I am going to go get a car with around 250k miles on it. I guess I have a few questoins for you guys.

Is 250k alot for a diesel. I hear yes and no. Also, what are some things to look for when shopping for a diesel? etc. Common things that go wrong or some things to look for so that I don't get stuck with someone elses repair problems. Maybe a few little checks that are the equivalent of MB diesel equivalent of tirekicking.

Thank you for help ahead of time.

250k is not necessarily excessive mileage for a diesel.

What year and model Mercedes Diesel are you looking for?

Different body style and different years make a difference in what to watch out for.

Be a little more specific in what you are looking for, the more specific you are, the easier you can have your questions answered. A 1992 W140 350SD would give a very different answer than a 1979 240 D manual (for example)

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

The specific car I am refering to is a '82 300TD

It really is just a matter of how well the car was maintained by its previous owners. If I was really shopping for a car, I wouldn't mind shelling out 5k for a car like that if it was in good condition and the seller could produce accurate service records for a good part of its life. Wagons tend to bring a higher price.

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Seth

1984 300D 225K
1985 300D Donor body
1985 300D Turbo 165K. Totaled. Donor Engine. It runs!!!
1980 300SD 311K My New Baby.
1979 BMW 633csi 62K+++? Dead odo

Make sure you SLS works. (When you turn on the car it should be level as it has a self leveling system)

Wagons are a lot of fun a little louder to drive with all the room inside. But they usually go for a lot more than a comparable sedan in price.

As usual watch for rust and from there (I'm sure there is a list on here somewhere I know I've seen it, for things to look for when buying a car)

Hmmm. Once you get at that kind of mileage it doesnt' really matter as maintnance records and how it is now means everything. You can have a 100K mile car that is junk, and a 500K mile car that just had everything rebuilt replaced....soooo

Have you test driven the car...can you give us any more info?

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76 300D 130K "Stella" (Sold )
74 240D 299K (Donated to Highschool For Senior Project WVO)
83 300TDT 290K (My one and only)
Sanford, NC

I have driven it. The Transmission is a little rough, but overall it looks like it has seen alot of garage time because the interior and the exterior look to be in great condition. However, there is some slight rust under the 300badge on the back, and right where the back window meets metal on the bottom lefthand side.

That rust doesn't sound bad. Sounds like surface rust. As for the transmission what do you mean by rough? They were always kind of a slush box but can easily be adjusted both above and below. If there is a flare where the RPM's increase dramatically between shifts then you may have a problem a little bigger than an adjustment.

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76 300D 130K "Stella" (Sold )
74 240D 299K (Donated to Highschool For Senior Project WVO)
83 300TDT 290K (My one and only)
Sanford, NC

...and of course the trunk lock doesn't work right, you have to use the key, .. sounds like a vaccuum problem. which seems to be pretty common.

Rough shifting can be simple vacuum issues, easily fixed if you have the patience. About the rust, where is the car located? If it spent its life up north there could be more rust waiting for you later on.

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Seth

1984 300D 225K
1985 300D Donor body
1985 300D Turbo 165K. Totaled. Donor Engine. It runs!!!
1980 300SD 311K My New Baby.
1979 BMW 633csi 62K+++? Dead odo

I will ask the owner and get back to you guys. It willl be interesting to see what he says.

He probably wont sell you the car if he finds out how to fix his car through this site. I always look at the interior to find out how well kept the car was. If the dash has no cracks Id buy it.

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'85 300D Cal 280,000 miles
'14 GLK 350 60000 miles

Best advice I can give is to take the car to a good indy mechanic and get an inspection. Pay for the hour of shop labor and you will know where the car stands:
A) blow $100 and know to run far away from the car
B) blow $100 and have a list of DIYables that look expensive and get the price on the car way down.
C) blow $100 and know you are getting a steal.
You really can't lose, and because it's on a mechanics letterhead the current owner will believe it more (nevermind if you are better than the mechanic, the owner will believe the piece of paper over you anyday).
-nB

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'83 300D Turbo
Current: ???K mi - 19.2mpg -> 17.4mpg -> 22.9mpg ---> ODO Died
bought at: 233.8K mi - 10MPG For $1.00
3.5 cylinders work: 320 320 100 340 280
Got insurance? FarmersReallySucks.Com

It's not a TD if it has a trunk. Sedans are 'D''s and 'TD''s are wagons. It it is a sedan, it does not have the SLS suspension. The SLS suspension only came on the wagons, not sedans.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I have cars with about 250K on them that I would not hesitate to recommend to any forum member if they were for sale. I also have one with well less than 200 k indicated that looks good. Only problem is the odometer has been spun back or was broken for years at one point. Just too much subtle evidence that something is amiss with that car..Generally I am not a big fan of odometer indicated milages on the 123 type to start with. Unless documented with no glaring gaps in the history. I think as someone mentioned an overall inspection done by a mechanic that is really familiar with the 123 type is also the best money spent. People do buy the turkeys out there but try not to let it be you. At least you are looking at this car and not buying it sight unseen from ebay. That is a good thing. Interior should still be good with vinyl tex at 250 k as well. I also preffer to see the original paint even with a little rust. Sure beats buying a doctored up rust bucket. Tired also of seeing about this milage or less quoted in ads and interior trashed. Windshields terribly weathered and driving usage worn etc. Another good approach is to take someone along who has owned 123 diesel types. He will know by instinct almost what he is looking at plus the way it starts etc gives him many clues. I will buy certain cars with certain problems if the ecomomic benifit is there. As always buyer beware.