reliability and longevity: W123 vs W126 diesel; turbo or no?
09-06-2009, 02:12 PM
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1984 300SD
reliability and longevity: W123 vs W126 diesel; turbo or no?
I'm going to buy an old benz. The choice is a W123 300D (or 300TD) or W126 300SD. There's a local 1979 300TD but its not a turbo, and there's a fairly good 1984 300SD three hours away.
We put 50,000 Km (on average) per year on a car, mostly on 2-lane 80Km/hr highways, although if we want to drive to Toronto, we have to get on #11, then #400, then #401 (100+ Km/hr expressways).
Other than aesthetics, looks, whatever, is there any difference in the longevity or ongoing maintenance costs between the W123 and the W126?
What does having a turbo do to longevity or maintenance or repair costs compared to no turbo? How much would I miss having a turbo for the kind of driving we do?
The 300SD is longer but not a wagon. When travelling in our current Pontiac wagon, I don't like things higher than the windows. Which would have more room for stuff (two people and a dog): A 300TD with stuff to the bottom of the windows, or a 300SD with stuff in the trunk?
Thanks,
Doug.
We put 50,000 Km (on average) per year on a car, mostly on 2-lane 80Km/hr highways, although if we want to drive to Toronto, we have to get on #11, then #400, then #401 (100+ Km/hr expressways).
Other than aesthetics, looks, whatever, is there any difference in the longevity or ongoing maintenance costs between the W123 and the W126?
What does having a turbo do to longevity or maintenance or repair costs compared to no turbo? How much would I miss having a turbo for the kind of driving we do?
The 300SD is longer but not a wagon. When travelling in our current Pontiac wagon, I don't like things higher than the windows. Which would have more room for stuff (two people and a dog): A 300TD with stuff to the bottom of the windows, or a 300SD with stuff in the trunk?
Thanks,
Doug.
