Quoted prices as above are unbelievable, in either dollars or sterling. You may be able to find something that will fit, new or used, on eBay or from some similar source. The other option is a radiator hose heater as previously mentioned.

DieselGiant has a radiator hose heater install guide here. It is for a 1985 300D-T (W123/OM617) but the procedure should be the same for pretty much any car.

Radiator hose heaters tend to use more power than true block heaters (600 Watts vs. 400 Watts) and to be less efficient but they do work. About 4 hours is enough to warm your cold engine. Put the heater on a timer so it turns on in the wee hours and has the car warm when you're ready to leave for work.

An additional advantage is that you have almost instantaneous heat from the climate control system.

Jeremy

__________________

"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