Well gents, yeah I'm a little disappointed, but really this is no big deal. I'm fairly familiar with an old car like this for the most part. I didn't pick it up solely hinging on it being a 6.9, if it had been that would have been a pleasant surprise in its rarity and all that, but in some ways also kind of a punishment to drive it around for a while. I enjoy fixing older euro cars.

What would mostly turn me off is if the d-jet or something were terminally un-fixable to the point that it would be much better to just part it out.

I know from an investment standpoint I'd be silly to try to flip this car really. But to drive it for a while and then sell it when I want something different (like ideally a decent 123 or 124 diesel wagon), is that too much to ask? I mean, the body is really rather unusually nice. I don't really have any significant time or money into it as of now and it can sit a while, so no heavy consequences or decisions need to be made right away. I quite like the 116 over the 126. The long wheel base part is kind of a bummer, just because it a bit on the big side for my taste.

Such said, I gather no one really would ever want to buy even a pretty clean 116? Are the older gas 116 cars sort of the 380SEL of the W116 (aka logical parts car for a rough 300SD, 450 or 560)?