If you are thinking about buying a diesel auto there are a few things you need to ask your self

1. Do I like to drive fast?

2. Do I live in area of the country that gets cold?

If you enjoy driving fast and you like to be able to dart in and out of traffic or enjoy overtaking other automobiles on the road. THIS IS NOT THE CAR FOR YOU.

If you live in a region of the country where the winters are winters. You might want to think very carefully about buying this auto especially if you depend on your automobile for going to work etc (they will freeze up.)

I live in Chicago and park my 1983 240 D on the street most of the year. Before going any further I must say that I enjoy this auto, the car has a lot of personality. However this is my first winter as an owner of a diesel and for the last couple of days in Chicago the temps have been low. I have not been able to get it started, and the second i do I am putting the car into storage at my mother-in-laws for the winter. Living in the city I do not need it to get around thanks to the CTA. I bought the car with the mind set that I am only going to use it for around town, it was great to have this summer and it will be great again when it gets warmer.

Its is a smooth ride (as smooth as diesels get) and a cool car, I paid $1,500 for mine with 225,000 miles on it, the body is in great shape and the engine runs fine. I did have some freaky repairs right after I first bought it, I was changing the oil and I bumped into the vac hoses and it would not shut off. Vacum hoses control everthing in that car from raiseing ant. to locking the doors and shutting the engine off the engine. ANOTHER CONCERN if you do not know much about repairing automobiles be weary because it is hard to find shops that will work on these diesels it is forgein and it is diesel and it is old. That is three strikes against you. Call around your neighborhood and make sure if you do have problems you can take it to somebody. IF no one in your area works on these crusieers you might want to reconsider.

And in winter time make sure you add an additive to the fuel to keep it from gelling. As I have learned the hard way. There is a block heater plug underneath the front bumper I tried to use it once and I shorted out the clock on the dash? Ask if your block heater works it if you have a place to plug it in (which I dont) it could make the cold a non issue.