What can you tell me about these cars? I'm currently looking at early-to-mid 80's 300D's, but have run across some mid-90's E300's for what I think are pretty reasonable prices. Are they as good of cars as the older 300D's? Thanks for any input.

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BTW, I'm looking at these two cars currently:
#1
#2

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text incorrectly says its turbodiesel. My money would be on the 95. Check wiring harness and a/c.

Having been down this road, the '95 is the one to get.

* It's the newest of the models - less older/worn parts to go bad.
* It'll drive like a car built in 2000 - mine does.
* It's got the latest front end on it, and it's a good one at that!
* The '94 and '95 diesels had an oversized fuel tank installed - 23.8 gals - more range.
* MPG will be 26-28 city and 30-34 highway.

Wonderful cars.

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1989 500SEL Euro
1966 250SE Cabriolet
1958 BMW Isetta 600

Nice info, thanks.

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Doesn't the '95 still have the old-style gearbox front-end? I thought the E class first received power rack and pinion steering with the 210 in '96.

What the '95 does have is the 4-speed transmission. Some early 210's also have the older (and IMO, better) 4-speed, but they're hard to find. The '95 also shares the 606 engine with the 210. That's a good engine.

I don't know what electrics are shared between the late 124 and the early 210. Hopefully not much, since many of the early 210 electrical parts have been updated, so one bad parts means replacing several. A new IRCL likely requires a new IFI control module, for example.

Most of that was gibberish to me.

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DogPollen,
I understood every word. Instead of calling most of it gibberish, why didn't you ask for clarification?

Sheesh, lighten up. I didn't mean that the way you took it. Actually, the intent of my statement was to receive some clarification. Perhaps you could offer some?

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BTW, based on what Kelly Blue Book tells me, that car is about $800 over what it's purported value should be. Perhaps I can haggle a bit lower.

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If I were to get a "newer" diesel it would most definitely be the '95 W124.

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Jim

I certainly would not recommend either one until I knew more details.

You need the VIN #'s. Then you need to get the Car Fax reports for each one. You will be mostly disappointed by most cars. You will find that many have been to a couple of auctions over their lives. That's when you need to be very skeptical of the puff verbage in the ads.

Next you need to know the service history and then is the receipts exist and are available.

Now the next issue is distance. What is the time and money cost of traveling to inspect a car that you might not like. To me that mostly means that this limits the search to some reasonable mileage radius.

It also depends on you needs and mileage expectations. I mean all the talk about how great diesels are is often based on better mpg. You have to drive a lot of miles to justify the premium in the market for diesels. I would definitely consider gas 300E's. I am on my third one, '92 300E Sportline, purchased at 113K, and now at 245,000 miles.

I don't know your budget, but let's say it's $12,000 max. I have been diligently looking for the last 4 months. Target criteria was a gas 320 or 420 '94,95 with less than 90K and service records. Then someone on another list recommended a '97 E320. It has the M104 Inline 6 that is bullet proof and the 5 speed transmission. Next somebody talked up the '97,98,99 S320's.
There is a cherry Black '94 E420 in Birmingham for around 12K, one owner and all dealer records from day one. There was a great Desert Silver, '97 E320 in Columbus, OH that had been Starmarked at 63k and now at 74K, 10.9K as I recall.

I looked and looked. Finally, last week, I lucked out and found a '97 S320 local to me with 106K miles and full dealer service records. It is a dream. No dings, no dents, looks almost new. Black Opal Pearl Metallic, LWB. I got this car for less than $12,000.

The point is that you have to do your homework. As the saying goes, "There is nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes."

Just my thoughts on this tricky subject.

Steve

Interesting post and the information and opinion is appreciated.

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The only thing I've seen that gives me hesitation on ever owning a 94-95 E300D is the fact there were three of that series (although they were gassers) in the shop in two weeks and each of them had bad wiring harnesses. Under the hood. Major job to R&R. The dealers wouldn't do it under warranty so the Indy got the job. About half the price of the dealer but still expensive!
O/W I think that was the best years for the 124 in all other aspects.
FWIW, I own two '87 300D turbos and l love them!

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'95 E320 Wagon my favorite road car. '99 E300D wolf in sheeps body, '87 300D Sportline suspension, '79 300TD w/ 617.952 engine at 367,750 and counting!

IRCL = infrared control for central locking (under passenger floor mat)
IFI = indirect fuel injection