Portuguese...it's a W124 but still if it's a 123 or 124 diesel it's the standard for longevity in engineering.

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1987 300D (230,000 mi on a #14 head-watching the temp gauge and keeping the ghost in the machine)
Raleigh NC - Home of deep fried sushi!