In my quest for a "younger" version of my car, I looked at a 1988 300E 5-speed this morning with 65K miles. It drove as a new car.

It lived most of its life in upstate New York and its major problem is rust around both front jack ports.

Has anyone had experience with this? Expected repair costs? Or is this one to walk away from?

Many TIA.

__________________
Chuck Taylor
Falls Church VA
'66 200, '66 230SL, '96 SL500. Sold: '81 380SL, '86 300E, '72 250C, '95 C220, 3 '84 280SL's '90 420SEL, '72 280SE, '73 280C, '78 280SE, '70 280SL, '77 450SL, '85 380SL, '87 560SL, '85 380SL, '72 350SL, '96 S500 Coupe

I got the same problem with my 1986 190e. I have rust on the front and rear jack points of my car. When i have time, I am going to just cover it up with aftermarket side skirts.

Maybe someone else has a better answer for you if you don't want to get side skirts.

Peter V.

__________________
1986 Mercedes 190e 2.3

The W124s generally don't have much of a tendency to rust, if well cared for, so personally I'd steer clear (although the 5-speed IS intriguing).

__________________
Steve
'93 400E

Funny my 88 300E had the same problem. I opted to have the rockers replaced. It was about $1200. I had them order MB replacement rockers and cut in just the jack ports. Mine weren't to bad yet, but rust is like cancer....catch it early. One thing, make sure they use a lot of waxoyl or silmilar rust inhibitor. I spray marine way in the ports (after I flushed them and dried them) a few times a year. I also replaced the jack ports covers as when they are old they become hard and do not seal as well, I reccommend doing this every couple a years. The bodyshop did an excellent job on the rock shield finish.

Shaun

Good info. Thanks.

__________________
Chuck Taylor
Falls Church VA
'66 200, '66 230SL, '96 SL500. Sold: '81 380SL, '86 300E, '72 250C, '95 C220, 3 '84 280SL's '90 420SEL, '72 280SE, '73 280C, '78 280SE, '70 280SL, '77 450SL, '85 380SL, '87 560SL, '85 380SL, '72 350SL, '96 S500 Coupe

Chuck - where exaclty is "upstate N.Y.?" If they mean just west of New York City (like Albany, which is what most people from New York city think upstate means), then no big deal, but if its from the "real" upstate New York, like Rochester or Buffalo, then this car has experienced some serious road conditions. I'm the guy with the gold 300D you bumped into at the dealer while buying the timing chain for your SL, and I'm from Rochester. Cars up there get beaten with constant rain all year long, and then sever winter weather which requires the roads to be salted until they are white for about 4 months out of the year. Most cars over 12 years old have huges holes in the floor and the rear fender wells are completely eaten away from salt - and I mean GONE! Paint gets completed wrecked from the sandblasting effect of all the salt hitting the car while you drive down the road.

Then there is the issue of completely rusted solid nuts and bolts which need to be cut off or heated cherry-red with a torch to remove, rotten a/c components (almost every car over 5 years old has non-working a/c because the condensor and hose rot fast), rotten radiators, corrosion on all the electrical connections, brake lines blow, heat shields fall appart and rattle all the time, parking brake cables will be toast... You get the idea

In any event, that guy is asking $8,200 for a car that has a book value of around $5,500, tops. I think he's crazy asking that price unless its perfect, and since it has rust, of which you are only seeing the tip of the iceburg, now I know he just plain greedy.

Good luck, and buyer beware! You can take a look at all the rust on my poor benz if you want to get a better idea.

Greg
'84 300D

Thanks for that inspiring message.

Dunno about greed, more like attachment. The car is well-loved. It was his father's and he got it when he retired to Nantucket. When I looked at it on Saturday, it was GARAGED AND COVERED next to a restored 1965 Mustang.

It feels like I should walk away. Even at a bargain price, waiting for rust to re-appear on an otherwise perfect car is not very appealing.

__________________
Chuck Taylor
Falls Church VA
'66 200, '66 230SL, '96 SL500. Sold: '81 380SL, '86 300E, '72 250C, '95 C220, 3 '84 280SL's '90 420SEL, '72 280SE, '73 280C, '78 280SE, '70 280SL, '77 450SL, '85 380SL, '87 560SL, '85 380SL, '72 350SL, '96 S500 Coupe

Now, over here in the UK, we put real salt on the roads. Rust repairs are routine, and I certainly wouldn't expect to pay $1200! New rockers on my 190E cost me 200gbp, say $300, fitted, painted and rustproofed. They weren't OEM, but you couldn't tell the difference.

__________________
Cheers, Neil

Neilig - Trust me, the put "real" salt on the roads in upstate N.Y., and plenty of it. I frequently read UK car and Land Rover magazine and have noticed that not only is rust repair common, but rest preventative products and services are readily available. Hammerite, Dinitrol, Waxoyl and all the associated tools to apply the stuff is not even sold on the market here in the U.S. Why I don't know, maybe people just don't value older cars here as much as in the U.K.

My main point is, would you like to be a part-time importer of Dinitrol? I would love to get my hands on that stuff and completely coat my car. I've even toyed with the idea of vacationing in the U.K. just to get my hands on the stuff! The most recent issue of Practical Classics even mentions wax that can be applied very thickly with a bruch to the undercarriage and wheel wells. It looked thicker and heavier than Dinitrol. Do you know what product that would be?

Later,

Greg
'84 300D

It's called Waxoyl.

Can be sprayed, or even brushed onto the chassis.

Never really sets, so it heals when damaged.

Brilliant stuff, my cars all get dosed up with it regularly.

Cheers,

Richard
1989 W124 300E

__________________
1989 W124 300E
1991 R129 500SL

How many 300E five speeds were produced?

Rumor has it that there were 300 imported to the US only, in '86 and '88. Dunno about worldwide, though.

__________________
Chuck Taylor
Falls Church VA
'66 200, '66 230SL, '96 SL500. Sold: '81 380SL, '86 300E, '72 250C, '95 C220, 3 '84 280SL's '90 420SEL, '72 280SE, '73 280C, '78 280SE, '70 280SL, '77 450SL, '85 380SL, '87 560SL, '85 380SL, '72 350SL, '96 S500 Coupe

Me as part time exporter to the US, no thanks. But you could try Frost Auto Restoration www.frost.co.uk as I think they ship world wide.

__________________
Cheers, Neil

Thanks Neileg. I was only kidding about you importing Waxoyl to the U.S. But I am very interested in websites that sell the stuff, so I would really appreciated it if you can recommend any others. Frost didn't have waxoyl.

Thanks,

Greg
'84 300D

Rover's North (www.roversnorth.com ), a Land Rover part distributor sells Waxoyl products.

Check them out,

Shaun