M plan was to switch over to the VW TDI as my vehicle platform.

(By platform, I mean thats when you have several of them and stock and swap parts from axles to U joints, just like I did for my 300D's and 240D's. You also develop an expertise and technical library.)

The idea was good on paper because you see lots of VW's on the road and in salvage yards--except for the Diesels...

And when I chased several of them down, i was disappointed in what I saw. The VW TDI diesel is not as reliable as the W123 300D, and they still are very overpriced.

So now here I am looking for..a 240D to work on this summer!!

Same plan was brewing here in my head for a while until I found the same thing... not too many available, and the owners thought more of them than I did. The Mercedes was just more available and, even though a bigger car, a better platform in some ways. And so it goes.

I switched to Benz after years of owning VWs. Many say the w210 aren't great as far as MBs go, but I'll tell you it's one heck of an improvement over a VW.

When my latest VW (Regret-a-Jetta) started to fail on me, I kicked around the idea of a 3-4 year old Jetta TDi wagon, but they are just so horibly unreliable. Plus, most VW parts are more expensive than MB equivalents. For the same price of a 2-3 yr old VW, I was able to find a cerfully maintained 8 year old e300d. I think I'm miles ahead.

I'll say this much: after 10+ years of being a VW-only household, I'll never, ever own another one.

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Jake
1999 e300d PlantDrive WVO/SVO conversion
**note to self: oil changed at 268k kms**
1990 Toyota 4Runner FrankenDiesel swap

The VW uses a timing belt. More than enough reason never to own one.

One of the main reasons I don't like the TDIs is I dislike front wheel drive. In this area we may get snow or ice perhaps once a year. If it happens, I stay home. Not worth risking anything with the way people drive around here.

Anecdotal evidence I know, but I've also heard of electrical problems. Really not something I want to deal with. And a lot of things you can't reset without a VAG-COM. I have no problem with OBDII, in fact I love the idea of hooking up a laptop to a car and being able to monitor it all. But when I can't choose the application that I do it with, no thanks.

Good luck with your seach, carrameow. I am among the converted, as well. I owned two TDIs that were great cars for me. I considered buying another one this spring. But, I changed my mind. It boiled down to the fact that I could get a lot more car for thousands less with the Mercedes W124. Yes, I know that my E300D won't get anywhere near 50 mpg. I'm not complaining with the 30+ mpg commuting, however.

Like I mentioned in previous posts, my extended family has had good success with TDIs...none of the trouble that notfarnow has experienced. I am convinced that the VWs tend to be either hits or misses. A friend of mine has had more issues than average in his '00 Jetta TDI.

My brother made the comment about my E300D and my father's E300 CDI, "It looks like they were designed by people who care." This comment came after swapping his transmission in his 200K Passat TDI. I guess that kind of sums it up for me. My car is really put together well and I am at the point in my life (age 39) where that means something. Quality is important to me.

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Nothing cranks me like compression ignition.

- '95 Mercedes E300D "The Great White"
- '98.5 Dodge Cummins 24V 4x4 - "The Green Hammer" (Sold 12-08)
- '81 VW Rabbit diesel w/GTI suspension - "The JackRabbit"
- '00 Triumph Sprint ST for when I need speed

In 2006 is sold my '87 300D in order to get into a '98 Jetta TDI. Within 6 months of ownership, the timing belt tensioner froze up while I was cruising and shredded the t-belt. I had another 12,000 miles to go before the next t-belt change.

I'm lucky to have found the '92 300D that i bought recently. It doesnt get 42mpg like the tdi, but its roomier, better built, and just plain easier to work on. I've enjoyed many of Carrameow's posts and he's definitely an above average DIY'er. I can't think of a better platform for a DIY'er like him than the w12X MB's.

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2001 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins Turbo Diesel - 4x4, auto, 3.54 gears, long bed
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'92 300D 2.5 Turbodiesel - sold
'83 300D Turbodiesel - 4 speed manual/2.88 diff - sold
'87 300D Turbodiesel - sold
'82 300D Turbodiesel - sold

MB & VW=apples and oranges

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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"

It is comparing apples to oranges. Volkswagen is not even in the same league at Mercedes. Mercedes never sold an econobox (or maybe they did).

With that said, I love my Passat TDI Variant and it's modern amenities. I am not looking to keep this car for more then 10 years..... I classify it as one of those are cars you replace (as with any other new car with electronics and modern amenites) with the latest and greatest after so many years.

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1983 123.133 California
- GreaseCar Veg System

Kinda like a 1970 VW Beetle and a 1970 Mercedes.

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Currently driving a very clean 1985 300SD from the West Coast.

We have our sights set on a 240D thats here local, its in pretty nice shape too. We want it!

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)