No problem with the Cummins as long as it doesn't have a muffler delete (you can hear them literally for miles). They just seem to be the redneck truck of choice here. And I mean real rednecks too, not the poser types. 6" lift, enormous tires, muffler delete (usually with a 12" stack through the bed), and chipped to roll coal. Microphallus not included.

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Current stable:
1995 E320 157K (Nancy)
1983 500SL 125K (SLoL)

Gone but not forgotten:
1986 300SDL (RIP)
1991 350SD
1991 560SEL
1990 560SEL
1986 500SEL Euro (Rusted to nothing at 47K!)

Gone and wanting to forget:
1985 524TD 167K (TotalDumpster™) [Definitely NOT a Benz]

First of all, X200 on the rust thing. Expensive to fix and even harder to keep it gone once it's started.

If I found a perfect 240D I'd do the conversion to put a 300D turbo on the engine - that OM616 really need some HP and the turbo is a big step in the right direction. Someone on here has done this and my last remaining memory cell is saying that they were offering a kit to fit the 5 cylinder intake on the 4 cylinder head. Then I'd get an injection pump from Dieselmeken in Sweden and a set of fresh injectors from Greazzer and drive the darn thing. I'm guessing you could get a realistic 140-150 HP out of that combo and it would be smooth, reliable, a peppy enough not to be a hazard in traffic.

The rest is fixable. These are, as noted, pretty simple cars that take a lot of abuse and are a comfortable driver.

Dan

There are some decent diesels out here, that said I'm not paying $2800 for a turbo diesel wagon with 349k on it. A lot of people over value their cars out here


https://portland.craigslist.org/clk/cto/5996559690.html
This is what I'm leaning toward because it's super clean


This is the wagon
https://portland.craigslist.org/wsc/cto/6017010267.html
Clean but a lot of miles

I think I'm going to go with the 240, less electrical to deal with and a newer engine. Plus there is not one rip or tear in the seat. I can always do a turbo on it later or 4 speed tranny

I love the superb simplicity, understated elegance, and the rugged reliability of the 240D The problem is that you only have to look at the speedometer to see they were designed for a time when the highway speed was 55 mph. They absolutely howl above this number and remind you that diesel engines are all about low end torque and not designed to run at the redline for hours at a time. You can help the situation by swapping a super rare 2.88 differential out of an 85 model 300 and it helps but, for an automatic, the takeoff would be excruciatingly slow. I have two 240D but both have OM617's with 5 speeds and 2.88 diffs.



I vote no on the 240D auto

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Well I went and looked and walked away from everything. I found rust and deeply abused engines. I think the worst one was the 300sd. Only one door would open and the owner told me it needed brakes, funny thing is he had no vacuum running to the booster and all the vac lines were not routed anywhere near the right way. It disgusted me to see such vehicular abuse and neglect. Anyway I'm still searching. If you see something decent in Oregon or southern Washington let me know. Thanks for the help everyone