[Non-E30 Content] Thinking about purchasing a 300TD as a Daily Driver in New England

[TimeMachinE30]

These W124/6s pull a premium for sure. That is a lot of cash but the car you show seems pretty clean and in line with prices I have seen. Throw in the touring and you got an extra bump in the price.

These things are rusty. The motors will far outlive the floorboards. One I looked at locally was a nice enough car, it ran, was not nearly as much money but it was rusty at the floor boards.

My W126 (300SD) luckily is clean on the floors and rails but at the C Pillar base there is rust near the back glass.

Most of the vehicle works with a vacuum system. That can suck. The locks. The trans.

The HVAC is a bit goofy. My HVAC is yanked out by a PO so my first hand experience is limited.

The window motors/lifters can be replaced. I got a set of them for $40 from a local kid parting one out. They were not a direct bolt up but minimal problem solving got me a driver's window that works. Still need a day to fix the front right window... gets cold some morning.


Working on the model line is pretty simple otherwise. What must be addressed is the oil cooler lines. They routinely leak. The OEM replacements are drying up. I am not aware of aftermarket. They are expensive. Replacing the lower oil cooler line means jacking up the motor. What I did was visit the local hydraulic supply shop, got the extreme duty line and replaced only the rubber parts of the oil cooler lines. Careful dremel work and patience, saved a ton of money, effort and time while providing a better than OEM solution.


And visit MercedesSource and watch all of Ken's videos. He is an amazing part of the community. Good prices on proven products, thorough write-ups and superb videos with no nonsense guidance.

I enjoy my W126. I just wish it would be a better example of the chassis. I may love it more.

I know not as iconic and sexy, but at 6k you can get some newer MB wagons. I had my eye on a early 00s E500! Granted it was a bit more than 6k, but there were some out there in my search that were closer to the 6k. Even an E350. Rear facing seats for the cargo area. V8. Even a 190TE?

It is tough to deny the appeal of the older MB. Some really sexy cars. I enjoy mine as a step back in time, to think this 300SD was a real head turner lets you appreciate how the industry has advanced and times have changed. One of the first few days I had my 300SD home, a neighbor walked by and gawked. He recalled in his younger years having a similar model and commented to the affect, if you had one of these you were doing pretty well for yourself. My 300SD speaks to me. I just wish it was a better specimen worthy of preservation.

[Das Delfin]

My buddy has a 280e w123 he drove from New Mexico to California. The car lived in NM its whole live and even it has rust. I've seen people drive w123s in CT and they usually last about three years. They rust out like no other. I drove my friend's car for a bit and while it's kinda cool to ride around in, it's slow as balls. As in it won't go over 65.

If I had 6k to spend on a car it certainly wouldn't be an old Mercedes, especially as a dd.

The thing about that car and its recorded history is you'd be a fool to subject it to salty New England winters. You could spend every weekend and every day after a major snow storm washing off the undercarriage and it would still rust through and kill the car. Why do that to such a clean car? I'm sure there are others that would be better suited for the north, especially if you're only going to own the car for a year or so.

[yngtmr]

My grandparents have a w124 300 turbo diesel, it's painfully slow around town but above 40 it's pretty fast, a lot of fun on the highway, my grandpa always tells stories of the car being great at speeds north of 100 mph. But with almost thirty Connecticut winters under its belt, rust is starting to become an issue, the rockers in front of the rear wheels are swiss cheese, and the factory jack points are starting to go. That being said, that wagon seems really expensive, like nando said, for that money you can get a safer, and more reliable wagon.

[Shftr8]

Do you know anything about Mercedes? if not you will learn quickly with this. Not saying they aren't reliable just saying that anything this old will need repairs. Me personally I wouldn't want to DD it. Being what it is parts aren't impossible too find but could take a few days to order and come in leaving you with no car. As far as the price I don't think its to far off from what I can see in the pictures. Pristine low mileage examples can go $20k+ but like in the previous post you can get something for half the price that's much more reliable and cheaper to own and maintain especially for a DD. Side note if you need anything I run a euro salvage yard/repair shop so if you need anything let me know. I have 2 W123 wagons out back if I remember correctly plus many sedans and coupes.

[nando]

I'm going to be a contrarian here.. $6400 for that? Fuck no. You could get a much newer, much nicer, and all the more likely more reliable car for $6400. Subaru wagon? E39 wagon?

for $1000, sure.. but almost $7k? you'd have to be crazy.

[rex]

Beautiful color. I personally wouldn't want to daily it in the winter because I think it's so pretty, I would feel bad about it rotting.

[BobombETA]

yup

Cool!

Throw some sand bags in the back and some snow tires and you should get around just fine in the winter.

[Deltron Dirty30]

Ive wanted one of these for a while myself ... found a local example from 1979 with 470,000 original miles. yes you read that right. Owners were very meticulous and the transmission apparently was starting to slip a tad (no surprise). Reliability with these can definitely be expected.

From what I have read they are just bulletproof and the diesels go forever with minimal care. The injector seals leak over time and is the cause of many hard starts... the kind where the owner says it must crank 20 times or so when cold. just a matter of low fuel pressure, and an easy fix.

Id say do it, the value of these is on the rise - get in while you can! next one I see for under $800 I am buying as long as the body is straight. 30mpg highway and the gear carrying capacity is just awesome!

Thanks for the info and I don't know where you are located but finding one for under $1k is impossible here in New England.

The SLS on those go bad, but it's usually the accumulator balls. Suspension get's ROCK HARD in the rear

Rust.

The climate control is dickey....lots of vac pots and shit under the dash. At least one is inaccessible without removing the dash. The control head goes out and the reman ones aren't worth the plastic they're made from. The heater valve is the same as an e28 and the Chinese rebuild kits suck dickfuckpoop and the OE valve costs a bazillion dollars. The AC compressor is an asshole and replacement ones are shit, so the Sandeen kit is the way to go. Lines are all basically NLA so if you want to replace them you'll have to have them made....not that AC is a big deal way up nawth.

Rust.

Fuses get old and will crown out. Replace them all at once.

Diesel fuel leaks at the engine. Usually the return lines. They're not bad.

OM617 is a great engine turbocharged. The transmissions can be hit or miss depending on if they've been maintained like they should have been.

Tanks tend to get rusty/"diesel bug" in them if they sit for long periods.

Everything runs on goddamn vacuum. Lose one door lock line and the engine won't cut off. Smoke testing those things....you will get good at.

Seen window motors go, they're hen's teeth. Also the window switches get dirty and just need a but of cleaning to make work.

Rust.

They ALL have rust. Even the rust free ones. It's a toleration level....and a finding it ability.


Overall they're great cars that will hold up well and serve you well if you take care of them but I hate them and never want to see another one.

Also the back goddamn glass doesn't open up.....WTF were they thinking?

I'd say if it's got all those records and shit, go for it.....as long as you can keep filing those records to keep it nice. The ratty ones are SHITTTTTY, and it seems so many hipsters pick these things up to look cool in but can't keep them on the road very long.....at least that's what I see from my office....

Sounds good. Im going to take a look at it on Sunday.

Also I heard about the SLS failing and being expensive to replace. Although I read its possible to swap in a regular suspension set up.

[slammin.e28]

The SLS on those go bad, but it's usually the accumulator balls. Suspension get's ROCK HARD in the rear

Rust.

The climate control is dickey....lots of vac pots and shit under the dash. At least one is inaccessible without removing the dash. The control head goes out and the reman ones aren't worth the plastic they're made from. The heater valve is the same as an e28 and the Chinese rebuild kits suck dickfuckpoop and the OE valve costs a bazillion dollars. The AC compressor is an asshole and replacement ones are shit, so the Sandeen kit is the way to go. Lines are all basically NLA so if you want to replace them you'll have to have them made....not that AC is a big deal way up nawth.

Rust.

Fuses get old and will crown out. Replace them all at once.

Diesel fuel leaks at the engine. Usually the return lines. They're not bad.

OM617 is a great engine turbocharged. The transmissions can be hit or miss depending on if they've been maintained like they should have been.

Tanks tend to get rusty/"diesel bug" in them if they sit for long periods.

Everything runs on goddamn vacuum. Lose one door lock line and the engine won't cut off. Smoke testing those things....you will get good at.

Seen window motors go, they're hen's teeth. Also the window switches get dirty and just need a but of cleaning to make work.

Rust.

They ALL have rust. Even the rust free ones. It's a toleration level....and a finding it ability.


Overall they're great cars that will hold up well and serve you well if you take care of them but I hate them and never want to see another one.

Also the back goddamn glass doesn't open up.....WTF were they thinking?

I'd say if it's got all those records and shit, go for it.....as long as you can keep filing those records to keep it nice. The ratty ones are SHITTTTTY, and it seems so many hipsters pick these things up to look cool in but can't keep them on the road very long.....at least that's what I see from my office....

[5Toes]

Ive wanted one of these for a while myself ... found a local example from 1979 with 470,000 original miles. yes you read that right. Owners were very meticulous and the transmission apparently was starting to slip a tad (no surprise). Reliability with these can definitely be expected.

From what I have read they are just bulletproof and the diesels go forever with minimal care. The injector seals leak over time and is the cause of many hard starts... the kind where the owner says it must crank 20 times or so when cold. just a matter of low fuel pressure, and an easy fix.

Id say do it, the value of these is on the rise - get in while you can! next one I see for under $800 I am buying as long as the body is straight. 30mpg highway and the gear carrying capacity is just awesome!

[Deltron Dirty30]

Would this be your only car?

yup

[BobombETA]

Would this be your only car?

[Stanley Rockafella]

Do it. Everything has to die some day. Using that car as a DD would be awesome.

agreed

Thumbs up all day!

[estoguy]

Get it and rock it, bro! That would be a nice DD. And because I'm a manual guy, I'd totally do the swap.

[Deltron Dirty30]

Do it. Everything has to die some day. Using that car as a DD would be awesome.

I guess that's a pretty good way of looking at it.

I was thinking about heading down to VA to pick this up for $3500 as well but i said fuhgetaboutit

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/cto/5767131572.html