Quote:
Originally Posted by dkr
Well, being in Canada you ought to know more about structural rust issues than we do in the southern states.
Aside from that, I would be most concerned about the engine. If it turns on and shuts down quickly and has good acceleration, those are good signs. You might want to try the oil cap test to see how much blow by there is. You can also examine the air cleaner to see how much oil is in it. Some is normal, but it shouldn't be totally caked in oil.
The transmission is also a consideration. You can check wear by how quickly it goes into drive and reverse and also by putting the car in drive on a slight incline and watching it inch forward by itself. Hard shifting is usually a vacuum problem and most W123s have hard shifting to some extent. You can also check for a burnt smell on the dipstick and the proper fluid level. As long as it isn't making any grinding sounds, there isn't much else to check without pulling things apart.
For a $1000 car, this is about as far as I would take it. You know it isn't going to be perfect, but there really isn't too much budge room on the price. Either you like it and want it or you don't.
Dkr.
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It goes into gear fine. As quickly as my 300CE with a fraction of the mileage. Since the rust is non structural I should be okay.
By the way, any way to find out where the car originated from? I ran a VIN check but nothing showed up to indicate its U.S. history. I suppose it could have come to Canada before accurate records for importation were kept. The history that was revealed shows it has been here for at least the 24 years or so. The mileage from smog inspections is consistent for the last 20 plus years so I am fairly confident the mileage is indeed correct.