Thinking about an SD
 

My dad was recently in a car accident with his car, and we think it might be viewed as "totaled" by the at-fault party's insurance company. Needless to say, I've already found a potentially better car. Any SD owners out there wanna vouch for their cars to reaffirm my decision on a W126 SD?

I've got a 116 SD for sale:)

w126 SDs are awesome, I may be a bit biased though :D...what car are you replacing? Going from say, a nice powerful and modern gasser to an old diesel is quite a change

What he said. As impressive as the older Mercedes are in terms of being great tanks, the engineering in new cars is really something in terms of their general comfort and feel. And quietness :rolleyes:

They aren't for everyone. When I got my first Mercedes, a 1979 300sd, I took a step back from a Volvo 740 Turbo. It wasn't a huge step, apart from the steering.

Now, almost 20 years later, I'm preparing to step out of an '05 Magnum into two w123 diesels.

Man oh man, it's a big step this time. It takes a little while to regain my bearings, when I drive the 300td (non turbo). Going from 245 hp back to about 100-ish is an awfully cold bath.

That's why I keep a 400E around :cool:

I prefer the 300SDL, since I currently own and use both. The extra leg room and cargo room in the back, as well as a slightly higher opinion of the six-cylinder engine (personal opinion) make that an easy transition to my mind. Several 2nd generation refinements were in my mind significant.

a W126 vs something newer
 

This is a real toughie to answer. I have a 300SD which I love, but newer vehicles are starting to look a lot more attractive to me these days. If you must get a Benz, newer 300D's of later body styles (late 80's to early 90's) are starting to show up with quite reasonable prices and these cars are quieter, more powerful etc etc.

There are some pretty decent newer vehicles around now that out perform an old SD in fuel economy and many other aspects as well.

Do you view the car as a hobby or as a means of transport? Suggest you need to think that through carefully.

True, I haven't driven an SDL but I remember the first time I drove a w124 300TD. Getting back into the w116 afterwards was a huge letdown....

Ya like a Cavalier :eek:

Now, now, let's not overstate the case :D

An SDL will be like the starship Enterprise compared to an SD which is more like the Wright flyer. But you can find a nice SD for much cheaper than an SDL. And a $1000 SD is much more likely to be a decent old car compared to a $1000 SDL, which would be more like a basket case. Exceptions to every rule of course.

A lot of people dream about finding a minty, rust free SD. Be prepared for an SD to "sing" on the highway.

Just get an 85:)

3000RPMs puts me at ~73mph

I absolutely LOVE my 2 SDs. I dont drive them daily, but as my SDL is a current project car, it will be driven daily once I get the interior back together.

My daily driver is an 87 300TD and an 83 300TD. The W124 is a little more modern with more power and newer feel, but I love the W123 too. A good W126 will be quieter on the road than a W123 while not offering any better performance unless you get into a bigger V8. I am assuming you are shopping for a diesel, ie "no spark plugs". ;)

Your experience is going to be directly related to how nice a car you get upfront. Under 3-4K$ and its a coin toss. Above that there are some really nice examples. Also keep in mind that 5-8K gets you into a W210 which is a sweet car.

Best to shop carefully and search far and wide. Air fare and driving something home should be considered for the 'right' car. Think of it like an impromptu vacation and not an addition purchasing cost.

Let us know what you find.

Thanks for the input guys.

Quick update.

The SD I've found is a W126. It has the OM617, and only 78K original miles. Basically, I'm waiting to hear if the elderly lady who owns the car is ready to sell. Her husband passed away sometime ago and she's been looking to downsize to a car she feels she can manage better. Will post pictures if this pans out. I'm not worried about spending a little extra money for a lower mileage example. I know with mine, there were more things to fix immediately, and I think my father is looking for a car to get in and drive basically right away. He loves the feeling he gets from driving my 300D, and I think he wants to capture that in a bigger package.

Best damn car I have ever owned -mine rock solid at 356,000! The orig trans was finally replaced at 324,000! Beautiful style, handles great for a heavy car and I was just involved in a high speed rear ender -my car wasted the other car and I only had to replace bumper, radiator, grill all body metal was untouched! Radiator support bracket bent but can be pulled out easily. Very easy cars to worn on and the maintenance is a pleasure -buy one!