You can fully blame Toyota pretty much single handedly for that, the LS400 was annihilating Benz with the looks, technology and everything in between for half price
They still do for the most part. They had some major QC issues in the late 90s- early 2010s but that’s been fixed, only a few issues remain with specific peices of equipment. Most of them will last a very long time with basic maintenance.
These days only American and Chinese buyer think they get something superior. In Germany we know they are nothing special anymore and, as all cars, are slapped together as cheap as possible for maximum profit.
They were way ahead of the time. That design holds up well to this day. It seems like an honest review. Wider tires and a separate glass hatch would be nice. Really for 1987 that's was a spaceship of a design.
That's because in time, many ''drivers'' (unlike those backward! types like me:) ) wanted more from their cars, hence the weight as you know....self drive, massage your tush and wash your clothes!. Give me that carburetor induction noise any day, electrical this electrical that, bahhh! :))
This was a sweet car but, unfortunately, it would prove to be a one-year-only model, and the last diesel station wagon Mercedes-Benz offered in the U.S. The reason? That would be the big metal barrel you can see driver's right under the hood. That was the trap oxidizer, a forerunner of modern diesel particulate filters (DPFs) that Mercedes installed on all early U.S. specification OM603 powered models (the '87 300 TD Turbo, the '86 and '87 300 D Turbo and the '86 and '87 300 SDL Turbo) in order to make them emissions compliant in all 50 states. However, the trap would get extremely hot during operation and, due to its proximity to the aluminum cylinder head (Previous M-B diesels had iron heads.), would cause the head to warp, leading to head gasket failure. There were also instances of chunks of the material inside the trap coming loose and being ingested by the turbocharger. It was a massive PR black eye for Mercedes-Benz in this country, especially given how its earlier diesels were known for going multiple hundreds of thousands of miles with only routine maintenance. All OM603 powered models were withdrawn from the U.S. market for the 1988 model year, the 300 D Turbo being replaced by the 300D 2.5 Turbo (which used the OM602 inline-five) and, eventually, the 300 SDL being replaced by the 350 SD and SDL Turbo (which used a bored out 3.4L OM603). However, as all of those models did away with the trap oxidizers, none were legal for sale in California or the northeast states that adopted CARB's stricter standards; in fact, it wasn't until mid-1994 and the debut of the model year 1995 E300 Diesel with its new DOHC, 24-valve OM606 (and a revised DPF that was located well clear of the engine) that a Mercedes-Benz diesel was again available nationwide. Alas, by the time that happened, Mercedes concluded that there wouldn't be enough demand for a wagon version to justify the cost of going through the necessary certification processes. Too bad...
Diesel cars have only got more complex and prone to failure since then, with all the additional emissions controls to meet tighter requirements. For example, there was a massive recall on diesel BMWs made in the past decade, which were catching fire due to EGR cooler failure. DPFs and SCR systems usually cost a bomb to repair or replace when they go wrong. Between that and things like the VW emissions scandal, it feels to me that pursuing small diesel engines in passenger cars was a mistake. It's easier to control emissions effectively to modern standards in larger scale applications (like trucks and trains).
The famous "Monowiper" is a truly iconic piece of engineering! Ahhhh, the days when car brands actually wanted to be interesting and different from one another.
My 1979 240D with crank windows cost $16k in 1979 or $64k in today’s money. Your point is valid as you paid for longevity with those cars. My car is still running 42 years later.
@@dr.jiIIaIicecooper2587 in Europe wagons weren't that available nor that popular till the 80s, after that the started taking over the market much more then sedans. Look at second hand German cars for sale, most E class, Most 5 series and most audi a6's are in wagon form.
@@dr.jiIIaIicecooper2587 change my mind. that car came out in 1984. Build Quality, Reliability and Comfort, All these could not be compared to other cars at the market.
Beautiful car. Much more appealing than today's Mercedes all looking like jellybean-shaped sports sedans. I owned an '87 300E, the sedan gasoline 3.0L I-6 version of this car. Vault-like build quality. Supremely opulent for a car of its time. Unfortunately, the reliability left a lot to be desired. The electrical componentry and automatic transmission on these cars were short-lived. The competing Volvos of the time weren't nearly as luxurious or elegant looking, but they were far more comfortable and far more dependable. If I could travel back in time, a 700-series Volvo would definitely be my choice as a new luxury car.
@@bobbbobb4663 my transmission went out at 108k miles. When I looked at two other used 300E cars for sale with under 150k they both needed transmission rebuilds. My neighbors 1994 600SL needed a transmission rebuilt at 54k as well.
Cars ''back then'' were more straight and honest like the usual people at the time, cars now are like jellybean-shaped, as you said, just like the character and shape of the usual people this time. :/
Imagine the millions of people who were fooled into thinking something newer would be better than this and sold it many many years ago. I could drive a clean one until the end of the world and wouldn't care much about other 'new' cars including mercedesi :) !!!
Those were some reliable Mercedes Benz vehicles that body style is. One of my old neighbors has a 1988 E300 that he's had for over 12 years now. Still runs like a charm.
Here in Sweden you certainly see them occasionally but this is definitely Volvo country. My dad drove a '86 ish Volvo 740 wagon (bought new) until it gave up on him and he got a "new" car in 2000-ish. A '92 Volvo 740 😂 Having grown up in that car I'm kinda looking for something else as a second family car (no complaints about it, just a little boring at this point). Late 80s Mercedes looks like it could suit us well, if we can find a good one.
Even today more than 90% of all E classes are sold with diesel engines in EU. E 220d is the great value for money and it has best resale value for years.
With a royal weight of 3700lbs..." oh if the host could only see into the future, 4500lbs 2-door SRTs, 3900lbs M3s roaming the modern roads....besides that I must say Mercedes kept the weight of a comparable modern compact wagon close to that from '87, the '22 C200 is only 3770lbs👍
Memory seats in 1987. So ahead of it’s time, why I love Mercedes’, except for cars after 2014, once the CLA and all those cheaper LA LE models came along it just ruined the the brand. I have a 04 E320 and my grand father has a 2020 E350, and the build quality of both is night and day, and my car is from the “dark ages” of Mercedes’ build quality as people say, but the 2020 E class is unacceptable, a year old and everything doesn’t just feel cheap but u touch the buttons they feel like they wanna fall off. It’s pathetic and sad tbh.
That's exactly what replaced the 300TD after '87. Same thing when the 300SEL (W126) also appeared for '88, to replace the diesel 300SDL. It was also the spiritual replacement for the W116 280SEL that we didn't have after the 1980 model year.
Nice. Had an W124 200D in the 90s. Love this Diesel. Combined with power - as 300D Turbo it would be terrific. Fast enough even for todays traffic. My 200D with 72 HP would be too weak for todays needs (in my eyes) 😅
WOW back in Time when Mercedes used to make decent reliable Cars !!! overseas this Vehicle still running. solid honorable engineering !! unlike todays plastic Vehicles they make !! thank you for theses retro reviews. 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽
These 1980s era diesel Mercedes still drive around Africa every day, many of them with well over 1 million kilometres on the clock and still going strong on dusty and muddy dirt roads. These are truly over-engineered mechanical marvels. I once asked a taxi driver in Western Africa why there were so many old Mercedes being used as taxi cabs, he said it's the car that holds up the best in Africa. His was beat up beyond belief, every light in the dash was lighting up when he turned the key, yet it started up every time.
Nice when Mercedes recalled those lousy trap oxidizers and replaced them with the oxidation catalysts. My Dad said he averaged 27.5 mpg highway. If memory serves S124 did not have the aerodynamics of the sedan (.36 vs ~.30) besides the heavier weight. Fuel economy and overall performance was similar to the contemporary 300sdl. VERY practical car though with the self-leveling suspension. Gasoline versions get about 20 mpg but also require 91 + octane fuel. Top speed is in excess of 120 mph for both models.
They were way ahead of the time. That design holds up well to this day. It seems like an honest review. Wider tires and a separate glass hatch would be nice. Really for 1987 that's was a spaceship of a design.
Back when MB were rear drive only. Wider tires would’ve made them even worse in the snow. I remember being behind a colleague who was driving her 190D slowly up a slight hill on a slushy road and watching it go sideways. RWD will work ok in winter weather if the car has a 50/50 weight distribution and reasonably narrow tires. My ‘76 Volvo DL was actually quite good in the snow
@@beb1527 The old MB:s were pretty good in the snow. If they had the lighter gasoline engines. Especially the w123 that had 175 tires. Same with the Volvos except the 7 and 9 series that had light rear ends.
Note this car had a Diesel Particulate Filter. You can see it, it's the large canister to the left of the engine, part of the exhaust manifold. And I didn't see any smoke in the exhaust!
I have this model with 180k miles and it is still very peppy to drive. It isn't luxurious, just vintage chic. The diamond blue paint has flaked off a bit... but it performs well 35 years after new!
So weird that Benz went with the square sealed beam headlamps that were mandated by the US government until 1984. By 1987 Ford had the stylish composite, styled to the car headlights on most of their models. The Euro spec W124 also had much nicer looking composite headlights.
As impressive as this classic Mercedes was, if I had had 42 grand to spend on station wagons in 1987, I would have bought a Volvo 740 and a Mercury Colony Park. :-)
The parking lot at the county club I used to work at in Atherton was full of these wagons in the late 80’s for a moment it was “the” wagon to have for the upper crust..
Surprised how low the torque and fuel economy figures are for this engine. Given the displacement and being a straight six, it’s figures are more on par with an inline NA gasoline engine of the era.
I always loved those Mercedes analog gauges.. Very clear and everything you need.. Even when the car is 20 years old, those gauges would still be there and visible and hopefully still working.. With the new 2022 Mercedes, the dash is all digital and after 20 years, can anyone honestly say they will still be working and visible.. If that dash goes out, you can’t see anything and I’m sure that will be a fortune to fix.. Mercedes should have stuck with analog gauges like these, that were perfect.
@@benjaminkessler8169 I’m not up to spec on the technical terms, so could you tell me what VDO stands for? I know your talking about the analog gauges that I wrote about yesterday, but I just don’t know what VDO stands for.. Thanks.
@@juliekavanaugh4993 it’s the brand that makes these instrument cluster and gauges. All the German brands used them, they have a clean uncluttered design. My favorite is the 210 E class
@@benjaminkessler8169 Oh, ok.. Now I know, so thank you so much.. I guess they also made the ones for BMW then.. I always liked BMW’s also, with the same uncluttered look with the orange backlight.. They were always nice also.. Well thanks again for the info and you have a nice day! 😊
station wagons were a bigger deal in the US then they were in Europe I can say this as someone who came home from the hospital as a newborn in a 1979 Toyota Corolla Station Wagon in March 1985. always liked a few of the Mercedes models out in that era my childhood best friends mom Drove a Mercedes when we were kids in the late 80s early 90s I've never actually ridden in a real Mercedes Benz though I had a rechargeable ride on Mercedes Benz Convertible as a young child and my younger brother had either a Jeep or a Chevy Blazer version of it can't remember if the Mercedes one I had was the Mattel collaboration model that looked like Barbie's Convertible that came with the dream house
The OM603.96x six-cylinder turbo diesel had some quality problems, but as a whole it was nothing compared to the expanded 3.5L "rod bender" version (OM603.97x series) used in the 1990-91 W126 350SD and 350SDL.
When this car was built, the Mercedes badge really meant something! QUALITY. And you paid for it mind... these were not affordable cars for every day folk, but that also made them rare and prestigious. A car you buy and keep for 20 or 30 years if you wanted - Not chop it in for another after 3 years (by which time it is probably already riddled with faults) like you would with a new Merc today.
I had back in early 2000's the sedan. Head cracks were comon on om603. My car had an updated head. Drove the car to near 300k but body rust prevented my 5 years with the car going further.
I'm german and i can tell you that you can still see some of these cars in germany today. But out of all Mercedes models of the 80s and 90s, i see the Mercedes 190 most often here.
Those beautiful car are almost indestructible if properly maintained. Most of those built in western Europe found a second life in eastern Europe, Turkey or Africa. I have always loved the elegance, sturdiness and incredible built quality.
Mercedes-Benz at its pinochle, I don't think you could improve on this design , form follow fucunality, I would debate new cars are not better for longevity ,value, economics , the insanity of the twisting of arms of the auto industry's to produce electric cars this is not market driven.
0:15........again, that's CAM-REE, John, NOT CAM-RAY!!!!!! I'd like to see the test of that '87 Tercel that was on the track, as well as the 1986 Mercury Lynx GS & XR3 so I can share it with my friend who had a '87 Escort as her first car, the 1987 Mazda 323 hatchback & station wagon so I can share it with my uncle in memory of my aunt who had a blue 1986 323 sedan, the 1987 Toyota CAM-REE (not CAM-RAY, John!), so I can share it with my friend in memory of his father who had an '87 wagon, & the 1987 Pontiac Bonneville.
on the intro of the car driving, is the front rim bent or does it already have brake dust on it? PS- wouldn't the *misses* include not having a voltage gauge?
