What's it worth?
 

I have a friend with an '84 300D that just had the transmission go out.

I don't yet have specifics, but will get some, pictures too, if possible.

The car is located in Atlanta right now.

He is wanting to get $2000 as is.

I know this is very little to go on, but if I remember the car correctly it's nice inside, runs well except for the tranny and has brand new tires all around.

I'll post more, but what do you think with just this info?

Sounds very reasonable... if it were closer I could steal Randy's fourspeed out of this parts car out here and clear up that ' auto tranny problem'.... LOL

Just for comparison's sake, I just bought my 1985 300D-T in Atlanta a few weeks ago for $2000. Everything works except one rear window, it has 228k miles, and has a good interior but poor paint. It did need (and got) most of a front-end rebuild though.

A rebuilt transmission cost me $1,500 about three
 

years ago (installation included). Think adding these two figures plus the inevitable odds and ends that need to be tended to will make the investment go way up very quickly...caveat emptor

Sounds too high for a non-runner. FWIW, I only paid $2000 for Lilly, SWMBOs '84 300D, which Greg will attest, is as neat as a pin.

http://www.egapp.org/Graphics/Lillysbigadv/P8310078.JPG


She needed a/c work....the compressor clutch was unplugged. Hah!

Ummm, I'll probably notice that someday.

Remember, I also have a functional automatic occupying a corner of my shop.

Fuzzball... you have not been around this forum long so I will try to clue you in... this is a really cheap bunch of bargain hunters for the most part...
They want to be able to afford a half dozen parts cars so they don't want to pay much for any particular car....
You have to compare it to other cars....( if you keep in mind you don't really want them ).... and to new cars (which you are not going to be able to work on due to the computers)....
They aren't making any more of these 80-85 Diesels... so I say $2000 is very much in the ballpark for fair...

Greg,
Give it up, are you receiving some sort of kick-back or other financial interest on this vehicle?? :D

Here's a LINK to a 300D that has an excellent auto tran's that I ran across for $550, so if you could find a car like this for a trans-plant then you would be in good shape in my opinion. These W123 cars are probably the best car ever built by any mfg to date.

I love my 240D and paid $2600 and have spent about $800 on it since buying the car. Granted as can be seen in the picture I didn't really need new tires, but I wanted a taller and better quality tire then it had when I bought the car. It now has a new set of Yokohama Avid 205/70/14's and it was an amazing improvement to handling and ride. I have no regrets about buying the car and the price I paid, I enjoy driving the car more then any car I have ever owned. :D :cool: And that's the really the most important thing here.
http://mycitycable.com/~wpreasons/MB%20and%20Me.JPG

You, my friend, are a hoot....I always know I'm going to have fun when you and Randy get to going!!

Thanks for the input...I'm trying to get some more info and maybe post it for him.

I hear ya ON...been looking at that $550 jewel in the rough...can't afford it...but have looked.

The only problem I have with your scenario (which is the one I would take if it were my car needing the tranny) is that my friend doesn't do any work on his own. I could probably do it for him, if the car were here, but not with it in Hotlanta.

Anyways, he really needed wheels, so he picked up an Altima till he can get another Diesel or this one fixed.
.....by the way, very beautiful car...love the color, same as my SD! !

Seems high to me....but what do I know?
 

Marlena, the '84, cost us $2,000 a year ago in Mobile -- everything working except the cruise, and a key mark/scratch on one side.

We've since redone the front end, and junkyard-replaced the accelerator linkage (worn and loose -- this was the best thing we did, and cost maybe $45), and she's grand.

3 Weeks ago, we bought Ingrid from a dealer in Central Texas for $1,800, + $200 for a tech to replace all belts and hoses, change the oil, and top up all fluids (she'd been stored for a bit, and stuff was a little bit brittle-ish) before I drove her 360 miles home from the purchase. Pretty paint except for a little undercoat peeling behind the rear wheels (he thought it was rust, but it isn't), good wood, good upholstery, no cracks in the dash, EVERYTHING works great!! And each time, we were only looking for a week or two.

We've got another dealer nearby who saw one, pretty but running rough, at auction for $150. At that, I doubt the AC's working, and Lord knows what we'll find, but....He says they come up that way and better with some regularity, so we've given him $200 to buy us a running "parts" car.

Who knows, maybe we're just lucky. On the other hand, maybe your friend wants a little too much.....

Fuzzball,

I put a new transmission in my 115/300d a few months ago. It cost $1050 including convertor from www.mercedesdismantlers.com. (2 year warranty) and took about 4 hrs. to install. If you go this route be sure to get the two nylon bushings ($.75 each) that go on each end of the shifting linkage.

Kip I guess I will give them a call and see if they have a red driverside sunvisor with vanity mirror. Mine is messed up, the little hinges are broken and the mirrior frame is messed up.

$800 would be a fair price for the car with a bad transmission, maybe more if things are pristine or near pristine...