Well I got to drive my first 240D yesterday....a 4 speed manual when I was up at Bill Murrows place....my god is that thing underpowered. I don't think you could spin the tires on wet grass or gravel if you dropped the clutch.

Conversely however its not so horrible once you manage to get it up to speed...but I couldn't live with it...on the local roads it would be a saftey hazard as someone WOULD run into you when you tried to merge.

If you lived in a rural area it would not be so bad...but in a large city when everyone is yacking on a cell phone instead of paying attention it would be dangerous to drive one. Funny how it was both worse than I expected, and not as bad as I expected all at the same time.

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Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

I've been thinking about getting one.....are they really dangerously slow?

Is their high-end acceleration any better than off-the-line?

Anyone know how they compare with the 300D's?

__________________
"I would rather be ashes than dust!
I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brillaint blaze
than it should be stifled by dryrot.
I would rather be a superb meteor,
every atom of me in magnificent glow,
than a sleepy and permanent planet.
The proper function of man is to live, not to exist.
I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them.
I shall use my time."

-Jack London 1876-1916

1983 300CDT (running WVO since 12/05)
1981 300SD (parts car)

NIGHT AND DAY difference....its amazing what one cylinder and a turbo can do...I never drove a non-turbo 300D so can't comment on them.

Well lets just say you are not starting out quickly period. Acceleration is measured on a callender. But I will say its the very leasurly acceleration from a stop that I reffer to. It doesn't do anything fast....there is no tourqe or HP to do it. And I know tha automatic is worse.

Recomend you drive one before you commit to it. Lot of people won't be bothered by it....but some will (I'm in that group). And as I have heard here some people consider it a callenge...becasue you reqally do have to plan your moves etc in advance to get the most of out it...and not just point and go.

__________________
Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
---------------------
Section 609 MVAC Certified
---------------------
"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

I find myself looking half a mile ahead at stoplights to try and avoid coming to a stop (and I've actually gotten good enough so that I almost never do) even in a 300CD turbo, which I believe is the fastest in the old diesel family, so I doubt I'd be able to tolerate a 240D.

Really it makes more sense to try and plan your speed so that you're not speeding from light to light and stopping, like everyone does, but slow acceleration is a big problem in the city with the average family car being manufactured with like 200hp engines. Minivan drivers are the craziest. I've had those f*($ers pass me when I'm going 90 down the interstate and they've got a carload of kids and wife with them.

__________________
"I would rather be ashes than dust!
I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brillaint blaze
than it should be stifled by dryrot.
I would rather be a superb meteor,
every atom of me in magnificent glow,
than a sleepy and permanent planet.
The proper function of man is to live, not to exist.
I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them.
I shall use my time."

-Jack London 1876-1916

1983 300CDT (running WVO since 12/05)
1981 300SD (parts car)

Well the 33 MPG some get with the 240D is not enough for me to live with its low power...but thats just me...I have a lower threshold of pain for low power than many have. I love my 300SD and my 300D but those are about the lowest powered cars I could live with and not be iritated by.

A good reason to test drive one before you buy if you are'nt used to life in the slow lane.

__________________
Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
---------------------
Section 609 MVAC Certified
---------------------
"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

Yep, I maintain that going somewhere in my 240 is sort of like running errands in a sailboat; so, to efficiently negotiate traffic, you must plan a bit farther ahead than your hood star. And, Nellybell is the only car I've ever driven where I've been flipped-off by a soccer mom in a mini-van...to me, that in itsself is worth the 'hassle' of low horsepower.

I'm really tempted to make a bumpersticker like this:

Attached Thumbnails

 

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

I like that , PERFECT for a 240D rear bumper. You should get a batch made and sell them on the board to cover your costs.....

__________________
Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
---------------------
Section 609 MVAC Certified
---------------------
"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

The 240D is safe to drive in any situation if you take the time, patience and concentration to plan ahead as you drive.

That is why some members on this board have written that a 240D makes you a better driver as you are constantly anticipating what the drivers around you are going to do.

I am on my third 240D. I have driven 240Ds on city, highway and rural roads and in weather conditions ranging from extreme heat to snow and ice.

I have never found myself in an unsafe situation due to a lack of horse power. That does not mean you can drive wily-nilly and be-bop down the road. It helps to be courteous and, if safe, let the faster accelerating car by.

Think of the commercial vehicles on the road. A 240D will accelerate faster than most trucks yet you would not consider them to be unsafe in congested city traffic.

Ultimately, it comes down to situational awareness and planning your driving accordingly. Thus, in itself, the 240D is not a dangerous car. The driver who has his head in the clouds is the danger on the road.


P.S. BHD, tell me you have not driven or at least seen 50 – 60 HP cars in Europe, especially Italy. I drove a diesel Skoda three years ago in Scotland that had less horsepower than my 240D. Never mind the low range Fiat Pandas and Unos.

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Anders

1995 E300
2015 VW TDI Sportwagen 15K
1977 240D (197K)
2002 Subaru Legacy L Wagon (115k) (Wife's)
Gone but not forgotten:
2005 Buick LeSabre
1998 C230
1984 300D
1983 240D
1981 300SD
1974 240D
1974 Fiat 124 Spider
1968 Triumph TR250

Lars, Please don't let these guys goad you into praising our cars.... thus jacking up the price of replacements and parts cars for you and ME....
LOL

After driving my 84 300D Turbo, when I get into my 240 manual, it doesn't feel that much slower to me. Of course, it could be due to the fact that I usually drive the 300D gently, whereas I get near the shifting marks in the 240. I guess I just don't drive cars that fast. Also, a well-lubed accelerator linkage, no egr, and new tires help as well. (also got rid of a bad rattle down under just by tightening down the transmission mount!).

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J. S. Park

'82 240D Manual 240D (sold)
'83 300D-T 230k (sold)
'84 300D-T 118k (sold)

the 240 speed never bothered me at sea level. In CO I would literally be flipped off by people behind me when I was accelerating as fast as I could from a stop light.

My car had over 300k on it driven almost exclusively in San Francisco bay area traffic. When driving in a place where people understand the concept of a merge, 0-60 in 1/2 minute isn't too bad. (I can't believe I'm saying this)

The guy I bought it from was a total stoner and he stood by his feelings that the 240d was the perfect stoner car. he used to always say like "it doesn't matter how fast you get there, I take comfort in knowing that I will get where I need to go eventually no matter where the destination is." He used to rail me for taking it to the dots before shifting saying it was like beating a mule, won't really make it go faster and it just causes you more stress.

Really though, if you are uptight behind the wheel and like to drive agressively the 240d is not for you. If you can take your time, sit in the right lane and just relax, the car is fine. At sea level I never found the 240 to be "dangerously" slow. I would actually really like a 240d with a little bit more freeway friendly gears. A little more top speed would be nice, and a wider range for 1st. I could start the car in second gear no problem with the AC off.
-Nate

edit: all that said. I don't think I would spend more than 1000 for another 240d even if it were in really good shape, unless I were buying if for one of my children.

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'82 240D, 4-speed, 617 turbo engine

Yes, it is all in WHERE you drive and HOW you drive.

That sad, I've driven about 800,000 miles in manual transmission 240D's. Most of it has been on the open road where the power is not an issue. The long term reliability, durability and economy paid off in spades.

Not ALL of those miles were on open road however. I spent a good bit of time on freeways in most every city in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Even on the freeways of Houston, with planning I managed to get around well and survive.

If I were to go back to making my living driving these 4 states again, God forbid, I would put my 240D back on the road and consider it the perfect car for the job.

Have a great day,

my 240D is when I'm driving the W108.

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Jim

'49 170?(donated to church in Darmstadt '58)
'58 220S(crusher, after '73 fire[San Antonio])
'72 280SE 4.5
'77 240D
'81 300SD
'83 240D parts car

Suprisingly a 240D manual works well even in Los Angeles where attention spans for driving is 2-3 picoseconds. Most traffic never goes beyond 50mph anyhow so a 62hp car works in those cases however when the traffic clears up I can't go farther then 2 lanes from the right before I see minivans and suv's hovering in the rearview mirror. They then get frustrated and pass you with their engine and transmission blaring up to 90mph on the cell phone.

As others have stated it does hone one's driving skills. You do have to anticipate all of your movements around faster and or slower traffic. You have to use the brakes to help sync your speed for merging as opposed to acccelerating because the engine just doesn't have that much torque.

The car would be perfectly fine anywhere as long as the people around you were courteous drivers.

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1974 240D 3.0L 4(M) - 250K -OM617.910 + 300D FW + Rajay turbo power!
1977 6.9 3(A) - 84k

I recently bought a '78 240D after driving a 1997 chevy cavalier for 7 years, and I have noticed the Huuuuuuge lag in performance/pickup, but there's an undeniable benefit to an older MB. The Cavalier dropped a valve after 162k, and the MB has 246k and still going strong. I actually care about this car because it was engineered for safety/purpose/style instead of "let's make the cheapest possible car that will cost the absolute most to repair and will only last 150k miles". I have only seen one or two older MB's on the road since I bought mine July 1st, while I probably passed a dozen or more cars identicle to my Chevy every day driving to work.

I guess the point to this seemingly pointless post is that I am the proud owner of a 240D, and I kinda like seeing Geo metros speeding by while I enjoy my morning commute more than I have in years.