diesels and rust

[Russ Maki]

From: james accordino <ssgacc at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: diesels & rust.
To: Ed Birch <edwbirch at comcast.net>
Cc: audi list <quattro at audifans.com>

<I'll respond to this and the previous message about
the 3.5D in the big cars.  I find it almost
unbieleveable than Merc would produce/market ANY
engine/drivetrain that couldn't make 100k.  I'd have
figured 200 to 300k minimum diesel or gas.  I wonder
how they handled the inevitable landslide of protests.>

Hi Jim--
The replaced a lot of engines, albeit very quietly. There was never an
official Daimler Benz document on the issue that I know of, but a loyal
customer in the habit of buying expensive cars can have a lot of leverage at
the local dealership. Of course, a lot of these cars have passed through the
hands of the original owners and into the secondhand market. Those owners
are likely SOL if the engine goes sour. Maybe MB's Starmark used car
warranty would cover it, I don't know. Replacement engines got beefier con
rods, I'm told.

Mercedes isn't making cars like the tanks of the '80s. They simply aren't as
overbuilt as they once were, and they've become a lot more complex. The Merc
fans I know generally stick with the W123, W124, W116 and W126 chassis.
Those are the ones that pile up the miles, especially in diesel trim.

<MAC-wonder how the 2.5 TDI will stand the test of
time?>

'80s era Rabbit diesels are pretty scarce around here (Wisconsin) nowadays,
but I think rust had a lot to do with that rather than mechanical failure.
Or, people grew weary of the lack of power. They used to be fairly common.

Russ Maki
'87 4000q
'82 MB 300cd