Looking at stepping out of the Volkswagen scene.. MERCEDES TURBOWAGON

[8v-of-fury]

Not really the Benz Hater like it sounds but having come from a family with 7 kids anything that resembles a station wagon used for the 11 hr drives to Grandma's house just makes me irritable.

I actually considered buying a coupe version of what your are shown so if you have to have this beast, and I emphasize that it looks beasty to me. 
Then by all means have at it.  Just be prepared for those cute girls at the market to look at one another and shrug there shoulders and comment that he didn't look like a grandpa.  Why the car? 

You will be a hit with the friends, all 24 of them that you can pile in this thing and take to the lake.  Kind of offsets the poor mileage.  Think miles per person.  24 friends X 100 miles / 24 mpg = 100 friendmiles/gallon  Better than if you drive alone in the VW and get yourself there and 50 friendmiles/gallon.

You say you're a big fella,  got a family?  Kids farther back where they can't kick the seat is a bonus.  That trunk will eat all the luggage for a weeks trip and have plenty for souvenirs.

Your money, your call. 
ps trailer the VW.

Now you got me Lolling. .

Miles per person. If I did it that way i'd never pay for fuel again each gives $5? decent lol.

[ORCoaster]

The Mileperson idea is actually from the travel business I think.  They say airplanes are a good way to travel because even though they eat fuel like a 1000 Rabbits they transport a lot of people at one time.  Same with a bus or SUV.  It was their stab at trying to take some of the heat off the large amount of fuel being consumsed for travelers.

If you do get this beasty boy. You have to paint it.  That car it already two toned.  Get rid of the MB colors and it might look a lot better.  Grab one of the new colors they have going with some of the recent cars. 

[srgtlord]

dont do it.... no rust coating.......

[ORCoaster]

Alright 8V this is down right freaky.  I come up to the apartment and there in my parking spot is a white, old, beater of a 300D wagon.  How did he do that?  I am not that down on those cars.  

Turns out it belongs to the lady upstairs visiting friend from CA.  It is in way worse shape than what you are looking at for sure.  But her's had a deer horn on the dash and some other questionable stuff in there.  Very earthy looking.

[rs899]

I can't believe the number of negative responses.   Coming from a guy who has a W116 300SD and a 300D (as well as 2 240Ds), if I had it to do all over again I would just buy a 300TD and forget the rest of them.  This is the ultimate diesel Benz.  This is also a very good price on a wagon.  Yes, you will get high 20s.  Yes, it will have vacuum issues.  Yes,  it takes 2 gallons of oil ( filters are $6 from AZAH etc).  So what?  It was built when price was no object, before MB had any bean counters, before Lexus and Infinity.

EDIT:  400k on the clock?  Wow, no wonder it's cheap...  That would make me think twice...  especially where you are.  I have an instrument cluster I pulled from a 300CD in the boneyard that had 500K on it, so anything is possible, but that's a bunch of miles even on an OM617...

[maxfax]

HAH that looks just like the one I used to have...    It was a great car, ran the tar out of it till the rust finally won...  I knew every vac line and connection in that thing..  Finally caved and converted the locks to electric..  The HVAC was like playing a slot machine.. Hit the button and see what temp air comes out where..    The hydraulic suspension was awesome though.. I put a literal TON of bags of mortar in the back and it didn't squat..  Didn't really slow it down too terribly much either..  Of course it wasn't that fast to begin with..  

 But truth be told, the economy compares to my Craprice Wagon that runs on cheaper fuel and has more get up and go.. (Actually the Chevy costs 1 cent LESS per mile) Some parts are not too bad, some are just plain painful (look up a blower motor for the HVAC)  The VW is much more fun to drive around town, but the Benz is the only way to go on a road trip..

The 400K is probablly the scariest part.. Much like old VW's it probably wasn't maintained as it should.. If it was meticulously maintained (with records) that may be a different story..  I'd bet the timing chain hasn't been touched and is stretched.. Have the valves been adjusted somewhat on time?  Rs899 can check my facts for me, but I believe this on has the earlier style vac control for the trans which is touchy to get adjusted right.. And has that trans fluid ever been changed?

If it were me, I'd buy it, they are indeed the ultimate Benz, and getting hard to find for less than the price of a good used kidney... But I like big cars with some bells and whistles, and a may be a tad nuts..

[rs899]

That one has the later 722.315 transmission, which is a very reliable unit, but at 400K must have been changed by now ( 250K is average life).  They did have tricky vacuum modulation adjustments and are known for firm (!) shifts.  There are ways to diddle them through upgraded valve body springs.

So what happened?  Did all the nay-sayers queer the deal?

[theman53]

I guess my point is that this is a VW forum and you should expect the posts to favor VW.

FWIW I agree with Maxfax's above post. They are good cars, but for me pretty scarey to maintain. The ride is great, cadillac like, especially on freeways. Now the deal is I would buy it BUT I wouldn't get rid of one VW to do it. It was a great supplimental car for me, but I wouldn't want to have only it for a DD. I would definately want a VW for backup.

[8v-of-fury]

So what happened?  Did all the nay-sayers queer the deal?

No, reality did . I wanted it, didnt need it lol. It was perfect though.

[diesel smoke]

Too bad. They are really good cars. I have my 300SD and it is really a great car. Sure the vacuum system is a bit of a pain, but so is the climate controls in a Mk2 with A/C! I've solved a few tiny issues on the Mk4 and the Benz with just a vacuum diagram and a vac tester. I find it easier to diagnose than electrical most times.

As for the lack of speed, it is about on par with the Mk2 TD.

[R.O.R-2.0]

Too bad. They are really good cars. I have my 300SD and it is really a great car. Sure the vacuum system is a bit of a pain, but so is the climate controls in a Mk2 with A/C! I've solved a few tiny issues on the Mk4 and the Benz with just a vacuum diagram and a vac tester. I find it easier to diagnose than electrical most times.

As for the lack of speed, it is about on par with the Mk2 TD.

mk2 a/c HVAC is rather simple.. theres a vacuum freed to the selector, and then theres 5 or 6 lines out of it, to connect to various vacuum actuators.. most of the lines only go to one spot. its IMPOSSIBLE to hook the lines up wrong at the selector, because they are all in one connector..

[maxfax]

I have my 300SD and it is really a great car.

I had an 81 300SD and have to agree..   Leaps and bounds beyond the W123 chassis cars I've had.. I don;t know what they did different on that 617 but the damn thing would burn out (slightly) and never got less than 27 mpg... Handled quite well too..  Story is there were no euro spec 300SD's except for Japan but many of the parts on this one were indeed for the euro spec car, and the handling alone was very European... Maybe it was a grey market car or something, it did come from Jersey....

[Baron VonZeppelin]

I've "almost" took the mid-late 80's 300TD wagon plunge a couple of times.
They are neat, and have their place if you need that much car.
Around here in good condition, they get pricey.
Very popular with WVO and potential WVO'er crowd.
Rock solid cars and safe as a bulldozer.
A particular Dk.Blue/Dk.Blue interior model in creampuff condition was a battle to resist.

In the end and up til now - glad i didn't.
There is NO replacement for 48-52 mpg - it gets in your blood.

Actually in my pre-VW Diesel day, what i wanted to make the switch to Diesel with was a mid-late 80's 190D MB. After a couple months of unsuccessful local searches, and getting outbid on several on eBay - i took it as a sign. Found an 89 Jetta NA for $800 and that gave birth to 4 more VW Dzlz. Its been good.

[DieselBalz]

Interesting thread as down here in the FLA these things pop up often on craigslist. Some people want retarded amounts of money, others are reasonable. Everything from Estates to a few of the coupes I've seen. The only way I can get the fiance to even consider it is if its A: NOT A WAGON (she says) and B: I have to sell or trade the Eco to do it.

Ive put too much love into the Eco to get rid of it, its my first Mk2 after lusting over them for decades, and first VW that I owned as well.

I just love old big bodied Benzs. Like this one selling in St. Pete

http://tampa.craigslist.org/pnl/cto/2760077581.html

He probably should of moved the car from where he normally parks it (as indicated by all the soot on the ground there) as to mask the ton of fluid leaks on the ground, before taking the picture.

[R.O.R-2.0]

our VWs are basically the ferraris of diesel cars..

i could not imagine driving that big of a boat, that got HALF the mileage of my diesel..

i mean, sure, dont get me wrong, you can prolly make the benz pretty powerful, but its still a HUGE car with vacuum control issues..