There was a time I thought there might be a resurgence of interest in these old cars. We had some very active younger guys here restoring cars and getting them going to be drivers. There was an 18 year old in MA I think, but he's no longer on the forum, and there were a couple of other's too also gone. So, without any interest in the younger generation, my guess is these cars won't have much appeal, beyond the wagons.

__________________
1983 W123 300TD US spec Turbo engine, with Euro bumpers and manual climate control, and manual transmission.

This is the way it was just recently, but the kids have a attention span of a mayfly, that forsaken benz given to them by grandpa has been forsaken again, they don't NEED transpo or other stuff that co$ts,


except for the entertainment based BS,


The toy phone is the only thing they must have, and then the video games, and then the cable tv, . the fantasy football gambling, and the.........

I think at 21, I'm the youngest member that's active on the board. I've been on the forums since I was 14 and on MBWorld when I was 10. Now at my age working full time, I can finally buy as many as I want when work is good. The generation of my age is into Japanese tuners like worthless Civics from 1992. I beg to differ. A 80-90s MB diesel or gas has soul. And what does a Civic have? A 10" fart can.

Hopefully someone appreciates the cars one day besides who's on the forum here.

__________________
Only diesels in this driveway.
2005 E320 CDI 243k Black/Black
2008 Chevy 3500HD Duramax 340k
2004 Chevy 2500HD Duramax 220k

Welp, that makes the 2nd youngest active member at 22.

I've also been on a few car forums YEARS ago, Honda Tech, modded mustangs.
My generation, and specifically my area are into ****ty beaters for some reason. Literally both co-workers and his friend have beat down, rotting cars.


His friend had a 1994-1998 V6 mustang, the first thing I noticed was the pool of "Something" on the ground. It was coolant. As I got even closer I could feel the oven like heat radiating from it. I asked him "Did it over heat" He says "Naw it just came out".


I replied "you shoudn't drive it and you should tow it back" He literally said back "What you mean? There's still a lot left, I just put a whole bunch in"
I left it at that and walked away. This guy just lost a ton of coolant and thinks it ok? They abuse their cars by racing them, I overheard him talking about a turbo charger he "took off". I immediately knew it was bull sh**.
it's a long winded way of saying the younger generation does not want to give critical attention to keep their cars running right or at all.

I also get people my age who inherit their parent cars only to utterly destroy and neglect them.


I've never met a younger AUTHENTIC DIYer/Gear Heads/Grease Monkeys outside of rural people in Virgina. The urban younger generation simply doesn't care.

I'll keep the torch going as long as I can.

__________________
1998 Ford Escort ZX2 5 speed - 279,000 miles My Daily

1992 Mercedes 300D 2.5 202,000 - Pure junk
2000 Mercedes E320 Black - 136,000 miles - Needs repair

Don't forget to grease the screw and threads on the spring compressor.

I miss my w126,and would trade my w140 with 85,000 miles in a heart beat.

__________________
1999 w140, quit voting to old, and to old to fight, a god damned veteran

Funny thing I actually want a W140 S500 SEL, because I hear they're engineered much better.

Why do you want to trade it?

__________________
1998 Ford Escort ZX2 5 speed - 279,000 miles My Daily

1992 Mercedes 300D 2.5 202,000 - Pure junk
2000 Mercedes E320 Black - 136,000 miles - Needs repair

Don't forget to grease the screw and threads on the spring compressor.

I drive a 90 350 SDL with 198,000 miles . It avg 25mpg.city/hwy I doubt there has ever been a safer vehicle produced. It accomodates any driver or passenger of any size. I try to think of anything close for transportation?
I agree DIY is a must. The mechanics around here require you wait 1 month and leave the car for 2 weeks. But it seems the real good Mercedes diesel are gone or are not for sale.

__________________
1990 350 SDL
Currently: 180,000 miles
Factory rebuilt bottom end rods, bearings and head gasket @ 75,000 in 1997

The used market is pretty stagnant in Orange County CA. I watch Craigslist and the cars seem a little expensive (like W126 SDs like mine for $3k). They don't move. I think locally the enthusiasts see it isn't a "deal" because clearcoat failure, rotten Tex, bad AC ("just needs a recharge"), can mean thousands.

The new car biz is doing well now. I see a lot of people driving new econo cars brand new off the lot.

I was with a parts manufacturer Memorial Day and he said revenue is way down because repairs are down and new car sales and leases are up. I don't think people want to mess with an old diesel.

Let's see, I have prolly $7k of parts in my car. All my work. If I wanted "my money back" I'd need over $15k for my car...which is ridiculous. I don't see cars on Craigslist for that price often, but again how many 1982 SDs for sale on CL have fresh window seals, new AC pods, new Tex, good paint, ice cold AC, a one year old Sun Valley tranny etc. I'll never be able to get back to this spot.

My money is gone. Time to drive the car into the ground and enjoy it. I've enjoyed fixing it. I prefer working on my car than going to the movies. I guess that makes me a nut job.

Come to think of it $7k over seven years of use isn't bad. And now the car is a rock. Till it breaks again.

__________________
79 300TD “Old Smokey” AKA “The Mistake” (SOLD)
82 240D stick shift 335k miles (SOLD)
82 300SD 300k miles
85 300D Turbodiesel 170k miles

I like diesel engine better,the w126 is made better.They used hollow metal in suspesion parts in the w140.I don't like all the computers too.

__________________
1999 w140, quit voting to old, and to old to fight, a god damned veteran

Hopefully so. It's really interesting to see the reactions people have to my SDL. It definitely turns heads. You just don't see a big-body W126, and certainly not a diesel. I've lost track of how many times I've been asked if I'm running a Cummins. "No, it's a Mercedes. Philistine...."

I will say that despite their complexity and questionable over-engineering in places, both of my 80s Mercedes have been remarkably reliable. Neither one has left me stranded, even with severe mechanical problems. The SL breaks down a lot, but I attribute that to being 34 years old, being worked on previously by people that shouldn't have, and spending lots of time sitting. They really don't seem to appreciate that.

The only way to keep a hobby/skill alive is by knowledge transfer. The older experienced guys have to be willing to pass on their knowledge base to the younger guys. It's up to the younger guys to build their own knowledge base and pass it on down as they get older. Without the transfer of knowledge, the hobby/skill will die.

Unfortunately much of our newer generation (mine is guilty of it too [the Thirty-Somethings]) are a bunch of sissies that don't know how to change a tire, much less adjust a valve train. The thought of getting their hands dirty sends them screaming to the day spa for a protein pack and then shopping for new "skinny jeans" or "beard butter". What a world we live in...

__________________
Current stable:
1995 E320 149K (Nancy)
1983 500SL 120K (SLoL)

Black Sheep:
1985 524TD 167K (TotalDumpster™)

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

The suspension does sound problematic.

Also, you just reminded me why I got the mu 300SDL, it's majority mechanical in nature.

I remeber in autotech class I hated working on newer cars because of the trouble codes. Chasing down those trouble codes can be a nightmare and a lot of them are false alarms or seemingly tripped for no reason. Computer controlled EVERYTHING really does raise the price if that componet fails.

Also don't get me started with plastic crammed engine bays.
I see where you are coming from.

People in my generation think i'm nuts for owning this car, but $ per $ it's as nice as it gets.

__________________
1998 Ford Escort ZX2 5 speed - 279,000 miles My Daily

1992 Mercedes 300D 2.5 202,000 - Pure junk
2000 Mercedes E320 Black - 136,000 miles - Needs repair

Don't forget to grease the screw and threads on the spring compressor.

Oh, come on. These old Benzes may be tanks, but there have been a ton of technological advancements in automotive safety in the 27 years since yours was built. I'd bet a brand-new Ford Focus (I used to own a 2012) is more crash-worthy than your SDL. That's not intended as an insult, but with advancements in manufacturing and computer-aided design, build quality and safety have increased exponentially across the board.



That's a very good point. When I was growing up in the 80s and 90s, it was totally normal for people to drive used cars. Not just high-schoolers, but college kids and younger adults, even with young kids. I don't think my mom bought a "new" car until I was in junior high!


I mean, obviously folks are still driving used cars, but I feel like there's a much higher proportion of new cars in the mix, and people are buying them younger. I think part of that is the industry, with cars getting cheaper and also manufacturers marketing more to specific demographic groups, and also general increased prosperity.

__________________

I was a young member when I first joined this forum. I've owned vintage cars since I was 13 but wasn't at all good with repairing them until I was into my 20s, due to not having money or education, so my repairs mostly consisted of taking things apart and then putting them back together again (often incorrectly) hoping that by magic simply the action of working on the part would cause it to repair itself.

When I did have money, I took my cars in to shops to have repaired and quickly learned that NO ONE is excited to work on old cars (ESPECIALLY if it's a Mercedes) and they'll still charge you $80 labor to replace spark plugs even though it's only a 5 minute job on a vintage car. I was once charged $800 labor to install a new master cylinder in a 1955 Pontiac when I could have bought one for $35 on eBay and installed it myself.

The point is that with vintage vehicles, it's very difficult to find a shop that is both competent and willing to do the repairs. There is also such a large difference in quality between parts brands, of which the buyer needs to be aware. These cars are at the age to where they will need a lot of repairs for a period of time--after which they become rock-solid reliable cars. But it becomes costly to have someone do all these repairs and people can't justify it when "newer must be better".

These cars are best suited for someone who is willing and able to repair them themselves, unless they have plenty of money. But, this requires time and skill. These days jobs demand so much overtime that no one has time anymore.

I'd be happy to get a car that's within 5 years old, because then for a relatively low monthly payment, I could have a vehicle that (in theory) needs no repairs for many years. The problem with this is that in my personal opinion, all recently-made cars look absolutely ugly. I dislike the design, all the plastic, and all the gadgets. They are too complex and I don't like the way they drive. After renting cars for long trips (due to my car having no air conditioning), I always look forward to going back to driving my 300SD because it's so much more comfortable and has more predictable handling and more passing power.

I've never owned a car newer than my 1980 300SD, and I don't plan to. I completely disagree with the styling, flimsiness, and complication of new cars. I have no desire to own one, and would rather keep repairing my old cars. I'm all for sturdiness and simplicity. If Mercedes reissued the W116, fintails, etc., then I would consider buying one.

I get that people don't want to spend money each month repairing an old vehicle, plus their time, when they could be spending that money on a car payment on a vehicle they (in theory) don't have to repair (I say in theory because I hear many new car owners having problems with lights not working, transmissions going out, and having other major issues). But, buying a near mint or restored vintage car usually costs only a fraction of the price of a new comparable model, so it's still cheaper, and a lot more fun.

I guess what I'm saying that I am not at all happy with what car companies have had to offer in recent decades. None of it interests me at all. Then again, I feel that way about pretty much everything. If you walked into my bedroom, you would think you stepped back in to the 1940s.

I have noticed that a lot of young people today have no interest in cars. They want to be driven places. Those that do have cars seem to only want Hondas or Toyotas. In contrast, I also see a lot of older people that buy up all the cheap cars and hoard them. Then when they go to sell them, they want unrealistically high prices for cars that have been rotting for decades.

The trend these days seems more and more toward buying new cars rather than repairing even fairly new ones. But I think a large part of that is how much more difficult and expensive new cars are to fix, so it ends up being less expensive to just trade it on a newer one. I think that a lot of people these days don't know how to take care of their cars. I see SO MANY cars 5 years old or newer that are totally battered, are missing hoods, doors, bumpers, etc., have lights that are out, squeaking brakes, squealing belts, while blowing a trail of smoke behind them.

People are very amazed that my 300SD is the only working car I have, and can't believe it when I drive it out of state. They say that they have put $50,000 into their 1980s Chevy truck (weekend project) and wouldn't even trust it to drive a hundred miles (I love the speeches about how you can't daily drive vintage vehicles because "they overheat and weren't meant to drive as fast as traffic goes today".)

I think it comes down to people's perceptions. They think that older cars aren't reliable for everyday use. They think that old cars are only cool if they are coupes or convertibles or have lots of horsepower. With Mercedes, they often think that newer is better.

The thing the vintage diesel Mercedes had going for them was the low cost of running them on waste vegetable oil and low cost of maintenance back when fuel prices were climbing and people feared that soon gasoline would be unaffordable. But, I think the diesel Mercedes fad has passed and now the ones that still want them are the ones that truly appreciate them for everything they are and not just being able to run on free fuel and almost no maintenance. I'd personally rather spend more money on a vintage Mercedes than I would on a new car of any make.

__________________
Stop paying for animal enslavement, cruelty, and slaughter. Save your health and the planet. Go vegan! I did 18 years ago. https://challenge22.com/

DON'T MESS WITH MY MERCEDES!


1967 W110 Universal Wagon, Euro, Turbo Diesel, Tail Fins, 4 Speed Manual Column Shift, A/C
1980 W116 300SD Turbo Diesel, DB479 Walnut Brown, Sunroof, Highly Optioned, 350,000+ Miles

I'm in agreement that the demand for the older diesel Mercedes is down due to the WVO craze passing and the fuel prices being down. I'm not seeing as many cars with the 617 engines for sale, but it could be partially due to that the supply seems to go in cycles.


I have seen some real bargains out there, like the 85 300d for $350 that I couldn't get to as I was heading on vacation! Also came across a clean 82 TD for less than a grand that ran rough and had tranny issues, but the body and interior were in pretty good shape for the age.


I also am in the crowd that does not like computers or fancy electronics in cars, and hope to be driving a car with a 617 engine (or 616) till my driving days are up. I am very satisfied with this vintage and model of cars. Continued availability of parts is my concern. I'm hoping to have the time to go through the cars I have to bring them up to a reasonable maintenance standard while I can and while parts are cheap.


If fuel prices go up again, I expect the prices of the vintage diesels to go up also. With the continued attrition of supply, if there is another demand bubble in the future, there will be far less cars available to meet the demand.


I was in Homer Alaska at the end of the Homer spit this week, and my wife spotted the attached 300TD in the parking lot (she has learned well!). Looked like a local car. I didn't expect to see one of these in Alaska, especially in a end of the road location like Homer.


Regards,


W.

Attached Thumbnails

 

That may have been a site members car. We do have a member living there. I suspect this is also a scarce car in Alaska because of the really cold weather. Plus resulting start issues if used year round. Gelled fuel etc. could be too common. Rolling out of bed there on a winters morning at minus 40. Even with a block heater the engine is not going to like it. When you get that far north though usually there are many places to leave block heaters plugged in.