Those prices were crazy. There is only one possible senario: dealer prices and ignorance.

I've bought 8 of these mid 80's cars and haven't put $5k into all of them combined in the last 2.5 years.

As for calipers.....shop around a bit. $49 on rebuilds from an import car parts place (your choice between ATE & Bendix).

Hey, a $119 bill is my highest repair so far. [rebuilt alternator]

Don

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DAILY DRIVERS:
'84 300DT 298k (Aubrey's)
'99.5 Jetta TDI IV 251k (Julie's)
'97 Jetta TDI 127k (Amber's)
'97 Jetta TDI 186k (Matt's)
'96 Passat TDI 237k (Don's
'84 300D 211k Mint (Arne- Undergoing Greasecar Conversion)

SOLD:
'82 240D 229k (Matt's - Converted-300DT w/ 4 speed

Actually, caution would be well advized to somebody who doesnt maintain their own 20 yr. old Benz..... mechanics love to make suckers out of MB owners and poor mechanical work (done by 'pros') can lead to more and more problems. I nearly threw one guy, a BMW mechanic, through the window of his shop last Summer on the East Coast when he told me he had changed the oil in my manual tranny with 80-90 wgt gear oil (instead of ATF) after replacing the clutch disc and pressure plate which is beyond my ability without a lift.

With my own $500 '79 240D I've probably saved more than $2500 doing my own maintenance and repair...... stuff like freeing sticking brake calipres, diesel purging injectors and doing my own motor mounts and subframe bushings can equal $1200 brake job, $750 injector replacement and $350 suspension work to somebody who relies on hiring $60 per hour mechanic.

And many mechanics will NEVER rely on reviving or repairing existing components..... opting for complete replacement of trannies, calipres, injectors, etc instead. The mechanic at the shop where I bought tires in August asked about the brakes then cried like a baby when i told him I had freed the brake calipres, bled the system and installed new pads myself without replacing the calipres or rotors that were not scuffed or warped.

Refer to this thread:

Maintenance Cost - Let's Compare $/km (or Mile)

In my opinion, it is not cost efficient to own a vintage (W123, W124, W126) Mercedes diesel if you do not perform maintenance and repair work on it yourself.

If you have to take these cars to the dealer or even an independent mechanic, its all over. You'll plow more into one than its worth.

That's why these cars are cult / enthusiast cars. If it were not for the Internet these cars would all be in the junkyard by now, or stored by people who have the unique knowledge to work on them.

The typical American is better off with a Saturn or Toyota.

Just an opinion - everyone's got one.

Ken300D

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1982 300D at 351K miles
1984 300SD at 217K miles
1987 300D at 370K miles

Previous threads are good information. I would never suggest to anyone who is not mechanically able or inclined to purchace any kind of 20+ year old car. You have to be carefull (frugal) when it comes to repairs. The MB's are a hobby for me (and I am learning about my hobby), sometime I luck out and find a part at a good price quickly and sometimes it takes months . I try to do as many repairs as capable, but sometimes have to use my Indy if it's a critical repair, and yes the wallet has to open further then.
The question that needs to be asked is why do you want the TD?

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BENZ THERE DONE THAThttp://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...c/progress.gif
15 VW Passat TDI
00 E420
98 E300 DT
97 E420 Donor Car - NEED PARTS? PM ME!
97 S500
97 E300D
86 Holden Jackaroo Turbo D
86 300SDL
(o\|/o)

You guys all saw the forest, but I tripped over one particular tree:

No MB wagon sold in the U.S. with a Diesel engine has rack and pinion steering. If this guy is a good mechanic, he should at least know the names of the parts and that the MB has a steering gear box, not a rack. If you buy a Mercedes, I suggest you don't have this friend work on it.

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Rick Miley
2014 Tesla Model S
2018 Tesla Model 3
2017 Nissan LEAF
Former MB: 99 E300, 86 190E 2.3, 87 300E, 80 240D, 82 204D Euro
Chain Elongation References

That dude is sooooooo busted!


ed:
This reminds me of a service receipt I found in Lilly right after we bought her. It was from a local Indy with a decent reputation for Benz diesel service.

The $110.53 charge was for 'adjusting' the injectors. Right.

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

Very TRUE! In my case however, I do my own MINOR maintenance and leave the MAJOR maintenance to the pro (due to the lack of time (learning and experimenting), proper workshop, special tools and specialty skills. IMHO the $$$ of maintaining these cars (if you have the MAJOR stuff fix by the pro) is not much more than most other import cars.

Suggestion: To save $$$, read this Forum and be a member of your local MB club. Some members are more than willing to help, I find.

http://www.mbca.org

Their magazine alone is worth the yearly dues. Very highly recommended.

__________________
Rick Miley
2014 Tesla Model S
2018 Tesla Model 3
2017 Nissan LEAF
Former MB: 99 E300, 86 190E 2.3, 87 300E, 80 240D, 82 204D Euro
Chain Elongation References

Before computers and the internet every kid from age 16 was workin on their own car all the time. There's no "unique knowledge" required and MB's are actually the easiest cars in the world for repairing and maintaining.

Try replacing the alternator on Toyota. I did this job on girlfriend's Celica and it was hilarious pulling out and throwing away ridiculous plastic baffles and junk that got in the way.

Today's mechanics are different from days gone by. There used to be independent MB specialists in every major town, often with their own stash of restorable parts cars and junkers in their backyard...... renegades from the dealership, eccentrics who loved their work and enjoyed operating their own business. You could sit and talk cars all day long with these fellows and they would not rip you off unless you walked in there fat, dumb and stupid - looking "rich" with your MB.

Basically, it just seems like the driving public knows less about cars today than ever before.... and who can blame them with gadgets, gimicks and tricky components in modern automobile engineering - hence, the door is now open for their hides to be skinned.

True enough 20-30 yr. old cars are dicey for anybody.... what makes old MB's better than any other is the largest 2nd hand parts network and resaleability of any make of car, mechanical simplicity and consistency over years and years producing the same models with the same weaknesses and strengths.

For my money, there is no finer car.... and I've been driving em all my life - never paid more than $1500 for any of them and my record for length of ownership spans up to 8 yrs for one fine 1973 twincam 280 that finally died of rust - it was an $800 car when i found it back in '86 and was clean enough to take high dollar clients to real estate development projects into the early '90s when the bottom fell out of housing construction.

This additional comment from the TDI mechanic;

"Dont get me wrong, it is a good car, but it is also an old car, with everything aging. mine is an `83 with 230,000 miles (~180k when I bought it)"

Thanks for all the input gentlemen, it`s much appreciated. Here`s where this discussion has left me.

I will surely not base my decision on the advice and experience of our TDI mech buddy, you guys have much more leverage with me. I understand that older vehicles are going to need upkeep and mantainance, that`s all that could be expected. But I also understand that if you where to want an older car to care for nothing could be more worth the time and money spent than a MB diesel. I am nowhere near mechanically adept as most of you appear to be but I do have a bit of rudimentary diesel knowledge, some tools, a nice warm garage (soon), a desire to learn, and this site, which is truly a gem of information and diesel nut comrodery. I`m interested in doing the light work involved in keeping these fine machines running and have two small local shops within a few miles to have any work done I can`t accomplish myself. Both are owned and manned by fair, honest, knowledgable, and reasonable guys who`ve worked on our vehicles for the last 15 years so we have established a good relationship. I am more than comfortable with their work and price.

Clearly these older cars are not for the faint of heart and we will keep our the TDI`s so repairs on the MB will not have to be done in a hurry in order to have transportation.

The search continues for a nice 300TD wagon, probably in a bit better condition and hence more costly than some of you would choose to buy but that suits my situation. Thanks again for all your insights, I`m very grateful. Hope to meet up with all of you sometime.

Man, that beautiful garage isn't even finished yet, and you're already looking for project cars to fill it.

Good luck on the hunt Ron, I think you're right to have faith in the experiences and knowledge of this forum. These boys (and occasionallost and lonely female ) know their stuff.

What's the word on an 87 300D/TD vs a 96 Passat TDI sedan/wagon from a dead start? The Passat was only available with MT in the US... or I'd have one... for evaluation purposes only, of course

Sixto
95 S420
87 300SDL
83 300SD ... $950, see cars forum

Not that I`d ever race a 300TD with one of our modified B4 TDI wagons but I believe the MB would get a clear view of the white cloud a B100 fueled TDI puts out while hammered. :p

Wouldn`t you agree MineMapper? Yes, these folks here are superb and really know what`s up with these womderful vehicles, it`s been great to cruise this site and learn so much. As for the garage, the masons should be laying up the chimney tomorrow if the weather holds. And how`s the trip abroad going my friend?