Originally Posted by hughet

I have a 92 300D with 190,000 miles and it is a wonderful car. Much quieter and smoother and more economical than the old 300Ds because the motor is smoother and they are geared much higher. (2.65 vs 3.07) Great ride and handling, 29MPG city and 33-35 on the road and relatively low maintenance costs if you have a good maintenance program and do it yourself. The only weak point on the car that I know of is the AC evaporator and that can be an expensive job.
Remember that you are looking at a 14 year old car that ages well but even a good one will need some work. If it has been neglected, it can cost a lot of money to get it into decent shape.
Before you take the time to have a mechanic look at it, do your own inspection. Look at the general condition of the car and ask for maintenance records. Look at the tires for even wear and check for loosness in the steering. Are there any leaks from the radiator, transmission or motor? Check for rust and look at the exhaust system. Take it for a test drive...Is the engine smooth and how does it shift? Any clunks?
Check the AC and climate control system.
Find a good independent mechanic and pay him to perform a complete pre purchase inspection before you buy the car. Then use his list to calculate what it will cost you to have the car in good running condition. If you have any questions, post the list on this forum and we can help you come up with a reasonable expectation. Once you have that you can use it to negotiate a fair price for the car. If $3,900 plus the cost to fix it up gets you up to the Book value http://www.kbb.com/ Then it may be a good buy.