Re: Long Time Listener, First Time Caller

jcolee wrote:
Type44 wrote:

I would have gone with the 300TD. Since that's what I usually drive to work. My wife used to have an Escort like yours. Five miles in one of those is enough, never mind 6000. May the odds be always in your favor...

I've only driven it around 20 miles so far, but it didn't seem TOO bad. My mother owned one of the late 90's steel body ones, which were so ugly, they were cool.

As for the 300TD, are you referring to the wagon or the sedan? The sedan is turbo, and the wagon isn't. But those cars are definitely in the cards for the next couple of years. I've never owned a diesel nor do i know much about them. My only concern is that i've seen them running for around $800-$900 on Craigslist, whereas he wanted $1,000 for these two. Maybe it isn't too bad of a deal?

If those two were local, I'd buy them for $1000/pair. The sedan is a 300SD (3.0 litre S class diesel) and the wagon is a 300TD (3.0 "touring"=wagon diesel) and the T means wagon, not turbo, though the sedan has one. I've driven a 300TD turbo (most call it a 300TDT) for the past 9 years. It's outlasted 2 Lemons race cars, 2 BMW dd's, and 4 gas powered Benzes. Absolutely unstoppable.

Seriously, a NICE wagon diesel is $20k plus nowadays, they are that intangible kind of awesome. That one isn't worth restoring, but it sure as hell would be a good rally choice. If they have enough compression to start cold, they will run forever, and the running gear is all the same stuff as they put on a 5.0 V8 S class, so it's under stressed.

You don't need to really know a lot about diesels. If the engine has good compression, use good oil (shell Rotella 15-40 is my favorite) and clean fuel, and drive with no f***s given. It'll work. Trust me smile

Tradewinds Tribesmen Racing (The road goes on forever…)
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Re: Long Time Listener, First Time Caller

Type44 wrote:
jcolee wrote:
Type44 wrote:

I would have gone with the 300TD. Since that's what I usually drive to work. My wife used to have an Escort like yours. Five miles in one of those is enough, never mind 6000. May the odds be always in your favor...

I've only driven it around 20 miles so far, but it didn't seem TOO bad. My mother owned one of the late 90's steel body ones, which were so ugly, they were cool.

As for the 300TD, are you referring to the wagon or the sedan? The sedan is turbo, and the wagon isn't. But those cars are definitely in the cards for the next couple of years. I've never owned a diesel nor do i know much about them. My only concern is that i've seen them running for around $800-$900 on Craigslist, whereas he wanted $1,000 for these two. Maybe it isn't too bad of a deal?

If those two were local, I'd buy them for $1000/pair. The sedan is a 300SD (3.0 litre S class diesel) and the wagon is a 300TD (3.0 "touring"=wagon diesel) and the T means wagon, not turbo, though the sedan has one. I've driven a 300TD turbo (most call it a 300TDT) for the past 9 years. It's outlasted 2 Lemons race cars, 2 BMW dd's, and 4 gas powered Benzes. Absolutely unstoppable.

Seriously, a NICE wagon diesel is $20k plus nowadays, they are that intangible kind of awesome. That one isn't worth restoring, but it sure as hell would be a good rally choice. If they have enough compression to start cold, they will run forever, and the running gear is all the same stuff as they put on a 5.0 V8 S class, so it's under stressed.

You don't need to really know a lot about diesels. If the engine has good compression, use good oil (shell Rotella 15-40 is my favorite) and clean fuel, and drive with no f***s given. It'll work. Trust me smile

Thanks for the encouragement! I think I may have to go out sometime and check compression on it then. It would need a lot of work, but it sounds like $1,000 for the pair isn't as bad as I thought. I think the entire interior would need to be cleaned with bleach due to the mold setting in.. but we're definitely interested in possibly using it within the next two years!

DD's: 2015 VW Passat TSi Wolfsburg, 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee Ltd., 1974 VW Super Beetle
Race Cars: 1996 Ford Escort Wagon

28 (edited by jcolee 2017-06-14 05:11 PM)

Re: Long Time Listener, First Time Caller

Well i've been working on the Escort over the past week or two. I've done an awful job on tinting the windows (only the back looks truly awful) I've acquired a roof top cargo box from the 90's for $30, and I've discovered some problems with the rear strut towers. I know it's a LeMon but its also got to get us to and from California! Luckily we have a few people lined up/fallbacks to get the rust repaired. It's on the top so i think it should be fairly easy! We also got new headlights. Again, i know that's kind of anti-LeMons fashion, but seeing in the dark in the desert might be good?

http://i575.photobucket.com/albums/ss194/j_colee/F640A96A-E9DA-4FAD-8259-21913A96AB2A_zps80lnnreq.jpg
http://i575.photobucket.com/albums/ss194/j_colee/81C2698F-954A-4DA2-9EBF-51750BDD3673_zpsub7wlveu.jpg
http://i575.photobucket.com/albums/ss194/j_colee/9857A716-A4A8-4328-8DF9-1271223F5777_zpshkphcubm.jpg
http://i575.photobucket.com/albums/ss194/j_colee/EF33CA36-2875-428C-8F1D-209BA5B408F0_zpsppe7ck1i.jpg
http://i575.photobucket.com/albums/ss194/j_colee/6F9E2EA5-B21C-411D-BB16-779AC2EB000E_zpsikfxqavi.jpg
http://i575.photobucket.com/albums/ss194/j_colee/B9CB7822-AB9B-41CF-8B76-2394E470C09A_zpsn8jkxwnu.jpg
http://i575.photobucket.com/albums/ss194/j_colee/B86EAF35-4C00-49D3-9AA4-EEF2DF46BA0A_zpsnxhcrpry.jpg

DD's: 2015 VW Passat TSi Wolfsburg, 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee Ltd., 1974 VW Super Beetle
Race Cars: 1996 Ford Escort Wagon

Re: Long Time Listener, First Time Caller

heh..you only need to fix one side!

I Survived Hell on Wheels, Car Weeeak, Route Sucky Suck, etc.