How to properly buy a 87 300D - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

MBDFahrer · #1 08-07-2004, 06:52 AM

Well... in a few hours i'll probably be on my way to see a "proper" 87 300D. After a little more than a year into the ownership of my current one, my dad has found one that is the total opposite of mine. He's seen it and says the idle is good, aside from that i don't know much about it. What is the proper way for buying a 603 powered W124 300D? From what he has told me, it is a single owner car, 170,xxx miles, garage kept, very good interior and exterior, and idles smoothly. The asking price is $4200 firm.

What I have learned from this site, maintenance records, check to make sure the "luxuries" works (sunroof, the cc's - cruise control and climate control, power seats, etc etc), how the trans shifts, hope that its a newer head, but probably won't be. Anything else that i may have missed? Pretty sure rust isn't a problem down here in SoCal. Think the price is reasonable?

I'm going to have to sell my car to get this and quite frankly... I feel bad offering it on the forum due to its condition and i need the money to get the other car. But here's the description of my car, in case anyone MAY be interested (as a parts car?

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Salvaged title, 3+ owners as reported on carfax, Mother of pearl gray exterior with black interior, 180,2xx miles and with the original head still, hella euro headlights, very little maintenance record/scheduled maintenance log, no a/c, manual sunroof (cable disconnected, headliner removed but works manually), black primered hood, and a rebuilt alternator in february. I paid $2200 for it so i'm not dissatisfied but not too proud either.

Hope to hear some replies soon about both my car and the one i might be getting. I'll post pictures of both when I get my digital camera. Thanks for reading

AlexTheSeal · #2 08-07-2004, 01:31 PM

Sounds like a great price on the new one if it's really in good shape.

If you part out the old one, I call dibs on the euro headlights!

Hatterasguy · #3 08-07-2004, 06:24 PM

Put the euros on your new car! You wont get any more money fr your old one because of the euros. Don't forget to check for blow-by! Also warm it up and listen for the 603 lifter tick. (don't worry if the lifters tick they all seem to do it)

MBDFahrer · #4 08-07-2004, 06:45 PM

Too late, its been sold

looks like i'll just have to work on mine to get it up to par. Hatterasguy, what is this "lifter tick" you speak of? Every once in a while the car makes a clicking sound. At first I thought it was the IP, but now that you speak of this, i'm not too sure. It somewhat scares me.

I was thinking about keeping my euros and transferring to the new car but if i was to buy the new car, i would have to sell mine in order to get the cash to buy the new car. And they have a bit of damage to the mounting points.

Hatterasguy · #5 08-07-2004, 07:03 PM

A lot of 603's seem to do it, the lifters get gumed up and tick. Thats the noise they make their really is no other way to describe it, they really only seem to tick when the oil is warm. Mine does it the loudest when it sits at a stop light or in traffic and I give it the gas. It really is an optional fix, synthetic oil seems to quite most of them down. If it really bothers you, than spend $300 and replace all of the lifters. I'll probably replace mine when I do the chain this winter/spring.

Do a search their should be a lot of info on this.