I have 4 in my W210 if you count the ones that pull out of the first aid box(I think there are 3 joined together).

1 that has a plastic swivel up front. Sometimes it can get tricky closing the wooden door that hides the holder. In which case, I leave the swivel extracted 24-7.

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1987 300SDL (324000)

1986 Porsche 951 (944 Turbo) (166000)

1978 Porsche 924 (99000)

1996 Nissan Pathfinder R50 (201000)

My boss just bought a 2002 C320 with 55k. All kinds of cool gadgets - you should see the front seat cupholders. But the day after he bought it, it wouldn't start. Took it to the dealer who diagnosed a bad computer. He won't say how much it cost, only, "more than a thousand". So far, he's spent more on his car than I have on my 81 300SD, my 82 300SD and my 240D that I owned for two years - a total of 70,000 miles.

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1984 300Sd 210k

Former cars:
1984 300D 445k (!!) (Strider) Original (and not rebuilt) engine and transmission. Currently running on V80 ( 80% vegetable oil, 20% petroleum products). Actually not, taking a WVO break.
1993 300d 2.5 275k. Current 120/day commuter
1981 300SD 188k (Hans) Killed by a deer

I've just read the whole thread, and I agree with a lot that is being said. MB's quality is declining, and Lexus does build one reliable car, my mom's 1995 LS400 is a very reliable car, like the 300D and SD are. It's loaded, it has all the electronic gizmos and stuff on it, but, the only major failures we've had on it was the A/C once (old Benzes do that too), and the air suspension on the front driver's side failed. BUT, the car was 9 years old with 114K miles on it when the air suspension failed. At the townhouse complex where my sister lives, in the space next to her car, there has been a white W220 parked there for months now, and it's sitting on the ground, the air suspension failed. Try to get 9 years out of an air suspension on a new Benz now!
-Joe

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'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

http://www.troublebenz.com/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi

just one of the sites I have come across trying to get some info for my uncle about his 03, S class, gasser, brake {ABS} problems. Like the earlier post stated, Chrysler in the name says it all. I love Mercedes diesels {123-126} and I hope to be able to never drive anything else for the rest of my life because the newer ones don't look very promising for the future used market, and the used market is where I exist in this world. The more bells and whistles, the more potential for malfunction.

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83 300SD- 223,000 miles {mine}
85 300D- 187,000, {wifes}
82 300D- 374,000, {parts car now, my first diesel}
74 Triumph Spitfire {constant PIA}
72 Jeep Commando {snow ride}

From what I understand the when the W126's first came out they had many ABS problems, heck I still am having them. Nothing is perfect, I like old cars a lot. Except when I am working a lot and going to school and it is cold and rainy out. Then they break and I have to lay underneath a oil covered car and fight with 20 year old rusted bolts to fix something so I can get to school/work the next day. At times like that I don't give a crap that a new one might not hold up well over 20 years, having a nice newer car that will run and get me around is a great thing. I don't want to keep daily drivers for more than 5 years by then I want something else, let the next guy try to take it to 20 years.

Old cars are fun to drive and fix, but having a late model car to get around is preferable in my book.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Old cars ok if you buy a really good one to start with. Just buy the very best of what's out there. How much did you pay for your SDL?

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'90 300SE 298k
-300K and it gets put into retirement.
'80 300D 255k Purchased new by family in 1980.

Had a:
1973 220 (gas)
1980 300SD
1992 400E

Late model cars are not superior machines to older model cars. It all lies in your definition of what "superior" is.

Each has it's pros and cons. If one is competent enough, than much of the cons associated with an older vehicle are negated. Hence my stable.

Oh, the W210 is a helluva car. Perhaps personal bias, or maybe it is just because it seems carved out so much better than a W124 to me.

Remember that unless your car has a complete ground up restoration using OEM parts and equipment, it will never be as good as it was new. So it is not fair to compare an older car with 200 + K miles to one with 54 miles.

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1987 300SDL (324000)

1986 Porsche 951 (944 Turbo) (166000)

1978 Porsche 924 (99000)

1996 Nissan Pathfinder R50 (201000)

Dslbnz

I want to like the 210 cars, but that rust issue is just inexcusable. Any problems with yours?

Hmmm....Rust, broken window regulators, Climate control problems...the 116 reincarnated? Maybe they aren't all that different?

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'90 300SE 298k
-300K and it gets put into retirement.
'80 300D 255k Purchased new by family in 1980.

Had a:
1973 220 (gas)
1980 300SD
1992 400E

Except perhaps for looks, cost when used, and uniqueness, I disagree. New cars are better in every way than old ones when they were new.

Reliability? New are better, face it. Look at the statistics over the last 40 years at any of the places that keep the data.
Performance? There is no comparison.
Fuel efficiency? Ditto.
Cost of manufacture? New is far better.
Pollution? Same.
Comfort? Sure is better in the new ones!
Paint, plastic, A/C, starter motors, cylinder materials, tolerances, ,...., I can go on and on.

You are dreaming if you think the old cars are better. Its just an excuse. You would really like a new one, wouldn't you, especially if its looks were as you want them (look at the newest Mustang - people will line up around the block! - also an example of a much better machine!)

And yes, a daily driver for a busy professional or businessman should be newer than five years old to make sense much of the time. Classic cars need classic attention, and there is nothing wrong with that. Just don't give us

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2005 E320 CDI
1999 ML320

Daimler - Chrysler is the parent company of Mercedes now, right? Do you think this has anything to do with decreased quality? Are these guys telling Stuttgart what to do? I have NEVER been a fan of chrysler autos. I think they are cheap, cheap, too much plastic and fall apart quick!

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1982 300SD Light Blue
2002 Honda Accord SE
1974 Toro Wheel Horse Tractor
2000 Toyota Tundra Pickup

Quote-"From what I understand the when the W126's first came out they had many ABS problems, heck I still am having them. Nothing is perfect, I like old cars a lot. Except when I am working a lot and going to school and it is cold and rainy out. Then they break and I have to lay underneath a oil covered car and fight with 20 year old rusted bolts to fix something so I can get to school/work the next day. At times like that I don't give a crap that a new one might not hold up well over 20 years, having a nice newer car that will run and get me around is a great thing. I don't want to keep daily drivers for more than 5 years by then I want something else, let the next guy try to take it to 20 years."

I count myself lucky that my 126, 1983, is pre abs so I don't have to contend with that bugaboo. I would rather rely in my own feel for pedal pressure vrs breakaway from traction anyway. The only advantage I can see to older cars after 30 years of professional wrenching beginning in avation and ending up in heavy equipment is that at least it is possable to accomplish a fix in my home garage without access to more modern diagonistic tools and equipment. For that, and the simple fact that routine maintenance seems to keep both the diesels running strong with the exception of the erratic operation of the climate control systems { both are fixed now, knock on wood} and the glow plug changes every now and again I feel like I am getting a real good method of transportation for my $$. I know if the budget allowed we would go newer on the diesels but.... Now that @#@$* Triumph is another matter, but it IS real nice for a drive topless on a fall evening....

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83 300SD- 223,000 miles {mine}
85 300D- 187,000, {wifes}
82 300D- 374,000, {parts car now, my first diesel}
74 Triumph Spitfire {constant PIA}
72 Jeep Commando {snow ride}

All Mercedes break window regulators. The only difference is the PITA rivets they use in the newer models; W140 onwards.

Climate controls have always been hit or miss for Mercedes. There is cetainly no comparing the 116's ancient servo CC to modern CC's.

Rust? Well, maybe a little bit around the receiver lens on the back of the trunk lid. Other than that, everything's alright:
No rust on the spring perch, nor on the door edges. No rust under the trunk seal. No rust I can detect at all.

I can't understand all these rust issues people are having with these. I've never seen one with significant rust, yet.
No, the W116 would start to rust if the barometric pressure dropped a couple of inches.

All I can tell you is that the W210 has "soul". And without the "soul" it wouldn't be a Mercedes.

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1987 300SDL (324000)

1986 Porsche 951 (944 Turbo) (166000)

1978 Porsche 924 (99000)

1996 Nissan Pathfinder R50 (201000)

Yes. And the man that pioneered the effort: Jurgen Schrempp.

Chrysler's quality and appeal is increasing while Mercedes is losing it's base.

In a sense, now, Mercedes may be trading places with Chrysler in profitability. What, with MB bastardizing their engines and drivetrains and all.

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1987 300SDL (324000)

1986 Porsche 951 (944 Turbo) (166000)

1978 Porsche 924 (99000)

1996 Nissan Pathfinder R50 (201000)

I believe that you need to take a look at the tech forum and some of the most recent reviews of the quality of Mercedes-Benz automobiles. These vehicles are in the shop on a routine basis for a multitude of ongoing electronic issues. The problems are so pervasive that nobody in their right mind would own one of these POS after the warranty expires.

Naturally, if you compare a 20 year old vehicle to a brand new M/B, the 20 year old is going to have more issues than the new one. However, this is not the comparison. When the question of the quality of a new vehicle is raised, it is a comparison to the quality of a 300SD or a 300D when it was first manufactured. If you think that a new E320 is manufactured with greater reliability than a 300SD was, then I think you need to get your head examined. The 300SD sold for something like $70,000. The E320 sells for less than $50,000. Adjust for inflation and the E320 is selling for about $25,000. (1984 dollars).


You think that you can get a vehicle for $25,000 dollars that compares favorably with a $70,000. vehicle in terms of reliability?




BTW, both of these vehicles are daily drivers and I'll take either of them on a 600 mile trip on a moment's notice rather than risk it in the E320.

Daimler bought Chrysler not the other way around. Remember Chrysler is no longer an American company, when Daimler took over all the Americans running it were fired and replaced by Germans. The Germans hand down their old stuff to Chrysler, for example the new 300 is a W210 with a different body put on it. The Crossfire is the old SLK with a better body on it.

I wasn't comparing a new car to a 20 year old one, I was saying newer ones can be less of a pita to live with everyday. This new MB bashing is getting old, don't forget the W123 was a hot new model at one time two. Heck their no bargin, a great car yes but nothing is perfect. How many W123 owners have not had to fight vac problems? Trans shifting problems? Does your AC and Cruise control work? What about your sunroof? I bet when the W123's were new, people were cursing those climate control sytems.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200