400,000+ Mile Roll Call - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Skippy · #1 03-23-2015, 05:45 AM

After years on this forum I've noticed that hitting 300,000 miles is relatively common. 400,000 seems to be quite a bit more rare. I'm at 338,000 and change and wonder what's left in my engine. A bit of clunking from the rear tells me that a rear suspension rebuild is in my not too distant future. I can handle that. My question is who here has broken 400,000 miles? Original engine or not? Major repairs involved?

Mine has had a full front suspension rebuild, tranny swap, front and rear brake rebuilds, and a bunch of other stuff documented in a 2" thick maintenance folder, not to mention body and paint work. 72-ish thousand miles to go to hit 400 grand, and at the rate I'm driving, that should take about another nine years. Or when this one grenades I could go with something else. BMW 3-Series, Porsche 911 (I know, $$$), and Alfa Romeo 4C

, Scion FR-S, and others are possibilities, but I know they won't go as far for as cheap. A few years ago I seriously considered a $500 69 MGB.

vstech · #2 03-23-2015, 07:01 AM

My first mb was purchased with 380 on her, and I easily pushed it to 460 before giving it away for help in my yard.
I also found an SD for a buddy needing wheels with 550 on it, and he drove it all over the place for three years with little or no maintenance...

Also, my first turbo 190D was over 500 when I got it, I drove it for 6 months, until I neglected the coolant leak and blew the headgasket apart on a highway run... I think I'll ressurect it soon...

86-300sdl · #3 03-23-2015, 11:21 AM

'86 300sdl - 603 motor. Original #14 head & head gasket. Runs great.

Just replaced higher millage maintenance bolt on stuff i.e. water pump, vacuum pump, timing chain, alternator, belt tensioner assembly, radiator, driveshaft recondition, radiator, hoses, glow plugs, shocks, tie rod links, brakes, several sets of tires, rebuilt trans at 250k due to front seal leak, etc

....and religiously changed the oil / filter every 3,000 to 3,500 miles. Currently running synthetic oil which seems to have given the lifters a little more life (no more clacking).

I'm thinking of replacing the original injectors but it still gets good as new mileage. Also put cheap engine mounts in while back because that was all I could find at the time ....I'll be replacing them with oem soon.

None of the above (x driveshaft u-joint vibration & motor mount) failed on me...they just had 300,000 or so miles and it was time.

Thought it was getting a little tired around 375k and then I adjusted the ALDA...& she's back with more low end power than I had remembered...kinda if fun.

Some around town miles but primarily highway and often (3 times / month) for long runs between San Diego to San Fran, Arizona, and Nevada.

ROLLGUY · #4 03-23-2015, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skippy

After years on this forum I've noticed that hitting 300,000 miles is relatively common. 400,000 seems to be quite a bit more rare.

I am at the 305,000 mile mark on my 240 with all the original stuff. I may not have the car long enough to reach 400K (I go through cars quite often), but I am sure someone will. However, I am almost eligible for my 500km high mileage badge!

ILUVMILS · #5 03-23-2015, 12:11 PM

Eventually made it to 482,xxx. Cylinder #2 piston rings in 2006.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/tech-help/69913-high-mileage-mbs.html

charmalu · #6 03-23-2015, 12:26 PM

As the signature shows, 374K on the 240D. runs good, got it from the original owner at 306K.
Did replace the Injectors, all Hoses, Belts, Flex Disks, U-Joint, center Support & Bearing, And rear Axles.

I did change the Differential at maybe 350K from the 3:69 to the 3:58.
when I removed the rear cover, the Spider gears were all wobbly and worn out on the short shaft they ride on.
Really didn`t hear any type of noise from the Diff.

Need to check the Timing Chain, keep putting it off, don`t know when it was changed if ever, have no records from the owners.
Replace it and I see no reason it won`t go over 400K

I remember Rusty Cullens (use to own Buy MB Parts) had a 77 240D from new, that had way over 700K.

Charlie

eatont9999 · #7 03-23-2015, 12:45 PM

The first 83 300SD that I purchased, restored and drive daily has an estimated 400,000 or more miles on it. I bought it for $850 and have done more replacements of faulty parts, rebuilds of existing parts and general maintenance than I care to mention. Everything from AC to paint has been attended to; minus a few projects coming up. I have a timing chain and related parts in transit now. I doubt the timing chain has ever been attended to since the car was new in 1983. The same goes for just about everything else in the car. It was driven, neglected, beaten, and driven some more. When I bought the car, I knew it needed work. Looking back, it was in almost the worst condition that I have ever seen in a 300SD. I see a lot of them in the yards that are peaches compared to what I bought originally. The transmission does slip despite my countless attempts to adjust. I may be looking into rebuilding that soon but it has its good days and bad days.

I drive at least 15,000 miles per year. Sometimes more if I do a cross-country trip.

Charlie Foxtrot · #8 03-23-2015, 09:25 PM

One of my clients has 400k+ (closer to/past 500k) on a 85 w126 300sd (in my 'albums'). Rear lower control arms (x4), springs (F & R), cruise control parts (I've lost count), air cleaner bracket (x3), beaucoup brakes, tires, heater fan motors (x2), glow plugs, AC compressors (x3) and too many leaks to count. Vac pump failed about a month ago - first long rest for the car has been while the pump is being rebuilt. The engine may have been rebuilt/re-ring'd at some point (before 200k) but we're not sure. My client/friend uses it to sprint to the coasts (NY & Cal) & Texas from Chicago. Sometimes it gets a rest in the winter, but not too often.

GTStinger · #9 03-23-2015, 09:45 PM

470,000 miles. Most put on by my father-in-law making sales visits up and down the east coast. He had the motor rebuilt at 385k. I bought it 12 years ago at around 400k and made it my DD until a couple years ago.

w123fanman · #10 03-23-2015, 11:06 PM

My 190D has 320K but should make it to 400K easily. I've rebuilt the entire suspension, injectors, rebuilt transmission, fixed the AC 95% of the way, rear wheel bearings, etc. Most of what I replaced was original to the car.

Waiting on a rebuilt OEM waterpump, front wheel bearings, tensioner pulley, tensioner lever, and tensioner strut to install with a belt I have sitting my garage.

Engine seems to still be having some injector knock and perhaps the lifters are wearing out. When I switched to a thinner synthetic (I have like 40 gallons of the stuff lying around) the engine started to burn a small amount of oil but had not done so before so I may be doing an overhaul over the summer with a new headgasket, lifters, timing chain & rails & tensioner, oil pump chain, valve seals, etc.

Then car has a few glitches left to sort out but drives and rides better than many modern cars.

RunningTooHot · #11 03-24-2015, 09:15 PM

Just under 411,000 miles on my '95 E300. What an amazing engine. (and car!)

I pulled the head at about 310,000 miles due to a small external coolant seep. I did a valve job while the head was off and replaced the vacuum pump, glow plugs, and the water pump as a precaution. The *original* alternator finally bit the dust just a couple months ago. I also replaced the A/C compressor some time ago, but that was due to the speed sensor failing, not the mechanical section.

I am the second owner, and I am pretty sure that the transmission is original too, but it has developed an incontinence problem - probably the front pump seal.

Overall, an absolutely amazing bullet-proof & long-lived car. I don't ever expect to have this good of an experience with a car ever again.

ROLLGUY · #12 03-25-2015, 02:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RunningTooHot

Just under 411,000 miles on my '95 E300. What an amazing engine. (and car!)

I pulled the head at about 310,000 miles due to a small external coolant seep. I did a valve job while the head was off and replaced the vacuum pump, glow plugs, and the water pump as a precaution. The *original* alternator finally bit the dust just a couple months ago. I also replaced the A/C compressor some time ago, but that was due to the speed sensor failing, not the mechanical section.

I am the second owner, and I am pretty sure that the transmission is original too, but it has developed an incontinence problem - probably the front pump seal.

Overall, an absolutely amazing bullet-proof & long-lived car. I don't ever expect to have this good of an experience with a car ever again.

That makes me sad that I sold my '95 E300. I had not one major problem the time I had it, and I got it (cheap) with 300,000+ miles on it. If it is still going, it probably has half a mil on it now. Agreed, great cars. I am hoping to get another soon...Rich

Chris W. · #13 03-25-2015, 08:37 PM

439K on my '95 E300D. I've had it since ~140K. Original injectors, original timing chain, original trans, original harness. Head never pulled. Just put a new alternator, and water pump was done recently also. Vacuum pump was done at ~270K, I posted about it.

It is showing its age, AC needs recharge periodically, 2-3 flare, but both are "manageable". Change oil at 3-4K, Rotella 15-40 dino oil. Running Amsoil synth trans fluid, change intervals are long.... but pan has been clean every time. I'm due for another belt tensioner, I can hear it getting louder. Have done engine mounts twice.

I still put about 110 miles a day on it and wind it up to ~5K about once a week.

And PS, I've posted a couple times about a local '95 with well over 500K on it.

Rgds,
Chris W.
'95 E300D, 439K

mytmousemalibu · #14 03-26-2015, 04:57 AM

My old 82' SD had a broken odometer at 400K-ish miles and appeared to have been non-functional for some time. I probably put another 75K-100K on it. Lots of MB diesels overseas used as taxi's and what not with tons of miles.

If you even try a little bit to take care of these Mercedes diesels, they generally take care of you. These are some of the best and longest lasting cars made, IMO. They don't make'em like this anymore!

BillGrissom · #15 03-26-2015, 03:24 PM

Is the question limited to the original engine? If so, my 1985 300D is a non-contender since the original engine failed at 330K. Now at 345K w/ replacement engine. No idea on my 1984 300D. The odometer showed 130K when I bought it, but when I pulled the cluster I found green paint pin writing like PickNPull uses.

I recall newspaper stories about a 70's Toyota Starlet or such reaching >1,000,000 miles on the original engine, but hard to believe it didn't have at least a valve job. In most cars, the engine isn't everything. A rebuilt Chevy small block is cheap. In our cars, a rebuilt engine is >$8K so it is kind of is everything.