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Mercedes 300D Suggestions

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Comments

  • mjune512mjune512 Member Posts: 2
    I do get a lot of smoke when i first start up the car. its got about 225k on it, i guess thats a lot even though its a diesel. the air filter is pretty dirty too. thanks for the info. do you know where the coolant level should be? it doesnt have a remote resevoir, i assume the coolant is just put directly in the radiator. thanks
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    It should have a reservoir---you should rig one up if you get a chance. I think there are kits you can buy. Generally these cars don't run very hot.

    They take a lot of oil. I always got my air fuel and oil filters at the dealer, especially the oil filters, since then you know they'll fit right. They are a pain to replace and you don't want to have to do it twice. There are two fuel filters, a big cannister type and a small little white one by the injection pump.

    You might also consider a diesel fuel additive, like made by Redline...always a good idea in a diesel car. To clean your injectors, you might try BGK-44--that might cut down the smoke as well.

    If you have excessive smoke and a very noisy engine, even when warmed up, you may need to adjust injection pump timing, which only a specialist can do.
  • 93integra93integra Member Posts: 16
    HI all, took the car out and had it up to about 70mph. The tach was working in the car prior to the crank pulley problem, but now it moves really slowly up to speed, seems like it stuck or so. Are the tachs mechanical in our cars or is it electrical. Anyone know how I could fix it? I was reading that there was an electrical connector that could use cleaning in an 82 on the firewall in the engine bay but does it also apply to a 79?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    It's electrical. Could be bad connections at the amplifier or, as you say, at the sensor.

    This forum discussion might help you:

    http://www.mercedesshop.com/shopforum/showthread.php3?t=113823&highlight=Tachome- ter+repair
  • 93integra93integra Member Posts: 16
    I read all the threads and looked at the engine compartment. I can't seem to find the amplifier. There seems to be a round object on the drivers side fenderwell that looks to be the cruise control along with a square black box.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Since you are really getting into this car, why don't you score a set of factory manuals? This way you don't have to sort out all the model and year variations--you'll have them all in one book.
  • moparkidmoparkid Member Posts: 5
    I couldn't agree with you more. I don't want to "bling" it out, I just want a nice, clean looking cruiser, with some modern touches. I don't mind the wheels that are on it, if they were clean. they have no gouges or damage of any kind, but is there any way to strip them down to clean metal and ensure they stay that way? I have heard of some kind of acid you can use to strip aluminium wheels, but I've never done it, and I wouldn't know what to use to protect them afterwards. maybe I'll just paint them flat black. on the topic of yellow fog lights, out of curiosity, what are the two yellow lights on the inside of my headlights for? there are 5 positions on the headlight switch, yet none of them illuminate these mysterious lights lol. I personally don't dig the yellow, and would like to either find some clear headlights that will fit in there or replace them all together with the newer headlights and bumpers. Also, i'd like to find a sway bar for the front suspension, mostly to keep the body more level when driving on the windy interstates in WY. Does anyone know of a kit for this? any recommendations for new shocks? again, I'm not really trying to make this into a sports car, just more stable, and I don't want to hurt the ride quality. And does anyone know of a 300D enthusiast website, or something of that nature? I need some inspiration, and if anyone has some pics of their 300 I'd love to see those as well. and special thanks to Mr. Shiftright, for all his excellent advice and opinions.
  • burdawgburdawg Member Posts: 1,524
    If I'm not mistaken, and I could be as foggy as my memory is on the subject, to turn the fog lights on you pull the light switch out one click. Also, if my foggy memory is clear enough, they only work if the headlights are on.
  • biodegradingbiodegrading Member Posts: 11
    I'm considering buying a 1983 Mercedes 300SD. It has 213K on it, and the current owner has been running it on biodiesel for the year and half he's owned it. He's a nice Berkeley hippie, and I believe him when he says that he hasn't run into any issues with the car. All the same, I noticed there was lots of oil on the bottom of the engine, and that the car smokes a little (mostly at startup, but still some afterwards, too).

    I took the car to a mechanic who seems to be well-regarded by biodiesel fans in the East Bay, and he told me the car was basically in decent shape, but needed the following repairs:

    Tachometer 85
    Water pump housing/thermostat 240
    Oil leak
    - turbo drain seal 100
    - Cooler housing gasket 120
    - Injector pump gasket 250
    Rear brake pad 95
    Tank grommet 25
    Driver's door (rattling noise) 25
    -------------------------------------------
    $940

    (forgive me if I've mistranscribed any part names--I'm fairly clueless about cars, and the mechanic's English isn't so great).

    While not mission-critical, he also felt the following ought to be replaced:

    Lower ball joint 250
    Right stopper bushing 380
    Rear shocks 380
    -------------------------------------------
    1010

    The A/C doesn't work, but I'm willing to live with that.

    The owner originally wanted $2100 for the car, but after seeing the list has agreed to sell it for $1250. Does that sound like a decent deal?

    My main worry is not so much the above lists of expenses, but the prospect of some really huge cost like getting the transmission or engine replaced. The mechanic said the engine ought to be good until 280K or so, and that the transmissions last longer. This surprised me a little, since I'd gotten the impression that the engines on these cars last longer, but the transmissions often go out at around 250K.

    I guess I'm worried about buying a money pit. I'm willing to buy some car manuals and learn how to fix some things (though I really am starting from scratch--virtually no experience fixing cars), but I'm not sure how much I'll be able to do myself, and dread having to drop loads of money into repairs.

    Advice appreciated!

    P.S. This list has been great reading.

    P.P.S: Do I really need a working tachometer on an automatic transmission?
  • lemmerlemmer Member Posts: 2,689
    A) I am not so sure this is all that good of a deal.

    B) If you don't know much about cars, it is almost surely a bad deal for you in particular.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    It sounds to me like the typical 300D or 300SD -- neglected most of its life and while still "running", you could take it to a mechanic and "total" it in a one-half hour inspection.

    Given the repairs it needs, the car is literally "totalled"...it isn't worth anything. You might as well just take $1,200, then add the $2,000+ in repairs you were planning, and skip the whole deal and go buy a much better running one for $3,500 -- $5,000.

    Your mechanic is correct---280K miles for a 300D would be very respectable. All this talk of 300K miles and 500K miles always seems to neglect the fact that the car has probably had engine work in the past and god knows what else to keep it running that long...if in fact the claims are even true....I think the most I ever saw on a 300D was about 325K and that's only what the speedo says...I had no idea if it had engine work---I suspect so in the last 25 years.

    In short, keep looking. Miles too high, price too high, and sounds like the turbo might be on the way out if it's sucking oil.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,136
    I'd just do it the right way as shifty mentions, and spend 4-5K and get a really well kept one with no needs. In the long run, you'll be better off...because with neglected MB, something always needs attention.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    The only exception I might make is if the used car is so stunningly beautiful inside and out and of really low mileage, that it would be a shame to junk it....a one in a million "find", I mean.

    Then you might sink some $$ into it because you'll have something on the other end.
  • biodegradingbiodegrading Member Posts: 11
    I appreciate the wise counsel. I guess I'll hold off on this one, and keep looking, even though car searching is a royal PITA.

    Speaking of cars worth $3.5-5K, does a "well-maintained" 1984 300CD with 152 K miles fit the bill? Here's the ad:

    http://www.craigslist.org/eby/car/169205111.html

    Looks more promising?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Might be a lot better, but it's a coupe, which limits its utility quite a bit. Did you want a 2-door?
  • biodegradingbiodegrading Member Posts: 11
    > Do you want a 2-door?

    I mainly just want a reasonably cheap/reliable car! Ideally it would run biodiesel, and/or the car would look and handle in a way that makes me happy. I recently bought a dud of a 1991 Toyota Camry V6 (I didn't take it to a mechanic first, which was very stupid of me), and it made me realize that I find those cars just plain boring. Bland-looking, and with a terrible turning radius, too (why do they design cars that can't make tight corners?). I started looking into biodiesels, and saw that mid-80s Mercedes were one of the few options for that.

    After test driving a couple, I also realized that I just like the look of old mercedes a lot better than more recent cars. In fact, the older the better: the car my heart *really* wants to buy is this one:

    http://brisull.com/mercedes/

    But, as I mentioned, I've got no experience fixing cars, and have no idea how much it would cost to maintain that old of a car. A 1980s mercedes seemed like the sweet spot between "old enough to be affordable" and "recent enough to not require lots of specialty mechanical work".

    I don't have a good sense of what's realistic for me to learn how to fix on a car, and how to best go about learning this stuff, short of quitting my job and going to mechanic school. I don't have a garage, or even a driveway, or any tools (I could buy some, of course, but I don't even know what to get). On the plus side, I do learn quickly, and I'm willing to put some effort in.

    In summary, I don't really know what I'm doing, and I'm really wide open as to what car to get. Perhaps I should just be super-thrifty and suck it up and buy some very reliable mid-90s Corolla/Sentra/Civic. But I'm hoping there are more interesting options out there for not much more money and/or effort. I'm not in a huge hurry, at least, so I can troll through craigslist for a while--if only I know what I'm looking for!

    Any advice?

    Thanks.

    P.S. Just to make sure everyone knows that I'm insane, my main project these days is to save up and buy a sailboat in a couple of years and sail it around the world for a while. I'm busy learning to sail, and how to fix fiberglass boats, etc. Most sailboat engines are diesels, so I figured I'd start learning about diesel engines now by buying a diesel car. But most of all, I need to save up money for the boat, which is why I've been trying to buy a car on the cheap.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Taking a mechanic's course or two at night isn't a bad idea. You'd better know all about fixing things if you're going to sail, that's for sure.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,136
    Indeed...like a cosmetically perfect W112 300SE LWB with a bad engine or something like that...

    That coupe does look nice, odd color.
  • rleitchrleitch Member Posts: 3
    My '77 300D's AC has been kaput for a couple of years due to leaking compressor. Recently I also noticed I cannot
    even get outside cool air thru the vents as only hot air comes out. Mech. said Climate control is faulty and replacement is over $1,000. Not an option given that AC is
    also not working. Question is since car is never driven in winter I thought of installing a tap or shut off on incoming coolant hose under the hood which feeds the heater. At least I could get fresh air thru vents. Can I
    simply install the shut off valve or would I have to complete the circuit by bypassing the heater and rerouting
    coolant 'around' the heater? Thanks for advice.
  • burdawgburdawg Member Posts: 1,524
    I would just bypass the heater core. Find where the coolant supply hoses for the core enters the firewall, trace them back to their point of origin, then remove them and connect a suitable diameter and length of hose to the origin points.
    This is done typically when the core is leaking, but it will serve your purpose also.
  • nrkmannnrkmann Member Posts: 8
    Pull the light switch out to turn on the fog lights... on Euro models this will also turn on a rear fog light (looks like one brake light is on). The two setting to the left are for very low wattage parking lights on the left and right sides. In Europe the streets are often narrow and poorly lit. You turn these lights on (the street side) so other drivers can see your car... NRK
  • rleitchrleitch Member Posts: 3
    Ah yes, that makes sense. Thanks for the tip.
  • shahathensshahathens Member Posts: 1
    Dear Mr. Shiftright

    Is it worthy to buy Merc 300d 1995 w/ 200k miles for $5000 US? I kno you have said earlier that its all about maintenance and if you keep it well maintained it might last you even 500k. Every single maintenance done is by the dealer at the exact mileage intervals according to the manual. Also how much would a rebuilt transmission and engine cost for this vehicle? I read some previous post and you mentioned 1400 for transmission some year back, is it still the same? Thanks in advance.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Ah, you must be confusing me with someone else about mileages and repair costs.

    I think the odds of a 300d making it to 500K miles are pretty miniscule. Most are good and dead at 275K--300K and that is a realistic goal, unless you want to sink a fortune into rebuilding everything.

    A rebuilt engine would not be worth doing on a '95 300D with 200K miles on it. It would cost more than the car, so that's kind of crazy. A rebuilt transmission would probably be about $2,000--$3,000, depending on who did it and what their idea of "rebuilt" is. $1,400 sounds more like the price of installing a scrapyard transmission.

    The price of $5,000 is exactly normal "retail" for a '95 300D with 200K on it. Not a bargain, not a rip-off...book price. Fair enough

    The best thing to do with a car like this is to have it thoroughly checked out, and if it passes the test just drive it until something big goes out and then dispose of it. If you got another 100K out of it with only normal maintenance costs (maybe $800 to $1000 a year) that would have been a good deal for you.

    Sounds like it's worth checking out and spending a little money on for an inspection.
  • brakeengrbrakeengr Member Posts: 98
    It was the vacuum pump- needed rebuild. went from 15 inches of vacumm to 22".
    Unfortunately, door locks still have leaks in the doors- so bypassed the door locks vacuum. And didn't fix heat either- maybe the climate control unit or something else.
    But at least my brakes are good now!
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Well that's progress. You can buy little rebuild kits for the vacuum motors in the doors.
  • goldcargoldcar Member Posts: 23
    When I visit the local auto parts store, they have racks of engine oil additives. Are any of them helpful for blow by?

    My 1982 300D starts immediately in all weather, but oil is sprayed up onto the air filter and there is a white gas evident when one takes off the oil filler cap right after the engine has been running.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Nah, nothing in a can rebuilds worn piston rings, various claims notwithstanding. Oh sure, you could gum it up with molasses or something, but soon enough it will smoke again once whatever it is you put in either warms up or burns off.

    Diesels run on very high compression, perhaps 22:1 or so. You aren't going to stop that kind of pressure with GOO!
  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
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  • 92tdiesel92tdiesel Member Posts: 9
    and 300D oil questionHey everyone, I'm new here. Have had a 1984 300SD for about three years and that finally went out. I picked it up off my father for free with about 420,000 miles on it. Ran it to about 470,000 with no major issues. I finally had to let it go because a front brake caliper went, and my mechanic yelled at me informing me that it just wasn't worth it anymore. I've known this car since it was about 50K old... NO MAJOR ENGINE WORK EVER DONE. We had the heads rebuilt about every 100k. You treat these things well, and they will run forever. Make sure they are warm before you drive and you'll be as fortunate as me... driving a car that was only an engine. It barely had a body, almost no electrical, no climate control whatsoever, the trunk was rotted from leaking gaskets, etc. Unless the car has major issues (checked out by a very reputable mech) it just might be worth it. But like everyone else has pointed out, if it needs ANYTHING when you first look at it, run.

    I do have another question for you experts though...

    My '92 300D (replaced the SD) has been babied by the same mechanic who took care of the SD passed away a few months ago. I don't really trust anyone in my area to deal with this car, so I changed the oil yesterday on it. Delvac 15w40 and a purolator. Everything went according to plan and seems fine; I have 3 bars of pressure when driving, and about 2.25 when idling. My question is: when I open the Oil fill cap, I see no oil flying around. In all other cars I have done an oil change on, I've been hit in the eye when opening this up. Shouldn't I see oil moving??? Like I said, it has full pressure and has oil just between marks on the stick. Is this normal?

    *EDIT*
    Looking back on the original post about the SD: 470,000 miles on my 300SD transmission and NO WORK AT ALL. Fluid and filter on a regular basis and shifts normally. Also, don't even worry about the oil leaks; park it over cardboard and you'll be fine. I once met a guy who dubbed his car "Mercedes Valdez" (they all leak like rusty oil tankers). The 300D transmission was replaced at 220,000 miles, however. I doubt it actually needed to be replaced, as I soon realized I have a MAJOR leak up on the coolant lines and this is what probably caused the slipping and the slipping was what provoked the previous owner to go for a rebuild.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Hard to say what you're seeing, but one thing I would recommend is ALWAYS get your oil filters from the Benz dealer. They fit, they work, and they are designed for the car.

    Funny you don't think rebuilding the cylinder head is "major engine work"--that's not exactly a tune up! But it's what I would expect on an old 300D. Cylinder heads on old diesels are very vulnerable to cracking and warping, especially if you drive them too fast. The newer diesels seem more tolerant of higher speeds than the old 300Ds. Fortunately, only a few people have the guts to drive a 300d over 85 mph. They sound like they are going to blow up (and maybe they will).
  • 92tdiesel92tdiesel Member Posts: 9
    Yeah, we saw a $350-450 job every 100K as sort of preventitive maintenance in the same time frame most of our neighbors would be requiring new cars. It was our mechanic's suggestion (he used to write the factory manuals back in the 60s and 70s before he came to the US) and we would never question the man. I quarantee you that he would never take us for a ride either, he was an amazing individual. With 235K on my 92, the top end has never been worked on (to my knowledge). My mechanic was very uncomfortable with the vacuum lifters, and told us it was an incredibly involved job on the new 300Ds. I've had that car around 90MPH before (very rarely), and it's like it's own little sports car at those speeds. The newer diesels are amazing, however, good luck finding someone who wants to work on it!

    Thanks for the advice, I'll swing over to my dealership and pick one up to replace the Purolator. (I was a little uneasy when the guy at Advanced told me it was just 6 bucks)
  • loafboatloafboat Member Posts: 1
    Ive found a 1982 300cd for 3000 dollars for sale. The seller said that a mechanic owns or owned it, and the car comes with 2 part cars worth of parts needed. He said that there was also an engine swap done also. I did not ask about the miles. Should I call back and ask about the miles and for the VIN number? Is the coupe version any diffrent in terms of speed and safety? Does the 1982 model have airbags? What would I expect in terms of maintainence for a year or so on an old diesel? Help would be much appreciated, thanks!
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,136
    I can't help much, but I am pretty sure no 1982 US-model W123 had an airbag. I know that year they became optional, but I am pretty sure it was Europe only. I don't think the airbag ever made it to US-spec W123s...I think in NA only the W126 had airbags until the W124 came out in 1986 - as far as I know all US spec W124 have airbags (I think the whole MB line got standard drivers airbags in 86). I don't know if they were offered on the W201 before then either.

    If the coupe is genuinely nice, and comes with 2 parts cars, $3000 is a good deal.
  • brightbusbrightbus Member Posts: 19
    ok i have a question. i have a 76 mercedes 300d. it does not have a radio, but i would like to get a cd unit for it. i have been looking around, and i have seen harness kits used to connect newer units to the cars original wiring harness. problem is the wires dont have the actual in car wiring harness, just the wires. (front, back speaker, power, ext) ok finally to my question, can these wires (and if so could i get it done somewhere) be directly wired to a new unit or can i get the connectors somewhere, or am i just doomed to ride around with no tunes. help would be greatly appreciated
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    No problem, this is easy. If your new unit only comes with half the plug, let's say the male end, and is awaiting the female end from the car's harness, you should be able to buy a female end at Radio Shack, etc. which will have the proper wires comes from it...and then you connect those to your car's wiring, preferably by soldering them (once you've got them right I mean). I'm not a big fan of crimp-ons, but shops use them all the time, so maybe I'm being fussy. If your new unit has both male and female, then you just splice those into your existing wires for hot lead, ground, speakers, light source and power antenna.
  • 300d300d Member Posts: 6
    Hey mr shiftright,

    I have a 1985 300D my heater works only full force, nothing in between. then after a while it shuts off completely, then for whatever reason it turns back on. Any ideas
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Sounds like the dreaded climate control module to me.

    You might browse around this site for ideas:

    http://diymbrepair.com/
  • ecodieselecodiesel Member Posts: 1
    before you walk away from your 300 think about this i have a 300d 1980 and a 300sd 1983 they both run very smoothly on 5 gallons of used cooking oil 1qt of atf and 1 qt of reg gas .no conversion , no mods , no nothing just be particular about the oil your getting then strain thru a tube sock then let her rip . runs better than it ever did on reg diesel .you can get atf at the dollar store for a buck and theres other stuff you could use instead of gas but gas is easy. it spent the night in freezer no change and throw it on the ground with a lighted match it won`t burn , lite it with a torch it will catch fire but goes out very quickly . lets see now 5 gals for 1.50 . you do the math but an over haul is 1500 and yes you can get another car for about that but not if i see it first and it wont have a rebuilt motor whatcha think ??? ecodiesel
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Sounds great if you have the time to haul cooking oil around and strain it....and you don't live where it's severely cold in winter and you don't drive too much. That seems like a lot of work to go 100 miles.

    The Russians used to add gas to their diesel tanks to get them to start in winter, so maybe your formula would work after all. But I think the proportions were greater than 1 quart to five gallons diesel.

    Maybe if I owned a restaurant I'd be more keen on messing with cooking oil every time I wanted to go somewhere.

    And of course, there's the dreaded supply and demand problem. Too many people in your neighborhood all scouring for cooking oil, and it's going to either dry up or become more expensive.

    Still, I like your basic idea. ATF is extremely high detergent, though, so I trust you will change your filters often.
  • lemmerlemmer Member Posts: 2,689
    Any automotive adventure that starts out with straining crud out of my fuel through a tube sock isn't for me.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Oh I dunno....there's some of the "pioneer spirit" in that, don't you think?
  • brightbusbrightbus Member Posts: 19
    ok thank u mister shiftright, i did get a radio installed and working
    i have a couple questions for you

    when driving you can "feel" when the car changes gear. nothing hard, just a slight shift. is this normal, or is it something that needs to be fixed

    also my ac doesnt work (no ac belt) i plan on getting one put in, but is that expensive, and what other problems could i come in to with the ac?

    my glow plug indicator does not come on. car has started fine since i got it, so do you think it would be the bulb that is out, or do i need to get the glow plugs changed?

    and one more thing, i always put my parking brake on as a precaution, ive had it slip out of park a coupla times and hear a "clicking noise" from the car. what do i need to do here?

    one more, haha, the front seats are wearing out, and springs are basically dead. could i do anything to "spring" back the life in my front seats?

    how expensive would it be to get these various items fixed. and suggestions? thanks in advance, all is appreciated

    oh and btw the model is a 76 300d w 107,106 miles
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Before you touch the AC you have to make sure the AC compressor isn't seized. If it is, then you have a big problem and you may not want to get into it---but you could also get lucky. The problem is that when an AC compressor seizes, it sometimes...SOMETIMES....throws metal debris into the entire AC system, requiring...you guessed it...replacement of various components and a thorough cleaning of the remainder. So seizure is not a good sign. If the compressor spins free, have a professional shop evacuate the system, put on a belt, charge the system, check for leaks and then crank 'er up and cross your fingers.

    SEATS: common problem, the springs are broken. An upholstery shop can rewire the broken springs, put in some foam and slip the old covers back on...maybe $250 per seat.

    TRANSMISSION: Normal---the transmission is a neck-breaker by nature

    SLIPPING OUT OF PARK: probably a worn parking detent. A clever transmission shop might be able to drop the trans pan and diagnose further. Might not be too expensive if it's just bent---finding new parts might not be so easy though.

    GLOW PLUGS: Not sure....if it starts, then the glow plugs are working...could very well be the bulb....you can pop the instrument panel out very easily and replace this, as long as you are careful and don't mind some tedious work. It just pries out.

    So really your only big problem is the AC, but that's everybody's big problem who owns a 300D.

    And once you fix it, plan on fixing it once a year.
  • rangnerrangner Member Posts: 336
    I'm considering buying an 87 190D 2.5 N/A with 195,000 miles on it. It has a fresh auto tranny in it. Supposedly all maintenance records from new. Brought over from europe. Supposedly great condition, southern car. Asking price $5000. What sort of maintenance records should I look for and at what intervals? Good deal? TIA, Eric
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    You might wish to check if the Benz dealer has any parts whatsoever for this car's engine. Most repair shops really REALLY hate gray market cars. Also sounds a tad pricey for the high mileage. I'm sort of wishy-washy on the whole idea.
  • brightbusbrightbus Member Posts: 19
    ok mr shiftright, thank u for all of your help, i plan on taking the car to a mechanic next week, i have another question

    about 3 weeks after i got the car (had it about 2 1/2 months now) my car wouldnt start at all. i figured it was battery, but then again I don't know that much about cars. we have state farm insurance, and they came and jumped it for us, and he said it was the battery. however i went to oreilleys auto parts, and auto zone (dunno if u have those shops near u) and had a battery and alternator test and was told it was my battery, of course this had me scared, so I took it to a local altenator shop, that specializes in american and foreign alternators (repair, replace etc) they told me that it was the battery and to get it replaced. i did and the car has been running fine since then,(about month and a half) but do i need to be watchful? i trust the alternator shop over the auto parts store, as i had been refered to by many people, but i just want to be careful

    thanks for all your help and putting up with my simple questions
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I think the result pretty much proves the battery failure.
  • brightbusbrightbus Member Posts: 19
    whoops i made a mistake in the post, the autoparts place told me it was the alternator, all the rest is right though
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 57,136
    Was there a diesel W201 for Europe? Is it grey market or European delivery?
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