Looking to buy a 240D, 4 speed. The W123 has won me over, and the simplicity of the 240D combined with its longevity just does something to me. I love this car. I love the 300D too, don't get me wrong, but the 240D is just...cool, I think.

What should I look for in buying one, besides rust...

There is a post somewhere (I believe) about what to look for when buying a diesel merc. Search the forum. I found a lot of good info there.

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1983 240D Silver/Blue "Sadie", unknown miles. 100k miles on WVO single tank, converted to 2 tank about 10k miles ago, FPHE, Injector Heaters, Aux Fuel pump. Alcohol/Water injection. Frantz oil bypass filter
1992 300D 2.5 Turbo Green/Tan "Jade" 267K miles Stock.
1992 300D 2.5 tan/tan "Rocky" on 2 tank WVO. Pressure actuated Turbo "rat's nest" surgery completed. 197k miles

I'm with you, VW. That's going to be the next addition to my stable. Even better if I can find one with manual windows. I've never owned one so I can help much with what to look for, but good luck with your search!

My great-uncle had a (Sage?) Green one with the Palamino interior when I was a young 'un. That was one sharp looking car! That's probably when I got bit by the MBD bug.

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

I think I have the perfect model car. ( Some people make fun of me for not wanting a sun roof... but some of those same ones have posts asking for help on their leaking sun roofs.. LOL ).. 1980 240d manual trans ..

240d = room in engine compartment for your hands
manual shift= much easier to deal with on 20 plus year old cars
240d with manual shift necessary to keep from getting run over from behind.
manual windows= avoid electrically complex and old electric motors
No sun roof = peace of mind


MAIN CONSIDERATION once you decide on a 240d manual shift..

WHEN IT WAS MADE.

YOU WANT THE MB Type One Climate Control ...this is a wire operated valve basically... and I think that about AUG of 1980 is a magical date... not sure which side of that is best... but the way you can tell on the inside on the AC console... it does NOT have that rolling temperature setting device ( where only part of the wheel is showing )...

Since the turbo is the main problem inside the engine compartment for working space.. a non turbo 300d with manual trans is also a great car ( with a little more power )...

When you go to look at one pay attention to how well it starts. Ask the owner not too start it before you get there. Thats the best "quicky" indicator of engine condition, how it starts when COLD.

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

BTW, there's a really nice euro 300D non-turbo 4-speed for sale over on benzworld...

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w123-e-ce-d-cd-td-te-class/1296860-1981-300d-european-4-speed-manual.html

I have an 81 240D. 4 spd manual. Love the car but it's had a hard life and needs more work than it's inherently worth. But I'm using it as a learning tool to hone my non existant mechanical skills. I dont know if the Type 1 or Type 2 climate control is better. Mine is the Type 2 and the compressor is seized so I have no AC, Apart from a minor difference to the cabin air flow controls - type one has a single slider for air to windshield or footwell whereas the type two has two sliders - and the different temperature dial - there's not much difference to the mess behind the center console.

Other than that the usual diesel 123 diesel issues apply. While the 4 speed manual makes it a decent car to drive in traffic I'm not convinced about it's superiority in terms of longevity and reliability. Mine is probably due for major renovation, but then it's at 383000 miles.

For me it's a town car not a freeway car. Just doesn't have the legs for that.

Best thing indeed is the simplicity and the space in the engine compartment.

- Peter.

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2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

I waited for mine (out of financial necessity ) and finally ran across a non-wrecked 240D. You will love driving it every time your butt hits the seat. As stated, with factory driveline it is no fun on the highway!
Leathermang does have about the perfect little 240 (if you don't count AC ). While I wouldn't mind the piece of mind of no sunroof, a manual roof is the next best thing. No motor gear to strip, no cable to break.
Also, manual windows I think would be preferable. Not so much from an electrical standpoint, but it seems that electric windows are very hard on the regulators. Both my rear window regs are toast. Very little regulator problems with manual windows..........
Also when running, loosen oil filler cap on valve cover and let it sit there for a minute. If it blows it off the valve cover, you have a significant amount of blowby.

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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

Hell, 4-spd 240D's used to be a dime a dozen generally available at/near $1k. One of the best-kept secrets in the automobile world - economy model Benz is better than the deluxe versions. Without hesitation I'd buy the first one that looks half-assed decent. My first 240D was a $500 ebay NJ rust-belt special in 2003 that has since racked up another 80k trouble free miles. These are the last true Old World Mercs before MB went crazy with over-engineering. There just aint alot that can wrong with the 240D; it's got fewer parts then anything built since.

Yet in spite of what you hear about everybody loving the 4-spd, truth is that driving standard shift is becoming a lost art. And resale value of 4-spds is dependent on a much narrower market. Even 007 Danny Craig in the movie Casino Royale had never driven a manual shift in his life before the movie.

The "coolness" factor of the 4-spd 240D is Special Interest status that has developed cult following. Those who love them and drive em everyday dont want to own anything else. Stick shift 240's demand more skill to operate than any other MB built in recent years. Not a good car for those who dont like to drive.

Sensible people will say you're better off with something else.

But then again, what the hell do they know?

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

"While the 4 speed manual makes it a decent car to drive in traffic
I'm not convinced about it's superiority in terms of longevity
and reliability."--pj67coll

Once these guys with auto trans have problems they typically are
looking at $2500 to rebuild their trans (IF they can find someone
to do it correctly ). That is five times what my car cost in total.
And look at the number of theads where people are trying to get
their trans to shift at the right speed, hardness, etc...

"difference to the cabin air flow controls - type one has a single
slider for air to windshield or footwell whereas the type
two has two sliders - and the different temperature dial -
there's not much difference to the mess behind the center console."--pj67coll

What you want to do is avoid getting to the point where you are using
pushbuttons which need vacuum to work the mechanisms... mine uses
wires. AND the biggest difference between type one and two is inside
the engine compartment. You don't want it old enough that it has that
big fiberglass box controller for heater...and you don't want the later
mechanism which uses vacuum pushbuttons to activate electrical
devices. Anyone that thinks I am off base should get the FSM on ACC
units and look at the diagnostic flow charts of type 2 and 3 compared to
type 1.

"it's got fewer parts then anything built since. "--240Dog

That is what makes it great to maintain.

"As stated, with factory driveline it is no fun on the highway!"--JimmyL

I probably should mention that people with 5 speed manual trans in
these cars swear by them.. but even with the four speed my car loves
to run 76 mph....

Stone cold fact - rarely is the most popular vehicle ever the best.

Meanwhile there will always be 4-spd 240D owners howling in the wilderness (with mechanics to back em up) that they are driving the simplest and most practical production car ever built.

Nothing against the 300TD - probly the most desirable MB wagon available in the USA.

The 5 speed manual IS the iceing on the cake, even my wife loves driving her 240D

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

Greg, does your 240 have the original 3.69 (I think that is it) rear end?
At 76mph my 240 is very loud from engine noise and 'vibration' (not a vibration of anything wrong, just from being 'wound up'.) Of course, I do need a hood pad, but i don't really know how much difference they make.....

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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

Jimmy, Mine does not have a hood pad....but they should have them...
Did you see the great thread about 3M 8090 for attaching them properly ? LOL
Sometimes over the years the sound deadening materials have compacted... allowing more road and engine noise into the compartment than originally... like on the trans hump and over the 3rd member... once the noise gets into the trunk it is like a drum...