Man O' Man, today i drove to the local dealer to look at a 1999 E300 Turbo Diesel. When I got there I was looking at this car when I started talking about the CDI. He said we have one here on the lot, would you like to look. Duh! Man that's sweet. I got to test drive it and man was it ever nice. The Torque on that car is unbelievable. Had I not known that it wasn't a diesel, I would have guessed that it was a gasser. Couldn't hear the engine at all, even when i was on the outside of this car. $52,900. asking price. Well i'll own one that's for sure...maybe in 10 years, but i'll own it.

When I got back to the lot there was my reliable classic '86 300 SDL with a big smile on it, just waiting for me to jump in her and take off into the sunset. Which I did so so gracefully. I did look back though

Now, you know, Tom, that you should have never done that.

Now, you know, Tom that you should have never done that.

Remember, Hattie only had to hint at selling the SDL.......................

Well I know.. By the time I got home i'd settled down a bit..knowing that I'm all into my Classic.

You know it doesn't hurt to bend a little. I did tell him,(salesman) that i'd get back to him on the 1999 E300 Turbo.

note: I told him that I wasn't going to get rid of my car. He did tell me as I was getting into my car that for a car that old it was in great condition. Now I liked his remark...so I guess some car salesman are nice...

............slick Andy was very nice. "pukeface"

Now you know that Hattie, appreciates a fine CDI. He probably gets "whiplash" every time he drives by the Mercedes Dealer...heck I did looking back at the big silver diesel...

It will be interesting to see how those CDI's age, and if they have serious problems or just little stuff. The first 100,000 miles should tell the tale I suppose.

With all the little common problems the W123 and W126 cars have, the core engine is pretty solid. Not the same with some of MBs other cars.

So, in about five years the CDI story should be clear - and maybe sooner if the same design has been used in Europe for some time. I just have my doubts about the fuel injection system and the aluminum engine.

Ken300D

__________________
--------------------------
1982 300D at 351K miles
1984 300SD at 217K miles
1987 300D at 370K miles

I have seen a few newer MB, specifically the CLK models, made after 2000, and maybe I am prejudice, but the materials, fit, finish, does not seem like the cars will age as well as the older models. My MB is over 20 years old and I still have no rattles coming from anything on the inside. My wifes car is 4 years old and the dash creaks while you drive it. I don't think it will be around in another 15 years. Just my thoughts, it's kinda like comparing a 66 Mustang to a 76 Mustang......

__________________
1984 300D Turbo Sedan (Hilda) 272,115 miles.....
Anthracite Gray/Palamino Leather, I am 3rd owner

2001 Dodge Stratus (Silver) (wifes) 55814 miles...

1982 280TE Wagon Astral Silver Metallic/
Anthracite Velour
260,512 miles (Eva)

1969 230 Sedan Olive Green/Black MBTex
4 Speed Manual
84,213 miles ????
Haus Frau


2004 Boreem Ninja Pocket Bike
Highly Modified 49cc (Ling Ling)

Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit

Now thats an understatement. Lets put it this way if I had the money a CDI would be in my driveway so fast! I am still working on a test drive maybe next spring I will take a walk around the dealer lot.


I can only hope and dream the MB graces our country with the S400 CDI.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

You may want to take a look at the saga of Viesel's CDI here. It's a very long thread, but I'll summarize it for you here. The dealer ended up buying it back from him because they could not solve the problem.

__________________
Rick Miley
2014 Tesla Model S
2018 Tesla Model 3
2017 Nissan LEAF
Former MB: 99 E300, 86 190E 2.3, 87 300E, 80 240D, 82 204D Euro
Chain Elongation References

I test drove an '05 CDI a while back.

Nice car, but not nice enough to justify the price. They wanted $56k for it, and I'd been saving a little bit out of every paycheck for a long time...

Instead, I found a really nice 240D.

Now I've got a great classic car AND I've still got $54k in the bank.

15 years from now? I bet my 240D is still on the road. That '05 CDI I drove? I bet it'll be rotting in a junkyard someplace in 15 years.

- Patrick

__________________
1982 240D. 198k, Marine Blue/Blue, 4 Speed, Crank Windows, No Sunroof, No Rust, No Oil Leaks
2001 TDI. 197k, Lagoon Blue/Black, 5 speed, Chip, G60/VR6

Thats's exactly what was said about your 240D.

__________________
N. Hodges
1994 S350
1987 300 SDL (for sale)

"$52,900. asking price. Well i'll own one that's for sure...maybe in 10 years, but i'll own it."

These cars are not designed for 10 year lifespan, the engine and drive train will probably last, transmission I doubt seriously, but all the smart electronic gadgets will take you to the cleaners.
In 10 years they will be very cheap, but you have heard this before; there is nothing more expensive than a cheap Benz.

Vahe
240D/77 350K

Comparing a 72 hp 240D and a 201 hp CDI is like pitting a Checker cab against a Viper. The 240D cranks out 97 lbs.-ft of torque, while the CDI puts out 369 lb.-ft.

There's a lot more to owning a car than knowing it can make it to the grocery store.

__________________
'91 300D 2.5 Turbo 330K
'00 VW TDI Golf, 190K
'67 BMW R50/2
'73 Norton Commando Interstate

The W123 is a space ship compared to a Model T. With those fancy disc brakes and ABS. The W211's are a fine car in 10 years they will have cheap programs you can plug into your laptop and read the codes. Their are companies that remain electronic parts for MB's anyway. Computers are just like EFI, ABS, independent suspension ect. What is cutting edge one day is childs play the next.

If I had the money (one day I will) I would be enjoying not having to work on my nice new CDI. Then after 5-7 years I'll trade it on a new one. I'm not saying the old MB's aren't great I love playing with them. But having a nice daily driver tht starts is a big plus.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Vahe,
I'm thinking along your lines, also. I'm wondering if anyone has thought of combining the best of both (at least til the engine dies) by retro-fitting a CDI engine/trans into a 126 body? The weight of the CDI is roughly 3300 lbs, and the 126 is roughly 3800lbs, so not much loss in usable torque or hp. The engine bay of the 126 is enormous, and with a few driveshaft mods, it should work. Just wondering...

SteveKaa
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

1982 300SD 338k miles