should i buy this 83 300td w/127k on it - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

awarne · #1 10-27-2004, 03:43 AM

i am thinking of buying this car but owner says it needs a new head. he says everything else is beautiful. couple of questions how much will a new head cost either used or new and does any1 have 1 for sale on the forum. second how much to have it installed or how hard would it be for me to do it with you guys as an excellent resource. third could anything else be broken as a result, owner says he compression tested through the fuel injectors and two valves arent working what could cause this i thought these cars are supposed to go to 300k. the car is a beautiful car inside and out and really low miles. purchase price is $1,000 cash firm...please help everyone on this forum has always been so helpful and any1 have a nice head that will work...thx, Aaron

Great Boob · #2 10-27-2004, 06:42 AM

I hate to continually be the one to point this out, but probably the most common fault on these cars is the odo.'s almost always stop working at some point in the life of these cars, so do the math, 127k in 21 years? Not very likely. This car, with what you describe, may well have already seen 300k, in fact I'd bet on it, so be careful.

These can be great cars, also very, very expensive to restore, notice I said restore and not fix. To me fix is a few minor problems, more than likely, you are looking at something more like a restoration.

What is the general condition of the rest of the car. At very low mileage, the drivers seat should not be worn, pad firm. Also look at the wear on the texture of the steering wheel, particularly the top half. How much free play in the steering, etc. etc. Take the car to a mechanic or have a forum member check it out. Could very well be the most expensive $1000 car you've ever seen.

In general, I'd say everytime you buy a used car, there is always some hidden problem that will pop up later. Don't buy one that you know needs major repair, because that won't be the only thing it needs. I'd keep looking.

awarne · #3 10-27-2004, 10:22 PM

i know cars just not diesels i did a car fax and mileage is right condition of interior tells it all and outside has 1 small ding original paint never any body work"i know body work" miles are orig. u should feel the steering wheel woohoo he dropped the price to $ because its parked @ his friends house and has to move it. just need help figuring why the valves in the first two injector holes get no compression. and cost for good scenario and bad any help would be appreciated... thx

awarne · #4 10-27-2004, 10:24 PM

by the way car runs just not very good and the price has been dropped to 600$

Palangi · #5 10-27-2004, 10:30 PM

A 300TD is a station wagon. Is that what this is? If so, heads for wagons will be scarce as chicken lips.

Also

I wonder about the diagnosis. With 2 dead cylinders, I doubt if it would start at all. Give us a description of exactly how it starts and runs.

awarne · #6 10-27-2004, 10:34 PM

i havnt heard it run he offered to show me said it runs just not very good.
he says it has two bad valves not cylinders they did a compression test where the fuel injectors go and said nothing. for the first two...thx

unkl300d · #7 10-27-2004, 10:36 PM

Well if you are up for the project, the price is OK.
If all else fails, stick a V-8 into it !..or just go drink a V8... :p
Do a search , some guy posted a nice thread on his V-8 project (W123).

awarne · #8 10-27-2004, 10:38 PM

oh yea it is a sedan he had it listed as a td wagon but he meant turbo diesel.

Palangi · #9 10-27-2004, 10:47 PM

I dunno, I'm not getting good vibes on this one.

$600 car
$500 questionable junkyard engine
$??? to install engine
$??? to fix other stuff.

It adds up quickly. Pretty soon it adds up to more than you would have paid for a running car in the first place.

jim16671836 · #10 10-27-2004, 11:17 PM

Buy the car after he starts the engine and you check out the transmission...If the transmission is ok I would buy it and get a used head and change them out...I have a couple if you want one at a reasonable price guaranteed not to be cracked with a decent cam.....The engine is replaceable and their are many rust buckets with bad transmissions and not so decent interiors....Replace the head and then wait and sooner or later you will get a chance at a parts car with a good engine....Many people keep their engine up while the car is rusting away...Jim

awarne · #11 10-28-2004, 02:33 AM

yhanx jim thats wut i was thinking,,,

awarne · #12 10-28-2004, 04:38 AM

jim how much$ for a head

braverichard · #13 10-28-2004, 06:24 AM

Well I don't think you can go wrong for $600 if the transmission works. If you find it uneconomical to restore, you could just pay a mechanic to help you part it out and list the good parts on eBay and make more money from it than you actually paid to get it.

Great Boob · #14 10-28-2004, 06:58 AM

If the body and interior is truely excellent, or even good, for $600 I'd jump on it. I mean, assume the engine is totally shot, I'm betting that you can find a beater with a good engine for the same price or less, then get a mech to do a swap. I once had a quote of $1100 labor to do an engine swap.

I still doubt the mileage though, unless he ran w/o coolant, I don't know how else you'd lose two cylinders in 127k miles.

Let us know if you get the car, I'd like to know if it's valves, rings or what, interesting. Also post pictures.

Pete Burton · #15 10-28-2004, 07:51 AM

Can you drive it a round the block? If you can and the trans shifts OK (don't worry too much about a sharp 1-2 shift, it's nornal), offer him $500 and I bet he takes it. This is not too tough of a job to do the head if everything else is good. What about rust? That's always near the top of the list.