The best $3,000 Mercedes is one that doesn’t need $3,000 of work.

But seriously now…

Seeing that you list diesels as a possibility, high performance does not seem to be of significance for you. In which case the 126 380’s are plenty cheap, although you need to be aware of the timing chain problems on the early 380’s, amongst other weaknesses. The 123 diesels are a sure bet. They are solid, durable, cheap, dependable, easy to work on & readily available.

Don’t overlook *any* of the later 450 series cars. They are bulletproof, rivaling the diesel engines for longevity. But they are something of gas hogs.

Make sure that the climate control is working properly on any car you look at, as this can be a major expense.

But MOST important is this: A meticulously maintained car. Don’t try to buy a fixer-upper (see the first sentence above).

Happy Hunting

RTH