Carl

My experience with an 1987 300sdl was much like yours. I think 87 was a bad year. Maybe its like someone mentioned, lexus started to kill MB on price in the mid 80s, so maybe MB reacted by slashing the parts cost...and hoping the quality image would carry them through.

Joe

I have 290,000 on my 300D 2.5 Turbo and replaced just about everything. Not kidding. Tranny, and fuel injector pump. You name it, its been done, only exception is engine replacement, I did have a valve job though.

Larry,

My car has been driven hard but it has also been pampered with oil changes. And, interesting thing is that most of the little things that failed were early in the life of the car and much of them under the pre-owned warranty. I've spent plenty of money out of my pocket (and the list of repairs was a brain dump; the real list is much more extensive)on top of what MBNA shelled out to cover its preowned warranty. The car had 41k when I bought it; hardly broken in. I suppose I got the car that Drunk Otto was in charge of on Monday morning after a particularly obscene Oktoberfest!

Wlll I buy another Benz? Yes, if only to have the wonderful seats and chassis for high speed cruising; I like them better than my 911 (old motorcycle accident makes the 911 rather uncomfortable after two hours in the saddle).

And, I am sure there are plenty of rice burners with their share of problems. It is just that I have never had a problem with any of mine; experience counts for a lot. I could've bought a couple of brand new Civics for the cost of owning this car.

Regards,

Carl

My former 190D(iesel) --> 2,0 litre 4-cylinder had driven 600.000km (375.000 miles) without any serious mechanical problem and my current C250D(iesel) --> 2,5 litre 5-cylinder has driven 365.000km (228.000 miles) so far and is getting very annoying as far as the electrical controlled fuel-injection-pump is concerned.
I am considering changing this electrical controlled pump for a complete mechanical controlled W124 250D pump...

greetingz,

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1990 300SL-24
1993 C250D with a minor 600+k kilometer
www.MBenzNL.com(the Netherlands)

My new C has 2000 miles on it! Something in the back is starting to rattle already, though . . .

My '86 535i has 120,000 miles on it. The trans was replaced at around 40,000 miles because it was defective. But, it runs basically like a new car. I plan on keeping it a long time. My wife wonders if it will outlast our new C . . .

My '78 911 has 115,000 miles on it. The trans was rebuilt at around 95,000. If you drove it, you'd think it was a one or 2 year old car!

The 914 2.0 that I just sold had around 230,000 miles on it. It went on the original engine and trans for over 200,000 miles, and still ran well (I had the engine and trans rebuilt as part of its restoration).

Here's what the odometers currently read on my cars...

'67 250SE Cabriolet: 14,000 (original)
'77 450SL: 168,000
'79 450SEL 6.9: 179,000
'80 300SD: 196,000 (officially retired into storage)
'83 300D: 288,000
'85 380SE: 114,000
'89 420SEL: 102,000
'93 300E 2.8: 73,000
'74 Jensen Interceptor Mk.III: 44,000
'81 DeLorean DMC-12: 27,000

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Regards,
Aaron

When I bought it, my 1970 220 (W115) had 93,700 miles on it. The speedometer cable was broken so I don't know the _real_ mileage. Not only that, the odometer itself was broken. I took it apart to fix it, so now it has whatever miles I _put_ on it. :p

However, the engine sounds great, and will sound even better when I replace that horrible tailpipe!

Skrunch.

Wow, so does this mean we have the highest mileage/still on the road here car?
1980 300SD turbo diesel, 530000 miles, used engine and trans have 250000 miles (1979 parts car, original, installed at 325000), they were changed as a unit due to oil leaks on the engine and low power from a stand still, three accidents $4000 each (not our fault), one body job $2500, car looks great, drivers seat is ratty but otherwise still a great car...owned it since 1986 and 70000 miles, previous original owner was a doctor who had the dealer service it.
My dad will probably die before this car is retired, he absolutely refuses to sell it or give it to me.
We use synthetic oil since 200000 miles first engine, 150000 on second, and change the oil every 10000 miles, filter every 5000. Seems to work fine for us. 95% highway driving, two colds starts a day only, winter climate for 5 months. It has zero oil consumption, gets 30 mpg on the daily grind and capable of 40+mpg if you obey the speed limit. It starts down to 0F without a block heater, a big plus for synthetic! I have not done one unusual repair yet to this car, only maintanace items and common plagues for the 116 body (heater servo and motor). Transmission has fluid changed every 40000 miles or so, regular oil.
Problems with car, bad vibration at idle, yet to play with rack damper bolt stuff, otherwise great!

On the other end of the scale. Have an 94 420E with 69k and a 89 560SEC that just turned 68k today. Parents have a 82 300CD and a 83 300D with about 190K on each. Have a 80 Vette with around 150k but the ONLY original part is the dashboard.

1995 E300d--128,000 still smells,runs,looks like new.
The car is somehow on its third flex disc, but the only things that seem to fail regularly are the O-rings in the fuel supply system.
1987 300tdt--178,000 bought it with a blown engine due to the previous driver's inattentiveness. Had to re-do most stuff on the car because it sat so long in the Texas heat,
bu most of the work was in cleaning and minor repairs. Amazingly the car still has the full leather interior and carpeting which came completely clean after having sat with
about 5 quarts of coca-cola dumped in it by exuberant children a long time ago.

My 86 300SDL has 296k on it. Bought it at 129k. Not any really bad problems, except hitting a deer in 1996...$8k damage. Got a new paint job from it. It is for sale...in the Midwest.

My 87 300SDL has 48k on it, bought it at 45.8k. Not any problems yet, except a few items to be replaced upon buying it, such as a light switch, etc.

My wife's rice rocket -- 91 Toyota Previa has 225k, bought it at 53k. Two repairs - oxygen sensor and cable on sun roof. Incredible.

But, my ride is much smoother and far more comfortable than the rick rocket. However, the other Toyota minivan was almost as good.

I feel like a youngster here as my 79' 300SD only has 141,000 miles on her. Car runs like a top and gets plenty of looks with her Maple Yellow skin. Zero Rust Mississippi car. Some cracks in the dash from the intense south heat. I have a replacement dash that I pulled out of a parts car (was a bear to get out)!! Ultra reliable car that would easily take me to the west coast and back with no issues. Nice daily summer driver.....I think I'll keep her!!

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Mark

1979 300SD southern survivor (Old Yeller) 151K
1967 Cougar XR7 CA car (Precious) 88K
1967 Pontiac LeMans TX car (08' resto project) 72K
1995 F350 Powerstroke Dually from TX 139K
1996 Honda Accord (the winter beater) 134K
1994 Fleetwood Wilderness 30' fifth wheel

Holy thread revival, Wagonmaster!

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1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k
1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k
1980 240D Stick China 188k
2001 CLK55 AMG 101k
2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!!

222k miles on the car and the neighborhood of 350k miles on the engine.

My 86 190D has 394k on it, when it becomes my only car I should hit 400k by the end of the year. have owned it for 6months and had to replace a few front end items as it was in a mild wreck, so it has only been driven 70mi around town to make sure it's all good and ready for inspection with no leaks and ready to hit the road no snags... knock on that dang wood.

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I am not a post whore, I am a car enthusiast.
86 190D 420k and counting