Just wanted to share some experiences with fixing my 300D and say thanks because most of the info came form the "search" button. I posted about all of my problems on some forum that looked a lot like this but nowwhere near the activitiy so I am pretty sure it wasn't this one and I can't find my original post anyway.

In late October I bought this 300D for $900. 330K miles but runs like a top. Great body, a little clear coat stripping off, and an amazingly immaculate interior. I ended up fixing all of these problems for less than $200 in parts (used parts mostly).

Front End: both front tires were pinched in badly and it was borderline dangerous. Tires were wearing badly to the inside. I thought this would be a big deal, spring compressors required, changing joints, etc. Turned out to be the common upper control arm bushings where they attach to the inner fender-well. This job took maybe 30 minutes to change both sides and definetely completely fixed the problem. There is a nice 300D at a local junk yard that appears the owner sunk lots of money into. The control arms were nice and shiny so they had been recently replaced so I grabbed these.

Starting: It had a Autozone Duralast battery that was in good shape. But there was something wrong with the glow plug relay where it would not turn off the glow plugs even after the light clicked off. So I must have burned out my glow plugs and as a result it would barely start. So, in trying to crank and crank and crank, I killed the battery. So replaced with another Autozone battery 49-DL 880 CCAs which isn't bad, pulled the glow plugs off this junk yard car (also in good shape and replaced) and bench tested them and the car now starts very well. To get the glow plugs to turn off, I just use the starter, when it starts turning the engine they kick off. So I need to replace the relay I suppose...

Clunk in back left: it had a bad CV joint. Bought a already pulled one from a European only place for $75. Did not want to deal with having to remove it myself because it was fairly cold out, in the junk yard (which would have been cheaper and were in nicer shape. So I followed the numerous threads and it was actually way easy to change. It was my first "CV" joint replacement, removing the C clip wasnt too bad, I think I had it all torn down in and the CV joint out in an hour?

Other items, replaced trans mount, and a few other things and it's actually in great shape. Tranmission was replaced by PO but is solid. Guy did nopt hook up reverse lights, speedometer, and probably some wiring so key does not turn on car, it uses a push putton that he rigged. But it is not bad...