I got a 300D turbo has odometer issues, but love the car - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

spliteye · #1 08-20-2015, 03:49 AM

Hello everyone,

this is a follow-up post that all started with a 240D. I went to look at a seemingly mint 300DT today and was not disappointed. The man I purchased it from was selling it for his brother, who is in the service. The car was truly clean. For those of you that read the last thread, this car made the 240D look like a project. The paint is near perfect. The seats are near perfect. It rides beautifully and the power difference is astonishing. I've never seen a 123 in this shape. The a/c even works (he recharged it, hopefully it lasts). I fell in love with the car quickly and missed one major issue....

The odometer moved, but only two miles in a fifteen-mile period. I didn't pay enough attention to the odometer on the test drive. The car definitely has more than 164K miles.

He drove over to my house later, after he looked through his stuff and found a bunch of service receipts for the car dating over 20 years back. The previous owners maintained it impeccably, the cheapest service being a fuse replacement at over $90. I noticed that things like the a/c compressor had been replaced as well as the turbo. He left those things with me. When looking at the documents, I noticed a change in mileage around the 144K mile mark (2007-2008). Not a drop, but the mileage stopped increasing at a normal rate. I assume, with the amount that the previous owner drove it before that noted change, it must have at least a little over 200K on it (just my assumption). The car has quite the history. A deputy mayor of L.A. owned it way back when. Doesn't mean anything, but it's interesting.

Thanks for any advice,
Dan

Stretch · #2 08-20-2015, 04:12 AM

The odometer sticking / not working is not an uncommon problem. But for the money you paid - which seems to me like a nice number for a nice car.

Perhaps take the car to a trusted mechanic?

Don't forget bits of paper can be faked and odometer numbers are easy to roll back - a poor condition of the car, however, is harder to hide.

charmalu · #3 08-20-2015, 04:34 AM

Congratulations on your new W123.

It`s all about condition, condition, condition with cars this old.
If it has no rust, you did good. Rust is a killer and hard to repair if bad.

The Odometer is an easy fix you can do your self. These old W123`s have that problem with one gear slipping on a shaft.

How to Repair Your Broken Odometer

If you are really worried, get a compression check of the engine to see the health of it.
Mileage isn`t always an indicator of a healthy engine.

Charlie

sent from my pos computer

cfh · #4 08-20-2015, 04:36 AM

Sounds like a nice car. You could check for blow-by - loosen the oil filler cap and see if it bounces a lot (bad) or just slightly dances (good) when the car is at idle. You could do a compression check too but if blowby is not an issue the engine should be fine despite a few (or many) extra miles.

Fixing the odometer is an easy DIY project and one of the few that costs no $$ and you stay clean doing it too.

m1tch · #5 08-20-2015, 07:33 AM

If its been well serviced (as it seems to have been) and everything else checks out then I would keep it if you are ok with the cash paid for it - my W210 is on 235k miles and its in really good condition, you wouldn't know it had that many miles on it.

Its better to have a well maintained higher milage car than a low mileage car thats been ragged around and neglected - again its about condition and if you are happy with the car at that price point.

leathermang · #6 08-20-2015, 07:55 AM

There are independent services like ' lemon busters' which will run the most important tests and give you the printout.... they do not do any repairs so they are ' disinterested' in the outcome of the test... approx a hundred dollars many places... very good investment....and usually they will come to your place to do it.. or some parking lot nearby.....

Maxbumpo · #7 08-20-2015, 11:23 AM

Bah, odometer means nothing! I'd also be a little disappointed, you will not truly know what the mileage is, but as already stated the three most important things are: condition, the condition of the car, and the car's condition.

If the car has no rust and it drives well, looks good, then you need to decide if the price was fair for the value. Well cared for, these cars can last a long time, and if all your service records are real, you've found one that has been well cared for.

spliteye · #8 08-20-2015, 12:55 PM

Thanks for the advice guys. I haven't found any rust on the car and it drives solid. I noticed just a little puff of smoke in the headlights of the car behind me, but I felt that was normal for an old diesel. It didn't blow smoke under hard acceleration. It doesn't feel tired at all and the transmission shifts firm.

I'll do the blow by test tonight and try to take it for a nice drive.

I was hoping to find one with under 200k. From my estimate, I'd say it's relatively close, but I don't know.

I'd definitely like to get it checked out, compression test and all. Not sure where I'm going to take it, but I'll keep you all updated!

Thanks again,
Dan

Joseph_Conrad · #9 08-20-2015, 02:13 PM

Yup, exhaust in the headlights behind you is completely normal.

Maxbumpo · #10 08-20-2015, 02:27 PM

Smoke in the rear view mirror is an over-rated test. Firstly, "smoke" made visible by the headlights of the car behind (i.e. at night) can be wildly influenced by humidity and temperature. The only way to see the smoke that matters is during daylight. Some smoke is normal. Excess smoke can have many causes, and the cure may cost very little (Italian tune-up) or a lot (injection pump or engine rebuild). If you "drive it like you stole it" you will probably see less and less smoke. Carbon build-up in the pre-chambers can cause smoke, and improper driving habits can cause carbon build up; smoke may simply be an indication that the car hasn't been driven properly.

I'm not a fan of the dancing oil cap blow-by test either.

If the car can accelerate from 0-62 mph (0 - 100 kph) in about 14 seconds, then you can have confidence that it is performing well. If the fuel consumption is reasonable (20 - 25 mpg in town), and the car starts fine in cold weather, the engine is healthy. Maintain it well, fix what you know is wrong, and enjoy the car.

Stretch · #11 08-20-2015, 02:59 PM

Does a subjective appraisal of smoke count as a test?

Hmmm

I feel "pedantic me" is about to make a special guest appearance!

leathermang · #12 08-20-2015, 03:04 PM

Perhaps I can beat you to it..

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/193602-engine-blow-test-blow-bag-blow.html

cgryphon · #13 08-20-2015, 06:24 PM

Bad paint, rust, cracked dash, torn interior, bad glass, cracked wood, etc. are all easy to see and difficult to find parts for, unrepairable, or unobtainable at any price. $$$

Mechanical issues always have parts available and help to get them done. $

Buy great looking, solid cars and address mechanical issues. A 50K miles car that needs a paint job and has interior issues, will be much more expensive than a 200K mile, great looking solid car, that may need mechanical work over time.

Blow-by, schmo-by. Visible exhaust in the lights at night is completely normal.

I say keep it.

.02

Clay

Joseph_Conrad · #14 08-20-2015, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vwnate1

Are you certain of this ? .

My European Spec Station Wagon never has any visible smoke , ever , not one puff .

I've been doing injector service on both my '81 240D and my '84 300CD , both were pouring out constant smoke , after new filters and replacing the bad injectors (poor spray patterns and drooling) , both still smoke noticeably whenever I pull away from a dead stop but -not- when driving along .

The 240D has a weak # 1 cylinder , it's right at 200 # when tested hot and it shakes @ idle but the smoke is gone by the time I'm 1/2 way through the intersection and once above 1,200 RPM or so it runs as well as it ever did and the fuel economy is back up to 27 + MPG's with the A/C on so I'm O.K. with it .

My poor old Coupe , OTOH , still smokes fairly heavily from a dead stop all the way through the intersection and across the far cross walk , then it seems to stop .

He said a puff of smoke in the lights behind him, I took that as when he's pulling away from other cars from a stop and in the dark. I do think that's pretty normal and not something to be concerned about. And yes, smoking as you're putting along, not normal.

The broken odometer is annoying, but as others have said others things are far more critical. It sounds like a pretty good car, do you have photos to share?

vwnate1 · #15 08-20-2015, 11:45 PM

Thanx ! .

Is / are there links to threads concerning PIA smoking ? .

I had my Brother follow me and he says it's definitely fuel smoke (grey/black) but through my tinted backglass it looks blue to me .