I am looking at this rare beast. Original owner brought it from Germany back in 1987, it has no turbo but it has manual 5 speed. He told me that this four cylinder engine was only made there for one year. I love the car and I am trying to convince the owner to sell it.
However my mechanic who has Mercedes shop and specializes in diesels told me to stay away from it because it's very hard to get any parts for car like that. He recommends to stick with Benz made for American market like 300SD or SDL.

That didn't make me happy so I think this is the right place to get more opinions.

BTW, car has only 70k original miles, I don't think I would need many engine parts soon and other parts would be the same as american 300D?

It would be nice to see some pics. Your mechanic could be right if the engine is an 'odd ball' only build one year. I have an 85 Euro 240D with a five speed and parts are no problem. What is the engine model #, if its a 616.912 go for it as soon as possible. Anyway more info might help ID the car.

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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"

300D 4 cylinder?
w124?
The trans may be rare in USA, but parts ought to be available for it when needed. Yeah certain specific engine parts might be tough.

What might be a problem is finding competent mechanics who would handle the car since it requires thinking out of the box.
They may charge a premium for working on a 'special car'.

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1979 300D 220 K miles
1995 C280 109 K miles
1992 Cadillac Eldorado Touring Coupe 57K miles SOLD
********************
1979 240D 140Kmiles (bought for parents) *SOLD.
SAN FRANCISCO/(*San Diego)
1989 300SE 148 K miles *SOLD

Sounds like you want it. The worst case is you have to join eBay Germany and, of course, learn to speak German if you don't already.

Sounds more like a 200D. The 190D 2.2 has a bored version of that engine so service and maintenance parts shouldn't be too much of a problem. I wouldn't worry much about parts unless it has SLS or other options not offered in the US.

Do you have the VIN?

Sixto
87 300D

It is NOT 200D, definitely 300D w124 but it was only made for one year as 4 cyl.

I don't have pictures, VIN or engine number and probably won't see the owner again until transaction. The problem is he's not really into selling it... yet. And I don't blame him, car averages 600 miles on one tank and he's not driving highways that much.

Also there is no rust at all, guy has few other cars and RWD wasn't his choice for snow driving so it spent all winters in the garage.

I am selling my SEC now to have funds ready when he'll be ready to sell. Thanks for the input guys
I hope I will be the new owner soon and will post some pictures then, I will worry about parts later, for now this car needs nothing, even smells new.

If its a 4 cylinder its definitely NOT a 300D. More likely is a 5-cylinder 250D and he is mistaking it for a 4 cylinder, as people not used to seeing engines with 5 cylinders often do.

i would not be afraid of buying such a car. The routine maintenance parts such as filters and such should cross reference with similar models imported here.

I agree it must be a five cyl non turbo.

Tom W

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I don't speak French but this is a W124 200D 4 cylinder -

http://cgi.ebay.fr/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270255503529

Sixto
87 300D

It is entirely possible that it is debadged

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http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

If you can look under the hood check how many hard injector lines there are....that will give how many cylinders the motor is.

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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)

I was driving by yesterday so I stopped to get the VIN, sorry I had no camera. Please decode it for me, the russian site won't recognize it but this is euro, cloth seats, manual windows.


WDB1241201A007599

thanks for the lesson but I know how to count the cylinders, yes-four injector lines.
Unless he rebadged 200 or 220D he says it's 300, I didn't see the title and I think he don't want to sell now

To the extent you trust wikipedia, 124.120 is a 200D -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_W124

MB didn't offer a 220D in the 124 body style but engine from the US only 190D 2.2 should be a direct fit.

Sixto
87 300D

That would indicate lying seller so I don't want it anyway. Maybe engine swap, probably not one owner and who knows what else...