I've owned a LOT of cars, mostly junk, mosly selected solely on price.

Finally i can drive what i want (more or less) I still can't make myself pay a lot for a car and it has to get great MPG because i do a LOT of driving (40K mi/yr)

So i find myself in a 2006 Civic Hybrid. Wonderful car but it is soooo BORING.

As soon as i get rightside up on the payments in the next few months I plan to dump and get into an older mercedes.

I want diesel for the MPG and durability, and Mercedes because no one else makes a reliable diesel (except maybe VW)

Target price is $2-3K but i could go higher depending on the answers to the following questions.

- besides the 190D, which models get the best MPG

- Looking at prices it apears that nothing good was made after about 1990. What's the deal? The 80's cars seems to fetch more money.

- What are the hottest models that comes in diesel, in terms of being sought after and selling quickly?

- And the reverse? - which are the least popular but mechanically sound and able to be had for a great price? Undervalued Bargains (like Volvo 240's used to be)

- I've mainatained all my own cars and I sure can't afford to pay Hans, which are going to trend toward fewer mainteance challenges?

- Are turbos problematic after a certain age?

I hope these quesions evoke some informative discussion.

 

I can say from the amount of time My own Car has sat in the drive way waiting for Parts, and or knowlege to fix it that you need to have another Car as a Back up.

If for no other reason that they are older and often have been neglected by their former owners.
The Suspension and drive train have Rubber Pasts that if original are at the end of their limits.

A high MPG on a 84 300D would be 27mpg but more normal would be around 24 mpg.
Not to many people on 190Ds and they seem to have issues with them. I would search other forums on that subject.

It really sounds like a VW TDI would meet your needs better.

 

We do have other cars in the yard but let me rephrase the question;

If i don't have $60k for a new MB, how much do I have to spend to enjoy some of the dependability for which they are so renowned?

No $3000 car is absolutely reliable but at that price point i can easily choose a car with minimal risk, probably a well cared for Volvo or something japanese.

Is that too little to get the same comfort from a Merc?

 

It sounds like you have purchased a lot of used cars. Look for the usual as far as body, suspension, and transmission problems. When you get to the engine, how does it start cold? How does it run? Does it respond to the throttle? Is there any blow-by? In general what does it sound like when it idles, and through the rpm range? I have an '87 300D turbo and I love it. It hasn't had any major problems since I bought it a little over a year ago, but it has had to sit some of the time waiting for parts, the common parts aren't really hard to find, I don't know about the major ones 'cause I haven't had to look for them yet. The car is my daily driver, about 80 miles a day.