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  #16  
Old 02-17-2003, 08:02 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Woolwich, Maine
Posts: 3,598
turnnel1,

Yes, I have been a good customer of the local dealer for more than twenty years, and bought my 350SD from them. I got all of what I paid for the engine rebuild back, plus the MB trade in "blue book" value I was offered alone by another dealer for a trade on a lesser 1998 E300D, which had a near identical sticker. So, some people at some dealerships will work with you. I get along very well with the local guys here, and if you want a number and a name just ask. Jim

__________________
Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)
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  #17  
Old 02-17-2003, 08:48 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 709
Thanks Jim

but my vehicle if fine and I probably will keep it for a long time..even if it becomes a second vehicle...due to the scope of work that has been done i think,for the most part,all of the issues have been addressed with the vehicle and if I bought something else I would be taking a chance..or at least not be as certain of what I was getting...but that is the case with any used car I guess


Warren
1992 300SD 160K
Columbus Ohio
Attached Thumbnails
diesel350?-1992-300sd.jpg  
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  #18  
Old 02-17-2003, 11:51 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Woolwich, Maine
Posts: 3,598
turnnel1,

Until the 350SD died, I had every intent to keep it until Mother Nature demanded it back to reestablish disorder where its designers and builders had created such phenomenal order. I loved the car, the engine performance and the interior which was wearing like stone. Once it died, I figured my best bet was to fix it, so I did, but I became pretty leary of the car. Within the next 8 months it started burning oil again, and when I quizzed the shop manager about what it was or could be, and why I should think it was not another bent rod, I just did not get the feeling the ordeal was over.

So, I took the route of buying a 1998 E300D TurboDiesel, using the 350SD as a trade. I am very pleased so far, except for the stories I have read about how hard it is to service the new engine (glow plugs, for instance). I have been lucky and other than the fuel injector return jumpers, which are much harder to change than on the old cars, and they don't give a good early warning when they go (the leakage fills the recess the injector sits in, then overflows and runs down the sides of the engine), all the other do it yourself jobs I have encountered are on par with the older cars.

If your car is sound, and it would seem yours is, I would keep it as the W140 is a really unique, luxurious ride that, when coupled with a Diesel engine, remains practical for regular use. With a gas engine I suspect a W140 might be less economical than my budget would allow.

I know I would not chance another experience with a 3.5 liter Diesel, but that is not necessarily the rule for everyone. There are likely good deals to be found if you know what you want and what you are looking for, as this engine really does make these cars hard to sell, even if they are good ones. In some cases it leaves the present owner with no option other than to keep the car, so the deals will be from used car lots.

Good luck with yours, Jim
__________________
Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)
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  #19  
Old 02-17-2003, 12:27 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 709
Jim,

Thanks for the insight..and it sounds like you may have made the right decision in your case.
You mentioned something about these cars being hard to sell..I have seen quite the opposite on these....the ones I have seen are either way expensive(and usually noted is some engine work by a dealer in their ad) or they are just giving them away..and you know they have problems even if they don't bother to mention it in the ad.
According to the MB Zone rep he has NEVER seen problems reoccur when the work was done at the dealer with updated parts...I have heard however some independents that have basically replaced parts with the same parts and problems that come back.
I am not sure really what the issue was with this engine initially..but one thing I know is there were an extreme amount of modification/updates on this engine.
The tech that did the work for me(mine was a complete rebuilt MB drop in longblock by the way) said that from what he could see it was a toatlly reworked/updated bottom end and attached was a brand new head of very different design than the one that came with the car initially.
I was fortunate enough to have this and many other repairs covered under warranty..as far as I was concered thay could replace all they wanted to(and they did for the most part) as long as there was no charges incurred by me

Warren
1992 300SD 160K
Columbus Ohio
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diesel350?-1992-300sd.jpg  
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  #20  
Old 02-17-2003, 03:16 PM
rickg's Avatar
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Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Utah!!
Posts: 4,494
Re: 3.5 TD

Quote:
Originally posted by Beech
My god. are we still theorizing what may be wrong with the 3.5 turbo diesel engine?
LOL! You can always tell someone new to the group
Just wait till we start another "best oil" thread!
BTW, welcome to the gang!
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past MB rides:
'68 220D
'68 220D(another one)
'67 230
'84 SD
Current rides:
'06 Lexus RX330
'93 Ford F-250
'96 Corvette
'99 Polaris 700 RMK sled
2011 Polaris Assault
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  #21  
Old 02-17-2003, 03:27 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 709
lol...I agree that whole deal is so full of speculation and rumor...and 95% of the speculotors have never owned one
which I always find entertaining

Warren
1992 300SD 160K
Columbus Ohio
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  #22  
Old 02-17-2003, 10:15 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 20
Wink not new to mercedes though

My My a little attempt at a put down here. Well I did do my time with a 92 300SD turbo VIN # WDBGB34E9NA036652 (for those of you who may find it on some used car lot, begging for a new owner) Nice seats and ride, but thats about all. I don't think it does any good at all for any owner of one of those infamous 3.5 cars to say how wonderful the new longblock is, or how nice the local dealer was in fixing their problem. The point for all those readers out there, who may be contemplating purchase of one of these cars, is don't do it. They are extremely problem prone. This thread started because the engine is junk. The nice dealer or zone rep has nothing to do with the point. You would never have to visit the dealer or rep. if the parent company had made a proper motor. By the way, I cut my teeth on 9 different VW, Audi and 123 Mercedes Diesels. I now own a 95 E300, and a 97 E300. They are fine cars. The 3.5's were not.
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  #23  
Old 02-17-2003, 11:40 PM
fahrgewehr
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I love the rod-bender threads...

...as I see this engine as a major blunder in MBZ history. There were other mistakes such as the single arm wiper, single row timing chains on the m116s, and the 116 climate controls, but this engine was appparently a disaster. No, I have not owned one but I would like to, if I could side-step all the trouble. Seems like it would have been the perfect engine for the 126 chassis. Mike
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  #24  
Old 02-18-2003, 12:38 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Woolwich, Maine
Posts: 3,598
Beech,

I can't disagree with your sentiments as for the first year after I went through the experience I was still irate about the whole thing, and the useless response from MB. However, I have moderated my responses on the site because I have learned that not all the engines of that designation were losers. And the owners of those cars get tired of hearing those of us who are unhappy about our experiences paint all the cars as losers with our broad brush of personal misery. Even though I find the fact that I was apparently singled out (well, maybe not singled out, but selected anyway since not all of them were bad) for this experience more irritating than if all of them were in fact bad, I have tried to accept that some people were lucky and got what seem like good engines and I did not, and to tone my posts down a little.

So, since you cannot count on a good one any more than winning a lottery, and getting a sympathetic response from a dealer that is worth more than a cup of coffee is even less probable, nearly every question on the site about a potential purchase ends up providing the appropriate message. However, those with the good fortune to have a 350SD, 350SDL or S350 that was not built with whatever the fatal flaw is that bends rods like to point out that probably more than half of these cars will perform normally. They also like to point out anything they have done that may have helped their engines escape the rod bending event. And anyone looking at one of these cars should have the benefit of the good and bad experiences, and any other suggestions that may help them.

By the way, I have not had any problems with any of the single wiper blade assemblies I own, and unfortunately that is not the case for the W115, W123 and W126 double wiper blade installations. So I would not put that design in the same league as the 3.5 liter Diesel engine.

Jim
__________________
Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)
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  #25  
Old 02-18-2003, 08:41 AM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Columbus Ohio
Posts: 709
Quote:
My My a little attempt at a put down here
Not at all meant as a put down....and without knowing what type of service history your car had I cannot comment on the problems that you had with your vehicle..because I am sure you will agree buying any vehicle is taking a chance...and buying ANY used vehicle is taking a bigger chance.
You can look through all the records you want to...but that doesn't tell you the whole story....you can do all that you will to cover yourself...but there is always a bit of mystery behind a used vehicle
As for my dealer, the new longblock and the MB zone rep...I was very satisfied with the work that was done(and continue to be).
I feel they have done everything they can to make the situation right.And were very receptive to changing something if I thought it was not.
My personal vehicle was a one owner car with full MB dealer service records...BUT
I don't know what happened to the car prior to my ownership..the way it was driven etc...hence the extended warranty was a must and FRANKLY I would not even attempt to purchase a 140, unless they were practically giving it away,without some sort of warranty to carry me through the first couple of years of ownership.
There are a lot more things that cost big money than the engine

Beech did you ever have any of the typical 140 problems with your vehicle?..did you buy your vehicle new....?..did you ever have thousands of dollars of AC work?....what about front end issues?..window regulators,closing assist..etc..etc

My point is..if you buy one...look for one where the engine work has been done by a dealer(and maybe possibly still under warranty)
I don't think anyone had problems a second time if the car was fixed with the updated parts
but then again ..I have seen them with 250K where the seller says never any problems..go figure
And the resale value of the cars doesn't seem to be hurt by this "stigma" as I have seen them go for thousands more than the 80's vintage cars

by the way
I saw mention of the single wiper arm...I personally never knew that was an issue...my 92 300D never had an issue with that..??


Warren
1992 300SD 160K
Columbus Ohio
Attached Thumbnails
diesel350?-1992-300sd.jpg  

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