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  #1  
Old 01-21-2010, 03:26 AM
MIA-W126's Avatar
wtb: old benz
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: L.A, MIA, Houston
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WTB: older mercedes Diesel

I am wanting to purchase an older Mercedes diesel car just as a Daily Driver( something that wont stop working every 10 secs like my 560 sel and that i can get for about 800 running)

I dont know much about the diesels , but i know that they last a long time and get great MPG's .

What should i look for when trying to purchase one ?
Is it smart to buy one with over 250k on it ?
Can a amature mechanic work on this car ?

What are the common problems with these cars ?


Please let me know anything and everything i need to purchase my diesel !

Thanks

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  #2  
Old 01-21-2010, 03:32 AM
Aquaticedge's Avatar
Bump on a log
 
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if the car is in good condition and runs well, mileage like that really wont hurt it too much.
Things to look for are tires in good condition, no rust! that's important. I would look at the fluids to make sure they look and smell normal, do a blow-by test, there's a couple ways to do that.. make sure all the lights work etc. I would personally take it to a mercedes specialist and have them give it a once over to know what your getting into. Some things you can do simply other things if your a novice it's best to take it in so that you dont damage anything important. Oh, Another thing is, if the Diesel has a pre filter, (small clear filter located on the injector pump side towards the bottom of the engine near the frame rail) check that the Diesel is the right color, it's usually green or has another tinge of color, I think it's blue. look at the filter itself, if it's black or just in general really dirty you will want to investigate why, Diesel can grow bacteria, and algae depending on what it's exposed to but a dirty filter could just be a dirty filter, so it pays to investigate further. the search function on the forum here can give you a wealth of knowledge, There's also a lot of great knowledgeable members here who can answer specific questions about motors, types of cars etc,
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  #3  
Old 01-21-2010, 03:59 AM
Registered Hack
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 4,642
Quote:
Originally Posted by MIA-W126 View Post
I am wanting to purchase an older Mercedes diesel car just as a Daily Driver( something that wont stop working every 10 secs like my 560 sel and that i can get for about 800 running)

I dont know much about the diesels , but i know that they last a long time and get great MPG's .

What should i look for when trying to purchase one ?
Is it smart to buy one with over 250k on it ?
Can a amature mechanic work on this car ?

What are the common problems with these cars ?


Please let me know anything and everything i need to purchase my diesel !

Thanks

1) read this forum for at least 3 months religiously before buying anything.

many of us regret paying too much for the cars we have now.
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  #4  
Old 01-21-2010, 05:35 AM
MBZ123's Avatar
So F&@%ING Hollywood Baby
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: SoCal
Posts: 326
Luke Use the search

Quote:
Originally Posted by MIA-W126 View Post
I am wanting to purchase an older Mercedes diesel car just as a Daily Driver( something that wont stop working every 10 secs like my 560 sel and that i can get for about 800 running)

I dont know much about the diesels , but i know that they last a long time and get great MPG's .

What should i look for when trying to purchase one ?
WOW Where to begin? First, understand and accept the fact that for what you're budgeting, an expectation of finding a daily driver is already a tall order. If you have no intention of spending more, the main things to be concerned with would be rust and basic drivetrain health. Don't think rust needs an explanation. As for the drivetrain, focus on signs of engine wear and, more so, neglect. Check fluids and blowby, mentioned earlier, but also keep an eye peeled for bad hoses, clogged filters, and signs of any leakage, eg. oil, brake fluid, ps, hydraulic, vacuum, coolant, etc. It's simple to swap your fluids to make it appear that everything's on the up-and-up, but cleaning gunk out of the engine bay, hiding weeping, cracked and aged hoses and leaky fittings and masking vacuum/exhaust leaks so there are no traces of problems is pretty difficult. Make it so that you see the car when the engine is cold. A warm engine can disguise alot. Tranny is kinda hard, but if you know how to disconnect the vac line to the modulator, though the ensuing drive may be a little jolting, you can easily weed out a tranny rebuild or replace, no fun! No flaring = you're looking good. Only suggesting this as troubleshooting the vacuum system could take a few seconds or a few weeks. In the rear, check you're axles for torn boots. It won't be driving daily for long with dirty joints. Whew, that was a little windy. Did I mention rust? Man, bodywork is a serious pain. Depending on your locale this might not be such an easy feat. As the other posters said, read, ask, and read again. There is a googols worth of sites with info on these cars, perfect for the DIY minded. The search function is your friend. Here's a freebee: http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=263367 <--- Mucho info

Quote:
Originally Posted by MIA-W126
Is it smart to buy one with over 250k on it ?
Rhetorical? Mileage, to a large extent, is irrelevant with some models.

Quote:
Originally Posted by MIA-W126
Can a amature mechanic work on this car ?
For an eight bennie chariot, you can expect to log plenty of hours wrenching. Keep a maintainence journal. Very handy.

Quote:
Originally Posted by MIA-W126
What are the common problems with these cars ?
See first answer.

Quote:
Originally Posted by MIA-W126
Please let me know anything and everything i need to purchase my diesel !

Thanks
The search is strong with this one. Good luck on your journey.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Aquaticedge View Post
if the car is in good condition and runs well, mileage like that really wont hurt it too much.
Things to look for are tires in good condition, no rust! that's important. I would look at the fluids to make sure they look and smell normal, do a blow-by test, there's a couple ways to do that.. make sure all the lights work etc. I would personally take it to a mercedes specialist and have them give it a once over to know what your getting into. Some things you can do simply other things if your a novice it's best to take it in so that you dont damage anything important. Oh, Another thing is, if the Diesel has a pre filter, (small clear filter located on the injector pump side towards the bottom of the engine near the frame rail) check that the Diesel is the right color, it's usually green or has another tinge of color, I think it's blue. look at the filter itself, if it's black or just in general really dirty you will want to investigate why, Diesel can grow bacteria, and algae depending on what it's exposed to but a dirty filter could just be a dirty filter, so it pays to investigate further. the search function on the forum here can give you a wealth of knowledge, There's also a lot of great knowledgeable members here who can answer specific questions about motors, types of cars etc,
x2 on the search function and knowledgeable ilk in these parts.

A "specialist" might have a good chuckle if presented with something in this price range, but, may just as well charge you double + if business is slow.

Quote:
Originally Posted by jt20 View Post
1) read this forum for at least 3 months religiously before buying anything.

many of us regret paying too much for the cars we have now.
Agree with the researching, way too simple to work on most things with these autos. Did you really pay that much more? Dang, woulda been happy if I'd paid twice as much.


FNHB
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1987 300SDL "Rhona" 218k
1986 300SDL "Johanna" 166k - Abducted 5/15 outta SFV Reward 4 info
1984 300TD "Petra" 212k - Parts yard pirate, arrrrgh
1982 300CD "FrankenFemme" 178k - Eyes only TS-XWRKS transplant abomination (loc. classified)
1980 230CE "Lulu" aka "Terminal" 277k - Dying the slow death
1985 300CD "Gerda" 203k - She ain't playin' SOLD
1983 300TD "Svetlana" 240k...and pleading for more. SOLD


"What a heavy load Einstein must've had...F&@%!NG morons everywhere!" - David Lynch
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  #5  
Old 01-21-2010, 06:25 AM
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For your budget, unless you're lucky, you're gonna be looking at high-mileage, not-all-that-well looked-after, probably cosmetically tatty examples. Obviously, the only thing really different with a diesel is the engine- I bought a diesel for longevity, economy and simplicity of the engine- the rest of my 124 is just the same as the 300E I had except it hasn't got a zillion problematic bits on the engine to contend with. They are also pretty basic to drive compared to modern cars, so don't expect performance anything like your 560, 'relaxed' would be my description...

The older diesel engines are so simple, a competent amateur can do the basic tasks like oil & filter/fuel filter changes easily. Well maintained, they do go on for ever, but the rest of the car will fall apart eventually just the same as the gas models

The usual caveats apply: like the others said do your research and find the model(s) you want, and the problems to look out for with that chassis/engine, go for the best example you can afford, don't buy the first car you see (unless it's amazing!), a high-mileage well-maintained car is better than low miles with no history and never driven- repair costs can mount up for these cars shockingly quick if they've not been looked-after... good luck
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1993 320TE M104
---------------------------------------------------
past:

1983 230E W123 M102
1994 E300D S124 OM606 (x2)
1967 250SE W108 M129
1972 280se 3.5 W108 M116
1980 280SE W116 M110
1980 350SE W116 M116
1992 300E W124 M103
1994 E280 W124 M104
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  #6  
Old 01-21-2010, 08:36 AM
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Check your private messages.
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  #7  
Old 01-21-2010, 10:36 AM
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Location: Chapel Hill
Posts: 1,092
did you say you have a 560sel that cuts off? are you keeping up with the maintenance on the car? it could be as simple as a clogged fuel filter or fouled spark plugs.

even with the same make...diesel and gassers can 'feel' very different.

diesel are indeed simpler but still require maintenance.

if you aren't the DIY type, you are setting yourself up for a letdown.
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1987 190d 2.5Turbo
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  #8  
Old 01-21-2010, 10:52 AM
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diesel enthusiast
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Germantown, TN
Posts: 5,449
Check my signature and the Cars Forum --- I've got 2 diesels for sale now.
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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

Last edited by daw_two; 01-22-2010 at 06:42 AM.
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  #9  
Old 01-21-2010, 11:12 AM
MIA-W126's Avatar
wtb: old benz
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: L.A, MIA, Houston
Posts: 4
thanks for the Tips everyone
i found one in miami for $600 and i am going to take a look at it today .

in the pics he sent me everything looks good, but we all know how that goes !

and i'm taking my friend with me who also knows a lot about these cars ..

and my 560 no longer stops everyday, that was when i first bought about 4 years back and before i fixed all the problems.

and yes i'm a big DIY'er, i'm a student and i have lots of free time on my hands

and yes i paid WAY TO MUCH FOR IT. ( The 88 560sel )
paid 3k+ shipping and spent about 4k fixing it.


Now it runs like a champ and i have not had a problem since.
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  #10  
Old 01-21-2010, 11:28 AM
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I've got a good SDL for sale
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  #11  
Old 01-21-2010, 11:41 AM
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Location: Pompano Beach, FL
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you can deffinetly get a nice one for under 800$ but expect to put money into it to get it as nice as you would like it.. ive owned 23 mercedes in the past 3 years (only have 6 at moment) and ive never paid more than 800$ and out of the bunch i only had to tow 2 from when i bought them..usually put about 600$ or less into each one to get it running perfect and drive it for awhile then sell it...im guessing i have an addictive personality unfortuanly i like the six i have at the moment to much to sell...
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  #12  
Old 01-21-2010, 11:51 AM
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 16
Here is S. FL the Haitians were all over cheap diesel W123s for sale, pre-earthquake. A friend had two Haitians bidding on his rust bucket the day he listed it. Both planned to ship it back to Haiti, one the whole car, the other just engine and trans. They know the cars too, I was there and one of them pointed to the servo in my old wagon and grimaced.

My point? Historically cheap ones get snagged really quick, that might have changed after the earthquake.
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  #13  
Old 01-21-2010, 12:12 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Pompano Beach, FL
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Quote:
Originally Posted by honeydew View Post
Here is S. FL the Haitians were all over cheap diesel W123s for sale, pre-earthquake. A friend had two Haitians bidding on his rust bucket the day he listed it. Both planned to ship it back to Haiti, one the whole car, the other just engine and trans. They know the cars too, I was there and one of them pointed to the servo in my old wagon and grimaced.

My point? Historically cheap ones get snagged really quick, that might have changed after the earthquake.

true with the earthquake, i have a w124 wagon i was selling.. hatian was going to come back the next day to pay, earthquake happened and he hasnt been back since...and hes my mail man!!!...all the hatians in my neightborhood are jealous of my diesels
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1989 560SEC Euro
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  #14  
Old 01-21-2010, 03:45 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jt20 View Post
1) read this forum for at least 3 months religiously before buying anything.

many of us regret paying too much for the cars we have now.
Yes, and definitely shop around. I was in a hurry and overpaid and she's got holes in the floor. Nothing that hundreds of hours of welding won't fix, though. I think I want to get another, nice one sometime and treat it really well. Mines is a bit of a beater.
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  #15  
Old 01-21-2010, 11:10 PM
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Red 81 240 D 4 speed standard. looks good runs good pasenger seat fell through floor floor is so rotten. 800 it's yours

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