Hello All,
A few weeks ago, on the way home from visiting a friend, I was curious about a mid '70s Mercedes I spotted in a driveway and stopped to talk to the owner. Nels, the owner, said the battery was dead, he wasn't driving it enough anymore and wasn't sure what he wanted to do with it. Tonight, Nels called me to ask if I was intrested in buying it. He drove it to my house so I could take it for a test drive. Nels bought the car new, in Germany. It's a '74 240D, automatic, with 160,000 miles. Mostly original medium metallic blue paint is slightly dull but still looks decent (some years ago, the left front fender was repainted after being backed into by a schoolbus) A two inch or so rust spot in the fender behind each wheel, otherwise the body looks staight and solid, rockers still intact. Good Pirelli tires. Interior OK except as mentioned below. Usual 30 year old W115 issues - couple of dash cracks, drivers seat padding weak, heater blower inoperative (AC blower and compressor did run when checked), brakes need attention. Rears squeak and has hard pedal after first stop - may need vacuum pump service, accelerator pedal bottoms out - may need linkage adjust or repair. Ran & drove OK on my test drive. I'm not really into Diesels and would prefer a stickshift anyway. Nels would like to find his baby a good home for $1500/OBO. Car is in South Alexandria VA. Contact Nels at - Nelsusma50@aol.com

Happy Motoring, Mark

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DrDKW

Gosh, Mark, thought we had you hooked there for a moment. Truth is, there is nothing wrong with it that YOU couldn't fix. Drive it a while and maybe you would learn to enjoy the good vapors.

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1961 190Db retired
1968 220D/8 325,000
1983 300D 164,150

Well, it might not be the vapors, but maybe the rattling, the ponderous acceleration, the wintertime starting adventures....
An acquaintance, who lived in my neighborhood, had 4 Mercedes Diesels - a pair of 220Ds a 240D and a 300TD. He refused to ride in my 6 cylinder 250 because he said he didn't want to get "spoiled". Really, it's uncanny how smooth and silent my Fintail, 'Miss Daisy', is at traffic lights....
But seriously, the way fuel prices are going, if I didn't have my 30+ MPG Honda, I could change my mind.

Happy Motoring, Mark

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DrDKW

Don't forget we can use those great additives SVO & WVO, which cause quieting of the bad sounds and less smoky exhaust. Try that in your Finnie and the Daisy would be pushing up daisies. Plus no more spark plugs, no distributors, no plug wires, no condensors, and no carbs or fake fuel injection. All of that stuff is gone!!

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1961 190Db retired
1968 220D/8 325,000
1983 300D 164,150

Its a weird thing about those 4 cyl diesels - you wont be happy owning or driving one if you've got gasoline alternative nearby. I dont know anybody who switches between driving an old diesel and something like your Honda civic. Otherwise they change your diving habits forever..... no more jack rabbit starts, racing through intersections or taking chances at weaving through traffic.

In return you get fuel mileage from 28-32 mpg burning cheaper fuel with an engine that never needs tune up and lasts forever. And you get special effects like clattering engine racket and the start up ritual will actually help you appreciate the car.

Do you know the solid, heavy car feeling that finbodies provide? Diesels are alot like that in *any* chassis where the car feels like a gigantic flywheel. They are constant velocity, high torque, narrow power band engines that seem to be maxed out all the time. Yet characteristics of knockin, rattling and smokin diesels somehow unite the driver with the engine unlike any other machine.

I do enjoy my "solid, heavy" Finbody and I guess I've been "spoiled" by the gas sixes. The closest thing, powerwise, to a diesel that I've owned was my first MB, a 1961 Ponton 180b. With the low-compression 68 HP engine and economy axle, I'm sure the early VW beetles could outrun it from stoplights. I think the 46 HP Diesel version would have been painfully slow. These days, people say the Finbody 220s are underpowered!
My Honda is a 20 year old Accord, but it's about the size of todays Civic. With the 5-speed, I do think of it as my 'Rice Rocket'. New Accords are about the size of a Ford Taurus. My how things change!

Happy Motoring, Mark

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DrDKW

behind the wheel of either of my W123 240s...funny that my hi-mi '83 with auto is a lot peppier than the '81 stick I recently bought (from a gent near you, in Mt. Vernon).

My first Benz experience was in college with a friend's lightly used fintail (gas? don't recall), four on the tree, manual sunroof. A nice ride.

Curiously, the slowest and peppiest 4 cylinder Diesels, I've driven were both W115 240Ds with automatics. The first one was so slow it just about turned me off on Diesels. The 'peppy' one may have been mis-timed. I do know the automatic delayed the upshifts, so it would really wind out in the lower gears.
I later heard that one eventually blew it's engine.
If I were to get a Diesel, it would probably be a W123 240D. I'd still prefer a manual.

Jim, you're welcome to test drive 'Miss Daisy' (but I hope she won't 'spoil' you)

Happy Motoring, Mark

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DrDKW

Mark, the only thing the 123 has over the 115 is an easily accessible oil filter, more soundproofing and better insulation inside the car at expense of 500 lbs more weight and slightly softer handling characteristics.

The question is..... can you adapt to a rattling and clattering engine that always sounds like its gonna blow up and seems to be revving into oblivion when its not. These are among the special effects that endear many diesel owners to their engines.

And if you ever test drive a stick-shift 240D try taking the engine at least within 10mph of speedometer marked shift points to appreciate the car at its best. Driven at optimum engine speeds these cars are notso slow.

LOL....But am still thinkin you've got snowball's chance in hell of adjusting driving habbits to the rattling and knockin, high torque, narrow power band "tractor pull" diesel with the 5-spd Honda nearby..... the 4 cyl diesel is completely different driving experience that takes alot of getting used to. And no way... no how do i see someone stepping from a perfectly good japanese "rice-rocket" into a rickety noisey diesel without experiencing culture shock.

Good luck with your exploration.... and keep in touch on this thread or at the clattering diesel forum if you have diagnostic test-drive questions regarding stuff like smelly blue smoke (unburnt diesel fuel) or cold start engine noise called "nailing" that sounds like ball-peen hammer striking metal (an injector problem) - both are not major issues, but would probably scare away anybody not familiar with the nature of these engines.

When people tell me they don't want a diesel because they're so slow to accelerate, I say "Like this?" and do my thing. "How'd you do that?" is the usual response. It's all in knowing how to take advantage of the torque curve. The old diesels are completely different that a gas engine.

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daBenz - 1970 220D

I sometimes drove a friend's well-worn 1980 240D. It was a pretty nice driving car and, with a stickshift, I didn't have any problem with 65 HP (at least until the engine had so many miles that it had to be push-started!).

My choice of the W123 240D would be to have one of the last of the 'traditional' built stickshift Mercedes but without the notorious automatic climate control. (Also, changing the blower motor is a piece of cake, compared to the W115!) I do think the pre '74 cars, with their small bumpers, look much better than the clumsy looking mid '70s models.

Happy Motoring, Mark

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DrDKW

The 220 motor is a hard revving little engine too, gets me squemish at about 80mph.

Mark, have you driven a 5 cylinder 115? They're not so bad, it actually outpaces my brothers 123 turbo but only till that lag goes away.
They also don't have annoying auto climate control.
I have 3 gassers now but still have diesel in the vains. I grew up listening to that 617 and have no problem reacclimating to it's driving characteristics which aren't really that much slower than the fintail.

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63 220S W111
76 300D W115
2013 VW JSW TDI M6

previously-
73 280 SEL 4.5
86 300E 5 speed
2010 VW Jetta TDI M6

Unfortunately, due to Mercedes post 1970 'Automatics for Americans' policy, no 5 cylinder Diesels were sold here with manual-shift.
I already have two W114s, a 250 sedan and a 250C coupe. Either one should have more power than any '70s Diesel. I really should be getting one of those back on the road or sell one of them before taking on any other projects.
If any car could motivate me to get rid of one of my current fleet, it would be that '66 stickshift 250S, I looked at a couple of weeks ago.

Happy Motoring, Mark

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DrDKW

You know I dearly love my old gas MBs. But 3 years ago when the gas out here got to $2+/gal (like it is now again) I ordered an automatic other European brand TDI turbo diesel. It's silver like a proper German car, automatic, air, power everything 4 door sedan and it consistancly gets right at 40mpg these days. It's not slow. It keeps up in traffic just fine. No rituals. I do warm it up some and let it run to cool the turbo before I turn it off, change the synth oil every 5k miles. It just goes. I like it. It is not as solid as an MB, but close. It is rattling now inside, but they are going to fix that under warrenty. In the mean time I can keep working on my 190SL and have another car which i do not have to worry about.

Diesel on,
Walt...

Walt,
I'm guessing your fuel miser is a VW.
Mine's an '84 Honda Accord that I paid $500 for two years ago. With a 5 speed, it's fun to drive and gets over 30 MPG. It got 36 MPG on a trip last summer.

Happy Motoring, Mark

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DrDKW