meowy84

I already own an '84 500SEL but know nothing about diesels. There's a 1980 5 cylinder diesel station wagon for sale locally and since I've already been bitten by the M-B bug I'm thinking of buying it. It's all black and I think it would look very sinister with all tinted windows and some blacked-out rims. I think I'll call it the Darksider. But anyways, back to reality, I'd like to find out some more info about these cars.

Here are some questions:
(1)Parts availability and cost for the diesel Benzes?
(2)Are the 5 cylinder diesel cars reliable and long lasting as befits an M-B?
(3)What's the displacement of the diesel? And what is the average mpg?
(4)What are the quirks and problem areas of these cars?
(5)Can the station wagon be in any way considered rare?

Thanks in advance.

Pawsh

FYI, the car is a W123. Not rare in the U.S.

(1)Parts availability and cost for the diesel Benzes?
- Check to see where the car is maintenance wise. Then check with the prices of online sources for parts.

(2)Are the 5 cylinder diesel cars reliable and long lasting as befits an M-B?
-That era of MB diesels is probably the longest lasting on average. The engine is the M617 (turbo and non-turbo). This engine found its way into an array of sedans, wagons, and coupes from the 70s to mid 80s (W115, W116, W123, W126, probably some Euro models as well). As long as regular maintenance is covered it should last a long time. I should note, somewhere in the maintenance it will probably state adjusting the lifters as well.

(3)What's the displacement of the diesel? And what is the average mpg?
-3.0L 5cyl , not sure about the MPG

(4)What are the quirks and problem areas of these cars?
-Don't know. I would check with a W123 forum about more detailed info.

meowy84

Pawsh, thanks for the response and letting me know the chassis designation. Since the car is debadged and I didn't get a chance to inspect it closer I had no clue what type it was, other than being told by the seller that it is a 1980 and a 5 cylinder diesel. Will hopefully have a better look at it this weekend!

meowy84

I can't locate the W123 forum? The closest I see is the W126.......HELP!!

Pawsh

http://benzworld.org/forums/

meowy84

Thanks Pawsh.

Jowl

I own a 1980 330D wagon since new. It has 170K miles. Kept it in excellent mechanical repair, runs very well, though as you would imagine, a 5 cl non-turbo is pretty slow on the uptake and even slows down on hills. It is reliable and a real tank in the snow. The body has some rust. I am considering a $3K body and paint job. This is a great car if properly maintained. Parts are no problem to get on the aftermarket. i don't know about the junkyard sources. The engine is 3 litre (the Merc. number indicate engine capacity (420 = 4.2 litres, etc). It is not a rare car, but if in good shape a good buy. AC needs to be converted. There are several chronic rust spots. The read door may need new rods, but my car has been quirk-free. Mine gets 20-24 mpg.

Jowl

Vexing problem with 1980 300TD. The car suddenly loses either compression or speed after driving for a while. It slows down and despite down shifting, won;t go abotu 15-20 MPH. The transmission was rebuilt, and several parts replaced, yet the problem continues to be there intermittently. If the car is turned off, then restarted, it seems to go back to normal for a while, then loses steam. My mechanic says it is losing vacuum pressure, but so far he is at a loss to know why or how to fix it.

I thought it might be the speed controil interfering, but he says no.

I'd welcome any ideas on how to deal with this.