A Tragic Tale.

[Glinko]

I found a 1978 240D for sale in my local newpaper.

101K miles...

Manual transmission...

$1200...


"Mint Condition." - Note the fact that I used quotation marks.


Jump to the chase; I went to look at the car. It was a light brown color (like if you were to swirl the last bits of chocolate ice cream in the bowl around with your spoon) with a gorgeous, gorgeous, leather interior.

One problem, the owner lied about that whole "mint condition" thing. No wonder he only wanted 1200 for the car, it was more rust than anything else.

Mind you I'm not a collector, I like to drive more than look at a car as it sits uselessly in my garage. So I figured that if the rust was exclusively on the body, I'd still make an offer.

Rusty spots:

- The lining on the bottom of the doors (I knew to look for that right away because I found a nasty surprise two months after I bought my '82 240D...lol, I guess)

- Behind the front bumper, where the rubber part connects to the body, directly in front of the fender (once again I knew to look due to an unhappy experience with my first 240)

- Both rear fenders.

- Last but not least - and this one truly confounded me - the right front wheel well, directly below the battery. I knew that it was directly below the battery because it was rusted so bad I could see it (the battery) from underneath the car.

"Eh, I'm buying it for the drive and the manual tranny, I really don't care if the body's falling apart, so long as the frame and undercarriage are intact."

I took it for a drive, and I simply loved it. The car shifts smoothly, idles well and blows literally no white diesel smoke, even at start up (it only has 101K miles, after all)

Parked it, got out with a huge smile on my face, ready to make an offer.
let's check that frame first, I think to myself.

WHAT FRAME? I SEE ONLY RUST. It was rusted so bad that I literally poked my thumb through several spots. The car was ready to snap in two if I hit a speed bump too fast.

So, basically, without much further ado, I left, pissed at myself for having spent half a tank of gas just to drive out and look at the damnéd rusty thing.

yeah, so that's my story.

Has anyone else ever looked at an old Mercedes only to feel sorrowful for its horrid condition? Wanting to punch the owner in the face for letting such a beautiful car sink into ruin?

[soydrivermatt]

Yes...

Originally Posted by Glinko

Has anyone else ever looked at an old Mercedes only to feel sorrowful for its horrid condition? Wanting to punch the owner in the face for letting such a beautiful car sink into ruin?

I have fortunately had auto experiences with no rust...
WHen I got my 300SD I checked and checked and checked and tried to find rust but it was spotless! 750 bucks later it was mine

The 240D manual had very very light rust around the bottom of the drivers door up next to the door seal but merely surface rust. 200 dollars later...that car sits in my drive.

2 mercedes...950 bucks...no rust...


My 69 bug though....when I first got it...um...I will let the pictures speak for themselves...

[Hatterasguy]

I looked at a "rust free" 300SD a while back. That poor car needed to be shot it was rusty in just about every spot W126's rust in and then some.

[Ara T.]

Seems like you could have haggled him down quite a bit, couldn't you have? Especially considering his false advertising...a shame. Sounds like the engine and tranny was in good shape.

[t walgamuth]

back in my cadillac days i drove an hour to indy to look at a '51 caddy coupe that was "rust free". i walked into the guys garage and thought "hmm looks a little rusty... i put my head inside the car and looked down... i could see both feet through the floor... it was all i could do to not say something hateful to the liar.

that's why i will never buy a car sight unseen or off ebay.

I can into ownership of a 1960 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider. Probably not the best engineered car in the world, but a real beauty.

Except the one I had was completely rusted out.

I remember feeling very negative, pessimistic about the people along the line that had let that beautiful and quite rare car be destroyed by the elements.

I sympathize.


--CD

[BodhiBenz1987]

Originally Posted by Glinko

Has anyone else ever looked at an old Mercedes only to feel sorrowful for its horrid condition? Wanting to punch the owner in the face for letting such a beautiful car sink into ruin?

That would be the #2 car in my sig ... only I have no resentment for its previous owner (my dad).

I do wish my dad hadn't let the car get to the point it's at now ... but I also understand got his own set of priorities ... should have sold it before it got to this, but hey, we all have our eccentricities.
And besides, he took good care of my 87 300D. And it's driver ...

[wbain5280]

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

back in my cadillac days i drove an hour to indy to look at a '51 caddy coupe that was "rust free". i walked into the guys garage and thought "hmm looks a little rusty... i put my head inside the car and looked down... i could see both feet through the floor... it was all i could do to not say something hateful to the liar.

that's why i will never buy a car sight unseen or off ebay.

He probably meant that what metal that was left was rust free.

[soydrivermatt]

Or maybe he meant that you got the rust..free..when you buy the car...

[DieselJim]

I took it for a drive, and I simply loved it. The car shifts smoothly, idles well and blows literally no white diesel smoke, even at start up (it only has 101K miles, after all)

If the engine and manual is in good shape it is probably worth that to some one with a 240 D with a bad engine and they want to convert to a manual.