The value of these cars are all over the place. You can't "just use" KBB or Edmunds because they are averaging all the clunkers together with yours. Try to get a current valuation from your insurance company (due to accident), it took State Farm a week to do mine and they normally do one in 48 hours.

You can find these cars in decent condition for $1,500 or less if the owner doesn't know what he has AND wants to unload it. You can also find a clunker for $1,500. Or you can buy a really clean and well maintained one from one of the kind folks here for $5,000. Either may be a reasonable buy depending on condition.

__________________
84 300DT Puke Yellow. Totalled after 438,000
84 300DT Orient Red. 169,000 (actual mileage may vary)
2002 Explorer EB (wife's)

I don't believe that.
A 20+ year old car is a 20+ year old car. If they are well maintained then they are worth blue book value, period. If they are not well maintained then they are worth scrap price, $200 or so.
you don't get a pat on the back for maintaining your car. Your supposed to be doing that anyway!

Also if you say Blue book or Edmunds isn't a valid way to value a Mercedes then your putting Mercedes into a class all by itself. that may be OK in a biased forum like this but in the outside world you have to face reality.
Don't get me wrong here. if you can get $5,000 for a car worth $2000 then more power to you.
Now this is just my opinion but I think anyone would have to have their head examined to buy a 1983 300D for over $3,000. New paint or not. In reality they are just not worth that much.

Danny

__________________
1984 300SD Turbo Diesel 150,000 miles

OBK member #23

(\__/)
(='.'=) This is Bunny. Copy and paste bunny into your
(")_(") signature to help him gain world domination

Some folks simply have no qualms about low-balling. I guess an initial offer is fine (nothing ventured, nothing gained), but if you find out that the seller actually knows what he has, it is ridiculous to argue. I also think that shows a persons character traits, but that's just me.
Just because somebody got a good deal (say a wagon for $800), that doesn't mean all wagons are worth $800 and anything else is overpriced. That just means that for that one time you got a very good deal, and paid less than what the car was worth. Cars will not always sell for under what they are worth, but to put up the defense he did is just lame. He wasn't a Doctor from the Atlanta area was he?
Seems simple doesn't it......

__________________
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

If somebody pays it, then it was worth that much. You aren't always trying to sell to the masses, you're just looking for that one person that believes the car is worth it for him at that price.
To suggest these cars are only worth blue book is a mis-guided opinion. These are not used Chevy Cavaliers, these are nitche cars which have a value to folks more than blue book.
You think a VW van is worth over $5000, but I see them sell.
Please don't take this opinion personally, you were just wrong, that's all...

**edit**
I am in no way commenting of insurance values, which is a completely different discussion, and would certainly be less.

__________________
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

I understand what your saying and I respect your opinion.
My point is Itrain300D was insulted that he offered lower than what he was asking.
I'll bet you a donut the guy checked KBB and possibly Edmunds. He probably even checked around for similar vehicles and saw they weren't worth what he was asking.
He overvalued the car because he maintained it. **Supposed to do that anyway**. And he had it painted. can't sell a car with paint peeling now can you. If it was so well maintained why did it need a paint job?

And what does it matter the guys profession? Should he be cheated in price because he's a doctor?

Danny

__________________
1984 300SD Turbo Diesel 150,000 miles

OBK member #23

(\__/)
(='.'=) This is Bunny. Copy and paste bunny into your
(")_(") signature to help him gain world domination

Want some of this "reality" you're talking about?

Look at eBay, where TONS of these cars are bought and sold. You CAN find a 300D on there for $1,200....or even less.....but it will come with a LONG list of issues.

You will NOT find a "mint condition" 123 selling for $1,200.

Obviously there are exceptions to every rule....you MIGHT find that one-in-a-million moron who lets one go for so little.... but you'll probably grow a LOT grey hairs while you're waiting around for that.

If that guy can "easily" find mint condition 300D's for $1,200, then why was he wasting time e-mailing someone who was asking $3,250?.....

Mike

__________________
_____
1979 300 SD
350,000 miles
_____
1982 300D-gone---sold to a buddy
_____
1985 300TD
270,000 miles
_____
1994 E320
not my favorite, but the wife wanted it

www.myspace.com/mikemover
www.myspace.com/openskystudio
www.myspace.com/speedxband
www.myspace.com/openskyseparators
www.myspace.com/doubledrivemusic

Exactly my point. I don't know why he was emailing me if he could find these perfect 300D's for less than $1500 in VA, MD, and NC (what he said). I based my price off of what I feel the car is worth... I also looked over ebay, and the cars selling in this and other forums to get a price idea. If you don't feel that it is a fair price, don't buy it.

The doctor thing was just a call-back to some psycho selling a car a few weeks ago. I digress......

I too respect your opinion, and I think we are really just picking one aspect apiece of a multi-facited equation. You are correct that it has a certain value to the average Joe. I was correct that you are looking for an MB-Joe to buy it.
At least we burned another 10 minutes today.....
Paint only lasts so long, and not everyone can keep their cars garaged. When I sell my '80 wagon it will barely have any paint left on it. Luckily, Astral Silver Matelic is very close to the color of the base metal....

__________________
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

If anyone knows where I can find a GOOD 82-85 300D (<200,000 miles, NO rust, working ACC, reasonable paint and interior) for anywhere close to $3000, please let me know. I've been looking around to find one for my wife for a while now, and every one I've seen for that price would require at least $1000 to $2000 to make it usable.

Can we introduce you to Itrain300D?

__________________
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

Sorry to say, but I have more than 200,000 miles, and my A/C does not work.

No offense, but your car is a little more of a project than what I'm looking for right now. However, I personally think it is worth the $3000 your asking.

My point was that a car meeting my criteria will cost me in the $4-5000 range. I don't have any problem with that, once I find the right one. At this point, I would rather pay for what I want than buy a $3000 car and put another $1-2000 into it. I've already been through replacing (essentially) my entire ACC and AC system, my transmission, and various other $2-500 odds and ends to get mine the way I want it. It's taken me 4 years of projects to get to the point where I'm almost happy. I don't think my wife is interested in driving a rolling project for the next year or four.

I don't think I'm the only one willing to pay for a 20+ year old car. Just look at what else is available for under $5000.

None taken! I'm sure you'll find what you are looking for eventually. Good luck with the search.

I wish I were in the market... the car (and price) are great! good luck
1200, indeed!!! NEXT CUSTOMER.

You shouldn't have a problem getting your price for your car, if the stuff selling on e-bay for $3000+ is any indication. I think it's just a matter of hanging in there until the right buyer comes along. This is a fairly small market, and at any given time there are a limited number of people shopping. Do you have yours listed on e-bay?