My uncle has this 91' 350SDl with 70k original miles. It's been garage kept and serviced at the Dealer every 3 months where it needed something or not. (silver w/ red interior) .

Anyway the car is mint, never been in the snow or even a scratch on it. Really a true Sunday driver. He mentioned getting rid of the car since he thinks it's to flashy.

I'm considering making him an offer but would like some feedback on this model make and year?????

Any input is appreciated. Thanks in advance..

the 350SDL's cant be trusted. Most unreliable mercedes diesel ever made. They are known for rod bending and block cracks, but at 70Kmiles i guess its worth it but in the future you may have problems with it. And no you cant tell if its bending the rods, there is really no way.

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Current:
05 E320 CDI
07 GL320 CDI
08 Sprinter
05 Dodge Cummins
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Previous
2004 E55 AMG
2002 C32 AMG (#2)
1995 E300
1978 300D
1987 300D
2002 C32 AMG(blown motor :[
1981 300SD
1983 300SD
1987 300SDL
2002 Jetta TDI
1996 S420
1995 S500
1993 190E 2.6
1992 190E 2.3
1985 190E 2.3 5-Speed

is not completely accurate and somewhat alarmist. they are known for bending rods but not breaking blocks that i know of.

i have a 90 350sdl. when running correctly (it is a bit finicky) it is smooth powerful and quiet for a diesel. with good economy.

they do bend rods and nobody is exactly sure why. if mb knows they arent saying.

i bought mine knowing it needed a head gasket. i didnt know about the rod bending thing.

i wouldnt pay top dollar for one unless it had a new motor. i paid $4k for mine and have somewhere north of 7k in it now.

if you decide to buy it block off the egr and use synthetic oil in the correct weights. i would also recommend a compression test. if the cylinders arent pretty even i would not buy it unless it is very cheap. if you do suffer the bent rods then i would rebuild with a 3.0 liter block. they are not known to bend rods.

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

You can't hardly see "350SDL" without "rod bender" being in the same paragraph....

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Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

my suggestion .... follow previous item. good thought.

The value of that vehicle is definitely north of $10K. If really mint, it might go to $12K or more.

So, if you have the inside track on it, and he would sell it for anything near $5K, you definitely buy it and don't worry about the engine. Worst case scenario, you spend another $6K on a new engine.........if a rod bends.......and the odds are 70% in your favor that they will not bend.

Worst scenario is that you spent what the vehicle was originally worth.

Luke, use the search......................

Seriously, use the search function in this forum and decide for yourself. Personally, I would not go anywhere near it.

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'85 300SD (formerly california emissions)
'08 Chevy Tahoe
'93 Ducati 900 SS
'79 Kawasaki KZ 650
'86 Kawasaki KX 250
'88 Kawasaki KDX200
'71 Hodaka Ace 100
'72 Triumph T100R

My brother has 250,000 plus on his. No rod bending "yet". So, just factor that in the price, or use as negotiating point.

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raMBow

1999 E300DT Obsydian Black Metallic, Heated Full Leather Parchment options, E2, K2, 136,000+, best 36.5 mpg - GP's 12-04 & 11-12 Zero Stuck
2010 Honda Odyssey - The BrideMobile - best 26.5
(2) 2005 Honday Accord- (1 -Corporate 1 - Personal) - 110,000 4-cyl 30mpg
2000 VW Golf GLS TDI, Upsolute Chip (sold to Brother, now 300+k on it) 48.5 mpg like clock work
1987 Honda CRX HF - Sold 87,000 always over 50 mpg Max 67 mpg

when the oil pump gets stopped by the baffel washers the breakage usually is contained to the front timing cover but i suppose it could chip the block in that area.
my experience is the timing cover and oil pan not the block.
larry perkins lou ky
87 old cars and 3 are 350sdl

i read here that if the 350SDL had seen mostly highway miles you should be fine.. my co-op leader just bought a mint 350SDL and he is putting upgraded rods in it to be safe.

Does any mechanic around here know what the new rod installation costs are into a good running 350sdl? I am talking about before the rods are bending and damaged distorting the cylinder walls? This is for the R&R of engine and the new rod cost to purchase and install. Perhaps freshening the bearings while they are in there? This sounds like good insurance for current 350sdl owners. For buyers just as long as a prepurchase compression test shows fairly even compression readings in all the cylinders it might be worth rolling the dice if the price is low enough to factor in cost to R&R the rods. These motors are the cats whiskers for performance for a MB diesel cars giving better power and good fuel mpg. It is too bad MB rushed production for this engine before the weak production rod problem was discovered and corrected before they starting having rod bending problems. I have seen motors for sale for less than the $10K I hear people talking about. But since I have to ask that means I can not afford one of these cars for now at least. One complete long block used is for sale used for $5K and he advertises rebuilt short blocks for $3500. This used long block with receipts from the dealer is the newer MB replacement motor factory with the stronger replacement rods I am assuming. I am still new to these good cars but the 350sdl is the closest I would be able to come to owning the newest generation of MB diesels cars sold at the dealers today for sure. Maybe in about 5 years I will stumble onto a decent rust free 350SDL. Hopefully with no rot like my current 1983 300SD. I keep telling my friends that "Someday I hope to own a car from the same decade that I am living in." John

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mercedes-Factory-350-6-cyl-Turbo-Diesel-126-Engine-SDL_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33615QQitemZ8021393807QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

Well if you are a W126 fan that is probably just about the best diesel verson they made. And it sounds like it is in better shape then 90% of them left on the road.

If you can get it for a reasonable price I'd jump all over it. On the open market figure low teens as far as value.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

350SD....Go for it.......
A fine automobile.................
Feel free to Contact me direct for care and grooming advise.......

91 350 sdl.
I have owned a 350 sdl several years now. Anyone purchasing such will ultimately be very pleased with it, if he or she factors in the purchase of a new
crate engine from Mercedes. We have our own shop facilities and decided it
was cheaper to purchase a new motor than to rebuild the old one. You can see some photographs of such a motor and the installation at www.scaffolding.com/mb
Constantine

Have heard terrible things about the 350. Go with B.C.'s advice.

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83 SD

84 CD