Greetings all,

I am now the proud owner of a new-to-me 1992 300d turbodiesel. It's got
198k miles on it, the mechanic says that it's in excellent running order
except for a few things:

1) Needs some sort of new coolant hose. (Hose 3250 5300 is what the
notes say)
2) Needs a new oil level sensor.
3) May need all four shocks replaced in the next year or two due to
their getting mushy with age. No problems driving it now, he said, but
he advised I get them changed before doing any big road trips.

Any ideas where I could get the necessary parts and do the work myself?
The hose should be simple, the oil level sensor could be handled at the
next oil change while the oil's drained already, and the shocks are
something my friend and I can do in a few hours (he used to own a very
similar diesel Mercedes and did the shock-work himself).

Also, any tips and tricks I should know for this vehicle? It's my first
diesel vehicle, and my first Mercedes. I'd love to keep it running as
long as possible, in as best condition as possible, and so forth. Any
advice would be welcome.

Cheers!