First Car / Short Drives - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

#1 03-11-2002, 01:56 PM

I have been reading this forum for sometime and I have learned many valuable things about diesel Mercedes from this forum but I have two questions I need answered.
I am planning on buying a 300SD Mercedes for about $5000 as my first car. My father says I should not buy a used car but a new one as it will have a warranty and such. Is it a good idea to buy a Mercedes as my first car or should I go for something less unique (around here you don't see any)?
Also, I have read that short drives are hard on deisel engines and that usually about 7 miles will be enough to burn off any condensation in the engine and enough to recharge the battery. Will idling the car for a little while before you drive away be equivalent to this or not?

Your help would be appreciated.

Capt Kirk · #2 03-11-2002, 02:07 PM

For a first car you want the slowest, simpliest, safest car you can afford. A 70's w123 240D meets those requirements PERFECTLY. Sure it might be as flashy as a nice 300SD but you'll be happy when you don't have problems with electrical, vacuum, and climate control systems.

You could get a good 240D for a fraction of that 300SD and use the rest of the money to put a CD player in (not one of those flashy ones, just a simple Pioneer one) fix a few minor things and spend the rest on a gf or just save it.

Anyways, Idling the car before you drive off in the morning won't do anything, your best bet it to plug the engines block heater in every night so you have a jump start on the warm up process.

EDIT: You should also look for a manual tranny, a little faster and less complicated compared to the Auto

#3 03-11-2002, 02:19 PM

Thank you Capn Kirk but the thing is that the 300SD is in almost mint comndition as this guy babied it and had it taken care of insanely well. He is a friend of the family so I may also be able to get it for cheaper but in all the time I have been looking I have not seen any 240's around here at all.

But thank you for the answer about the op. temp. of the engine that will probably save some headaches in the future. But as for slowest car I can get, I dont think that will work out too well.

Capt Kirk · #4 03-11-2002, 02:42 PM

you'd be surprised what kinda trouble that 3L Turbo Diesel will get you into.

At least with the 240D you could be like "But officer, it's a 240D, I didn't know it was capible of those speeds"

Also, knowing how to drive a stick is a good lesson.

But hey, if the 300SD is readily avalible buy it. What year is it btw?

#5 03-11-2002, 02:47 PM

Yeah speeding is not really a problem around here as most of the hotspots are know to all drivers but I also have a habit of never speeding unless Krynski is involved (long story). I know it is early 80's and I think it is before 86 at most but I dont know the exact year. The 240d would most likely be cheaper for insurance but other than that (and speed) what are their major differences?

#6 03-11-2002, 02:50 PM

Scuba,

Older cars, even ones as well built as Mercedes, require a certain degree of attention. I suppose you could buy an old Mercedes and just drive it until it won't start....but if you prefer things to function, then you will need to be ready to work on it some. Many of the things that go wrong with an old car are just the product of aging - like rubber pieces that go bad over time.

So part of your decision should be the interest you have in tinkering with the car (I'm assuming you don't have the deep pockets to just take it to the shop every time something goes wrong). If you are mechanically inclined, or want to be, an old diesel Mercedes is a great thing to have. Fairly easy to work on and lots of quality built in. As long as you stay ahead of the repair/replacement power curve, the cars are very dependible. I'd drive mine anywhere tomorrow.

I think a big part of the pleasure in owing one of these is being able to improve the car by spending time working on it.

Good luck,

Nic
'85 300CD @ 150k miles

Capt Kirk · #7 03-11-2002, 03:31 PM

The biggest differences lay in the extras. On the SD it'll have power/automated everything from the windows to the climate control (when that fails then it's costly) on the 240D the only things that are powered are the steering and brakes. Those systems on the SD require attention which in turn require you to fiddle with stuff that you might not want to. If you get a 240D with a manual then the only things you'd have to worry about is changing the oil and topping of the fluids every once and a while.

Mercedes Benz are very reliable cars because the owners (especially the ones with older cars) stay on top of everything. If you have no desire to do any of the work your self then your better off with a Honda. If your willing to do the work that needs doing but aren't made of money get the 240D. If your will to pay for all the work that needs done then get the 300SD.

Either MB route you go down it will cost money and take some of your free time away to do maintence. Which MB depends on what you can afford. If you don't even want your hands dirty then the MB isn't for you.

For a first car you want something that will last you a year or 2 that is safe and won't get you in trouble. Sure you want a flashy car to drive to impress your friends. Heck we all remember those people that got brand new Camero's or Mustangs when they turned 16, we also all remember how many of those Camero's or Mustangs survived more then 2 years with a wreck. Once you've gained experience behind the wheel of a car then you can move up to the 300SD, but to begin with you'll be better off with the 240D.

I learned to drive on a 1984 Volkwagen Diesel Rabbit. It had a 5 speed transmission, Manual steering, and somehow power brakes. It had A/C but that never worked, but it did have windows that rolled down (manual windows). The Engine had a total of 52 hp that the car needed all of everytime I accelerated when the light turned green. Sadly it started having oil pressure problems that we didn't want to spend the time fixing. But getting rid of the rabbit wasn't a sad thing, it had performed above and beyond the call of duty. My next car that I really could call my "first car" was the 1989 Diesel Jetta you see in my sig. It had power steering this time around, but everything else about it was the same as the Rabbit (down to the drive train). We needed to replace the tranny after my brother drove it a while (6 months) without using hte clutch to shift gears most of the time. On that car I learned many of the DIY mechanic skills I posses today (on that car there was a lot of imaginitive things I had to do to keep it working). It served me faithfully (even more so then the Rabbit) for a long time. I became very skilled at driving a manual tranny equiped car. The reason I was forced to get rid of it was a seal in the IP broke causing a crap load of fuel to leak out the bottom. It would have cost $1000+ to fix the car.

After those 2 cars I got my 300D which has cost me a lot of money, but has also performed flawlessly. I've done all the work on it my self and I haven't had a single problem doing that.

Here's some of my more memorible threads:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?threadid=29542
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?threadid=29338
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?threadid=30123
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?threadid=30477

Look through those and tell me if your willing to do all that to the 300SD to keep it running. Keep on mind the 240D would require only about 10% of that stuff.

I know I maybe raining on your parade but I'm just trying to help you out. If you feel really good about that 300SD take it to MB shop and have them look over it. Ask them what types of things break on that type of car and how much it costs to fix it.

#8 03-11-2002, 05:29 PM

Thanks for all you help and you have basically told me what I wanted to hear, if you take care of it, fix all of the little things yourself, and stay ontop of regular maintenaince it should be fine. It is either a choice between this car or a new car (12k with monthly payments of 200 for 5 years). I personally do not see how a 300SD can cost me $7000 in repairs in 5 years unless I decide to toss a match in the gas tank.

ajb · #9 03-11-2002, 05:36 PM

Just thought I'd pipe in as I'm a new MB owner. I recently bought a 82 240d with a standard transmission & boy am I one happy guy

!

(except for the fact that my wife is kind of hogging the 240d & leaves me driving the Toyota Previa

)

Like Capt. Kirk has suggested, my 240d doesn't have a lot of bells & whistles and is really easy to fix. The standard trans. makes this car a blast to drive and it is simple to work on!! Everything is easily accessiable and like Larry Bible suggested - having 4 cylinders rather than 5 cyl reduces my own labour by 20%

Aivars

Capt Kirk · #10 03-11-2002, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by scubahood86
Thanks for all you help and you have basically told me what I wanted to hear, if you take care of it, fix all of the little things yourself, and stay ontop of regular maintenaince it should be fine. It is either a choice between this car or a new car (12k with monthly payments of 200 for 5 years). I personally do not see how a 300SD can cost me $7000 in repairs in 5 years unless I decide to toss a match in the gas tank.

actually throwing a match in there shouldn't be a problem.

RG5384 · #11 03-11-2002, 09:18 PM

i'm gonna call Bull ***** on whoever said that you can easily get into trouble with an SD. Fact of the matter is, almost all the cars on the road can out accelerate you. 0-60 is in the mid 13's, and in general, it is a slow car. Granted, not as slow as a 240d, but quick is not exactly what i would call it. The s-class definately makes up for it's lack of speed in other aspects though. For example, it has a better ride then most of my friends 15k+ plus cars, it has more power options then any 83 model year car i know of, it's safe as a bank vault, and it actually handles quite well. Not to mention it drives awesome above 80mph. Go for the SD, but learn how to fix it yourself, or else youll go broke. BTW, my SD was my second car after a nightmear experiance with a buick century. But with that 3.3l sixer, that century woudl haul
Ryan

Capt Kirk · #12 03-11-2002, 09:31 PM

I'm still sticking with my story that a 240D will keep you out of more trouble compared to the 300SD.

Your thinking from a point that a 300SD is "cooler" then the 240D. When it comes to a first car that is the last thing you should be thinking about. You want SAFETY, REALIABLITY, and ECONOMY.

Capt Kirk · #13 03-11-2002, 10:57 PM

I was debating posting this link, but it proves my point perfectly

http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=259726&highlight=%2410k+desk

read through that for a few pages and my point will all of a sudden dawn on you. If you really need me to expain then email me at aphillips@ix.netcom.com

If you have a problem with that link (you find it objectionable) then you need to take some hummor pills.

bill threlkel · #14 03-12-2002, 12:43 AM

I vote for the 300sd it can be as good as any 240d anytime. Take it to a good shop and have them check it out. If there is not much work need to do and you don't mind doing it go for it. I have had and driven both 240d and 300sd and the sd is the smoothes ride. Yea little things go wrong but as long as the engine and trans. is in good shape little thing can be worked on when you have time.
Bill

ajb · #15 03-12-2002, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Or, he could just go blow the rest on a new wardrobe, a vacation, school tuition, whatever.

Hey TxBill, you forgot to include yeast-based beverages in the above!

Aivars

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