81 Benz 300TD

Discussion in 'Station Wagon Auctions, Craigs List and Other Stat' started by Fat Tedy, Mar 31, 2014.

  1. Fat Tedy

    Fat Tedy Island Red Neck

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  2. mashaffer

    mashaffer New Member

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    Those are sweet! One of the better vintages IIRC. That one would be welcome in my garage any day.

    mike
     
  3. patrick80

    patrick80 Wagonista!

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    The '80s through about '92 are the best. After that, they have wiring problems due to the biodegradable wiring insulation(!), one of the very worst automotive ideas to sprout from Germany.
     
  4. Bigbarneycars

    Bigbarneycars Well-Known Member

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    Why did 98% of 'um leave the factory it silver W/ ah blue interior? Those guys have no car color imagination over there! Find me ah black or forest green one that doesn't have 500K miles on it!
     
  5. hullinger

    hullinger Well-Known Member

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    I had one of these up until a few years ago. She was a daily driver for about two years. I ended up selling it to pay for other wagon projects I wanted. The prices of the W123's seem to have really taken off over the past few years too. There are still examples floating around with mileage under 150K but it's routine to see these with 250K and greater. They really are build to last a very long time and I recall these being about three times more expensive when new, as compared to a Cadillac.

    In some ways I consider these wagons to be 20 years ahead of their time and in other ways 20 years behind. They are exceptionally strong and well engineered. It seems every nut and bolt is one size bigger than it needs to be. They have extra articulation in the front suspension that allows for an amazing turning radius. Many of the front suspension pieces are aluminum. The rims are very light and made of magnesium. They have a hydro, load sensing rear suspension with a 1200 pound load capacity. The exhaust is stainless and will last a lifetime. They're weird quirks too like the dash gauges are not backlit. Instead there are two bulbs in the exposed side of the gauge cluster that shines onto the gauges. Also, any vacuum leaks in the engine compartment will prevent the engine from turning off with the key.

    From my experience, the car is built to last nearly a lifetime but there are some weak links. The transmissions seem to only last for 150K miles and be sure to replace the radiator and water pump too as they last about as long as the trans. The rear suspension will sag over time due to ruptured accumulators.

    Overall these are pretty effortless cars that get a decent 25 MPG and are long lasting. Once you drive one you'll appreciate all the great qualities of these babies and it will leave a lasting impression.

    Chris
     
  6. Taranau

    Taranau Well-Known Member

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    hmmm

    The only reason I would get one of these, would be to run it on bio-diesel.
     
  7. BlownNitroPontiac

    BlownNitroPontiac New Member

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    I've had a couple of Benz diesels. Fabulous cars and built to be worked on. Completely different mindset in design versus Japanese designers who design stuff never to be taken apart or worked on easily.

    These five cylinder diesels were made through 1985. I owned mine in the mid 90s. Rebuilt injectors and glow plugs every 50K miles and it routinely delivered 27 mpg.

    Not sure, at $4.25/gallon for diesel nowadays, that a 27 mpg diesel would be a smart move.
     

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