Good deed for the day - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

unkl300d · #1 08-18-2002, 01:58 AM

On the way to my mechanic in Concord, Ca.
I met up with a woman (and her 2 kids) who was selling her
1984 300D.
It had 126000 miles and was in very decent shape.
Kept up by a local independent, new axle shafts, clean in and out etc.
Blue with light tan interior.
Sunroof disconnected by previous (senior) original owner.
Transmission was shifting hard.
Anyway, I had planned on buying it ($3800 less deductions)
only if it was a significantly superior to my '79 300D.

Even though the trans was rough, I did not feel the turbo
was all that better than a non turbo. Performance wise.
My car was equally peppy.
Maybe because of the different rear end ratio?Or maybe because Peter Schmid transmissions replaced my trans four years ago
with his tweeked w123 trans. It does not shift hard and is smooth as silk.
I really appreciate my 300D more now after haven test driven a couple of 300D turbos.

I educated her on what she had, basically a nice low milage car,
and her asking price was at par with Edmunds book.Pointed out the new axles and told her that the trans could probably be fixed or greatly improved with a "vacuum" adjustment.Also pointed out her competitors with 233K milalge like car for same price.

I feared that a PPI would rake her with a claim that the trans needed replacement etc
She was a mom and admittedly not a car person.

I even lined up my mechanic for her who would take care of those several items for a mere $100 including an oil change.(Her mechanic had quoted $150 to just to reconnect the sunroof)
Well, she thanked me and used that info for the next person who came to see it an hour later.
She sold it at asking price after relating the info and the
referral to my mechanic.
she called back to thank me.

As a reward from above, my A/C unit came back to life after a
simple module was changed !!!

The Warden · #2 08-18-2002, 03:38 AM

Gotta love stories like that.

Just curious, since you mentioned that you weren't really impressed with the turbo's as compared to your n/a (probably due to the gear ratio differences), what kinda mileage do you get?

I've been averaging 25mpg so far, with a high of 27.9 and a low of 23, and I'm just wondering how that compares with an n/a...thanks!

unkl300d · #3 08-18-2002, 04:12 PM

Hi Warden, My 300D gets about 21 MPG in the City. This is simple city driving, so the milage is not very good. Sometimes less.
I do make a point about taking it out for long drives to keep the engine happy.
Freeway gets about 25 MPG on basic drives.
On long drives like San Francisco to San Diego on HWY 5
I get better than 25 MPG. Probably the same as your max.
amounts

Peter Shmid ,in Sunnyvale, retired about 2 years ago.
His son , Andre, is still there and Ian took over as manager.
The local shops farm out to this shop.
His specialty is MBZ transmissions.

Cheers.

Sergey · #4 08-20-2002, 02:29 AM

driving in SF should be counted as a "mountain driving" w.r.t. gas milage

.

The Warden · #5 08-20-2002, 04:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by unkl300d
Peter Shmid ,in Sunnyvale, retired about 2 years ago.
His son , Andre, is still there and Ian took over as manager.
The local shops farm out to this shop.
His specialty is MBZ transmissions.

Thanks for that lil' tidbit there! I try to do my own work, but it' snice to know there's a good shop in the general area should it ever be needed.

What's the actual shop's name?

Interesting on the mileage numbers...most of mine are freeway miles (either on the drive from Texas to here or the tearing around the 280 and the 101 around here)...

unkl300d · #6 08-21-2002, 09:34 AM

The shop is actually named Peter Schmid Transmissions
but the city is Mountain View not Sunnyvale.
1166 Independence Ave. Mountain View, CA. tel:650-390=9500

Today I had my injectors changed on my 300D.
Big difference!
My mechanic was always telling me that I should do this. So, I had a project cancelled today and I went for it.
Before , my car was intermittantly 'nailing' (pinging)
when the engine was hot upon acceleration at low speed or at 50 MPH.
At first I thought my 6K mile old valve adjustment gave out.

The mechanic had previously pointed out that the engine's 'throaty' sound when accelerating in park with the hood up, was due to the injectors.
With the new injectors, the engine sound test is crisp!

Another observation. Before, with the engine hot, the oil pressure gauge would read at between the 30 and 15
lb/sqft mark when idling in drive. A bit higher when in park.

Now with the new injectors the gauge pegs at 30 lb/sqft
when the car idles with the engine hot in drive or park.

So, the idle must be better or more efficient and it moves the oil pump as it should. Better lubrication.

I was worrying that my compression was getting weak.
Now I know it is ok.

I expect my fuel milage to be more consistant and better on the average.

Sure runs real well. Very smooth and not noisy. Needlessly to say I am extremely happy with the outcomes of this car!!!

The Warden · #7 08-21-2002, 03:41 PM

Cool! Remind sme; I should try getting my injectors tested...I don't know what kind ashape they're in.

Quote:

Originally posted by unkl300d
The shop is actually named Peter Schmid Transmissions
but the city is Mountain View not Sunnyvale.
1166 Independence Ave. Mountain View, CA. tel:650-390=9500

WOW!! Talk about a coincidence; my first job wasn't too far away from there...actually, the address for where I was working was 1156 Independence, I think...place called Anything Scout. Might even have been next door; I remember there being quite a few 123's and a few 126's around just to the east, and the guy next door did speak with a German accent...

unkl300d · #8 08-21-2002, 10:25 PM

Yup, that's the place.
Most of the mechanics drive w123 vehicles and Peter
drives a 300SD w126.
His son has(had) a BMW.

Swiss German.

I always liked the street name as well, Independence.