Out of necessity I have purchased a new vehicle. I HAVE to let one of my Mercedes go now but I can't decide which one. I am appealing to the "collective wisdom" of this forum for help.

#1- 1987 300SDL- Very Nice Car!- 233,500 miles- Cold A/C-needs one or two items to be perfect- beautiful as she is right now-get lots of compliments on her when I drive her. I love it's comfort and style! Owned for 3 years.

#2- 1981 300D- Again, very nice car!- 328,000- Cold A/C- needs one or two items to be perfect. Great looking car! I love it's simplicity! Owned for one year.

I would trust either car to go anywhere. I could spend a little on either one and have a car that will give me great service for quite some time to come.

What to do, what to do?

Kevin

I voted for the 1987 300SDL.....with a caveat --- I have first dibs on it.

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daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
No longer selling Cluster Needles Paint
No longer selling New Old Stock (NOS) parts

Past:
3/2008 1986 300SDL "Coda"
04/2010 1965 190D(c) "Ben"
& many more

First, you have to name the type and purpose of the new one...

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-Evan


Benz Fleet:
1968 UNIMOG 404.114
1998 E300
2008 E63


Non-Benz Fleet:
1992 Aerostar
1993 MR2
2000 F250

2008 Dodge Grand Caravan. It will also be replacing my 40' Silver Eagle tour bus. Trying to cut costs for our family music ministry.

I had to vote the SDL since you now have a new, comfortable vehicle for trips and such. You can keep the 123 for chucking around town in.

Getting rid of the Eagle? Wow, what year? Detroit power? Maunal tranny? I've always wanted one of them...

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-Evan


Benz Fleet:
1968 UNIMOG 404.114
1998 E300
2008 E63


Non-Benz Fleet:
1992 Aerostar
1993 MR2
2000 F250

The Eagle is an '82 with a 6v92 Turbo. It has an Allison HT740 Auto. I have been in the process of converting it to a motorhome but I don't have the time. I am also a full-time pastor and my family travels to minister through song on Fridays and Saturdays. Sometimes we will be as far as 6 hours from home on Saturday nights and I have to be back at the church on Sunday mornings for service. At the time I bought the Eagle I had a few folks that would drive for us but now their schedules won't work with ours so it kinda defeats the purpose of having the bus if I have to drive it home on Saturday nights.

I have started building the interior but it is no where near being finished. I am selling the Eagle with the following installed: small fridge, microwave, toilet, shower pan, 2 55 gallon plastic drums for holding tanks (grey water and non-potable water). Four windows from each side have been removed and their holes covered with aluminum. The walls have been framed up BUT that's about it. The bus has ONE roof mount A/C unit, which will not cool the entire bus, and there is a 6.5 diesel generator mounted in the rear of the bus. The bus has an aux A/C unit but it has some issues. The man who engineered the system said that the compressor was really too large for the rest of the system and would actually pull the system down and stop cooling. I have installed a new expansion valve and drier for the system. I pulled a vacuum on it and it held solid overnight! Cools great at idle but not at speed!

The Eagle has good tires and it is a straight bus. I would go anywhere in it!
Someone can get it for $10,000 firm! If they don't want the generator with it then I will take $9,000 firm!

Any takers?

If you have to drive that far, drive in comfort and quiet. Keep the SDL.

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Michael LaFleur

'05 E320 CDI - 86,000 miles
'86 300SDL - 360,000 miles
'85 300SD - 150,000 miles (sold)
'89 190D - 120,000 miles (sold)
'85 300SD - 317,000 miles (sold)
'98 ML320 - 270,000 miles (sold)
'75 300D - 170,000 miles (sold)
'83 Harley Davidson FLTC (Broken again) :-(
'61 Plymouth Valiant - 60k mikes
2004 Papillon (Oliver)
2005 Tzitzu (Griffon)
2009 Welsh Corgi (Buba)

And the three of us sit on top of the sound eguipment, CD's, and changes of clothes? An SDL ain't that comfortable.

I voted SDL, just because the D is easier to care for.

I voted for the D because a nice SDL is hard to beat! And it should get better mpg.

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2006 Jetta TDI DSG 320k miles
1997 Ford F150 325k miles 4.2L V6 "Work Truck"
2008 Tundra 225k miles 5.7L
1982 240D.....sold
1984 300D...Totaled OUCH!
1985 300D Turbo 222k miles "Dos" sold to 79Mercy
1986 300SDL 98K miles "The Beater"....sold
1987 190E 2.3 16v Euro spec 115K miles....sold

same

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1983 240D 3.0T 4-speed manual, now sold

1989 Subaru GL Wagon 5-speed Touring Edition

yep.. ditch the W123..

Ditch the 300D!

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Current cars:
2000 ML55 AMG, 174k miles
2003 C240 T-Modell, 202k miles
1995 S320, 207k Miles

You have the downside risk of the head going south on the SDL, but most normal people wouldn't know that. You also have the issue of pretty high mileage on the 300D that would seriously limit the sale price to most normal people. I would keep the 300D.

Rick

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80 300SD (129k mi) 82 240D stick (193k mi)77 240D auto - stick to be (153k mi) 85 380SL (145k mi) 89 BMW 535i 82 Diesel Rabbit Pickup (374k mi) 91 Jetta IDI Diesel (155k mi) 81 VW Rabbit Convertible Diesel 70 Triumph Spitfire Mk III (63kmi)66 Triumph TR4a IRS (90k mi)67 Ford F-100 (??)

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