I bought an 87 300D turbo with a cracked head for $500 bucks. I replaced the head with a used one, and I'd consider this car one of the best that I have ever had. It extemely reliable, it's not as slow as many people say, and it's built like a tank. It gets around 30 mpg on the highway too

 

I must not understand. The buy list as all the non-turbo diesels. Are you saying they are better than the turbo? My opinion is that the non-turbo versions are so underpowered as to be practically dangerous. I would not consider buying a non-turbo diesel.

The older ones (pre 85) are great cars all around.

 

i just bought an 80' 240d 4spd manual.
cruise control doesent work, and its the only thing i cant fuigure out.

 

i havent heard much about the 85 300d's what are the downsides and upsides of these diesels

 

The car I am looking at was apparently built for the European market. 182,000 miles and according to the dealer, in good shape. Asking price: $5000. I know. Pretty steep. Could you tell me what the significance of the Euro body is and the quality of the '86 300D turbos in general. I noticed your "buy" rec is for the SDL that year. What's the difference? Thank you very much!

JolieG

 

I would wonder why a Euro spec vehicle has a speedo in MPH or did I misunderstand. Cheers Dan

 

I still consider myself to be new [~2006] with Mercedes and am the proud owner of a fairly clean 1980 240D with fairly new engine imported from Germany and a rebuilt auto tranny. I am a voluntary transplant from another MB forum because of their weak sensorship policy... but I promise to not be a rabble-rouser here. "Over there" early in my MB experience I founded a THREAD that is now over 50,000 views/"hits". The THREAD was on the subject of tuning up what I coined as the " Engine/Tranny-Shifter Vacuum Control System". The THREAD's popularity really surprised me. And yes when I refused to technically bow down to a Moderator and then he started deleting my POSTs!
So here I am looking for a FORUM-home !

P.S. - I also wrote a couple of articles called " Wikki(s) " (sp?)... and will see about making them available via this WebSite/FORUM !!

Q - Does anyone know IF the moderators here delete POSTs without any warning?... or
Q2 - merely for technical differences of opinion?
Samuel M. Ross (retired) [my real name]
Novato, CA
....

 

Yes I do recognize your name from the "over there" FORUM!
Good to see a friendly face... or guess I should say "name" !
Sam Ross

 

Lets not forget the 116 300SD. Great vehicles, crappy vaccuum systems!

 

So I will mention my disappointment with the 1980-85 transmissions that are vacuum modulated vs. the old 1970's and particularly the 77-79 123 body style benz with a mechanically modulated transmission. What a pain to troubleshoot the vacuum systems and get everything tuned up right. They are almost never set up right on a lot of the used vehicles out there.