I have an 81, manual and I love this car... it's the coolest, funnest car I've ever owned.

Is it the slowest car on the road? Without a doubt.
Is that a problem?
Not if you're a mindful driver. You do have to plan a little on certain on-ramps, but the "dangerous" thing is way overblown.

I regularly take my 240 on joyrides up steep grades and winding mountain roads and it's always a great time. Something I seldom see mentioned on these boards is how much better the handling is on a 240D. There's a lot less weight up front to negotiate around corners, and as Greazzer mentioned, a manual transmission, euro bumpers and aluminum wheels really do make a difference.

And for the luddite in you, the all manual controls (sans sunroof) really are the best.

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1981 240D 4sp manual. Ivory White.