I'm sure this has been covered before in other threads but I can't seem to find the magic words for the search function to unlock the knowledge on the forum. So I will ask a question that I'm sure has been asked a 100 if not a 1000 times before.

Going to look at an 87 W124 diesel soon and I wanted to know of any areas that I should give particular attention to.

He has told me that it has 260,000 miles but that it drives and runs as it should (I'm sure that means a lot of different things to a lot of different people). He said the AC will need some work also. That's all so far and I figured it couldn't hurt to go take a look.

Thanks in advance for any knowledge your willing to share.

Look for the W124 Buying guide.

But things to look for

Rust.

Vac pumps

Head Casting if your into that sort of thing

Fluid leaks

how the trans shifts

this post has a lot more info with it. things to look at
1992 300D Turbo Diesel Recommendation

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hum.....
1987 300TD 311,000M Stolen. Presumed destroyed

Most of the buyer's guide is here -

1992 300D Turbo Diesel Recommendation

Sixto
87 300D

Don't pay too much attention to the mileage on the odometer. They break really easy so not many of them are actual miles. They are not hard to fix either I hear so dont let that scare you away.

As with any car purchase - if it sounds like a midget is hitting the side of the engine block with a hammer - you will need a new engine.

Loud engines (not exhaust) usually mean some parts are due for replacement. Primarily injectors etc. These are not hard or expensive to replace if you do them yourself, but can be very costly if you have a dealer do the work.

Check for rust - In your neck of the woods you dont get too much salt onthe roads in the winter - so the car should be solid. BUT MB saw fit to install drains in a lot of locations to carry away water when needed. If one of these drains gets plugged with debris (tree leaves, extra ammo when chasing deer or any thing that can naturally fall into one) then they will dump lots of water inside the dar and onto the floor. Its usually very simple to fix. Just clean the drains. But the water on the floor and other places often starts a rust problem. Look for rust.

On one of these MB's you want to see no rust around the jack points along the bottom, It is a common place to rust.

The other things to look for are maintenance records - or at least have them tell you what work has been done. THis can give you an idea of what hasn't been done and may be needed in the near future. For example if they flushed the radiator. Thats good - but be wary of water pump leaks after that happens. Its common.

Finally- look for what you want. These cars came with a ton of different options. Find a good one and it will treat you well for a long time.

This car in good condition is a wonderful vehicle. In poor condition it can be a money pit. A professional inspection is recommended.

Climate Control
The climate control system can be expensive to repair. It is a complex system that is hard to judge when looking at a car for the first time, especially if you don't have a lot of time and haven't previously owned this model. Ask the seller what he means specifically by "needs work."
Like the W123 models, the W124s use vacuum pods to open and close the "doors" that direct air this way and that. The pods are not terribly expensive but replacement of some requires removal of the dash, which is a time consuming job. It is DIY-able but expensive to have done by a shop because of the time involved. The heater core and the A/C evaporator also require dash removal. One expensive item is the compressor, about $300-400. Use these items as bargaining chips with the seller.

Sunroof
Repair of the sunroof can be terribly expensive and few owners attempt it themselves. Even many mechanics no longer know how to repair this first version of the slide/tilt sunroof.

Engine Mounts
The front engine mounts are hydraulic and generally fail after 100,000 miles or so. They are not difficult to replace yourself and not terribly expensive to have replaced by a shop. Failure of the mounts causes the engine to sit too low, causes vibration and noise, and can damage other things.

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"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970

Thanks for all the responses and the buying guide link.

From the pictures, it doesn't look like it has a sunroof. I wouldn't mind that a bit from what I have read about fixing them. Admittedly, the angle is such that I can't tell definitively that it doesn't.

Is checking blowby in the engine as simple as it is on the 617? Do you check it same way?

Sunroof is standard.

Blowby is hard to check in a 603, the valve-cover usually has a slight vacuum in it.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

Ahh, well I guess that answers the question about the sunroof. I'll be looking at the car tomorrow afternoon.

I was planning on having ppi done if the car passed my inspection. We have a Mercedes dealership in town. Would that be the best place to have it done? Or would a mechanic who specializes in Mercedes be just as good?

Standard or a no-cost option like it was in the W126?

-J

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1991 350SDL. 230,000 miles (new motor @ 150,000). Blown head gasket

Tesla Model 3. 205,000 miles. Been to 48 states!
Past: A fleet of VW TDIs.... including a V10,a Dieselgate Passat, and 2 ECOdiesels.
2014 Cadillac ELR
2013 Fiat 500E.

If you have or know of an independent mechanic that you trust & he/she has YEARS if experience servicing MBZ vehicles, then I would recommend an indy over the dealership. On the other hand, if the stealership has an old diesel hand under its employ, it may be better to go with the dealer. The point here is to go with whichever one has the most experience with these vehicles - and that's not always the dealer...

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1987 300DT
2002 Ford F-250 7.3 Crew Cab Short Bed

Technically a no-charge option (like metallic paint), but IIRC it was on 100% of the MBUSA cars, ... so I hardly classify it as an option.

The car could be special-ordered without, but I'm not aware of any in the US, perhaps this is the one.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

Well, it did have a sunroof so one question answered. Overall, the car drove okay. There was a clunk in the rear suspension but didn't seem to be coming from the transmission. The AC also has an unknown issue. The engine seemed strong when I drove it. The exterior looked good overall but the interior left a lot to be desired.

He told me that he had bought it off of Ebay. Apparently, the seller was a bit optimistic in his description of the vehicle. He said at this point he is just trying to get rid of it and cut his losses.

I'm passing on it but if anyone is interested, here's the link to the ad:

http://littlerock.craigslist.org/cto/2328670164.html

love the color, but thats that.

__________________
hum.....
1987 300TD 311,000M Stolen. Presumed destroyed