83 240d with standard transmission

[ajb]

Hi Folks, the car saga continues.......... I've located a 83 240d with 4 spd standard, pw, sunroof, with 180,000 kilometres ( 110,000 miles). Origional owner hasn't seen the snow since 1989, regular service at "euro garage". Owner is asking $3500 Can (about $2000 Amer.)

Although I was looking for a 300d, the thought of having a standard trans. & 1 less cylinder to work on (as suggested by Larry Bible) seems inticing. The car is about a 4 hour drive away and I'm not sure if I should make the trek?

Once again looking for some direction!?


Aivars from PEI

I'll go one beyond what Bill said. I would rather have a manual transmission 240D than TWO turbo 300D's. That's just me.

Good luck,

[franklyspeaking]

I have a 1982 240D with standard transmission and I like it a lot. It is not quick off the line, but I used to have a VW bug, and the performance is very similar. I really wanted a 300D, but I settled on this one, because it was in good condition. I just got finished removing and reinstalling the engine to correct a timing chain problem, and I was glad it was not a 300D, because the extra room in the engine compartment made the job much easier. I look at ads and ebay regularly and have not seen another 240D of this vintage with a lower price. Most are asking $2500 to 3000 USD (probably most go for less). I've got a copy of the original sticker for my car, which has one option (power windows), and the original price was $22,500 USD.

So I think it is a fair price, and if it is in good shape it should go a few more 100k. Mine has 225k and still uses very little oil (1 qt/2000 miles), it is simple to work on and this forum has helped me solve any problem that I couldn't figure out.

Good luck!

[ajb]

Hey!, it sounds like I might have (hopefully) found the right car.

Is there anything specific I should be looking at when I check out this car?

Are there any clutch or transmission related issues?

Just have to get my spouse on side..........

Aivars

There are not any serious big dollar achilles heel type problems with these cars. The key is condition. If the car has had very frequent oil changes, starts easy when cold(make sure it's not warm when you test start it) and uses no oil, then the rest of it is doing normal used car evaluation.

Good luck,

[JimSmith]

ajb,

I have had a 1975 and now a 1982 manual transmission equipped 240D. In each one the original clutch lining lasted until some other mechanical problem (part of the spring mechanism in the '75 broke due to chatter from leaking Mobil 1 oil past the rear crank seal and on to the clutch, while the ring gear failed on the '82) made access to change the parts at over 180,000 miles. Neither clutch plate was worn more than half way, but I replaced them because 90% of the trouble was getting to them and I did not want to do it again.

The transmissions were/are rock solid. No problems with either the 220D, or the two 240D's, and I routinely change the oil every two and a half to three years. I use Redline transmission oils for manual transmissions now, and used Mobil 1 products before that.

I have changed the clutch hydraulic components in each car due to leaks that most likely developed because I never drained and refilled the fluid in the lines. By the way, the clutch in my 1986 190E 2.3-16 is original and has 206,000 miles on it now, and the same goes for the transmission. It has also had the clutch hydraulic elements replaced after 200,000 miles.

Overall I think the M-B hydraulic clutch actuation allows a superior, more robust clutch to be used without making the driving experience build the left leg muscles to twice the volume of the right leg's. The original change to this system was to serve the taxi cab market, and it has been adopted, like any technical feature that adds value and performance on an M-B, to suit the entire product line. The transmission robustness is also likely traceable to its industrial/commercial design roots.

On an aside, while I enjoy the added control the manual shift affords, I have yet to actually experience some unusual extra pleasure from the act of shifting from one gear to another that others have noted with certain other auto makes. These drivers often note the M-B manual transmissions lack that certain feel to provide the extra pleasure. I have driven a numbe of autos with manuals, and trucks too. Porsches, BMWs, Alfa Romeos, Fiats, Hondas, Peugeots, Toyotas, Nissans (Datsuns) and a Lancia (really a Fiat when I drove it) and have noted differences, some being vague (Peugeot column shifter takes the cake there) and others being light and quick (tie between Honda and Fiat), but none stroked a particular pleasure node just by shifting. If I had to pick a favorite based on feel I would likely pick the 1967 Fiat 124 Sport Spyder transmission. But that transmission was rebuilt due to weak synchros and lost gears twice in 120,000 miles. So I, personally, will gladly give up the quickness and lightness of the sporty shift mechanisms/tranmissions for the robustness of the M-B units.

Back to your question, the manual transmission is the way the car (240D) was designed to be built and driven, and the two are matched much better than the car with an automatic or a 300D with an automatic. The 300D turbodiesel is the only one of the line designed from the ground up to work with an automatic only, and I would suggest even that choice is a little less than optimum. A manual in that car would have been a great choice, had it been available.

Go for the 240D with a manual if the car is really as you have been told. As another said, fixing a clutch if it was really abused and is shot at that mileage will not cost you an arm or a leg. Hope this helped, Jim

I've located a euro 300D non turbo 4 speed i'm drooling all over.. but the thing that sucks is, I've never driven a manual trans. car before in my life!

[ajb]

Thanks a lot for all of your insights!! I guess you've all kind of peer pressured me into looking at this car.

I clarified a few pts with owner's daughter yesterday and it "sounds" like the right car for me. Her dad even has a file of maintenance records to give to the new owner. Best of all I even have my spouse on side - she especially likes the idea of the standard transmission.

Can it get any better than this? Hopefully, I can see the car this weekend. I'll keep you posted.

Aivars

[janko]

i purchased a manaul transmission 240d (79) for my fifteen year old. his first car so to speak. rational: so slow by the time he gets it up to speed he will be there; it stinks; no one will want to ride with him. so far he has shown no interest in driving 'old stinky'. i smile as i write this. the best $1000 i have ever spent. it has it quirks, but then so do i. good luck. hope you enjoy this item as much as i enjoy stinky.

[michael rybikowsky]

This one sounds like a winner.

[CarolinaMBZ]

Get the 240. Mine is more "fun" to drive than the 300e and the lack of HP is not really a problem with the stick. Only downside is extended high speed (relative for 68 hp (80mph)) due to noise from motor at high rpm.

Good luck and enjoy.

p.s. keep an eye on hydraulic fluid level for brake/clutch reservoir as older 240's often leak in clutch components as noted before. (If the level drops too low, you can't move clutch to engage gears without bleed and refill)

turbodiesel,

If you're not going to buy the 300D manual, where is it and how much?

Have a great day,

It was on ebay, but the seller ended the auction early..

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=600916098