Diesel fan thinking Gasser
 

Greetings,
I am looking at a 95 E320 with 126,000 on the L6 in it. Owner says has "meticulously" maintained it. I know the MB diesels last forever with routine maintenance, but how about the gassers. I'd buy a diesel with 126k on it in a second, but need to know ya'lls thoughts on the gassers.

Thanks!

I drove 123 diesels well over 800,000 miles and a 210 diesel about 70,000 miles. In the 123 days most gas cars were still carbureted, so by comparison, the diesels probably lasted at least three times longer than a gas car and probably offered a 30% or better savings in fuel costs.

Since EFI on gas engines, however, those gains in favor of a diesel are much less if not totally eliminated. If you compare a current diesel to a current gas engine, there is indeed an advantage to the diesel. Comparing a 123 diesel to a later model multipoint injection car is a wash and maybe even in favor of the newer gas car. After all you are talking 20 year newer technology.

The gas engine MB's of the 90's were very fuel efficient and very long lived. I went to an 88 300E I purchased in 1998 with 70,000 miles. It now has 320,000 miles and still running strong. On a vacation trip several years ago, it gave me just a fraction over 29 MPG average on the trip with a few steady Interstate legs of the trip topping 30 MPG. It is a manual transmission car which helps fuel mileage.

All that said, when buying ANY used car keep in mind the top three criteria in selection of a used car:

condition
Condition &
CONDITION

Good luck with your decision.

Check all of the 124 issues, does the A/C work? Does it have a replaced engine wire harness? Is it an ASR car?

The '95 E320 is the best of the 124 I-6 gassers, more power than the M103 and more efficient, with all of the other refinements. It will go the distance, but check it over well. Meticulously maintained? Is he the original owner for 16years? It's probably clean but needs some deferred maintenance.

The M103 and M104 are notorious for head gasket problems.

The cars with M104 have engine wiring harness problems, too.

"Meticulous" maintenance should include records indicating whether either or both have been recently addressed.