Newbie Inquiry on Benz 240D

Hello dudes,

I have been thinking about buying a 240D. The 240D's legendary engine and classic look are the main reason I've been seeking out the model.

I know nothing about diesel engine maintenance / repair – but I want to learn.

Is this a car I can learn about before buying? Are there better years to be looking for? Am I crazy for considering this?

I love the car, and would be willing to sink time and money into it.

Can it function as a regular driver?

Thanks dudes.

• Max, The Newb.

It is the slowest thing... ever? I bet that a pair of sumo wrestlers on a tandem bike could out run the thing.

The diesel forum at www.peachparts.com is good, I used to be very active over there. The 240D is extremely simple, reliable and slow; dangerously so with the automatic. They can keep up with traffic, but you will be flooring it. '79s are made with a lower quality steel and rust more. Both of mine have been '79s.

Great cars. Almost anything can be fixed with a hammer and socket set.

^It's dangerously slow with the stock 4 speed manual as well.

I can't believe people actually seek these out but to each their own I guess.

Drive one to see if you can tolerate the performance.

My mom had one back in the early 80s. It's built like a tank, but good god, slow is not the word - glacial-like acceleration maybe more accurate.

I would recommend looking for a 5 cylinder turbodiesel instead.

Superturbodiesel.com is a good forum to learn about diesel MBs.

Having had 240d and 300d models in the family since 1980, there is no reason at all to get a 240d when the 300d turbo exists.

The 240 is agonizingly slow all the time, even with the manual transmission. The 300 turbo lets you keep up with traffic without a real problem and not run full throttle all the time, and ends up getting similar real world fuel economy as a result.

Drive one to see if you can tolerate the performance.

That is the best advice in this thread so far, and i cant think of any further advice that could top it...

The first time i ever drove one, i was flooring it out of the shop i was working in and flooring it around the tight quarters of a probably 1/8-acre parking lot and even in that small of a space i was horrified by how slow it was.

Weird to hear about there was a bad sheet metal run in 1979 and late 1978 I've heard that before and I believe it. European models also seem to rot worse than US ones. There is a kid who drives up and down my street who drives a 300d turbo and that little car moves.

I daily drive a '70 220D which has smaller bumpers and a nicer dashboard. They slow - no doubt about it but if you just mellow out behind the wheel then it isn't a big deal. Part of the issue is a really steep first gear which has you shifting to second before leaving the intersection. The earlier w115s handle a little better than the later W123s but both can change direction nicely. I even auto-x'd mine. As for what to look for I'd say rust is the biggest issue - they seem quite rot prone. Look everywhere. Fenders, in the trunk, floorboards, etc. After that mechanical condition and maintenance records.

Yeah I have watched video of the car taking half a minute to get to 60mph.

But slow is okay.

Does the 300's engine have the same longevity as the 240?

Thanks for all the info this forum is awesome.

They also made a non-turbo 300D for the first couple of years (spread over two body styles). Its the 240D with one more cylinder.

MWH wrote: Yeah I have watched video of the car taking half a minute to get to 60mph. But slow is okay. Does the 300's engine have the same longevity as the 240?

Similar reliability, but manual transmissions are rare in the non-turbocharged 300Ds and were not available with the turbo engines.