Unlike many here, I am not wedded to diesels or M-B. I bought the 1985 300D in 2001 because two techs at my last company in Atlanta had M-B and swore by them and said they weren't expensive to maintain. Theirs might have been gas, but I associated M-B then w/ diesel cars. So why do I also have a 1984 300D? Because the engine in the 1985 failed at 330K miles and I bought it for its engine ($400 w/ "cracked frame"). The 1984 was actually a fairly simple fix so did that for a son in grad school, then found a used engine for the 1985 ($300, turned out like-new).

I agree that they are both quirky engines and cars. You can't rebuild the engines w/ all-new parts like you could fairly cheap with most U.S. engines, so must be resourceful (used pistons, ...). Who would pay $8500 for a rebuilt OM617.952 engine? The car itself is also quirky, especially the climate controls and vacuum door locks. I am kind of stuck with them now, like having to take care of a difficult adult family member who fails to launch. I wouldn't buy another. My other 5 vehicles are all Chryslers (3 1960's) and are much simpler and affordable to maintain. Amazingly, I can buy most parts for my 1960's cars much easier and cheaper than for my 1980's M-B cars.

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1984 & 1985 CA 300D's
1964 & 65 Mopar's - Valiant, Dart, Newport
1996 & 2002 Chrysler minivans

Other than the commality in the use of diesel fuel, I don't think that there's much in common with our 2005 and Up MB diesels. Esp. the 2014 and Up. Many lose heart because of the combined inability to sink ��s, into them in labor and parts. Aged cars are not going to be as reliable as our Millennial and Up MB diesels. What was so attractive to some at one time, has become an endless state of disrepair. That's why I moved on from my '99 E300 after 14-years. My situation is that my MB MUST be reliable as I gain my livelihood from the MB as necessary transportation. OTOH, many of these are simply hobby projects to many owners.




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If you're honestly passionate for and have a love for the Mercedes diesel, they can certainly be daily driven and there are definitely less practical vehicles you could be in love with.

If all you want is a practical transportation appliance, any Japanese or Korean 4 cylinder made in the last 20 years will suit you better. Better or equal MPG on cheaper fuel, less maintenance, less hassle. I bought my Subaru because in the 70k miles I've put on it, it's needed an ignition coil and maintenance and that's it.

I replaced the battery on my girlfriends '13 VW Beetle TDI a couple weeks ago. After doing so, the window wouldn't stay rolled up. Roll them up, they'd roll themselves back down three inches. WTF. We had to look up how to recalibrate the windows so that it would leave the windows all the way up, which luckily turned out to be easy. I'd been considering a VW Golf TDI manual up till then for my next daily driver, but after that incident, absolutely not. My car should have zero say in what the windows do, if I roll them up then the car needs to damned well leave them rolled up.

If I had it to do over again, my truck would be either older VW TDI powered, or Chevy V8 powered, but definitely wouldn't do a Mercedes diesel again.

I'd love one of the turbo 4 cylinders GM is putting in the new full size trucks. Less weight, four cylinder fuel economy when my foot is out of it but 310ft lbs on tap when needed? Yes please.

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617 swapped Toyota Pickup, 22-24 MPG, 50k miles on swap

I’ve never quite experienced as many issues as you have an I’ve owned quite a few om606s and countless diesels. If you were closer I’d guarantee I could helped to avoid those issues. You can’t look at a 20 year old car and expect it to not be negelcted and need work. No sense in giving up on a diesel.

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

Nothing in life is guaranteed. That said, diesel engines by design weigh a LOT more than their gasoline counterparts. In any head on collision, that weight works to your advantage.

I know of at least one head on collision involving a diesel versus gasoline in which the gasoline (honda) driver died at the scene whereas the diesel (ford F250) walked away.

That sounds fair....not!

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

It's really simple physics. In every accident scenario, the heavier machine wins. Having extra weight UP FRONT UNDER THE HOOD is ALWAYS to your advantage. A diesel engine by design weighs more than a gasoline engine.

to the victor go the spoils.

Well, I dunno. I went out to start my '81 300SD yesterday after about three weeks. Took almost half a second for it to fire up. Not driving it much these days but it is still 100% dependable. There is just no maintenance cost so I have no reason to get rid of it.

This is why there have been (and will continue to be) horrific high speed accidents involving Teslas. They remind me of all the deaths involving rear engine porsches. Nothing up front but hot air.

Hit something SOLID traveling north of 70 MPH in either a Tesla or a rear engine Porsche and believe me, you and your passengers are gonna feel it!

Diesel engines have always been known for reliability and low cost of operation. IMHO, they are hard to beat!

I find it amusing that a simple broken tool got you completely off an entire sublet of a brand of cars.

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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)

Yes it is. I think your example is poor. Try a VW diesel against a Full sized pick up. How is that going to end?
I still drive my MB240d to work or local. Drove it to work today. Its fairly simple. Took a bit of $$ to get it to what it is. Still, needs work. If you pick up something used, anything used, it can cost $$ to get it to reliable.

I still enjoy my 84 TD, and hope to still be driving a car with the turbo 617 engine when I finally lose my license due to age, if I don't expire before that!

The car is in decent shape, and I got it for a reasonable price. I knew I would have to put some money in it, and have done that, with more things still being needing to be addressed.

I am not a car nut per se, but this is a car I don't mind working on.

YMMV

regards,

W

Can completely retire but that only means working on what you want and not necessarily for pay. I think of it as "redirecting" my efforts.


We have a relatively new car 2015 Volvo V60. Everything works including air and I don't wrench on it. We take it on long trips. I don't love that car. It's comfortable, goes fast, gets decent mileage but...


I drive the 84SD or 78Zcar and say "I like driving this. It feels good". People stop and take pics of both cars - they used to have one or learned to drive on one or .....


I have a hard time choking down the routine service bills on the Volvo and will sell it when it becomes a problem or the warranty is up at 100,000 mi.

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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.

hm here is a self proclaimed expert on anything and everything, as far as I can tell he's certainly an expert on hot air .

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-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better