My poor 300TD is demised, so I'm in the market. I was originally thinking of buying a "pretty good" 300D, since we need another car soon (and the rented Mazda, well, the less said about that the better).

But today I drove a 1987 300SDL and boy, what a car. Seems to be in really nice shape; no rust, starts right up, no blowby, transmission shifts really nicely, finds reverse quickly. Almost everything works. I'm taking it to my mechanic on Monday for a PPI, and that will play a large factor in my decision.

It seems like I'm potentially trading more flexible cargo space for a nicer ride; an arguably more reliable engine for a smoother one; potentially buying more trouble with a greater number of gizmos. What other tradeoffs might I be making?

(If I get it, I think I'll call it "Duke," after the Duke of New York, in "Escape from New York," and maybe hang chandeliers on the front like his car )

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2003 E320 wagon, ~80k, "Sputnik"
1987 300 SDL, ~160k, "The Pimp Daddy" (sold April 2010)
1984 300 TD, ~200k, "Das Boot" (Demised March 2008)