I'm the last one to defend a dealer, but they had to of misquoted you. Probably gave you a price for the primer pump and primer pump "housing", or whatever it is that the primer pump attaches to...

Which reminds me, I've got a nifty Monark primer pump sitting in my garage. I bought it for the 240D, but the original wouldn't budge and still worked last filter change...

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1982 240 D, 308,000 - 321,127 miles (sold)
1982 300 TD,166,500 - 226,000 miles
1998 E 320, 120,000 - 144,000 miles
2005 C 230 K, 26,000 - 77,000 miles (sold)