Haha agreed! I currently own a 617 and a 603. My 603 has cracked head syndrome but that will be rectified soon . I love driving both, but I especially love the power/handling of the 603 in the w124 chassis. That's just my opinion though!

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97 S500 (90,000 miles) - wife's car
87 300D (298,000 miles and a replacement #14 head)
94 Suburban K2500 - need something to haul firewood
83 300SD (343,000 miles) (sold)

That my good fellow sir is funny

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Live simply so others can simply live



07 E350 sport Wife's Daily
01 E320 sport My Daily
00 C230 Kompressor Our back up (new Arrival)

87 300D Turbo my Daily for 8 yrs. Selling to neighbor

82 GMC Jimmy (K5) 6.2 Diesel (my Wheeler)
73 Roadrunner 340ci My very first car, still own it

rest assured, the 61x vacuum pump can and does fail JUST as badly as the 60x ones do...

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

Jeremy, if you were schizophrenic, I'm not sure either of you would know it...

multiple belts < serpentine belts

we have a winnah!

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

I cant wait to have a serpentine belt w126. I HATE V belts and I HATE that alternator tensioner. I will miss not worrying about an Al head, having a reliable vac pump that isnt known to explode and being able to say my car is a five cylinder. I wont miss the extra weight up front, less efficiency, literal tractor feeling, the lame spot between 3200-4000rpm and the uglyness of the 61x valve covers . Ill keep my 617 on standby though, one day after a head cracks ill throw it in and end up driving it another 100K. The 617 is great but its way to boring after 6 years

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1981 300SD 512k OM603

Yeah, the 61X multiple V-belts can be a hassle to change (and really a pain on the turbo models)
But the 60X serpentine belt tensioners fail regularly, and may take out the timing cover if you don't replace it in time. At least that's what happened to a friend's 84 190D several years ago. Noticed that the replacement timing cover had a thicker, stronger casting at the tensioner mount - so I believe this is a known weakness.

The vacuum pumps on either can be a disaster,
but least none of the 61X engines was ever called a 'rod-bender'!

Happy Motoring, Mark

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DrDKW

The 617 300SD gets my vote hands down because it is slow off the
line and because it's built like a tank.
You see, it's my 17 year old's DD to and from school & for taking his
girlfriend out on dates. Nuff said.

Jeff

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1984 300SD 300,000 miles--two tank WVO setup
2.88 diff & 500SEL anti-squat rear end

I own both and became familiar with the 603 long before the 617 came along so I have come to understand how much more simple the 617 actually is. I've done the belts on both and (In my case) my 617 belts are actually easier to replace then my 603 belt. The 603 is a rocket ship by comparison but then again my 617 is non-turbo and really IS in a tractor . I'm not particurally worried about the 603 having an aluminum head which only ever gives trouble IF you overheat it....and why would anyone overheat ANY engine? (Just have to keep an eye and and ear open really) I've updated the 603 vacuum pump which I need to do on the 617 as well just to be on the safe side. The only small grievance with the 617 is the need to adjust the valves every 10,000 miles which is actually a good thing as it teaches me more about engines in general which the 603 never would have done.

Animosity towards owners of one or the other? None at all

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1982 300GD Carmine Red (DB3535) Cabriolet Parting Out
1990 300SEL Smoke Silver (Parting out)
1991 350SDL Blackberry Metallic (481)

"The thing is Bob, its not that I'm lazy...its that I just don't care."

I've put well over 100k miles on lots of my diesel Mercedes, OM 61X and OM60X.

Even IF I conceded the OM61X engine as better/simpler/more durable, I'd still prefer the OM60X, because I can have the W124 chassis.

My current diesel, a 95 E300 OM606, just returned from Charleston, SC. Added close to 1,000 miles and averaged 34.57mpg. And this included 140 miles of driving around the town sightseeing. Topped off at the same station before the trip and upon return, stopped when fuel was visible in the filler neck both times. Filled up in Charleston as well, but added the two together for consistency.

I could never top 30mpg in any of my OM617 W123 or W126 diesels (usually 26-28), and could only get 29 point something from the OM603 W124 wagon we owned for 13 years. I think I could beat 30mpg with my W115 220D manual, but not with the 220D auto.....

I'm looking forward to my next diesel, which will be the mid 2000 E320D turbo. A couple of my cousins have them and they are impressive, both in ride, acceleration and fuel economy, compared to the W124. Just need to finish putting 3 daughters through college first.

Jim

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14 E250 BlueTEC black. 45k miles
95 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 66k miles
94 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 152k miles
85 300TD 4 spd man, euro bumpers and lights, 15" Pentas dark blue 274k miles

I don't have any animosity towards owners of the newer diesels. And, except for the 'rod-bender' I'd never say that the OM 60X are bad engines. Generaly they're smoother quieter and more efficient. Nor would I say that the OM 61X is better, just simpler and more durable.
All the newer Mercedes I've sampled, gas or diesel, have been a pleasure to drive. They're absolutely more refined.
And I might own one if I needed to drive my diesel every day, and was in the habit of updating to a newer model every 10 or 15 years.
It's just that new technology often comes with unintended consequences (or intended - as in 'planned obsolescense') It's alot of fun when it works but it's a real bear if it breaks.
WDBCB20 mentioned a newer-model S-class being towed with the windows down after computer failure. I'm sure that car had more than just dead windows. Besides, if we already have power windows, do we really need to have them linked to a computer?
I've had friends that got rid of perfectly running 10 - 15 year old vehicles because some electronic system failed and it they couldn't afford the repair.

For those that use their diesels every day, want the safety, refinement and efficiency, and can pay to maintain and enjoy the technlogy, the newer diesels are better.
For those of us that work on our three dacades-old diesels, and consider them survivors, like the battered 'drive-forever' W123 taxis still seen in Africa and the Middle-East, simpler is better.

Happy Motoring, Mark

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DrDKW

Well, the 617 is heavier ain't it?

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Codifex
1981 240D ChinaBlue (Got her running with a donor engine.)
1983 300DTurbo w/sunroof.
1984 300TD manual sunroof. (Electrical Gremlins)