'83 300D diesel

Hi there!

Does anyone have any experience with the '83 300D diesel. I am looking at getting one as a winter car. Your comments are highly appreciated.

Lucky,

By all accounts the 300D's are great cars. Can be difficult to start in really cold climate but thats typical of diesels in general.

Go to diesel forum and do a search on 300D. you'll get a zillion hits. Lots of them out there still going strong.

Nic

[smk_texas]

Hi,
In my opinion the 83 300D is THE BEST diesel car ever made by anybody. I had a 83 300D before I bought my 190e and let me tell you, it was work horse. I finally sold it when it had about 443,000 miles with the original tranny still in it. The engine was rebuilt at 278,000 miles.
smk_texas
92 190e 2.6 99K
86 BMW 325E 140K

[ncarter]

As a winter car? By this comment I'm guessing that you live someplace where it gets cold enough to snow, so they salt the roads, which destroys your car so have have one for the summer and one for the winter.

I don't think I could recommend a 300D as a winter car in a cold climate. It's a great car, but unless they are in tip-top shape they can be hard to get started when it's cold. Also, diesel fuel needs special attention when it gets really cold outside: at low temperatures it will begin to gel unless you use an anti-gel additive with every fill-up. If you can park indoors, you can use a block heater to heat it for starting, and a tank heater to keep the fuel liquid. But if you drive it to work, chances are you won't be able to park near an outlet.

Also, the 123 body (the body style of that 300D as well as 240Ds and others of that era) has a few spots that are already prone to rusting, such as the front fenders immediately behind the wheelwells. Accumulating salt in these spots would just hasten the already-inevitable rusting.

Like I said, it's a great car, but will need some TLC if you intend to use it much in the winter.

Greetings from sunny Florida

- Nathan
'83 240D "Steiner"
'00 New Beetle TDI

I respectfully don't totally agree with Mr. Carter. Yes everything has to be right on a diesel for easy starting in the winter, but that's true on any car. The main thing is that the engine be in good shape with GOOD compression. As long as you have good compression, any other problem that leads to hard starting is relatively easily fixed. The '83 has pin type glow plugs which do a great job. 9 times out of 10 when you hit hard starting you replace ALL FIVE glow plugs and you're back in business. As for diesel fuel winter gelling, there are dozens of inexpensive additives that you can buy at the truck stop to prevent subzero gelling.

Bottom line, before buying one of these cars HAVE THE COMPRESSION CHECKED. If the compression is good, just keep changing the oil to keep it that way and enjoy.

Good luck,

[Jim Anderson]

The car,with attention, will do okey. But a diesel may make just enough heat for itself with little if any for you.

[mreid]

Ah come on guys. A diesel works just fine in cold climates. Winter fuel is supplied in this part of the world from Nov. to April.
Oh...and the heater works fine.

[stevebfl]

Personally, I would get a new place to live during the cold months (bg).

As I get closer to retirement, I look forward to moving south during the brutal cold of North Florida winters.

Steve,

Does this mean you're going to leave the US? I guess Saint Thomas is still basically the US. That way you could move away from those horrid Florida winters and still be among Americans.

Happy retirement,

[stevebfl]

I already go to Aruba every year for two weeks.

One of my best technicians is from Puerto Rico. We are already talking about doing a fastlane -type trip to the Carribean. Believe me I was not kidding about Florida winters..... I work in the elements; which means 95 degree heat and 90% humidity. It also means 30-40 degree days with wrenches that are in the 20's from over night. Our building has heaters in it but we only ran them once. We have ten 14x14 roll-up doors that stay open. Not much chance of keeping heat or air inside the shop area.

Thanks everyone for their comments.