What is your opinion on these cars? I have seen a few with some relatively high miles but nothing like what I see w123 with... I own 2 w123 and hopefully will be able to attain a w116 soon but would like some more info on these 524td. I have read that these cars get 40mpg?

I don't know about 40mpg, but the engine is pretty smooth and powerful, maybe a bit more so than the 617 turbo. The car also handles very well.

They put that same BMW engine in Lincoln Continentals and Vixen motorhomes. The Vixen is one of the coolest motorhomes ever designed--rear engined and garageable.. I talked to an owner who claimed to get 30mpg in the motorhome.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

krawsczyn,

If memory serves me correctly, the BMW has actually a couple of HP less than the MBZ turbo and it has a rubber timing belt which needs to be replaced far more often than the MBZ tining chain.

Ben

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www.reproduce100s.com

I used to own one of these cars and replaced it first with a '82 Mercedes 300DT and then later with a '91 350SD. Mine was '84 black/black; it was a beautiful car and fun to drive in "flat" places. I sold it maybe 4 years ago for a song ($2500), around 150,000 miles, and the exterior and interior were near perfect. I put a lot of miles on it in Virginia, Georgia, NC, SC etc. and it was great there. Based on this car and my experience, I would venture to say that the radio, sunroof, A/C, etc was more reliable than in a Mercedes (at least most diesel years/cars). I did put a lot of batteries and glow plugs in the BMW. Mine was weird in that somewhere in its past, for some reason, the timing had been "locked." Once I was someplace rural and, the best explanation seemed to be a bad tank of fuel, even in Atlanta had a devil of a time fixing the car.

The car is so rare that as an owner you had better know what you're doing in terms of what to buy and how to keep it on the road. On several occassions I have tried to track down a mythical stockpile of RV engines and have failed. Every one I've seen I wish I'd bought. It is probably foolish but recently I have been looking for a mid-eighties 5 series. Sometimes you still see mint ones.

They are a rare car I have only seen one, it is right donw the street from me. It would be fun owning something that rare but probably a pita to fix.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200