seems like 61x owners feel that they are staying more true to the "heritage" because 60X engines are problematic and thats why they made less of them. and 60x owners feel that they are more caught up with the times, power is everything, you old tractor owners, geXt with it. ??????????? or is it just me.
I have owned "more 61Xs than 60X's":, and loved both, but I am now one of those 60X fans i guess.

__________________
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

Problematic???made less of them????

The om61x was made for about 20 or more years so of course there will be more. By the time the 60x series was gaining headway the price of fuel dropped so the demand for diesels lowered so they made less.

The 60x is as problematic as the rest of the engines. They each have their quirks. At least it's not a British engine or French. Then you'd have crap. I have a friend that's been dealing with his lotus's engine for months and leaking carb.


You can keep your tractor engines. I love my single and twin cam 6 cylinders. Check my sig, I still care for a 617....

You've made me curious as to what the actual production numbers are on the 60X series. I think it was made a similar amount of time.

Yes I sense the "animosity" but people who say the most controversial things are the people who have only owned one or the other.

I've said for years they are different motors engineered at different times for different chassis and the 60x is simply an engineering successor to the 61x, so in many ways it is better. Mercedes isn't stupid they wouldn't have made a new motor, then made it for 20 years if it was a bad motor.

The different chassis thing is important. At the core a 123 and a 124 are extremely different cars. So I think some people associate the ruggedness of the 123 chassis with the 61x.

I've had a 617 126 and a 603 3.5 126 and I would personally tell you the 1991 was a much better car. But there were many improvements over the years to the interior and the chassis so again we are comparing unlike cars.


Drive what you like. I like them all, see my sig.

__________________
68 280SL - 70 280SL - 70 300SEL 3.5 - 72 350SL - 72 280SEL 4.5 - 72 220 - 72 220D - 73 450SL - 84 230GE - 87 200TD - 90 190E 2.0 - 03 G500

Nissan GTR - Nissan Skyline GTS25T - Toyota GTFour - Rover Mini - Toyota Land Cruiser HJ60 - Cadillac Eldorado - BMW E30 - BMW 135i

Only a little jealousy from the 60x owners since they all know that the 61x motors all get 50 MPG and run at least 1 million miles

The 603 owners have head problems. More power and fuel milage may make their owners feel elite as well. Also they have the newer cars.

My 616s may sound like tractors but I have been unable to locate plows for them. Strange they were not an option from mercedes..

There is a certain charm or challenge to getting everything out powerwise from a 616 almost daily when in service that the 603 owners will never know. I really believe it is an experience in itself that is lacking in the five cylinder 617 turbo versions as well.

However even if they are not high value in dollar amounts the 616,617 and 603s have the commonality of being rich in owners experiences with them.

As I have one of each. "Dull" - Never!

__________________
Mine: 1987 MB 420 SEL - 62K (Dec 2019)
Mine:1991 MB 350SDL - 244K (Aug 2011)- Totalled 9/14/2016
Mine:1981 MB 300SD - 326K mi (July 1997)-sold
Wife's: 2008 MB C300 Sport - 92K mi (April 2009)

You nailed it, sir!

__________________
"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

the newer motors have the undeniable advantages of power economy and smoothness....unfortunately at the expense of simplicity, ruggedness and being mechanic friendly. I've had two 603s and probably a dozen each or more of the 616 and 617 motors. I am sticking with the 616 617s at the moment for ease of maintenance.

a 95 300d might be in my garage one day, and or a 190d.

__________________
[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.

No animosity towards W124 owners. In fact the first time I drove a W124 with a 603 engine, I thought I was in heaven, compared to my 616.
But every car is going to need maintenance and repair at some point. So I just prefer keeoing my old ones simple.
Since it's nearly impossible to find a W124 with manual everything, I've decided to stick with the 'old tractors'. My diesels are second or third cars anyway. I might feel differently if I had to use one as my daily driver.

Happy Motoring, Mark

__________________
DrDKW

Other than being crammed in to tighter spaces the 60x series is still very very mechanic friendly.

For those who think 603s are complicated, how do you react to a fuel injected car from the mid 90s? Total shock and horror?

__________________
68 280SL - 70 280SL - 70 300SEL 3.5 - 72 350SL - 72 280SEL 4.5 - 72 220 - 72 220D - 73 450SL - 84 230GE - 87 200TD - 90 190E 2.0 - 03 G500

Nissan GTR - Nissan Skyline GTS25T - Toyota GTFour - Rover Mini - Toyota Land Cruiser HJ60 - Cadillac Eldorado - BMW E30 - BMW 135i

I'd have to say it also depends what car you're talking about. I own both, but in all honesty, the 603 is perfect for the w126. My SDL just feels perfect on the highway in comparison to the '84 SD I previously had (sold). The SDL is made for long highway roadtrips, IMO.

However, for around town driving, I still enjoy the 617 in my '80 300d...

I've owned 616s, 617s, 603s, and one running 621. I liked all of them. No bias coming from me. I'm currently driving either a 603 or a 4BT Cummins with a 617 in the garage getting ready as fast as I can.

__________________
daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
Cluster Needles Paint
New Old Stock (NOS) parts

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

If you're ever up this way, DAW I'd love to test drive your 4bt dodge!

__________________
[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 have had both. I don't care what anyone drives, each engine type has its strong points. As a daily driver, I prefer my 603.

__________________
Chief

1991 350SD