The wife, who is a car snob, has always hated the look of the 300CD and won't get near the car. Ride in or drive, avoids like ugly shoes.

She keeps surprising me and taking the 240D out for runs. Just did it again today, a normal run to town that would be in her SLK or the Volt, she grabbed the keys to the 240.

Is there a 240 pheromone that attracts the ladies? The siren song of a euro market beater?

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Eric, CPO, Submarines, retired.
Here's a sig line...
Mine: '68 Corvette LS1/4L65E, 83 240D, 2000 GMC 4x4, 08 FLSTC Anniv
Hers: '72 Corvette 454/4spd, '99 MB SLK, '93 Metro vert, 78 240D, '92 Silverado, '65 Fjord Rustang, '59 Fjord Fairlane, '17 Slingshot.

Yes

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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

Not to disparage your wife...

But I think she likes it slow.

Conway Twitty - Slow Hand - YouTube

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'85 300TD "Puff The Magic Wagon" - Rolling Resto
'19 Mazda CX-9 Signature - Wife's sled
'21 Morgan 3-Wheeler P101 Edition
'95 E300d - SOLD
'84 300TD "Brown Betty" - Miss this one
'81 240D "China Baby" - Farm grocery getter

When I see woman run nude (good looking woman)up to these cars, I will believe it then.
But until then I will keep referring to my w123 as the Rosie odonnel of the auto world. LOL

Might be looking at it wrong...perhaps the w123 isn't a female at all but instead the graying older male still showing strength and wisdom? The promise of security and comfort lie within that heavy steel frame? Slow but utterly reliable four speed manual transmission coupled to a powertrain with a long hard stroke?

Hmm...too little coffee this morning.

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Eric, CPO, Submarines, retired.
Here's a sig line...
Mine: '68 Corvette LS1/4L65E, 83 240D, 2000 GMC 4x4, 08 FLSTC Anniv
Hers: '72 Corvette 454/4spd, '99 MB SLK, '93 Metro vert, 78 240D, '92 Silverado, '65 Fjord Rustang, '59 Fjord Fairlane, '17 Slingshot.

It has the same type of charm as a Porshe farm tractor in my opinion. A plebian 240D is something simple, utilitarian, functional, and reliable. it is celebrated for these factors, not for accessories or complexity.

At the same time the company that produced these simple cars is internationally known for complexity, engineering, gadgetry, and generally catering to the wealthy market.

Yet here is this thing that has none of those unnecessary features, but all of the engineering expertise that can build those gadgets focused instead on building something that has turned out to be close to indestructible. Because they are so old now too, means that they can be had for cheap outside of the wealthy market. I was given mine as an example, and here it is still going closing on 400k

Thats why I like it at least. I like driving something that was built to last, and where I can appreciate the engineering decisions of the design as I maintain it. Often cars have you scratching your head at tradeoffs, I rarely do that with a 240.

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This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

You are lucky, when my car was an automatic, the wife owned it for years before we met. The tranny finally gave up and I made it a 4-speed. She wants nothing to do with it now, something about being directly connected with how little HP the car actually has.

before she could just depress the throttle and the automatic would manage everything and ultimately it would get up to speed. Once the 4-speed was in there, she has to manage that angry hamster, and she did not enjoy the experience.

Ive made it worse now by combining that with manual steering which I love, but the wife cannot drive the car anymore

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This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

I would suggest that women are drawn to these cars not from initial contact or impression, but over time as they drive them and come to really appreciate the feeling of security that driving something built like a bank vault with wheels provides.

Used to see that with Volvo 240 series, and a w123 is miles easier to look at than one of those.**

**: with apologies in advance to Diesel911 for that

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Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

My wife actually says 'what a nice car' about jumping into the 'new to me' 1995 E300D that I just bought - her car is a 2011 Audi A4 wagon. The Audi is a nice car but those 18" tires make for a tough ride as a daily ride. I personally have never driven a 240D but I bet it feels pretty clsoe to the E300D

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dtf
1994 E320 Wagon (Died @ 308,669 miles)
1995 E300 Diesel (228,000)
1999 E300 Turbodiesel ( died @ 255,000)
2006 Toyota Tundra SR5 AC 4X4 (115,000 miles) rusted frame - sold to chop shop
2011 Audi A4 Avant (165,000 miles) Seized engine - donated to Salvation Army
BMW 330 xi 6 speed manual (175,034 miles)
2014 E350 4Matic Wagon 128,000 miles
2018 Dodge Ram 21,000 miles

Well, my last few 'Dad cars' were feature-laden cool cars. Not extreme, just nice cars. SWMBO hated being seen in them. She thought they were too flashy and showy (we are talking Sebring Convertibles and Volvo C-70's - not sportscars.)

So when I told her I was choosing between an MGB and a Mercedes for my next toy, the eyeroll was audible.

The appeal of both cars (to me) was simplicity and uniqueness.

When she saw the 240D, I was surprised at her reaction. She loved this little slug. I don't even have it plated yet, and both SWMBO and the teen daughter are chomping at the bit to get it on the road. Both are asking to learn to drive stick so they can take it out. I am utterly confused. I think I've lost my Dad car before its even hit the road.

I'll have to get another one.

Your wife probably takes the 240 to save her car from door dings and other skirmishes in a parking lot or a fender bender. better to sacrifice yours than hers.

Then maybe secretly she is thinking the 240 is like you......









Charlie

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there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works

Of course they are sexy. If women do not notice you are driving one of these it is a lost cause. If they would be seen dead riding in one is another story.

All kidding aside the 240 is somewhat unique in todays world. Plus as hard as I try I see no other car that is even close today to what it is. Or has been for years.

There is no chance at all of any other manufacturer producing anything like what they are today. I actually see them as the first 123s likely to reach collector status. If at that time if they will seem sexier as well is still an unknown.

Fortunately in my life women have never seemed to care what I drove and drive. If it just happens to be a tractor in a cars disguise so be it. It just gives them another chance to humour me as well.

I know that when I see a woman driving a 240D (either W123 or W115) my heart goes pitter patter a little bit. Actually, any W115, W116 or W123 diesel with a woman (of my appropriate age bracket) in it driving gets me seriously intrigued.

Driving an old Benz says something about the person who is driving it. They either drive it out of necessity under protest or more often than not, appreciate the utilitarian yet thoughtful luxury and durability of the Benz. You see a person putting up with the lack of horsepower and quick acceleration in exchange for a unique and very durable car and you may have found a keeper.

Now to go out and find that woman for myself...

Phil Forrest

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1972 220D "Trudy," named by a friend.

"The 220D sounds good... I suspect it is the only car that you need a calendar for, rather than a stopwatch, when doing acceleration tests."
Tom Abrahamsson

She's having an affair with an old gray haired geezer and he likes the car.

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Chris Brown
"OC", So-Cal
1979 240D, 122K, 4spd, Colorado Biege w/Tobacco, Pwr Roof, AC, Cruise, Becker Corona - SOLD
Past Benzos: 71 250 • 83 240D • 84 190E • 04 C240 • 11 GLK350 • 13 c250 Coupe
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...ine=1276896801

You must have the slowest W124 E300D on earth..

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2012 BMW X5 (Beef + Granite suspension model)

1995 E300D - The original humming machine (consumed by Flood 2017)
2000 E320 - The evolution (consumed by flood 2017)