Shocks are easy, but check the tire pressure first. If he has new tires on there, the inflation pressures are MUCH higher than they used to be as everyone is going to high pressure tires now.

If you inflate a 51 psi max pressure tire to 32 psi, you will be driving on the sidewalls and it will wallow terribly. Inflate to within a few psi of the max before changing the shocks, as they usually last much longer than 200,000 miles.

As to running hot, check the operation of the visco clutch and pull the radiator and remove all the crap between the rad and the AC condenser -- we pulled my brother's this winter on his SDL, and about half the surface was packed with dead bugs. Made a huge difference this year. Also, sitting in stalled traffice at 100F with the AC on, the engine temp will probably go up to 100C no matter what -- this is the temp where the aux fan switches on.

Peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!