WELCOME Alan ! .
All American version 300TD's 1981 > have turbos , some will be ' grey market ' versions and not have the turbo , go now and begin looking at all the old Mercedes' you can and ask the seller , to show you ~ the turbo is a big alloy snail looking thing under the air cleaner on the right side of the engine . once they point it out to you , you'll know .
Whatever you do , _DO_NOT_ buy a Mercedes ANYTHING with 5 _vertical_ HVAC buttons unless you like misery and pain plus freezing cold in winter and stifling heat in summer.... this isn't a joke , it's a heartfelt WARNING .
Also , look closely under the rear side windows , rocker panels and battery tray for any rust holes ~ by the time you see bubbles or pin holes , it's *VERY* serious .
Just yesterday I saw a nice old 1982 300TE in a remote junkyard , this is a W-123 Wagon with the peppy if gas hogging M-110 6inline 6 cylinder engine ~ no rust but they don't sell them =8-( too bad as it would have made a DYNOMITE ' builder ' ~ just buy a rusted out or wrecked 300SD and transplant the engine over... (easier said than done) .
In closing : BEWARE the ' cheap ' Mercedes ! it will always be the MO$T EXPEN$IVE CAR YOU EVER OWN ! . (but , you'll polly love it anyway , I do)
-Nate
Alan wrote:
>
> I'm new to the list, and to Mercs and diesels. I want to get a diesel car because I'm interested in alternative fuels. I've been reading up a lot in the message archives, but have plenty of questions percolating in my head :-)
>
> I really like hatchbacks/wagons and so I think my ideal car right now is perhaps a 1980 to 85 (W123) 300TD. (I do my own car repairs, and I do understand I'll be buying a classic but probably still a fixer.)
>
> How can I tell if it has a turbo or not? The model descriptions I've come across haven't been to clear to me as to which models came in turbo and/or non-turbo versions, or what.
>
> I have yet to test-drive one of these cars yet, but based on my experience with the Volvo 740 (similar size/weight reputation), I'm sure I'll want a turbo version :-)
>
> Any advice on how I can tell, or where to look? Thanks!
>
> - Alan
>
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