In the last few weeks my mom as been talking seriously about getting a additional car. Currently she drive a Smart car. Her husband drives an Excursion. They have a 3 year old English Mastiff. The Mastiff was raised in the Smart, so she knows how to sit in the passenger seat, but the problem is my mom can't drive the dog and the husband around. They like taking day trips, but as of now they have to choose between the dog and reasonable fuel milage.
My mom has put me on the mission of finding her a good quality car the dog will fit in for $2k or less. I'm got a solid line on an 84 300D. She is very excited about the idea of owning an old Benz. The current plan is she is going to drive out with the husband in the Excursion in October. They're gonna drive the CA coast up to Oregon. Their hoping to make this trip to Oregon in the 300D and then they will trailer it back to Texas.
I tought I'd post this to see what yall think about owning a Benz in San Antonio. I know here in Sacramento I have a very close group of MB owners I talk to regularly. Some of my best friends I've met a mercedes meets. Whats the MB culture like in SA? Any good shops my mom should know about? My mom is a car lover, she takes her Smart to meets and even drove in a parade with the Smart Club.

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there are some benz lovers here--- But this aint " The land of the Benz"-- which is where U are. there is no Benz culture anywhere else in America quite like what you are around -and always have been there. Old benz's are just old cars to most people once you leave there.

There are a few San Antonio members. I hope the car has air conditioning because you will need it. Mine currently does not and it gets night time duty only. I have a good mechanic that I think will treat her right.

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1984 300SD Orient Red/ Palomino
1989 560SEC
2016 Mazda 6 6 speed manual
1995 Ford F-150 reg cab 4.9 5speed manual

Absolutely HAS to have AC. Working. Better yet recently overhauled, 'cause a weak system will be brutalized by the summer here. Tinted windows would help, too - though I don't have them (but I have a grage, and park under shelter at work).

There are some good indy shops around town - not sure what part she lives in, but they are mostly on the north and northwest sides.

No real culture here - but there are a few of us on the boards....

The PnP here always has a w123 or two, so that is nice.

The dealership is located on the north side near the airport. I find their prices to be higher than those others report around the country, but if you are sweet to Gilbert, he can help you out some.

It is very flat here, so power on hills is not an issue, but drivers can be agressive and love BIG A$$ trucks, so some caution is warranted merging and generally just getting about town.

We have 2 240Ds that serve as daily drivers for me and the family, and have only had w123s as DD for the past several years here. No problems, though I have done pretty much all of the maintenance myself.

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Current Mercedes
1979 maple yellow 240D 4-speed

Gone and fondly remembered:
1980 orient red 240D 4-speed

Gone and NOT fondly remembered:
1982 Chna Blue 300TD

Other car in the stable:
2013 VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI / 6-speed MT

I lived in San Antonio for a little over three years. At the time I lived there, and in the area I lived, I saw a lot of older MBs that belonged to retired military folks. Quite a few of them were euro cars they imported. I never saw or heard of any Mercedes meets / clubs, but honestly I wasn't really looking for them. What E150GT and zeke have said about A/C is correct--even a system in good shape on an 80's european car is going to be taxed by the high heat and humidity. There are several independent shops that know and enjoy working on the older diesels. I still use a San Antonio mechanic (David Kehl)for my '85 300D, even though I moved back to Austin. There are recommendations for other mechanics that may be closer to your mom in the "Good Shops" section. Also, when I lived there, the parts counter at Benson Mercedes/MB of San Antonio had a guy who knew older diesels and they always had many of the parts needed for DIY stuff (oil/fuel/air filters, etc.) in stock.

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Christopher
'06 Mercedes E350 station wagon (silver/black)
'85 Mercedes 300D (black pearl/palomino)
'85 Mercedes 300SD (smoke silver/burgundy)
'79 Cadillac Sedan DeVille

'05 Toyota Camry (because always running is nice)

'85 Mercedes 300D sold back to orig. owner 8-1-06
'84 Volvo 264GL Diesel, owned 2000-2013

Just to follow up - yes there are several parts guys that know older models, but most everything for the older cars in my experience is a special order from Dallas that takes 24-72 hours to arrive.

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Current Mercedes
1979 maple yellow 240D 4-speed

Gone and fondly remembered:
1980 orient red 240D 4-speed

Gone and NOT fondly remembered:
1982 Chna Blue 300TD

Other car in the stable:
2013 VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI / 6-speed MT

It's too bad that's the case now, although I'm not surprised. It was about 7 years ago that I lived there. I remember the parts person saying that they were seeing less and less of the 240/300 models. You are correct on the prices, too; MB-Austin's parts prices are generally slightly lower in comparison.

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Christopher
'06 Mercedes E350 station wagon (silver/black)
'85 Mercedes 300D (black pearl/palomino)
'85 Mercedes 300SD (smoke silver/burgundy)
'79 Cadillac Sedan DeVille

'05 Toyota Camry (because always running is nice)

'85 Mercedes 300D sold back to orig. owner 8-1-06
'84 Volvo 264GL Diesel, owned 2000-2013

i would love to see a pic of the mastiff in the smart car...

hello, I am the Mom to SirNik84. I will take a picture of her in the Smart, she takes up the passenger seat just like people. SirNik84 is helping me get an older mercedes to enjoy. Yes I will need to make sure we have air conditioning and I will get the windows tinted. Window tinting in California is not very acceptable, like on the drivers/front seat passenger windows. But it is surly needed here. Good to hear there are some good "ol mercedes" mechanics out there that love working on them. SirNik84 and I have done some repairs to his and enjoyed the heck out of it. Looking forward to another mercedes, full size this time, in the home.

Welcome to the forum peggysjeep

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Current Mercedes
1979 maple yellow 240D 4-speed

Gone and fondly remembered:
1980 orient red 240D 4-speed

Gone and NOT fondly remembered:
1982 Chna Blue 300TD

Other car in the stable:
2013 VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI / 6-speed MT

Somewhere there exists a picture of my mom helping me install the hood pad on my car... I couldn't figure out a way to reach the center of the hood and my mom says "I got this, i'm small" and stood on top of the valve cover! lol. great picture, if she knows where its at.

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Picked up Moms new car yesterday. Here's the car at in-n-out. Living it up in CA before it leaves for TX.

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Nice, I'll be loooking for it at all the local Whataburgers (no in-n-out here yet, but there is NO WAY it's better than WB )

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Current Mercedes
1979 maple yellow 240D 4-speed

Gone and fondly remembered:
1980 orient red 240D 4-speed

Gone and NOT fondly remembered:
1982 Chna Blue 300TD

Other car in the stable:
2013 VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI / 6-speed MT

yes well the in-n-outs are here now too,, but they bungled the buisness plan before coming here, I walked into a Dallas one late one nite and asked --"where is the bacon Burger"? the girl said "we dont offer bacon on the menu". Hmm-- turned around and walked out, No reason for me to visit them again.

Welcome to the forum, Peggy. One word of advice I would like to point out is that if you get the windows tinted, have it done by a real professional. Spend the extra money so you don't have windows that look like mine with the film bubbled, cracked and peeling off. Now I have to find a way to get it off and not destroy the heater coils on the rear window. I have a feeling it is going to be a real pain in the kiester.

Good luck and I hope the car treats you well.

Oh, and we have an In-N-Out place in Dallas. I've never been but I hear it is the rage in CA. Whataburger is pretty good, though.

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1991 F250 super-cab 7.3 IDI. (rebuilt by me) Banks Sidewinder turbo, hydroboost brakes, new IP and injectors.
2003 S430 - 107K
1983 300SD - Tanoshii - mostly restored ~400K+.
1983 300SD - Good interior. Engine finally tamed ~250K.
Monark Nozzle Install Video - http://tinyurl.com/ptd2tge