Replaced water pumps myself twice.
Replaced drive line universal joints once.
Replaced brake rotors only once.
Rebuilt the front seats once.
Replaced door gaskets once.
As an engineer myself, I have to say that this car is the best engineered vehicle that I have ever owned.
While it is not a fast car, its reliability has been beyond that of any other cars I know of, therefor I have to give it a top rating in the overall performance area.
I would only purchase a new car if it is diesel powered, and if I could be certain that it would be as reliable as my old 1979 Mercedes 240D diesel.
The only thing I want to ask is how do you compare Mercedes diesel reliability to a VW diesel reliability. Say where a Passat 1980 diesel stands against a 1980 Mercedes diesel?
Please reply me at
kamran_ali505@hotmail.com.
I own a 79 Mercedes 240d, I am very happy with the car, but it uses a lot of oil
I wonder if you know the problem, is it o rings or more than just that?
The smoke is sort of bluish / white, it uses about 5 liters in 3000 km.
The car is great and it takes me everywhere at 110 / 120 km /hour.
Thanking you
jorge jimenez.
I have an 88 BMW and I'm wondering how you replaced the you joints considering that the joints are staked in place, and run on a balancing machine. please email me at sjcrail@hotmail.com.
I love my 1981 Mercedes Benz 240D...i got rear ended and it is like a tank. 2004 Yukon was totaled...me...a nasty dent, but other than that everyone was OK. they don;t build them like they used to.
I own a 1981 240-D purchased in 2004 with 131,000 miles on it. Yes, it is slow, but a great car. I've gone 31,000 trouble free miles. One problem: In 30,000 miles, I'm on my sixth alternator. I've been replacing with re-manufactured units, but the most miles I've gotten on an alternator is 7,000 without it failing. Any ideas? Should I bite the bullet and buy a new alternator? Any ideas are appreciated.
Six alternators in 30,000 miles suggests that you have a bad voltage regulator. Have you tried replacing that?
I think the alternators are prone to getting soaked in water splashed up by the front wheels.
Yes I think you right. If I go over a deep puddle the battery light comes on for a few seconds in my 83 240d.
Spray the back of the alternator with wd40 or similar. The alternators are in a bad place. Sometimes at low speed my battery light comes on when going over puddles.
I just bought a w123 240D, great car but fuel consumption is a little excessive and have observed that it's producing whitish smoke.
Anyone knows why please email me on dyonsl@gmail.com.
However, it's a very stable car, very powerful and the take off is okay with me as I'm in Zimbabwe no need for speeding, fuel is expensive here.
Radiator was leaking and this tended to affect the alternator on some occasions. Fuel consumption approx 10km/litre, is this okay or it should do better.
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