My pride and joy, a golden braun 1980 Mercedes with a 4 speed transmission, new battery, glowplugs, clutch, and Euro headlights has just been returned to my driveway because it has a problem with rust underneath by the rear coil spring mounts. I cannot afford the repairs but the car runs beautifully on diesel and biodiesel. I put semi-synthetic oil in the engine and Red-Line synthetic oil in the transmission and differential so it gives me 40 miles to the Canadian gallon of gas on the highway, even though the engine has 370,000 kilometers (about 247,000 miles) on it. This forum has been absolutely fantastic helping me with my 240D and my 300SD. I don't want to give the 240D away but if anyone is interested in it as a "parts car" or a "project car", please let me know. I live in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, if anyone is interested. It would need to be hauled in a car transport truck or on a flatdeck even though it is very driveable. I just can't get it "safetied" in Ontario because of the rust problem. There are no fancy electronic gadgets to fail on it. The sunroof works but there is a problem with the motor so I have to unplug it when I park the car. It doesn't have air conditioning or power windows. The vacuum door locks still work fine. Tires have lots of tread but will have to be replaced because they're weather-checked. So, if anyone is interested, let me know before I advertise it on Ebay or in the local paper.

Well, you are a long way from me.... another owner of a 1980 240 manual ... hard to find a more simple and easy to work on car than ours...

But lets examine this situation before you make any moves... if nothing more than to help out any potential buyers from the forum...

What exactly has rust on it.... ?
Can you post pictures ?
How did the inspection station describe the rust ?

What do you want for it? Although, I don't think it would be cost effective to ship it to Texas. I want an engine for a 240 I am thinking about buying.

I will be posting pictures this weekend of the car. The rust is where the coil springs mount at the rear of the car and in the trunk. I was going to fix the rust in the trunk but I would have to take it to a professional body body shop to repair the rust around the rear coil springs. Please note that this car is definitely driveable if you can get a temporary permit. The engine runs great and the drivetrain is fine. For those who are asking about a price, I would like to get the value of the engine and transmission for it which I consider to be worth up to $1,000. However, that is negotiable. I just want to get it someone who can really use it. It depresses me that I have to sell it because I really like the car.

I am willing to sell my 1980 240D for any reasonable offer. I understand that transporting it could be costly, even though a person probably could get a permit to drive it. It is very driveable but the tires should probably be replaced before taking in on a long trip. The picture shows my plastic wheel covers but I actually have the steel wheelcovers to match the car. I cannot get underneath to show the rust at the coil springs.

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Ahhh, you're driving me nuts ! I am in Montreal so no cross border jaunting. I could most likely get it registered here, although I have neither the time or abililty to get there right now. What's bottom line on it ? Maybe I could get a car carrier to pick it up if the price were right ?
I already have a 240D, 1983 4 speed but wouldn't mind another :-) I make my own biodidesel and the Benz is also fully converted to a two tank system for SVO.One more vegie mobile wouldn't hurt eh?

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1983 240D 4 speed running on B100 and SVO
www.b100wh.com/b100wh.html#reactor
My Biodiesel Reactor/Processor

I am sorry. I am not trying to drive you nuts. Bottom line is $500US or $650 Canadian. I has a new battery, new glowplugs, white face gauges, new clutch (in 2002) and euro headlights that are worth more than that. I could sell it for less but it would have no headlights (as I sold the original headlights). You could probably get a set of headlights for about $100 US or $250 US for Euro headlights. Please note that it runs very well with the semi-synthetic oil in the engine and Red Line synthetic oil in the transmission and differential. It shifts very smoothly and the engine runs very smoothly when I put in my own biodiesel. Please be advised that it has not been recently safetied in Ontario because of the rust at the rear coil spring mounts. This is a "project car". If it was safetied, I would be selling it for a lot more.

I want it but my finance minister (my wife) tells me that it may not be a good idea right now, so I have to nix it.Sorry.
Ontario is much more fussy about registering older cars than almost anywhere else, so this is going to make someone a great find, IMO.
What would help though would be to post a few more pics. Someone will surely bite. I am disappointed, but that's life I guess.

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1983 240D 4 speed running on B100 and SVO
www.b100wh.com/b100wh.html#reactor
My Biodiesel Reactor/Processor

I just sent you a private message about the car.

__________________
1983 240D 4 speed running on B100 and SVO
www.b100wh.com/b100wh.html#reactor
My Biodiesel Reactor/Processor

Well. I can certainly understand that. I have listed it in the Buy & Sell for Thunder Bay area. Thanks for the tip regarding Ontario registration. That's a big help. Really it is, as I am planning to move to BC or Alberta in the next few years. If the registration is not as tough there and there are no responses from any of my listings, I think I will take that as a sign to keep it. It is cheaper to run than my 2002 Honda Civic.

For anyone who wants to have more information on my 240D, please see item #7974708875.

Well, this is heresy, but in your own interest - you can probably get more for the car by parting it out than $500. But a lot of hassle comes with doing that, plus you have to dispose of the carcass.

I didn't realize the rear spring mounts were too much of a rust problem - better check all mine. Are you talking about rust at the upper or lower end of the spring?

Ken300D

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1982 300D at 351K miles
1984 300SD at 217K miles
1987 300D at 370K miles

The rust is not in the coil springs but above the springs where they mount to the underneath of the body of the car.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7974708875

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Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

Must be hardcore rust!

Leathermang, I joined the 240D stickshift club as well...what an exceptionally easy car to work on!

The 300SD still has its nice features but the 240D is making a special place in my driving heart heh. (manual windows, dual manual climate control, manual seats, etc.)

Any idea where I could snag up a shifter for my car? The PO broke the upper part and I need to replace, well, the entire part that is removeable from the threads up.