The MB 300d Turbodiesel was out for the first time in 2023

| March 26, 2023

After a quick charge of the battery, the 1982 Mercedes Benz 300d Turbodiesel woke from its winter slumber and headed to the grocery store. I had forgotten how much different the old headlight are in comparison to modern lights … or perhaps it is just my aging night vision? Anyway, the driveway Wyze cams caught […]

Weekend BMW X5 35d Eurol Oil 5W-30 and Filter changes

| October 26, 2022

Last Saturday’s project was some overdue maintenance on what was a very nice day her in SW Ohio. The temps were warm at 77 degrees and the sky clear. I took the opportunity to start draining the oil in the BMW X5 35d with 195K miles in the morning, then drove the Mercedes 300d Turbodiesel […]

KDAE looking at their property prior to ground breaking

| May 7, 2022

It is definitely spring and as with many growing families working hard and fortunate enough to be living in the United States, ours are pursuing the American dream of building or owning a home. Katelyn and Drew sent perhaps a final undeveloped photo of their beautiful NW Ohio property on a wooded cul-de-sac. I say […]

Saving a custom Mercedes Benz W123 “LaPickup” photo

| August 15, 2020

Since I’ve highlighted a couple other “functional” versions of the Mercedes Benz W123, here’s another owner conversion. (see ONE, TWO … and THREE just for the humor). I do find myself constantly needing (well “wanting” really) a pickup truck, but can usually put things in my Honda Odyssey “work vehicle” or hitch up the utility […]

Social networking with like-minded friends about cars and remembering camping with my family when growing up #TBT

| July 23, 2020

Having the comradery of social media friends who enjoy similar interests doesn’t necessarily replace face to face friendships, but at least during the Coronavirus pandemic it is a way to stay connected. There are a few of us like-minded car guys who sort of have an appreciation for the mundane cars and share stories, photos and […]

Diesel fuel fill-up and another Scrap Wood Challenge idea

| May 13, 2020

After shipping back the defective mini amplifier that I purchase  a few weeks ago (grr!), I decided it was a nice evening for a drive in the old Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel. Since I was out and needed a few gallons of diesel fuel, it seemed like a good time to fill up the jugs […]

Showing an old Mercedes Benz W123 conversion a little love

| March 4, 2020

One has to admire the ingenuity some go through in taking their love of the classic W123 Mercedes Benz diesel with a love of cheap travel or as the RV and Van camper crowd call it: boondocking. I’ve had daydreams of converting my small utility trailer to a self-contained privative camping trailer, but find it […]

So love driving the “Old Girl”- my 1982 MB 300d Turbodiesel

| August 24, 2019

On Friday, with August temperatures abating a bit, I decided drive the “old girl,” as my best friend Jeff refers to my 1982 Mercedes Benz 300d Turbodiesel. It is not rare that I drive our “EMP car” since it was my daily driving for a couple years, but now I do it far less frequently […]

Is an EV is in my future? Gas Fuel taxes are going up in Ohio.

| April 4, 2019

It looks like Drew’s Tesla Model 3 will arrive just in time (he is currently waiting for delivery), in order to avoid Ohio’s additional 10.5 cent/gallon gasoline tax hike? This new increase will boost Ohio’s gasoline tax it to 38.5 cents per gallon; it is expected that Ohio’s governor will sign a bill which just […]

Obituary: John Harold Haynes, founder of Haynes Publishing

| February 13, 2019

For those of us who grew up working on cars pre-Internet, the Haynes Manuals were one of the “go-to” sources on how to fix automobiles … or at least a particular brand and model of car. Last week  John Haynes, the founder of the publishing company, passed away at 80 years old. Although I also […]

Waiting to put the new battery in the Mercedes 300D Turbodiesel

| December 20, 2018

Who knew something as simple as ordering an Mann air filter ordered from Amazon would delay getting the Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel back on the road? I order a new battery “online” with free delivery since it was $20 cheaper than picking it up at the auto parts store (crazy!) and figured since I had […]

The AutoCraft Gold battery in the Mercedes 300D lasted 7 years

| December 16, 2018

If you can get 7 years out of a car battery, that pretty good. I usually start watching them in my daily driver after 5 years, but this hefty 950 cold cranking amp AutoCraft Gold battery doesn’t have to work everyday … although sitting might be even harder on a lead acid battery? In any […]

What a good looking car – 1982 Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel

| October 13, 2018

A friend from a Facebook group posted a 1982 Mercedes Benz advertisement with a W123 beauty – I thought it looked pretty close to my ‘82 MB 300D Turbodiesel. Nice! When the W123 went out of production in 1986 it had surpassed the Stroke Eight as the bestselling Mercedes-Benz with more than 2.5 million cars […]

Chasing vacuum leaks in the Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel

| August 22, 2018

It is probably something one should get use to with an older Mercedes Benz, but it can be frustrating and tiring to say the least — that is fixing vacuum leaks. The 1982 MB 300D Turbodiesel is a great car and has a limited number of electrical components compared to newer vehicles. That in turn […]

With all the political animus, I debated this sticker on my cars

| August 2, 2018

Perhaps it is a sign of the times, but with all the political hate and violence over someone expressing their first amendment point of view, I had to second guess myself in wanting to add my NRA renewal stickers to my cars. In the end, I added them to the old Mercedes and BMW X5 […]

Oil leak panic for the Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel

| July 29, 2018

Whew … I was worried on Friday while driving the old 1982 Mercedes Benz for a reasonably close business call as I noticed oil leaking everywhere. My first concern was for an engine seal or gasket since there was so much oil dripping under the car. As a babied the car home, I feared the […]

Filled up Jerry Cans and my BMW X5 35d with diesel (25 gal max)

| June 24, 2018

Since I drive a diesel BMW X5 35d as well as an old 1982 Mercedes 300D Turbodiesel, and use diesel fuel in our Kubota and John Deere lawn tractors (not to mention sailboat) … seeing pump prices 20 to 40 cents higher at the pump is starting to cut into my theory of saving money […]

New amateur radio plates for the MB 300D Turbodiesel

| April 12, 2018

Since I needed to replace the “metal” plates on the old 1982 Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel this year, I’ve opted for the amateur radio registration. It did require submitting my General Class K4RDC call license, and $20 (??) extra, but figure it was a nice way to support both ham radio and my love for […]

Two things to look for when buying an old Mercedes Benz diesel

| April 4, 2018

Having owned Mercedes Benzes for years now (first was our 87 MB 560 SEL –  reminder that I need a photo) and using several resources for buying and maintaining, some of the best advice for for the, W123 which I’m particularly fond of, (my current 1982 Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel) comes from Kent Bergsma, of […]

If you own a Mercedes Benz 300D, you know this sound! #humor

| February 2, 2018

Only an old Mercedes Benz diesel driver can fully appreciate this … very funny.

Got to love those functional old Mercedes Benz W123s

| July 30, 2017

Sort of makes hauling a few spare parts, some fluids, a toolbox and spare tire seem hardly worth mentioning?

Could it be a phantom electrical leak or just a bad battery?

| April 30, 2017

The BMW X5 35d is still without a new battery as the replacement batch is still not available to ship. I’m hoping the new mid-May date for delivery will not be postponed again. Last week just as I was running out the door for the airport, the car would not start again. Seemed to have […]

Our 1982 Mercedes diesel can see (in fog) again …

| October 24, 2016

As mentioned a few posts ago, I finally found an amber fog light on ebay to replace the broken glass lens. I was disappointed in the cost, but very pleased with the quality of the lightly used Bosch part. Forgive the bug splats (needs to be cleaned) but when the weather is nice, this 1982 […]

An old amber fog light for a Mercedes diesel is not inexpensive

| October 15, 2016

Ouch … the amber fog light in our 1982 Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel shatter a couple weeks ago and I’ve been searching to find a Bosch replacement ever since. While looking on ebay, I was surprised not to be able to find a decent one for under $35 … that is a lot to spend […]

The old Mercedes is out and about and starting a boat project

| September 18, 2016

After sitting quietly most of the summer, my friend Jeff needed to borrow a set of wheels for a week. He has intimately name the 1982 MB diesel the "old girl" and seems to appreciate her many quirks. Since it isn’t covered, there was a little dust, but she still looks pretty good to me. […]

Volkswagen and Mercedes Benz diesels can last a long time

| May 2, 2016

From the Christian perspective, I have mixed thoughts on using the "Think eternal" line for a 1963 classic Volkswagen Beetle cover on Hagerty Classic car magazine. It is of course a Peope’s Car with a l-o-n-g and beloved history by VW enthusiasts, but the word "eternal" when it comes to "earthly material things" can be […]

Maintenance on my old Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel

| April 26, 2016

Since I’ve been driving the 1982 Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel most of the late winter and spring this year, I’ve been racking up the miles and am due for a full fluid and filter change. Tonight was the night and after 4 filters (2 fuel, 1 oil and 1 air) and 8 quarts of oil, […]

My fair weather daily driver: 1982 Mercedes 300D Turbodiesel

| April 5, 2016

Love this car and the whole W123 thing!

Keeping the old diesel running in the wintertime

| February 6, 2016

It has been surprisingly mild in Cincinnati for February that I decided to get the old girl out of the garage.  It wasn’t particularly warm last night when I got home, but the drier air and snow-free roads were excuse enough to drive the old Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel in the winter  … besides the other car was finally […]

When was the last time diesel fuel was $1.90/gal?

| December 17, 2015

I detoured to stop my dad’s house in Sidney Ohio on my way back from NE Ohio on Thursday night while driving the ’82 Mercedes 300D Turbodiesel and was shocked to fill up for only $1.90/gallon. When was the last time diesel fuel was priced at these levels? Amazing … but can’t imagine it can stay this […]

First road trip for our new-used 2010 BMW X5 35d

| November 7, 2015

  I took “Brenda’s” car on its first road trip this week without asking while making calls in NE Ohio – whoops?!?! It sure was an enjoyable car to drive … too bad it replaces her 1998 Toyota Rav4 and not my 2006 Honda Pilot. Jealously aside, I was anxious to see just what kind […]

The Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel after a winter slumber

| April 1, 2015

For those of us who love diesels, the sweet sound of an old Mercedes Benz diesel idling is indeed a beautiful mechanical sound. Below is a very short clip of my 1982 300D Turbodiesel waking up after the winter of 2015 hibernation. Really it is just a filler post since it is a busy week […]

Rebuilding a brake caliper on the W123 Mercedes Benz 300D

| January 20, 2015

Once I priced a rebuilt brake caliper the 1982 Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel, I knew I would be rebuilding the the caliper this past weekend, especially since the seal kit was only $9.00 on eBay. The project was pretty straight forward, but removing the old “baked” on seals was not as easy at one might […]

New set of tires and even a new trunk light

| December 1, 2014

After my blown tire fiasco I realized all my tires on the 1982 Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel were aging and decided to play it safe and replace them. It made sense since I’ve been driving the car on longer trips than originally intended. Besides tires, I had the slow leak in the spare tire fixed […]

Flat tire and shocking blowout on the Mercedes 300D

| November 30, 2014

While buzzing up the interstate in the old Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel, I noticed a slight mushiness and then a boom. After I unloaded a full trunk of junk onto the side of the road, while the snow was blowing (ugh!), I made a tire change that would have made NASCAR pit crews proud. Unfortunately […]

Settling into a comfortable routine of visiting with my dad

| June 28, 2014

Bob Evans with my dad has been almost weekly routine for over two years now – we started going when my mom moved to Dorothy Love, for what at the time was planned rehab. After visiting mom, I’d take dad out to eat — and and if he didn’t have other coupons, it was often […]

Finally had a noticeable dent repaired on my Mercedes 300D

| June 19, 2014

My old Mercedes Benz will never be a show car, but it never fails to attract looks or comments whether I’m traveling the interstates, filling up at the diesel pump or just running errands around town. It still has a couple scratches, a few bubbling rust spots and several minor leftover hail dimples on the […]

Do you keep a couple spare gallons of diesel under the hood?

| June 8, 2014

I was planning to just work on yard and home chores Saturday while Brenda was working, but  got completely distracted by a thought that a 2 gallon fuel container would fit under the hood of the Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel nicely. Hmm, looks like it might even work if I plumbed a secondary fuel line […]

Added 1100+ miles to the 32 year old Mercedes Benz 300D

| May 30, 2014

The weather was nice for driving this past week for a Memorial Day trip to Atlanta, so instead of taking the Honda Pilot, we opted to take the 1982 Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel. I’ve been driving it regularly on trips to and from NE Ohio (500 miles rt) and to visit my daughter and her […]

Gas prices rise as Memorial Day kicks off summer driving season

| May 23, 2014

I’m probably not the only one noticing the annual Memorial Day jump in retail gasoline prices kicking off the summer driving season. Yesterday most of the  stations locally (north of Cincinnati) bumped prices up to $3.85–plus per gallon for regular grade fuel. Thankfully on the drive home, I fueled up the old Mercedes 300D for […]

Archive: Finished up the rocker panels on the Mercedes 300D

| May 11, 2014

It has been slow progress, but since my wife “sort of” gave me Mother’s Day off (Happy Mother’s Day to moms, BTW), I took advantage of some time to finally finish up and put the trim back on the repaired body rust and the newly Miracle painted rocker panels (yes, that is Miracle Paint I […]

Paint the old Mercedes Benz with base and clear coat paints

| May 5, 2014

Sunday afternoon was a perfect time to take a couple of the Mercedes Benz repairs to the next step with AutomotiveTouchup.com paints. Although I’ve painted several cars back in the day we used enamel and lacquer single stage automotive paints, I’ve never used a base coat and clear coat. This was the perfect test. Rework […]

It was nice to have Monday off, but now its back to work

| September 3, 2013

Labor Day was great! I was home alone and able to work around the house, although accomplished very little. Most of my time was spent in the garage sanding and adding body filter to the Mercedes Benz 300D. Since the temps were warm, I regularly cooled off in the pool and pretended to be cleaning […]

Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel rust repair continues

| August 27, 2013

Rust repairs continue along the rocker panels and jack points on the Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel. The passenger side (photo left) wasn’t too bad so I opted to take care of that first. It is now under primer and ready for final sanding and eventually the black “chip resistant” paint. No that I’m on side […]

Finally started fixing the Mercedes 300D rusty jack points

| August 17, 2013

With Brenda out of town and few distractions, I started working on the rusty jack points and rocker areas on the 1982 Mercedes 300D Turbodiesel. I cut out a bit more than expected and re-treated the area with Ospho. More later.

What’s causing an overheated fuse in a Mercedes 300D?

| August 10, 2013

Was suppose to post on Saturday, but the WordPress Postie plugin failed me again. It looks like something is causing enough draw on this circuit to overheat the plastic of this fuse, but not enough to blow the fuse?

The old MB 300D hit the 200K milestone today

| August 3, 2013

This odometer mileage isn’t that impressive for a Mercedes diesel, but anytime a 30-plus year old car is still cruising the highway at 200,000, it’s something to crow about.

The floor of the Mercedes Benz 300D is wet again!

| July 17, 2013

With the heat in the 90s and humidity high this week I noticed the driver side and rear passenger floor in the Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel soaking wet again. A few weeks ago I thought that it might be due to a leak in the windshield gasket or possibly the drain in front as mentioned […]

Mercedes Benz customer appreciation efforts are impressive

| July 16, 2013

Most car guys (and gals) know that the Mercedes Benz nameplate represents a high quality vehicle, but also a higher price. Some might argue that there is worth in a vehicle designed for longevity and safety and that it makes for repeat customers?  I sold my first Mercedes, a 560 SEL, back in the late […]

Inside rust on the Mercedes 300D including the battery tray

| July 13, 2013

I’m getting creative while addressing a few more rust spots while still keeping the dollar investment to acceptable levels in my 1982 Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel. In most areas I’m a proponent of grinding and replacing metal with metal (TIG welding new material) … but I noticed some rust  on the inside of the doors […]

Such a quality difference in aftermarket Mercedes parts

| July 4, 2013

I purchased a new latch opener for the driver’s side door of the Mercedes Benz 300D and was depressed to see how poor the quality of the aftermarket part was. The castings of the new part is so poor that I’m embarrassed to put in on the car.

There is a masked man in the garage!

| July 3, 2013

Having July 4th fall on a Thursday this week is creating chaos with my travel schedule. Each appointment scheduling call I’ve made is finding everyone taking a few days off … I should have done the same? Anyway, spending time in town gave me a chance to dust off my TIG welding skills or lack […]

Continued maintenance and repairs on the Mercedes 300D

| June 23, 2013

Since I’m on a car repair roll at the moment, I’ll continue to update the condition of my 1982 Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel. It has come apart this weekend primarily to set the clearances for the valves, something that has to be done regularly and manual as this is a pre-hydraulic valve adjusting kind of […]

Replaced the crazed and cracked headlight doors

| June 22, 2013

Besides spending the day at home catching up on pool cleaning and some minor yard work, I spent the day in the garage working on the Mercedes 300D’s valve adjustment and glow plugs (more on this tomorrow). The more obvious update was installing new Bosch headlight doors I found on Ebay. They look just like […]

MB 300D high speed testing and minor jury-rigged repair

| June 22, 2013

While traveling this week I decided to give the old 1982 Mercedes 300D Turbodiesel a workout. Even though it kept up with interstate traffic and pegged the speedo, I found that it did a little shake from 73 to 80 mph. Maybe an alignment and suspension adjustment when I decide new tires are in her […]

What does an old car tell the world about you?

| June 16, 2013

Eddie Alterman of Car and Driver talks about his 1983 Mercedes Benz 300D and closes with, “it’s solid, reliable, robust, well made, it’s got a lot of integrity … and I hope that I represent those values.”

1982 Mercedes 300D AC diagnosis

| June 14, 2013

Any advice or thoughts would be appreciated (video/audio below). I’ve installed a new AC system (compressor, r/d & expansion valve) in my 1982 Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel after a thorough cleaning and proper charge, but occasionally there is a clatter-rattle when at idle. The AC seems to be cooling just fine and I think the […]

The 1982 Mercedes 300D Turbodiesel – brutally tested

| June 9, 2013

I can’t believe Brenda wanted to drive the new old Benz on a 1000 mile road trip before I even test drove it on the highway, but she did. When I checked in last week and asked how it handled, she said, “well, it wouldn’t go much over 85?” Huh!?!? You’re driving the 1982 MB […]

Another component to replace on the Mercedes Benz 300D

| June 1, 2013

If it isn’t one thing, it is another when it comes to an old car in an unknown condition. Thankfully I’m getting to know my new beast and am thoroughly enjoying learning about and repairing some of those “unknowns.” The latest item in the multiple air conditioning components that I’m replacing is the auxiliary fan […]

Repairing/replacing the Mercedes Benz 300D Air Conditioning

| May 29, 2013

I’ve been accused of knowing a little about a lot of things, but not very much about anything.   This becoming exceedingly clear when it comes to understanding automotive air conditioning systems and I’ve been getting quite frustrated. The first hurdle is getting over the “leave that to the pros” and “it is illegal to […]

Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee

  1. lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
  2. digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.
My Desultory Blog