Well my dad brought his 83SD in to a collision shop today to have a quote done on repairing all of its rust issues and the rear window rust issues....they quoted replacing the rear fenders, as well as front fenders, as well as replacing the rear window + fixing the metal below it, at $5927 The window work by itself was quoted at around $920, so he may just do that. This car has an excellent engine (virtually no blowby, can start at 10 degs out with 2 glowplugs working) and an extremely tight and firm shifting tranny. The suspension and steering is also rock solid and had been redone a few years ago. The only mechanical problem is the rear half shafts/cv joints will grind when a large (very heavy) load is placed in the car, and there's some play in the differential. Everything else is perfect including the immaculate interior, aside from the rust issues. $6k is over twice what we paid for the entire car though!

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

How long have you lived in MI? I thought it was understood that MI is THE worst for rust.

Thanks
David

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2000 Honda Accord V6 137k miles

1972 300SEL 4.5 98k miles

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You'd be way ahead by finding a used CA or southwest car needing an engine and swapping parts and interiors. Engine and trans comes out in one piece. $900 for just the windows is pretty expensive (I understand that is what it costs, but there are alternatives).

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84 300DT Puke Yellow. Totalled after 438,000
84 300DT Orient Red. 169,000 (actual mileage may vary)
2002 Explorer EB (wife's)

Sounds like about what was quoted for my 87 300D. It wasn't so much that the damage on mine was that extensive, but the body shop would not put their name on the work unless the entire car was perfectly color-matched and so forth. I'll pay anything to "save" my car should problems arise, but dropping my life savings for perfect paintwork isn't in the planbook. Instead bought a dremel, POR15, paint and several grits of sandpaper. Now all I need is an extension cord long enough to get the tool to my car (it's always the little things, isn't it?) and I'll turn the $6000 job into a $100 job.

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1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles
1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited, light khaki/slate--140,000 miles
2018 Chevy Cruze diesel, 6-speed manual, satin steel metallic/kalahari--19,000 miles
1982 Peugeot 505 diesel, 4-speed manual, blue/blue, 130,000 miles
1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car)

Thats exactly what I did to mine on Tuesday. I dremeled/drilled off all the rust, then I primed and painted it very very good. Then again the only rust on my whole car is along the front of the passenger rear frender where it got damaged. No other rust. I look for rust like a hawk.

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

what a joke i love quotes..

i got a quote on a tranny rebuild today 1400
and engine rebuild 3500

83 300sd I will do it myself...

Amen to that!

__________________
Adam Lumsden
(83) 300D
Vice-President of the MBCA International Stars Section

You have to up in these parts...

Thanks
David

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2000 Honda Accord V6 137k miles

1972 300SEL 4.5 98k miles

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I agree with Eric. When I go to the junk yard, there are many very nice MB bodies in there. I assume that they are junked because of engine or transmission failures.

It might pay to place an ad somewhere like Craigslist or ask a junk yard to make an on line inquiry. They have nationwide access for parts and in this case the part you want is a body.

$6k sounds about right. Thats why you have to do it yourself. I was quoted about $3k to repair the rust below my rear window. I did it myself for about $150. All you really need is an $80 gasket and $30 worth of MB window sealent.

Well the proper repair would have been to cut out the old metal and weld in new stuff, I just stopped the rust. Maybe in the future I will bit and bullet and spend the $3k to have new metal made up.

I am going to sleep well this winter as the salt eats my $535, 300SD and my rust free SDL sleeps in the garage.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Here is the start of my rust repair adventures.

Rust Never Sleeps

I have since finished the job, but not yet cropped the pictures down to a size where they will save to this forum. I'll do that soon enough.

BTW - absolutely NO water gets in that trunk anymore

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