Diesel cars 25yo+ whats out there?

[rovercare]

As per the title, something that is reliable, economical and old enough for club reg

Things I have found are

Diesel Gemini
Merc 300d
Merc 190d

and thats about it, anymore ideas?

Its just a fuel miser, get me to the heliport to head offshore and to do the kid runs thats it, so the more economical the better

Also slow is good.....as Im still not grown up in that regard:)

[Blknight.aus]

series II/IIa/III/Stage 1/county

some volvos

[bee utey]

VW Golf

1978 VW Golf Diesel in NSW | eBay (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1978-VW-golf-diesel-/152024636356?hash=item23655fdbc4:g:qpYAAOSwZ8ZW8Ph 6)

Peugeot

[Homestar]

Good thing you don't want to go fast. A diesel Gemini will make sure you can't speed - Dad used to have one. OMG, you want slow and noisy then that's the pick of the bunch. No idea how it was on juice though - It was long gone by the time I learnt to drive - in its replacement - A petrol Gemini. :D

[rovercare]

series II/IIa/III/Stage 1/county

some volvos

Want car not 4wd

What volvos? can't find any in aus

[B92 8NW]

A lot more choice in the ute/4x4 category and likely to be Japanese.

[rovercare]

VW Golf

1978 VW Golf Diesel in NSW | eBay (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1978-VW-golf-diesel-/152024636356?hash=item23655fdbc4:g:qpYAAOSwZ8ZW8Ph 6)

Peugeot

Quite the barn find!

[B92 8NW]

Want car not 4wd

What volvos? can't find any in aus

Sorry, didn't read that before commenting

[rovercare]

A lot more choice in the ute/4x4 category and likely to be Japanese.

But then I would be looking for something I do not want :D

[B92 8NW]

The only old diesel Volvo I've seen out here is a 740 D24TIC but it was a personal import.

Don't forget 240D MB, often very cheap as seen as an underdog 300D (is that even possible:D)

[rovercare]

I currently use a Volkswagen caddy for the heliport run, it was going to replace my Isuzu NPR200, but have decided to keep the truck, as I was gonna juggle with my Iload, but will leave the other guy in that....its great on fuel, but lacks seats for kids

So Caddy is to go to new home, so then I'm either racking up kays for no reason on Dual cab cruiser on the bitumen, which are best left for the bush or get a put put run about. hence the criteria

I'm not short on vehicles, there is a big block powered patrol about and still an LS powered Jag:)

[rovercare]

The only old diesel Volvo I've seen out here is a 740 D24TIC but it was a personal import.

Don't forget 240D MB, often very cheap as seen as an underdog 300D (is that even possible:D)

Looks like 300d is gonna be in the 10l/100 region, the 190d 6.5l/100....I'm guessing the 240d will be similar to the 300d as its same body

What goes wrong with them older benzs? the 190d are uglier, but I don't care, less fuel the betterer:D

[B92 8NW]

The 6 cyl 300D 124 is a way better car and will do less than 10. Closer to 6.5 on highway.

If the BS is to believed, nothing goes wrong. I must have got a dud.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/03/121.jpg

[Don 130]

A friend of mum's who was an earthmoving contractor, had a Standard Vanguard with a diesel engine in it. The engine was the same as that used in the diesel Fergie tractor. (Perkins?)The car would have been about a 1954 model. Probably too slow for daily use today.
Don.

[rovercare]

The 6 cyl 300D 124 is a way better car and will do less than 10. Closer to 6.5 on highway.


]

6.5 @120-130km/hr? EDIT: yea I know, long straight stretches!

Why is it a better car?

Used to have a dead 300d in the paddock years ago, from next doors farm, parts were horrendous expensive back then for the engine, never got fixed, off to the scrappys

[B92 8NW]

6.5 @120-130km/hr?

Why is it a better car?

Used to have a dead 300d in the paddock years ago, from next doors farm, parts were horrendous expensive back then for the engine, never got fixed, off to the scrappys

Yep, same fate with mine, joke of a price for new pistons/liners etc.

It's a much more modern car, the six is quieter and smoother than the five, it makes reasonable power and torque, the ride is better with multilink set up etc.

I drove around Hungary last year at the speed limit of 130 and was getting about 7.5 at that speed.

[rovercare]

Yep, same fate with mine, joke of a price for new pistons/liners etc.

It's a much more modern car, the six is quieter and smoother than the five, it makes reasonable power and torque, the ride is better with multilink set up etc.

I drove around Hungary last year at the speed limit of 130 and was getting about 7.5 at that speed.

Interesting, thanks!

What goes wrong with W124? is there a good benz forum?

[B92 8NW]

Best place would be Oz Benz for an Australian forum

[PSI250]

Mid 80s Golf.

Apart from that it's pretty much a 190 or 300d merc

Unless you can stretch your no 4wd rule to include 2wd Utes like datto 720 or Mazda b2200

[DoubleChevron]

Poogoe 405's .... the 1.9 TD's in them was a brilliant engine for it's time. Your talking old cars that will have been driven into the ground when you talk about 25+ year old deisels though. I reckon you'll struggle to find one. the mercs and N/A diesels were horifically slow so will have been thrown away.... the early turbo diesels such as the poogoe drove well.... so will have all done immense milage :wasntme:

Fuel economy and performance is NOTHING like the modern high pressure diesels.

seeya,
Shane L.

[rovercare]

Mid 80s Golf.

Apart from that it's pretty much a 190 or 300d merc

Unless you can stretch your no 4wd rule to include 2wd Utes like datto 720 or Mazda b2200

Dual cab 2wd could work, few and far between in any condition other than rooted though:D

[rovercare]

Poogoe 405's .... the 1.9 TD's in them was a brilliant engine for it's time. Your talking old cars that will have been driven into the ground when you talk about 25+ year old deisels though. I reckon you'll struggle to find one. the mercs and N/A diesels were horifically slow so will have been thrown away.... the early turbo diesels such as the poogoe drove well.... so will have all done immense milage :wasntme:

Fuel economy and performance is NOTHING like the modern high pressure diesels.

seeya,
Shane L.

Thanks!, these things appear to be worth dirt

What goes wrong with them to have so little desirability?

EDIT: not old enough

[DoubleChevron]

Thanks!, these things appear to be worth dirt

What goes wrong with them to have so little desirability?

EDIT: not old enough

Sold in 89 weren't they? Nothing really goes wrong with them... there just an old car. interior plastic is absolutely woeful quality.

[rovercare]

Sold in 89 weren't they? Nothing really goes wrong with them... there just an old car. interior plastic is absolutely woeful quality.

Only ones I found for sale were mid 90's

[pop058]

504 ?

[bee utey]

Interesting, thanks!

What goes wrong with W124? is there a good benz forum?

I've adopted two W124 (petrol) station wagons for my family, they're terrific cars no matter the engine. There were over 2 million W124s of all varieties made between 1985 and 1995 approx. Many parts are still available as aftermarket. Of course like any Euro tech car they have some quirky engineering to keep your brain active when you attempt to understand what went wrong. The rear suspension contains more links than I've ever seen on a single car. Their ride in stock trim is soft but brilliantly controlled, I've done 12 hour road trips in mine and hardly felt fatigued. It is most definitely not a Gemini. :)

The W124 page on Wikipedia is a good start to learn about the W124.

[rovercare]

I've adopted two W124 (petrol) station wagons for my family, they're terrific cars no matter the engine. There were over 2 million W124s of all varieties made between 1985 and 1995 approx. Many parts are still available as aftermarket. Of course like any Euro tech car they have some quirky engineering to keep your brain active when you attempt to understand what went wrong. The rear suspension contains more links than I've ever seen on a single car. Their ride in stock trim is soft but brilliantly controlled, I've done 12 hour road trips in mine and hardly felt fatigued. It is most definitely not a Gemini. :)

The W124 page on Wikipedia is a good start to learn about the W124.

In regards to the W201 190D

"With the many Mercedes 190D 2.0 or 2.5 who have more than 500.000 or even 1.000.000 km on their tachometer, these engines are considered as the most reliable and best engines ever made!"

Wonder if this is true for the rest of the car

[rocket scientist]

Peugeot 504
economical and fairly comfortable

[pop058]

504 ?


Peugeot 504
economical and fairly comfortable

My Dad had a diesel,mine was an injected 2lt petrol and with the sheep skin seat covers, it was ssoooo comfy. Not that the OP is looking for performance, but for a 72 model, it easily braked and cornered better than any Aussie models of a similar era.

[DoubleChevron]

finding a 504 would be to hard. most went to egypt. the diesels would be gutless ........... finding one would be fun.

[bee utey]

In regards to the W201 190D

"With the many Mercedes 190D 2.0 or 2.5 who have more than 500.000 or even 1.000.000 km on their tachometer, these engines are considered as the most reliable and best engines ever made!"

Wonder if this is true for the rest of the car

The four speed hydraulic auto is considered to be MB's best, although they prefer a regular 40K service. Their top gear is direct, first is extremely low like reverse. My 4 cyl at 350K has still got its original driveline, the trans was shifting poorly until it got a service. The torque converter has its own drain plug so is easy to service DIY. The rest of the driveline is pretty robust too.

What goes wrong with them is silly things like the heater control valve and electric windows. I found 9 out of 10 wrecked W124s had stuffed heater control valves, but I eventually found a good one. They are electric solenoids driven by a PWM circuit to allow differing doses of hot water to enter the heater. Their failure mode is fully on, and the heaters are pretty powerful!

Later models suffered from degrading insulation on their engine bay wiring looms, pre 1992 ones don't seem to have the same problem. A well maintained late model car will have a new loom fitted at some point in its service history, like my two did.

Lots of parking outside will wreck plastic interior components, just like on any other car. Windscreen visor clips are missing on most wrecks. Rear window winders have a nylon component that can break and drop the pane. So apart from all the niggly stuff, they're pretty reliable.

[justinc]

Really loved my diesel gemini and no it wasn't gutless. 110 all the way up the Hume to Canberra 4 up and loaded. Bit smokey but 😈. 56mpg driven like i stole it. Had lots of rust in the boot floor which is a factory option i believe. In order to fit a towbar i had to make a fair bit of a reinforced framework in the boot...love another one getting hard to find now though without too many missing electrons ☺

[Rextheute]

Peugeot 504 ...

Had a green one ! Very comfy .

[B92 8NW]

What did you end up buying?

[Sitec]

Well, I have just parted with my 1990 Golf Mk 2 GTD... It has 300000+ kms on it, and I've owned it for 14 years. Been a brilliant car, but it has sat for the last two years doing nothing, and I just have no use for it... The clutch slips, rust is appearing and the later 1.9TDi I fitted is also starting to get tired. Its going to a VW home, and hopefully will get the love it needs. It sold for $3500.

[Sitec]

The only old diesel Volvo I've seen out here is a 740 D24TIC but it was a personal import.

Don't forget 240D MB, often very cheap as seen as an underdog 300D (is that even possible:D)

Any pics? Where is it located? The 740 and 760's had a VW 2.4 6 cylinder turbo intercooled diesel.. The 1.6's were 4 cyl, the 2.0's were 5 cyl and the 2.4 was the 6 cyl. Same pistons, rods, valves, followers, injectors.... Differences were the block, head crank and cam. Smart use of tooling IMO. I'd love to find one of the 2.4 TD's over here.. They sound awesome!!

[rovercare]

What did you end up buying?

A trip to tassie, shares in a pub and renovations to a shop I have for 2 tenants:D