Matt,
One of the first things you should know is that a cheap Mercedes diesel will be the most expensive car you ever own.
Unless you do the work yourself.
285,000 miles? So it's coming up towards its first oil change and time to check the tire pressure.
Seriously, MBZ has been making these things for a while and they are running around the world in environments that make the worst rural backwater in the U.S. look like mechanics' paradise. So they will just go and go, IF they are taken care of.
You didn't mention where you are, but I hope that it's somewhere with junk yards (the polite term around here is Pick a Part yards). Used parts are a major way of keeping a Benz diesel running without making boat payments for your local dealer.
Most of the folks here have the 123 or 126 series car. Earlier than your 1986, and bigger. So we don't see a lot of posting about the 190d here. But a lot of the information will be similar. Because the late '80s were not a real tight fuel era, the baby Benz's that came over were mostly gassers. But for non-engine parts, the gassers in the junk yards will interchange with your diesel.
Compression engines generate more torque than equivalent gassers. Diesel fuel, even though more expensive per gallon, packs about 30% more accessible energy per unit measure. So the higher cost is still mostly a bargain.
Mercedes engineers have an ongoing love affair with vacuum. So a lot that runs on electricity in your Volvo will run on vacuum lines in a Mercedes (diesel or gasser). Diesels don't have engine vacuum like gassers, so you have to deal with a vacuum pump, mounted on the engine. The hoses and interconnections in the vacuum system are a never-ending source of delightful weekend occupation for MBZ owners.
Welcome, read, look at the archives. We're not nearly as mean and terrible as we sometimes sound.
Tom '81 300SD, 347,+++ miles
In a message dated 1/9/2011 7:43:11 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, mattnmason@yahoo.com writes:
Hi all,
I've got a good neighbor (& friend), who has been vacillating on whether he's going to sell his 1986 190d 2.5 with a 5-speed manual transmission and a truckload of miles -- 285,000. I think he's going to sell it, and has offered it to me. I'm probably going to buy, but am looking for some pre-buy advice.
First, is this a good (not trouble-prone) engine/transmission combination? It must be, as the car seems to run well with nearly 300,000 miles... Is there anything I should out for specifically upon inspection? What would be a fair "good neighbor" price?
Secondly, can someone explain the draw of these diesels? I'm almost assuredly going to buy the car, so maybe I'll figure it out as I drive, but right now the benefits elude me. At first, I thought these cars would be extremely long-lived, which they are (obviously), but they also seem to require a lot of maintenance to get there. My gas Volvo 740 (with an equal level of maintenance) will likely reach 400,000; it already has 292,000 and runs great. Then I thought they'd be incredibly fuel efficient, which they are as well, but with the price of diesel being higher than gas, that benefit is mitigated to a large extent. Finally, diesels are not quicker or more powerful. They might be easier to work on, but my Volvo is pretty easy and straight-forward already. then you've got the added "difficulties" of cold starts, finding diesel, etc.
I'm not trying to alter anyone's opinion of diesels. I'm sincerely wondering what the draw is! Any insight would be appreciated to clarify it in my own mind's eye.
Warmest regards,
Matt
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