Hi guys,

I'm new to the forum and possibly soon to the Mercedes world. I currently own two other vehicles, one being a lifted Subaru and the other a Ford IDI turbo diesel. The first of the two will be sold to help provide funds for the Mercedes purchase.

There are a couple reasons I would like to buy a diesel Mercedes:
1) I love diesels
2) I have started making my own diesel for the ford
3) I like the style and reliability that can be had with the older Mercedes for a reasonable price.

I have done some reading and I have officially elevated my Mercedes knowledge from extreme dumb newb to extreme confused newb with many questions and a headache. The way they decided to name body styles and randomly insert different engines in different configurations baffles me. It seems absurd to me because most manufacturers tend to stick with a configuration for x amount of time before offering something different in a particular body style.

Anyway, I was hoping you guys could help me sort things out. I really just want a reliable diesel car. I don't like the wagons, but that's kind of irrelevant. I don't really care if it's a 4,5, or 6 cylinder or turbo or n/a. Which is best for alternative fuels, has the least issues overall, which years to stay away from???

Also, any tips for things to look at when buying or red flags would be nice. Maybe we can get to this more when I narrow it down to a specific vehicle.

Anyway, hope this makes some sense. Thanks for any help in advance.