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Subject Topic: now i am stuffed again with tow car Post Reply Post New Topic
16/4/2013 at 9:22pm
 Location: Ilkeston near derby
 Outfit: eldiss avante
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just spent last 6 months doing up an old (1989) mercedes 124 300d auto, and just got it on road ,tried my eldiss whisp on the back and she was struggling to pull it, i am so gutted, i thought i was getting around the particulate filters and dmf,s, as everything is basic for an older generation car messer like me, but no here i go again on the hunt for the perfect towcar, want an estate , diesel , looked at them all but now i am going around in circles, i am a bit parenoid, been bit with a skoda  peugeot 206 hdi and a volvo, somebody slated a mazda six on here the other day, i will soon be selling my caravan or ill be in a mental hospital, heellllpppp



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you are only as old as the woman you feel.


16/4/2013 at 9:56pm
 Location: Midlands
 Outfit: Mondeo Avondale Gram
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MK3 Mondeo?   Good towcar and borderline before all the mega expensive stuff comes into play.

Although injector issues and Dual Mass Flywheels are already there.   You see lots of bad posts on these but considering the amount out there. Its only a small number.

I have a 2004 car and not had any of those issues.

I am wondering where next. Do i risk a MK4 Mondeo or goto an older car.

The issue is i want 1500kg, 150bhp and good MPG. 40+ in daily use, 50+ on a run and 30+ when towing.

The 300D may have ticked the boxes for me. 136 or 177 bhp ?





16/4/2013 at 10:42pm
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I'd stick with the Merc, how much power do you need? its the old type non turbo diesel, which will run for ever.


17/4/2013 at 6:13am
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I think you need to forget about the phantom issues with the DPF.

As already discussed in posts about this recently, unless your running about town doing short, start stop journeys, it will be fine.

Normal driving will run a cleaning process when needed.

And as already mentioned, of all the millions of cars fitted with them, there has only been a handful of people on here saying they had issues. DPFs have been fitted on cars for years.



17/4/2013 at 6:43am
 Location: Milton Keynes
 Outfit: 2023Archway Woodford
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Quote: Originally posted by Thekilpins on 17/4/2013I think you need to forget about the phantom issues with the DPF.
As already discussed in posts about this recently, unless your running about town doing short, start stop journeys, it will be fine.

Normal driving will run a cleaning process when needed.

And as already mentioned, of all the millions of cars fitted with them, there has only been a handful of people on here saying they had issues. DPFs have been fitted on cars for years.
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I will second that we have a car with DPF for local runabout, never leaves town never had a problem in 6 years



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17/4/2013 at 8:06am
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Have you actualy tried the Merc with a proper long distance tow at motorway speeds? If not you need to. A non turbo diesel of any size will be very slow getting away from a standing start compared with modern turbo diesel but an old 3litre Merc should be ok at motorway speeds.

It has old type mechanical injector pump as well, adjusting these is usually outside the scope of home mechanics & it might be a good idea to take car to diesel injection specialist for check on pump & injectors.


17/4/2013 at 9:18am
 Location: Yeadon Leeds!
 Outfit: Swift Challenger & Defender 110SW
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how many miles has the merc done, and has it ever had new injectors.
a couple of quid on new injectors, and getting the pump checked and tweaked makes a huge difference on an older deisel, ok, if its non-turbo its never going to be a fast car, but it will go on for years and cruise very nicely.

Just get used to the slower going and enjoy it, took me a while to get used to a slower pace when I got my landy,. love it now and would never go back.


17/4/2013 at 5:45pm
 Location: Ilkeston near derby
 Outfit: eldiss avante
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i do intend sticking with the merc i am going to lock it away for five years, as i know it can only increase in value, its done 210,k and runs a dream, but it must have ware within the engine , bores etc, as when its hot on tickover it reads one bar oil pressure which is a bit low, but burns no oil, i have got a spare engine out of a 1986 model with a genuine 100k on it and i am tempted to put that engine in, but being a four speed auto it is very sluggish on take off, and i dont think it will make any improvement,, it is brilliant on moorway was cruising at 80 the other day (not with caravan on back ), but thanks guy's for putting my mind at rest, i think i was just panicking

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you are only as old as the woman you feel.


18/4/2013 at 1:47am
 Location: None Entered
 Outfit: Swift charisma Skoda Scout 4x4
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Quote: Originally posted by petra8315 on 17/4/2013
i do intend sticking with the merc i am going to lock it away for five years, as i know it can only increase in value, its done 210,k and runs a dream, but it must have ware within the engine , bores etc, as when its hot on tickover it reads one bar oil pressure which is a bit low, but burns no oil, i have got a spare engine out of a 1986 model with a genuine 100k on it and i am tempted to put that engine in, but being a four speed auto it is very sluggish on take off, and i dont think it will make any improvement,, it is brilliant on moorway was cruising at 80 the other day (not with caravan on back ), but thanks guy's for putting my mind at rest, i think i was just panicking
Have you had the gearbox oil changed and most importantly the filter inside it??? can make a massive difference, my old taxi was the merc 300 and started to get a bit sluggish, so got mech to change gearbox oil and filter, ran like a dream after, had to remove it from the road due to our daft age limit with 496,000 on it


18/4/2013 at 6:10pm
 Location: Ilkeston near derby
 Outfit: eldiss avante
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yes i actually changed the gearbox two weeks ago putting new filter and ioil at that time, it changes smoothly now but you still lose power through the older auto gearboxes with torque convertors

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you are only as old as the woman you feel.


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18/4/2013 at 6:44pm
 Location: Cheshire
 Outfit: Holtkamper Kyte Karsten 300
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Would love to see picture of your Merc.

I think Mercs typically pull away in second, Only way I can get my  1998 sl500 to pull away in first is to start the car, put in drive then back to neutral and back in drive.

Nothing to loose in trying.

Bob



19/4/2013 at 10:07am
 Location: None Entered
 Outfit: Swift charisma Skoda Scout 4x4
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Could be something simple thats wrong, it should pull like a train, take it to a diesel specialist and get it checked over, I cannot see any problems with the pistons at all.

Could be the pump timing slightly out, an easy fix for a fitter

Hope you have the right oil level in the box as that can make it very sluggish, you could also try a new accelerator cable or adjust the one on it as they tend to stretch over time



21/4/2013 at 12:51pm
 Location: None Entered
 Outfit: Swift charisma Skoda Scout 4x4
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Tried to add but edit wont work after 12 hours, does the kick down work?? IE, when you floor it does it change down a gear quickly, like for over taking, if not the kick down switch has gone a cheap fix to replace


22/4/2013 at 1:23pm
 Location: Ilkeston near derby
 Outfit: eldiss avante
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Had to give up on it , i have bought myself a vw passat 1.9 tdi red eye, i am keeping the merc, going to lock it away for five years and then sell it

i



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you are only as old as the woman you feel.



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