Noisy is good — it makes you feel like you’re driving a machine, not a bloody Internet-connected sensory deprivation couch in a padded room on wheels. Most of the work can be DIY’ed if you have an IQ of over 75.
Parts are not a significant problem for 80s models, even oddballs like stick shift 220 and 240 diesels. Seriously, I have an older 240d and it just works for the most part. There’s very little to go wrong compared to modern cars.
Main seal is an issue since it’s an oddball rope type seal. You either live with it, or have it done once and it will last another 200k miles or so 🙂
