The mileage penalty may not be that great. Our '96 E300D has averaged 27 MPG in mostly around-town driving over 30,000 miles of our ownership. My '87 300D (sedan) is now an unknown, since I just replaced the head, but I would expect it to get around 25 MPG or maybe a bit better. The wagon might get 1-2 MPG less.

There are a fair number of similarities between a 123 and a 124; the 210 is definitely a horse of a different color. The 124 was the last of the "no expense spared" Mercedes. I would recommend the 124, especially since it has no rust.

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"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970