Tank of a Mercedes 300D with a 3L Turbo Diesel! CAR WIZARD finds lots of surprises under the hood!

[@davemcginn8372]

I had a 83 300SD I bought for $3,500. Drove that thing daily for 6 years. It had $305,000 plus miles when I got rid of it. Random people stopped by my house and asked to buy it several times. The biggest problems I had was interior panels cracking, door handles breaking, and an occasional vacuum leak here and there. I brought my oldest daughter home from the hospital after she was born in it. Great times!

[@SavedbyHim]

And that's more problems I've ever had with my modern Mercedes

[@davemcginn8372]

@@SavedbyHim Maybe so, but it isn't 30 to 40 years old either, and does it have in excess of 305,000 miles? I'd make that comparison again at the same mileage and age. I've had an 07 and currently a 2014...both diesels. They are nicer inside and more comfortable, and I like the transmissions in them better...but with all the sensor failures, sometimes causing limp mode, check engine lights , Adblue system failure, safety system failures, even engine mounts at 32,000 miles etc. all under 10 years 100,000 miles, I doubt they will last as long. One thing is for sure, that 83 never had issues like that and was much easier to maintain. It wasn't perfect, but any issues it had were more related to age/mileage than quality, and complexity.

[@mathijsdevries728]

Feeling very nostalgic watching this vid. Spent my entire childhood in W123’s as my father owned several of these over the course of almost 30 years. He would go to great lengths to be able to afford them, even when he actually couldn’t, as he was convinced those cars were nothing less than the best and safest to drive his family around. The last one he owned was a 1985 300D. Although my father himself didn’t outlive the car, it still is with the family. Needless to say the car is cherished and will probably survive for another 35 years...

[@artkincell]

Your dad had great taste. I always used the excuse that I couldn't afford NOT to own one because they are so durable.

[@mathijsdevries728]

Frank Galpin Thanks! 😃🙏🏻 And you were certainly right about your excuse... 😄

[@KimathiTheLeopard]

Glad you’ve kept the car and the memories that go with. These are the last generational cars and you’ll pass it on to your kids.

[@erniefrijole2618]

My father also passed away before the 300TD wagon's time was up. I have it now and it'll be ready when my oldest needs a reliable steed for college. RIP Pop....

[@hawkeye454]

Used to drive the wagon version of this car in the 2000's when I worked at a car repair shop, to go get customers and parts. So many good memories driving that turd...in fact I nicknamed it the "poopy wagon." If I remember right, the odometer broke at 450,000 mi and that was at least a little while before I ever drove the car. I loved the car so much the owner of the shop would sometimes let me drive it home at night or on weekends. (My diesel VW Rabbit was constantly broken so this was a treat to get to drive.) I didn't even care it had the Company Logo plastered all over it. I sure miss that car. Thanks Wizard for bringing this to us, brings back many great memories.

[@zloychechen5150]

i had one with a 2,0 m102 as my first own car. The odometer was stuck at 560000 km. I think it must have already been around once. The car was total junk in every way, with holes and everything, yet it still ran and drove, and i didn't do anything about it, because it was all too much for my crap mechanical abilities, and the fact that i didn't have any money for that. Drove it for a little while, then sold to some fetishist who already had like 5 of those. Can't even say that i was ever a fan of the w123, but what i still remember with fondness is the ride comfort.

[@MrKnutriis]

The wagon is the best and the hydraulic leveling gives it a ride even better than the regular sedan.

[@mjmcomputers]

I like my 300D but really would prefer to have the wagon. The wagon prices have gotten pretty crazy lately. A wagon seems to be 5x the cost of a sedan.

[@MrKnutriis]

@@mjmcomputers I think there is produced around 4 million of the sedans and only 200,000 of the wagon. A wagon in good condition is a collector's car.

[@gdagenais8082]

@@MrKnutriis And stupid expensive to fix.

[@petec9686]

This was MB's peak. From the 60s-80s they were in a class by themselves. Best cars ever made.

[@golden.lights.twinkle2329]

Good if you have $$$$ to keep them running. If you like vacuum operated wipers and door locks. They are a nightmare when they don't work. Injector pumps cost a small fortune. A/C systems are complex and parts are not available.

[@JetLee1544]

Also some engines from the 90s. Then it went downhill.

[@knurles]

@@golden.lights.twinkle2329 I'm not sure where you got that opinion. I have 2 right now I did the Air Con on one last summer and the compressor was available at O'Reilly's same day for 120 bucks. The vac locks can be tough till you figure out how to troubleshoot it. Injector pumps should be rebuilt to larger volume for power which is about 1000 bucks but makes it awesome.

[@marcelpatel9017]

When the Lexus LS launched, MB never recovered.

[@petec9686]

Lexus of the 90s did take over from MB as the best cars in the world@@marcelpatel9017

[@yazanbaddawi9683]

Mrs. Wizard is like Quintin Tarantino , she's directing the wizards videos and occasionally has a cameo in it 😄

[@210SAi]

Without the profanity laced tirades and grotesque violence

[@himynameisbrianw]

her acting lmao

[@zloychechen5150]

@@210SAi There's Hoovie's Garage, who needs more grotesque violencce than that?

[@jamespn]

I think Mrs. Wizard’s cool.

[@JackhiloIRL]

"I don't need you to tell me how fucking good my Mercedes is, okay? I'm the one who buys it. I know how good it is. When Wizard goes shopping he buys BUGS. I buy the gourmet expensive stuff because when I drive it I want to feel it."

[@CrackBerryAddict]

Handing a car down through the generations is exactly what Mercedes-Benz had in mind with these (and their older cars). Awesome!

[@devilsadvocate1218]

Sometimes it's not just about the money, it comes down to what the car is worth to you!

[@805NAVE]

Sentimental value is higher than monetary value!

[@2Str0k3]

@@805NAVE Even when selling stuff people seem to add that sentimental factor to the price making it ridiculous. That is the case many times you try to buy something from old people.

[@moejohnson8459]

I agree with that.

[@jockodog2009]

@@moejohnson8459 You set your realistic price. Walk away if seller doesn't budge. Hard and fast rule applies.

[@flawlessfatality8105]

That's how it is with my 5th gen 05 grand am, no one cares about these cars or takes care of them but I want mine to be the best it can and it has never let me down

[@johnp556]

When Mercedes made non plastic, good cars.

[@x01e]

Add BMW/Audi etc to that list

[@patriciomunoz2830]

@@x01e mm not audi, old audis were garbage too

[@wholeNwon]

If you keep putting money into any car, you can probably keep it on the road forever. I had 2 new ones from that era ('81 and '89). The truth is that both arrived from Germany with factory defects, both left me stranded several times and both had superb maintenance with no expense spared from day one. The random failures were many. Years after I had gotten rid of both of them a former MB employee asked about the cars and said "let me guess what went wrong with yours". He then recited a LONG litany of problems and just about all of them were mine. Reason: "Those were just the FREQUENT issues!!!" I'll never own another German car of any kind.

[@OMGWTFLOLSMH]

There's no shortage of plastic in this car.

[@w19ely85]

@@OMGWTFLOLSMH Whooosh!

[@qx4n9e1xp]

I would like to see a Wizard video on "20 Cars I Turned Down Service For" or something along those lines, detailing to us what kinds of cars customers bring in that Wizard won't work on and why they're not worth it. I always knew Wizard couldn't possibly accept every car, but I still would love to hear the most ridiculous cases.

[@ledzeppelin27]

It's a downer and getting a little old tbh. Almost every video he talks about what he doesn't want to work on, why he doesn't want to work on it, etc. Like I get it man, working on almost anything is never easy, but it is literally your job. The people watching this and the customers aren't looking for the sob story, we're just here to watch cars getting worked on.

[@floppyseizure8615]

@@ledzeppelin27 Yea, he's kinda snobby for being a mechanic.

[@gillesthibault429]

There's the last more-than-few BMW Hoovimobiles...🤣🤣🤣

[@Dreddy72]

half of it is stuff he may not want to do(i.E. bmws from hoovie...), the other half is mainly stuff hes skeptical about getting paid for. you do 3k of work on a car worth 1.5k, how likely is the guy to actually pay up?

[@nicolajc]

a long list of BMWs

[@TheSteelerider]

The W123 was completely over engineered. A wonderful car. My dad had one. It was built like a tank. The W124 was a good series as well.

[@nathanofftopic]

Well, the owner's daughter has great taste. What a fantastic machine I'd trade in my E class for a well maintained 300TD any day.

[@vwestlife]

*Correction:* It's the non-turbo 300D that is around 85 horsepower (87 HP to be exact). The turbocharged 300D puts out 123 HP and 184 lb-ft of torque.

[@Rum1981]

Here in Austria the na 300d is rated at 88 HP...

[@Thorbyr]

@@Rum1981 US uses imperial horsepower and austria uses metric horsepower, hence the difference

[@fensterlips]

@@Thorbyr Not really. The 300d he mentions is "NA" or naturally aspirated - not a turbo

[@Road2redemtion]

Yup

[@iamasmurf1122]

So the cars basically a gutless pile of junk ! Yeah no thanks

[@sparkl_motion]

The relationship between you and Hoovie is so wholesome. It is super funsies to watch some of your shared stories evolve and watch the perspective on the car shift separately for each of you. If I'm ever headed cross country again and need a service on my way, I'll be reaching out to you guys!

[@smwsmwsmw]

It's a real shame that MB abandoned the durability aspect of their cars in exchange for electronics, gadgets, quirks and features.

[@wholeNwon]

Believe me, electronic actuators in just about everything are vastly superior to vacuum-operated ones with all the fragile but essential weak, cracked plastic tubing running everywhere.

[@Chrissy212]

My 2000 s500 begs to differ not as nice but strong and good at 165k miles

[@carloduroni5629]

Gadgets sell at a higher price than durability, to the general public. That's why today's cars are full of stupid and dangerous to use touch screens instead of old buttons and knobs, which are less fancy and cost more to wire.

[@smwsmwsmw]

@@wholeNwon I'm not going to argue with that, but a whole bunch of stuff is unnecessary. It's not unique to MB, of course, but do we really need door handles that pop out as you approach, transmission selectors that rise up, speakers that disappear, doors that close the last inch on their own, latches that trigger solenoids instead of opening the doors directly, etc?

[@wholeNwon]

@@smwsmwsmw Of course we don't need (and many of us don't want) all that trouble-prone crap. But the dealers sure do!

[@TLka2.0]

Mercedes dealerships still offers plenty of brand new parts for this car

[@GlamStacheessnostalgialounge]

But for the price they sell them at you're better off buying salvaged parts. I always owned really really old cars, and despite what people think, all major parts are super durable and you most likely won't have issues with ones from another car.

[@cwdrock]

At the prices they charge I have no doubt.

[@davidpackphoto]

MB has a whole classics decision for parts on classic Mercedes. They are expensive but when you need a part..

[@davidjacobs8558]

@@GlamStacheessnostalgialounge maybe so for the older car. I have 2008 Mercedes, which was always garaged, and the low beam light bulb died. So I removed the socket to replace the bulb, and the insulation plastic on 2 wires became so brittle, they were falling apart, exposing the bare copper wire.

[@neilmurphy845]

Jee that's great wish other car companies could do that

[@gravytrain416]

Cool video. I've driven 3.0L Mercedes diesels for the past 24 years. They've provided me with great service, and I will say until my dying day that they were the best cars ever built. Definitely the best automotive diesel engine ever built. Hands-down. I've only had one W123 300D, a 1982 model which was my step-daughter's first car. My love is more for the W126 300SD, same engine. Wonderful machines. I have a 1984 300SD with 752K miles on it, which I retired about five years ago. Many miles and memories in that car. I bought a 1983 300SD about a year ago, and paid twice its value, because it only had 132K miles on it. You don't find them with miles like that anymore!!!! With only 170K or so, that little gold car you're working on has a LOT of life left in it!!! Beckmann Technologies in Durham, NC rebuilds the climate control boxes, and the cruise control amplifier and servo. Or at least they used to. They're still in business, not sure if they're still doing those older ones or not. Just send in a core, and they'll send you back a rebuilt unit. I used them years ago, and never had any trouble. beckmanntechnologies.com. Having driven these great old 3.0L cars (and two 240D cars, one of which I still have, both manual transmissions), I have to agree with you on most points. But please, dear God, PLEASE don't do that LED instrument light change. The instrument cluster isn't set up for it, and it will eventually fry the whole cluster. NOT a good idea. Replace or bypass the potentiometer, and/or clean the bezels where the lights come into the cluster. They fog up with age. Often, that one thing can make all the difference. And parts aren't as rare as people think. Plenty of aftermarket parts to be found. Just don't buy Japanese junk parts! There are still sources for good German parts without going to the dealer OR the Classic Center, if you do some research! Great video. Thanks for sharing. Good luck with this timeless classic! I'm so happy it's going to be saved!!!

[@winstonemerson2439]

It wont fry the cluster,leds draw practically zero current compared to incandescent bulbs.

[@018139548]

This car is just beautiful to look at, nostalgic memories and one of the most durable vehicles Mercedes Benz ever made.

[@MrKnutriis]

I think it keeps looking better and better. I drive my '83 300TD and it looks better and drives better than a lot of new cars.

[@neilmurphy845]

And best of all her granddad drove it

[@neilmurphy845]

No show qeen

[@stickit2theman1]

Wizard, one thing that sets you apart from other mechanics is that you actually care about your customer's well-being, and this video really hammers that point home.

[@diggingattycho7908]

I have an 82 300TD wagon in my driveway, still runs and has been in the family since my mom bought it new. I have so many memories with the car the last thing I want to do is part with it. It's still a very solid car, lucky for me I found a very good mechanic. I once took it to a local Mercedes dealer, my service adviser told me there are only two guys in his shop that could work on the car. And he was one of them. There is one thing that I really like about the car that Mercedes doesn't do anymore. When you open the door(from the outside) the handle that opens the door doesn't feel cheap. It takes a good but light tug to open the door, feels like your doing something. My mom once asked me why I was keeping it. I told her it was her fault for buying such a good car.

[@wholeNwon]

Agree that the door handles were good, as was M-B Tex. That's about it.

[@erniefrijole2618]

Yep...my '85 300TD is the family time machine.... it'll outlive two generations and if my son falls in love with it like I did....who knows

[@Thomas63r2]

One of the interesting and neat things about Mercedes is how much they value heritage cars - to the point that they have a whole classics division with parts and technical help for the restoration industry. Finding good used or rebuilt parts makes far more monetary sense for the value of these 300D’s

[@guridhesi]

I have a 92 190d and as you said these old Mercedes have an interesting smell. Mine still smells brand new and thank you for letting me know why it smells the way it does. :)

[@artkincell]

I had a 87 190 turbo diesel, the only year those popped into North America. I had that the same time I owned one of my 85 300 turbo and my 79 non turbo 123 chassis. The 190D had 385,000 miles on it when I sold it. Still running strong, but rusty.

[@jwenting]

@Justinian Yi not in Europe I think. They were company cars here, and company cars in Europe have traditionally almost all been diesels because diesel costs a lot less than petrol in Europe.

[@davidjacobs8558]

I heard Reinhard Heydrich died because of that horse hair filling. When he was shot by resistance assassin, the bullet went through the car seat before it entered his chest. and got some of the horse hair into his chest. Reinhard Heydrich managed to jump out of the car and chase after the assassin to shoot back, but after he was hospitalized, the horse hair caused severe infection, which killed him.

[@Ray_the_Jackal]

I have a 190E 2.3 1993 that has the original smell as well. I miss driving her, she’s been ooc for 8 months

[@grumpyoldman-21]

@@davidjacobs8558 happened a lot, a lot of civil war deaths are mainly attributed to secondary infection from the cloth uniforms

[@stevomcsteve9492]

I was 16 in 84 and remember seeing these and the 190E everywhere back then. I miss cars being built to last...

[@kitdinker]

"This is over 10 years ago, it's quite a ways back." Dude, when you're my age, 10 years ago seems like yesterday.

[@suzumr2754]

@Richard Birkenwald I fell asleep after the 10th word of your comment.

[@Rambogner]

@@suzumr2754 rude!

[@trwsandford]

Kitdinker. it WAS yesterday.

[@oliverdelgado6952]

When someone says 10 years ago I think 90s

[@kenross863]

@Kitdinder..too true 10 yrs ago does feels like yesterday haha

[@danielr2986]

My father traded a jetta for an 83' 300D TD off my grandfather in the 90s safe to say that he won the trade by a long shot. It was his limo for when he got married to my mother, fixed it up nice and had it sit in the garage for 20 years. Fast forward to today, it still started right up the first time with a new battery, and some new diesel to get on a flatbed. Gave it a nice service it deserved, and drove it 2 hours to our new home. It will now be my dads retirement car and hope to inherit it some day for the 3rd generation. I love this style of car and wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

[@jessevongnaraj2276]

I have 3 of these. I work for a shop that works on classic benz's all the time. Truly amazing cars that will never be remade again. Long live w123 Diesel

[@1985toyotacamry]

And the only time that Mercedes sold more Diesels than petrol in the United States. Very interesting concept.

[@210SAi]

Where’s the shop located?

[@jimb6881]

Took my driving test in one of these (an ‘85) in 1985...my folks just sold it a year or so ago. I should have bought it. 33 years and no major repairs. We even did our own maintenance on it...very simple and very stout cars, back when reliability was more important to the brand than luxury.

[@aa777flyer]

Those older MBZ diesels are really the best. My parents had one. Great car! The trick to them is you have to maintain them the way they were intended. You cant go cheap. If you take care of them and perform the required maintenance when its supposed to be done they will last forever. I have a 2014 E350 now and so far its a great car, no issues. The best or nothing!

[@theshadowman1398]

Love these indestructible Mercs. First foreign cars that I witnessed after the USSR collapsed ( I am from the Eastern block )

[@GlamStacheessnostalgialounge]

I'm also from Eastern Europe, and yeah these were so great for letting me appreciate how much better our own cars were taken care of. All of these stupid things were high mileage, trashed and leaking cars that probably should have been scrapped but instead got sent to us.

[@OMGWTFLOLSMH]

No cars are indestructible, including these. Did you not hear the long list of common failure points Wizard indicated? And most of them rust too. You see them forever in 3rd world countries because they can't afford to buy new ones, so they cobble together repairs with what they can find or make do with. If they were indestructible, the Wizard wouldn't have the vast knowledge and experience he has from repairing so many of them.

[@jinglemyberries866]

@@OMGWTFLOLSMH You know what he meant stop being pedantic.

[@peterwilliams3776]

I have an 85 300D. I’ve been using it as my daily driver in Tucson during the winter season for many years.. It has a 4 speed manual which really wakes up the driving experience. It’s a great car for long distance driving. It handles corners extremely well. The 134A in the AC system is a weak point - but the AC even with R-12 was weak even when it was new. You mentioned the engine shocks. The motor mounts are also a common issue. But it keeps soldiering on. Anyone who says they’ll get 30+ MPG must be going down hill with a tail wind. When I had the auto trans 22-24 was the best I could get. Then I swapped in a 4 speed and it did drastically improve the MPGs.A great car!

[@qwertyui90qwertyui90]

get the York AC compressor in there the R4 rotary type are garbage

[@wholeNwon]

You'd think that MB would have realized that their AC systems were crap (which they were) and install good ones. The answer is that of course they knew; they just didn't care. That's true of most of the defects in these cars.

[@j.p.fagerback7966]

There is a 2 million mile one of those in Norway. Former taxi.

[@akaki202]

Not really a Merc fan but these older models have so much character.

[@joshuastanislaw3852]

WIZARD, my grandfather has 2 '83 300SD Turbo Diesel models that he had restored completely. New engines and tons of parts from Germany some years ago. He drives one and keeps the other in showroom condition. He's relatively close to your area, in Wichita. They are TANKS!

[@kl7097]

Mr wizard, all the parts are indeed available directly from Mercedes. I’ve purchased all the parts you’ve mentioned and then some for my 1985 300TD. I recently purchased a new zebrano wood center console parts are not as expensive as many would like to believe.

[@unavailableusername3814]

Seriously? I have access to an 83 or 84 that hit a deer and needs a grille and some piece that connects oil filter to the block and being in the poorest part of the country the junkyards are useless. It's in pretty good shape otherwise but I hit this deadend same as the current owner and for the super steep learning curve I would have due to my ignorance of Mercedes-Benz products. Also this being non-turbo is a major point of concern. So I'm gonna take another shot at it but with a focus on finding a factory shop manual in English!

[@petrolpancakes2946]

@@unavailableusername3814 Try your MB dealership. There is wonderful factory support for these cars and you’d be surprised what parts are still available. It may take a couple of weeks to receive if coming from Germany, but you will get them.

[@kalinandonov2799]

I love comments where you learn something from. Thank you!

[@TheRebuilt1]

Mrs. Wizard clearly loves Mr. Wizard and you guys have a great vibe. Much respect

[@MGBranco]

The best Merc ever! You still see a ton with millions of miles on the dirty roads of Morocco as taxis!

[@jmsjms296]

It only means they're dirt cheap... and Africans love them!

[@banaana1234]

@@jmsjms296 Africans really know reliable cars. Old mercs and especially toyotas.

[@jagardina]

I had a 1980s 240D with a 4 speed manual trans. I loved it but it had a water problem from the AC. It wasn't draining properly and as a result got some pretty serious rust. Great cars.

[@1SaG]

9:40 You might be wrong there, wizard. Mercedes have a classic division that will supply you with parts for their older models. Not sure if they're supplying W123 parts too, but I wouldn't be surprised if they did. I do know for a fact that you can get new parts from them for models like the Pagoda SL or the 300SL. Of course: Being new old stock or reproduction OEM Mercedes parts, they do cost a pretty penny. www.mercedes-benz.com/en/classic/classic-service-parts/ I inherited a cat-less 230E W123 from my granddad in the late 80s. I still remember starting it up for the first time, thinking I hadn't turned the key all the way because the engine was so quiet. I also remember that the seats felt like an old time-y, sprung sofa and how comfortable the car was overall. I also remember that it was the first (and thus far only) car I spun nearly 360° on a public road... :D

[@marekw.9816]

I learned on Jay Lenos Garage that Mercedes will sell you any part for any late model Mercedes. Cost might be an issue though.

[@kitten-inside]

@@marekw.9816 It's a Mercedes. If cost is an issue, you have the wrong car.

[@jrt2924]

@@marekw.9816 Unfortunately that might not be case always.. To some parts Mercedes just says "NLA" good luck. Even in w124 chassy

[@pfsantos007]

Some of the prices are ridiculous, though. $600 (on sale, reg. $1000) for a set of fuc*ing rubber door seals??? I would understand if those were for a gullwing...

[@freibier]

Yeah, I think they even offer 3D printed version of parts which they no longer have in stock as originals. But I think these are mostly intended (and priced) for keeping your pristine condition collector Merc going instead of repairing a $500 W123 :-)

[@LMacNeill]

I had a 1980 240D from 2005 to 2012. I bought it from the son of the original owner, fixed the cruise-control and A/C (those are *always* broken on these cars, as you well know) and drove it for 7 years doing nothing more than regular maintenance, and replacing wear-items. In 2012, the original owner's son actually bought it back from me -- for more than I'd paid him for it in 2005! -- because he missed it so much. It was a fantastic car, in really great cosmetic and mechanical condition. It had 250,000 miles on it when I sold it back to him, and it still rode and drove like it did when it was new.

[@fergamis]

I love that story behind you and Tyler and I'm very happy for your success. You're all a class act and ms. Wizard is a great editor as well. Nice to see her involved as well. Some nights I put on a long video before I fall asleep and I'm out like a light 🙃. The Bob Ross of automotive repair!

[@210SAi]

Except the Wizard makes no mistakes

[@fergamis]

@@210SAi just happy accidents 😂

[@Tool0GT92]

The real story is Tyler and Wizard were in a bidding war over a Ferrari.

[@fergamis]

@@Tool0GT92 "that" story..also that's not "the" story either 😂 doesn't matter I love watching them both and wish them all the success in the world

[@brandonmorris2513]

I can smell the inside of that car through the computer.

[@suntoritime]

Smells like a horses's ass.

[@devinehrenreich1255]

Yea it smells like u

[@JGHDVCFGT]

Well Mercedes did use real horse hair in their older cars.

[@justinmurphy2227]

One of those cars you can be blindfolded and thrown in and know what you're in. A '69 Chevy C-10 is one. A public school, school bus, is definitely one too!

[@Face2theScr33n]

Mine's not diesel, but the interior has a distinct smell. The blue leather *vinyl seats are in great shape if anyone wants to buy them! 89 260E (124 body)

[@300DBenz]

Do your magic, Car Wizard! Keep that beautiful tank on the road, it hasn’t even gone past its break-in mileage! Just one minor correction: the turbo OM617 has 130 horsepower (ones with California emissions have 5 HP less). The naturally aspirated diesels had the 89 HP. And yep, I still have the original first aid kit in mine, infact I just replaced the plastic lid.

[@BUCKMAW]

Mr. Wizard! The W123 300D is the best car ever made. I have a Euro import, 300D with a 4- speed gearbox. It's a 123.130 with manual climate control, manual sunroof, and manual windows. Basically, everything that "usually" breaks on this model is manual. I also swapped the 3.47 final drive with a 2.88 and can drive 75mph and the speedometer reads 60mph. I'm really looking forward to some more content on this car. Keep up the outstanding content.

[@ead1017]

Have to love those Huge Steel hood springs that Mercedes used to use. Never need replacement!!

[@jironmeister]

I had broke one.

[@nvtcapital8161]

When Mercedes-Benz's business model was to build the best automobile possible, cost be damned.

[@BretM]

15:38 The turbocharged OM617 actually make like 125 hp and 180 ft-lb of torque! It doesn't sound like a lot but it makes a huge difference over the NA.

[@A-FrameWedge]

His quote for the HP is actually for the non-turbo engine which is basically the same engine without the turbo.

[@micahrlusk]

it also produces more than just 5-6 psi as he stated, closer to 8-10 or so.

[@bw8632]

B W Have had a few. My 84 I’ve had 25 years. Timing chain every 115k. Injector springs can get worn out and dilute your oil. Vacuum door locks are slow, you have a leak. Can cause vacuum issues and transmission goes haywire. Change the oil every 2800 miles and don’t accidentally unplug vacuum lines removing the giant oil filter. Trans will act crazy and someone will tell you you need a new trans when all you had was an unplugged line or a leak. You ever go to turn the car off and it doesn’t turn off, you have a vacuum leak. Lift the hood and push the stop button on the engine. Left side. Regularly check calipers for leaks. 84-85 2 rubber seals on the large fuel filter bolt. Replace those every time you replace the filter. That’s a more common leak cause in that area. 83 on down has 1 seal on the banjo bolt. 2nd filter needs changing when you change the big filter, remember also, there’s a fuel tank screen that can get plugged up and make you think something is wrong. Every time you fuel up, add a antimicrobial like Bio-Kleen. Don’t waste your time with cheap batteries. Just spend the $180-200 and get the Bosch. You’ll be glad you did Have good glow plugs. Good ones do their job in under 20 seconds. If it’s taking over a min, you need plugs. If you hear a metallic rattle from under the hood, chances are it’s your air cleaner bracket which wore out due to the vibration of that diesel. They sell upgraded brackets. Just know if all you’ve driven is modern cars, it’s normal to think these are slow. Competitively they are to modern. But these had a primitive traction control and take off in second gear. If you need some extra juice to get into traffic from a stop, take off in L. These engines last forever when taken care of. But the transmissions do good to see 300k. When anyone wants one of these, they often buy into the idea they last forever. They do as long as you are meticulous about maintenance. Most is easy DYI. Great cars

[@wholeNwon]

Yup. Harsh shifting? Remember those flex pads. Excessive vibration? Remember those motor mounts. Battery blowing up? Voltage regulator? Bad alt.? Sunroof not closing? What, you expect it to? Learn how to adjust your own valves. Those things are just nightmares unless you're retired and like to tinker with them yourself. Even then, a LOT of what they need is really tedious to do.

[@shiffroninc.4977]

Why timing chain at 100k? Use good oil, change it Often and check the chain for stretch. Mine has 250k on it stretch well within limit.

[@LonSeidman]

My Dad had an ‘84 190D - put 300k on that thing and was still running great when he traded it in.

[@Grantly]

Hey lon. Looks like my subscriptions are leaking.

[@martywittenburg8174]

I had a 1975 Mercedes as a daily driver. Ate a lot of fuel but never broke down. Drove that tank for four years. Sold it for cheap and basically traded it for a 1996 Corolla that I drove for 7 years with much better gas mileage. The Mercedes was great but I could have bought 2 Corollas plus a motorcycle back then. I'm on my second Corolla right now and I have a Moto Guzzi. Could have just skipped the Mercedes part.

[@rock3tcatU233]

It finally passed its break in mileage.

[@gkauffman4080]

Had a 1983 300d for a while and still have the drivetrain out of it. Also many other parts I saved from it. It was totaled in an accident. I still have my 1984 300CD that I bought from a buddy of mine 16 years ago.Dark blue coupe with 387000 miles. Runs like a top.I just finished r and r job on the starter and new solenoid. The gunk and debris inside the starter was keeping the brushes from pressing against the armature. I guess that many years and miles can do that. I cleaned it up and put it back on and it works great.I do all my own work except alignment and tire mounting. I don't have the equipment for that. I have been deep into the transmission and every other place on the cars as they needed it. I am a hard core advanced DIY person I guess. Love the W123 cars and the W126 also. I had a 91 350SD and want an 83 300SD next. Currently also have a 91 300E 2.6 that I drive in the winter (it has ABS) in red. All the old benz cars I have owned except the 300CD I purchased dirt cheap and fixed all the problems myself. As you said if someone paid a shop to do it they would easily exceed the value of the car.On the other hand if I was to total up all the tools I own at work and home (Lots of snapon stuff in there) maybe I could have paid a shop to do it!

[@sdkrzychu5374]

Car Wizard: sorts out an old Mercedes that Hoovie wanted to buy Hoovie: I don't want it now

[@danarbuckle6640]

Its refreshing to hear someone who really knows what they are talking about objectively assess the condition of a car.

[@tuomashelin555]

On KZbin there's a channel by the name mercedessource. It's maintained by an older guy, who has many mercs and a lot of experience repairing old mercs - tools too, especially for diesel models. His main hint for engines on old diesels was making sure the injectors are working properly. Faulty injectors push too much fuel in the cylinders and cause catastrophic meltdowns inside the engine. Worth checking :)

[@joshuaschofield9178]

Kent is very well known around the w123 community, he really does good work

[@pfsantos007]

@@joshuaschofield9178 He's very knowledgeable, but keeps slapping the cars!

[@Johanniscool]

This comment. 👍

[@TheRazvy1990]

@MrZep420 yes ! I look at his channel from the begining 😁

[@mjmcomputers]

I paid $400 for my 85 300D. It’s been my daily driver for several years now, 70+ miles a day. It’s not pretty and I had to do a lot to it to get it reliable as it was neglected by the previous owner. I’ve got a lot of videos on my channel getting it to be a reliable daily driver.

[@johnwedzicha]

Love your channel, Cheers

[@mjmcomputers]

John Wedzicha thanks!

[@robertworks3957]

I really hope we get to see more of this as it is fixed. These are cool cars.

[@TypeTuber]

Yes! This is one I’d like to see in detail as you work on it.

[@MrBrianbusch]

Not for the Wizard so much but for the client: KZbin, "Mercedesource" Kent (Seattle) makes and develops kits, tools and tutorials pertaining to these cars.

[@davekana8388]

Kent helped me keep my W123 going, had 325K when I had to move it along. Still went diesel, TDI 5 speed Bug!

[@kavinskysmith4094]

might wanna make sure he still exists considering what just happened up there however.

[@minskmade]

kent is the god on these.

[@wallacegrommet9343]

Eventually, every cool German car from the 80’s migrates to Seattle

[@neilmurphy845]

@@dizzy2020 yeah if I ever bought a Mercedes that's the first guy I'd go to

[@ncpalafox]

i had a 190e and my wife had a 300d like this one and they smelled exactly the same, now i know why! Thank you! this video makes me wish we had our benzs

[@tony_25or6to4]

A friend had 5 MB diesels. '76 240D, '79 300D, '80 300D, '80 300SD Turbo, and '87 300D Turbo. All of them tanks. All over 300k miles. When we went to pull-a-part, the diesels had 400-600k miles while gas MB had 100-300k miles. The 240D saved his life. Some guy t-boned him on the driver's B pillar going 75. My friend walked away.

[@bradklingensmith]

That one to me is the classic Benz styling, always loved them. I've had a 99 and an 04 and like the older ones.

[@radioman140]

couple notes: the factory manual specs turbo boost as 12 psi although most have around 8-10 psi. While commonly referred to as "horse hair" the seat padding is actually coconut fiber. This fiber does degrade over time and an new pad makes a world of difference as does making sure springs are intact. if you can do the work, aside for time, you should be able to keep these cars on the road for a long long time. Great cars. I have a 300sd which adds a few more things to ultimately go wrong, but it is more luxurious.

[@dimitri13]

I'm very excited to watch this series unfold. I just picked up a '79 240D. I really really would've preferred a 300TD (wagon) but there are very cars of this era and style here (Hawaii). I snapped up the first decent example I could find. Only has about 250k on it and it runs really well. Starts up on the first crank every time. Biggest selling point was the manual transmission. I wouldn't have bought it otherwise. There's a bit of rust here and there in the common areas (hood hinge drain areas, B-pillar floor) but nothing serious. As long as I get to it in a reasonable amount of time, there shouldn't be any sort of major surgery. The interior needs work too, but first I need to address the hood hinge areas because there's a bit of water coming in. After that it should be good to go until I'm ready for a full teardown or until I sell it and move on to another project. I've been daily driving it to work for the last month and I really enjoy it. As you said, it's so very slow. I thought it wouldn't be too bad, but boy was I wrong. I've driven a clapped out T2 Transporter and a stock 60s Beetle, and both have felt quicker than this.

[@bobbbobb4663]

Fellow 79 240D manual owner here since 1993. Great cars. Slow with the AC on. Tolerable with the AC off. 20 seconds to 60. 3rd gear ratio is a little low and I wish the car had a 5 speed. On the plus side, the car will hit 95-100 mph and still get 25-30 mpg. I would recommend you keep a couple of spare firewall fuses for the glow plugs in the car (although in Hawaii you may never need the glow plugs to start the car). Also, check the suspension components. I'm currently restoring parts of the front and rear suspension because after 40 years, things wear out. Good luck and happy ownership.

[@Andersljungberg]

There was even a coupe version as well. I think they were called CE in the designation. And was available with 2.8 liter petrol engine if I remember correctly with 130 horsepower

[@djolecar88]

I always wanted one of those. My father had a 300TD wagon back in the day in Europe.

[@1985toyotacamry]

I see the wagon version of it in the United States with a Turbo Diesel. I love it

[@dutchdna]

I drove one of those for some time, a 1982 coupe, same TD engine. It started going slower and slower come to find out there was corrosion in the fuel tank, so it got a new one and after that it drove great. Serious turbo lag but once over 3000 rpm it would keep going. What I liked the most about it was the super comfortable suspension. I later had a 1983 coupe CE 280 6-inline 170 hp that was fast and a blast to drive.

[@MrKnutriis]

My all-time favorite car. I still have a 1983 300TD wagon that I drive weekly - and maintain myself.

[@peterfeltham5612]

I love listening to this man,he really knows his stuff.And how unusual to hear an american use the term 'bumper' instead of 'fender'. Carry on the good work Car Wizard.

[@johntousseau9380]

My first car was a 1975 Mercedes 240D, W115 chassis. Loved that car. Still regret letting it go. I've owned several W123s, and I currently have a W116 300SD which is an awesome car.

[@DanielMiotto86]

The turbo 617 should have somewhere between 115-120hp ... it's the non turbo 3L that's like 80-90hp. Had an 85' 300CD for 5 years, solid car. If they're tuned up right they're not slow, keep it in Drive-3 while cruising in-town to keep the Revs up ;)

[@Mach141]

Love the styling of these old Mercedes!

[@Kiwigd]

I had a w116 280E for a number of years, the earlier generation of this car. Almost certainly the safest car of it’s time. There’s a number of issues that are common across these, but most are quite fixable. Many more miles in this girl yet.

[@gnohn9366]

You sound like a conscientious mechanic, and you have a great story telling ability. I love listening to stories about your experiences. Would like to see a follow up when this car is running.

[@tmoz1228]

My uncle bought tons of those from the auction. He was a car dealer in the 90s. They did have a smell like no other also early 80s cadillacs did as well! It's a childhood memory that I have. The ac when on had a smell too!

[@JMNTN]

‘3L little turbo diesel’ *looks at all the tdi’s at home that are well below that*

[@AndyH23284]

@Mr. Cairo But on mileage before scrapping it.

[@caleidoo]

@Mr. Cairo Lots of TDI's in Europe in smaller cars have less than 123HP that this 300D Turbodiesel made.

[@tomast9034]

@@caleidoo my 1,5 dci has only 100...:D

[@GlamStacheessnostalgialounge]

The common thing between all of them is that they're slow, stinky, smokey diesel and literally any petrol car is going to blow them out of the water.

[@MrKnutriis]

@@GlamStacheessnostalgialounge You should drive one for a few days - or maybe you're in too much of a hurry for that. They're not sprinters but trust me, you will get to your destination in just the same time as any other car will.

[@Broadshore]

Man! I gotta say. It puts a smile on face to see you working on the older ladies Wizard.

[@justahappyfellow]

These and the om606 are having a resurgence in Europe with aftermarket parts and performance mods right now. Fantastic engines.

[@SamMurphyHSV]

I don't work on cars for a living but I like to watch mechanics to learn about them. You should never feel guilty for charging for an inspection/diagnosis of a part or job. The customer doesn't just pay for labor and parts, they are paying for the knowledge and skill as well. I work in IT and I have had clients argue with me about charging a diagnostic fee. You have the knowledge of your trade and that knowledge is valuable as well as your time taken to diagnose the issue.That logic applies to any trade. Great content and keep up the good business practices Car Wizard!

[@gregory891]

I'll look forward to the find and repair episodes to come. Add a replacement under hood pad to the list.

[@zoefaith120]

My uncle had one like them. It was pretty silver. And the engine pretty neat with how the engine looks with it's metal pipes.

[@ZachAscot]

A W123 is always worth repairing because you're investing in something that is built to last!

[@OMGWTFLOLSMH]

Makes no sense. Why did it need repairing if it's built to last? Anything will last if you keep throwing new parts at it. Too many people wax nostalgic for these old lumps. I wouldn't trade my modern S-Class 4Matic for this old beast in a million years.

[@phillipmassie6552]

Mercedes 560 SEL's are excellent cars also, yes they guzzle high test gas but they are very reliable, well [coach] made, very comfortable and smell wonderful. I bought mine for $2500.00 because the owner thought the engine was bad. When you started it there was a terrible disconcerting sound which would encourage most people to think the worse. The gentleman let me take a solo test drive and I didn't live but a few minutes away from a good friend of mine who was a "gifted" engineer. He determined the fan clutch was the noise issue as it was worn out and allowing the fan blade to make contact with a lower radiator bracket. We also pulled two plugs which looked almost new. The body and interior was immaculate so I bought the car. I called NAPA for a price on a new fan and clutch and was quoted $700.00. I wasn't too surprised and began thinking what was a good place to start looking. Suddenly I reasoned that many older people with Mercedes go to Florida to retire, then pass away. I Googled used Mercedes parts in Florida and called the first site I saw. I talked to a very friendly and knowledgeable parts person and within a week received a excellent used fan/clutch in the mail total cost $160.00. So I lucked out and enjoyed a superb $90-$100,000.00 [Original price] 150,000 mile car for several years. They are wonderful cars and can still be found for $5,000.00 and less, but by now age alone could become problems, especially the complicated suspension. But there are still many good survivors that may be worth consideration. How many cars have rear seats that are heated, recline and will do 150 MPH. Love your show and Hoovies and Dougs. Phil Massie

[@rhyspreston4030]

Vintage Mercedes makes every part for every Mercedes you just have to pay so you can get every part

[@AJGreen-cn8kk]

That thing is SO CLEAN, I'm amassed! If it was my granddaughter I would be very happy to have the wizard working on this.

[@frankclark7039]

I really like you’re approach to business. Do it right or don’t do it at all. I get so much crap from people for thinking this way. Refreshing to see other people who think the same way.

[@djparn007]

I also had a 240D, Wizard. with a manual transmission. That is the slowest car I have ever had, but also one of my favorites once we got up to speed. It was a real pleasure to drive.

[@gotham61]

I've owned a bunch of W123s, very cool cars. Crazy what's up with the wiring. Luckily, once you have it started, this is one of the last cars ever made that can run and drive with no electrical systems working. I think you're mixing up the horsepower rating with the non turbo 300D. The turbo has about 123 horsepower.

[@shanester366]

Oh man so many memories, my grandpa had 2 of these, a 79 240 and a 83 300, my parents got the 240 and sold it after a few years when I was a kid, I got the 300 as my first car back in 2004, I drove that thing for years, eventually gave it to my dad to store as I stopped driving it and he still has it to this day. Still runs and drives great. Fantastic cars.

[@thewhuuh55]

Do you know youtuber:Mercedessource? You should make a contact to Kent Bergsman! King of old Mercedes 👍

[@brianbonnell4849]

I had a 1977 300d, bought it for $250. Drove it for 2 years.

[@curvs4me]

This is one car I really want to see repaired. The 300D is a bulletproof beast. Such a great car that will run for more than a million miles.

[@maxcactus7]

I absolutely love W123s! One of the greatest cars ever made and very easy to work on and maintain.

[@MrKnutriis]

It has become easier over the last 10 - 20 years with KZbin instructional videos and the internet to source parts but troubleshooting the vacuum system on your own is almost impossible unless you have good instructions. It's not a Chevy. The good thing is that it can be repaired, and give you another 20 years of service.

[@aelaan12]

I used to drive one like this when I still lived in The Netherlands. I broke 300k kilometres on it and it was always a fantastic car. It really is good to see this one.

[@jaybee2344]

Mercedes made the FIRST diesel car around 1936.

[@artkincell]

The 123 chassis is my favorite Mercedes. I've owned 3! One I bought with only 63,000 miles on it from a couple who lived in Florida. Why I sold that car is one my stupider mistakes. Another I bought had a BRAND NEW crate motor from Mercedes. I paid 2500 for that one, I believe I "stole" it. I sold that car and the guy uses the car as power for a saw rig. He's got belts running off the rear end. My third had 327,000 miles on it and it fan like a top when I sold it. I would have jumped in that car and drove it anywhere. The rockers and jacking points on this video car made me drool. It's rare to have them both so rust free. Nice car, Mr Wizard. These old Mercedes make great first cars because they are built so well. I'm actually thinking about looking around for another 123 300 diesel. I miss that smell. Or, I have always lusted over a 220 D 4 speed, I'd also like a 50s/60s 190 diesel with the 4 speed on the column. Please do a follow up video when you are done. I love these cars so much.

[@OMGWTFLOLSMH]

Why did a car that is "so well built" need a new crate motor, and why are so many of them rusty?

[@simonwelch9092]

There's a channel that works on these older Mercs all the time, Mercedessource. Very clever chap.

[@CrossRdNorth]

I just sold one of these on eBay. It had some cosmetic issues, had a worn steering rack, and the AC did not work. However, it ran and drove well. I replaced engine mounts, some front suspension components and tires. The car never let me down. I drove it from San Diego to Los Angeles and back three times a week for two years and never had an issue. I was an honest seller so I didn't hide anything. Buyer got a great car cheap. I've seen pretty W123's with drivetrain issues sold for much more. After seeing this video, I miss the car. They are very enjoyable to drive.

[@slammedniss]

I've always liked the smell of the interiors of these old Mercedes. Never knew it was horse hair. Interesting!

[@shiffroninc.4977]

Actually they haven’t used horsehair for many years. Lots of coconut fibers in the w123

[@benderfool]

Best car I’ve seen on your channel yet! I’m a Mercedes enthusiast and have owned a couple, I’m a 190e guy. Another break the bank car. Gatta love the vacuum locks though, always loved how you could lock the entire car from the trunk. 240D has been on my wishlist since I was a young child. Someday!

[@kimchipig]

This is the last real MB car. The quality is amazing.

[@Americatheidiot]

Why that?

[@Mastermind12358]

@@Americatheidiot Because back then Mercedes had a different mindset of what a car was. In the 90s it all went into the garbage when the marketing portion of the company took over all the decision makings.

[@ultrablue2]

Damn you Google: Up till the mid to later 1980’s, the philosophy at Mercedes-Benz was to make the best cars- in terms of reliability, durability, quality, and luxury- car that were engineered to last. After that, management decided that they wanted to make money instead of build cars for longevity and sell based on their previous reputation, and it showed on the cars they built. 90’s and up Mercedes quality rating dropped like a stone, and their resale values shows this. The W123 was the last Mercedes build without a regard to price; when new, they were more expensive than their contemporaries, but they were built better than anything else. They were the mainstay of taxi services around the globe, and still can be found in service. A modern Mercedes is no where near as well build; they are packed with technology and complexity which are prone to breaking- that how you get an $80k three year old Benz for sale for less than half its original price.

[@panoscoach310]

Plus the W124

[@gdagenais8082]

The last "real Mercedes" was the W140 S-class. It offered was along side the w124 e-class starting in 1993. Every chassis since is garbage.

[@timmercier8836]

My friend in high school had a ‘78 240D 4-speed. Dog slow. Sooooo much fun! A 300D is on my bucket list and feeds into my love of tinkering and keeping them going just like my Volvo 740T wagons and my 1965 Chrysler. I very much appreciate the show and tell under the hood and list of common issues. I’m looking forward to update episodes.

[@joeyahoo2438]

Having had nearly 75 of these cars, I know exactly what you will be going through. You touched on just about all the common issues with these cars. By the way, at minimum, the entire dash and center console have to come out to replace the wire harness. You might be better off adding a multi-pin bulkhead connector to the new engine bay harness, and leave the interior alone. That is if the rodents did NOT get inside.

[@ty2010]

I did that with a 77 Grand Marquis, was a squirrel instead of mice/rats.

[@StrangelyIronic]

I daily a 300TD Wagon with a OM606 Turbo swap + 603 mechanical injection pump. It's not a super turbo build or anything, it's just tuned up to be at the best performance before you get smoke outside of flooring the throttle from nothing. Still gets pretty good performance, great economy, and looks great too IMO. With the mechanical pump it's also a lot simpler than my other wagons (Volvo 750R/V70R and Saab 9-2x Aero/09 XWD 9-3 Aero) and makes a good road trip car with the newer suspension.

[@jgonzz10028]

That first aid kit and it's cradle out like that on the rear dash tells me there's been a fuel sending unit repair going on..

[@johnwedzicha]

Wrong! MercedesSource just did a vid yesterday showing that the fuel sending access is behind the rear seat back. Under the first aid kit is the vacuum reservoir.

[@Rum1981]

@@johnwedzicha At the sedan, you remove the vacuum reservoir in direction to the trunk, then you can pull the sending unit out of the tank... in a wagon the tank would be under the car, so the access to the sending unit is behind the back seat

[@tyenbreck1]

I had a 300 sd and it had 250k and was a joy to drive. The rear seat reclined and my favorite feature was the hoods ability to prop straight up for easy access to engine. Sold that car for way too cheap.