Picking up 81' 300SD - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Diesel Clatter · #1 01-10-2006, 06:18 PM

Hello to all. My question has already been covered before so if it is easier, just let me know where to look for the answer.

I'm driving 400 miles to Michigan on Friday to pick up an 81' 300SD Mercedes. The car has 134,000 miles and has been thru two owners. I'm buying it sight unseen (execpt for pictures) from a Nissan dealer where it was traded in. Price is $3000.

I've paid by credit card (as is) but am assuming that I could refuse the car if somthing is seriously wrong with it. The dealership has performed the mandatory inspection which has not turned up anything major.

I plan on checking for pressure in the coolant res, excessive blow-by at the filler cap, smell of oil and transmission fluid, make sure charging system is working, drive it.

Can anyone recommend any additional checks before I drive this thing off the lot?

boneheaddoctor · #2 01-10-2006, 07:18 PM

check for rust and bondo around jack points....a small magnet taped your finger works well (radio-shack sells them if you have none) , you can feel even a little bondo this way.(old trick a dealer friend taught my parents)..look for rust around the rear window...also look well at rust all over...you are in the rust belt.

#3 01-10-2006, 08:45 PM

Eyeball the engine and take a close look at the front/rear suspension compenents...

Since this is the only chance you have to not accept the car, I would spend a good half hour to hour just going over it piece by piece checking it out. Look in the trunk too for rust damage, etc.

Check out all the electrical goodies while you are driving it to see what it is like.

You might bring some stuff with you to do repairs incase it gives you trouble. Maybe a 10mm wrench, few screwdrivers, a 13mm, filters..

The basics

Hope you end up liking it..I love mine!

Hatterasguy · #4 01-10-2006, 10:44 PM

Do yourself a favor, I have done this before with an S320. Looking at a car in an un familer town in someones driveway isn't the best place to go over a purchase.

Find the closest MB dealer, and schedual a PPI. You need to get it up on a lift and go over it. $3k is alot and if it has been a MI car for awhile it will have rust, the queston is how much.

If it has been a MI car since day one it is probably like swiss cheese underneath. Just for fun pull the jack out of the spare tire well and try to jack the car up on all four jack points, see if one crushes up.

t walgamuth · #5 01-10-2006, 10:57 PM

advice. hopefully it will check out fine, but if it isn't the dealer will find plenty that needs fixing and it will give you some bargaining leverage. and i wouldnt pay extra for low mileage unless they have excellent documentation that ties the mileage to dates etc.

smooth idle, smooth shifting with no slipping and functioning ac are things to check. if the body is very excellent then you could afford to fix one of the three biggies, but if the body is at all rusty, then the other things should all work well or you prob. should walk.

tom w

86560SEL · #6 01-11-2006, 01:14 AM

Everyone had excellent advice- pretty much sums it up. I will reiterate- CHECK FOR RUST, especially if it has been in Michigan for awhile- like the "doctor" said in the above reply. Check the undercarriage, bottoms of the doors, inside the trunk, rocker panels (jack point holes), and inside the front well along the frame, as well as the rear wheel wells. When I was looking for one of these, I had found some up north and they were total rust buckets. Luckily, I found one here in the south that is 100% rust free, aside from where my door drains stopped up and water stayed in there and rusted out a couple of door bottoms, which I soon plan to repair/replace. I looked under my car well when I had mufflers installed and it is like new under there, so a rust free example can be found, so do not settle for a rusty car, especially at that price. Like Hattarasguy mentioned- check those jack points very carefully. If they are OK and "bondo/filler" free, chances are the undercarriage should be OK as well, but not definite. Check there as well. At the dealer, they should let you take the car in the shop, put it on the lift and check the undercarriage, you can also see leaks this way. Some seepage from the rear axle is acceptable.

Rear window leaks and taillight leaks are common- check the trunk especially for rusting.

Check the electrical components- from the heat and A/C. These HVAC systems can be tempermental. If not working properly, I do not think it is difficult to replace. Check window and seat operations. Cruise controls are also common problems on some of these cars. I have yet to check mine to even see if it operates.

Make sure your dash lights operate as well. I have read this can be a trouble spot.

Check oil, etc. Watch the oil pressure gauge and temperature gauge. Make sure no overheating is taking place. I have been told that up to 90*-95*C is normal.

Just some other basic things that should apply to all cars that you probably already know:

Listen for unusual suspension noises or any other noises that sound odd.

Check for leaks (it will not be a big deal if it is leaking some oil- it is a diesel and that is not uncommon). Make sure the tranny shifts properly through all gears and make sure it does not slip/flare.

Take note of any tampered wiring. Be weary of cut wires, or wiring that looks "un-original".

I am sure I forgot something. Now it is a 1981 model, so it may not be a perfect car, but for $3000. it should be very presentable.

Do they have documentation that mileage is indeed original? If so and the two owners have taken care of this car, then it should easily have 300K+ miles left in it.

Good luck. If you get it, you will have to take photos and show us this machine.

JoeG1954 · #7 01-11-2006, 08:04 AM

. . . stop in and see me.

I live in Dayton, OH; 5 blocks from I-75 and have an 81 300SD and an 85 300SD parts car. We can talk, look at each others cars, eat lunch, etc

Joe Gottschlich
220 Central Ave
Dayton,OH

81 300SD
82 300D
95 E420
85 300SD (parts)
85 300D (parts)
80 280CE (mistake)

boneheaddoctor · #8 01-11-2006, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 86560SEL

Everyone had excellent advice- pretty much sums it up. I will reiterate- CHECK FOR RUST, especially if it has been in Michigan for awhile- like the "doctor" said in the above reply. Check the undercarriage, bottoms of the doors, inside the trunk, rocker panels (jack point holes), and inside the front well along the frame, as well as the rear wheel wells. When I was looking for one of these, I had found some up north and they were total rust buckets. Luckily, I found one here in the south that is 100% rust free, aside from where my door drains stopped up and water stayed in there and rusted out a couple of door bottoms, which I soon plan to repair/replace. I looked under my car well when I had mufflers installed and it is like new under there, so a rust free example can be found, so do not settle for a rusty car, especially at that price. Like Hattarasguy mentioned- check those jack points very carefully. If they are OK and "bondo/filler" free, chances are the undercarriage should be OK as well, but not definite. Check there as well. At the dealer, they should let you take the car in the shop, put it on the lift and check the undercarriage, you can also see leaks this way. Some seepage from the rear axle is acceptable.

Rear window leaks and taillight leaks are common- check the trunk especially for rusting.

Check the electrical components- from the heat and A/C. These HVAC systems can be tempermental. If not working properly, I do not think it is difficult to replace. Check window and seat operations. Cruise controls are also common problems on some of these cars. I have yet to check mine to even see if it operates.

Make sure your dash lights operate as well. I have read this can be a trouble spot.

Check oil, etc. Watch the oil pressure gauge and temperature gauge. Make sure no overheating is taking place. I have been told that up to 90*-95*C is normal.

Just some other basic things that should apply to all cars that you probably already know:

Listen for unusual suspension noises or any other noises that sound odd.

Check for leaks (it will not be a big deal if it is leaking some oil- it is a diesel and that is not uncommon). Make sure the tranny shifts properly through all gears and make sure it does not slip/flare.

Take note of any tampered wiring. Be weary of cut wires, or wiring that looks "un-original".

I am sure I forgot something. Now it is a 1981 model, so it may not be a perfect car, but for $3000. it should be very presentable.

Do they have documentation that mileage is indeed original? If so and the two owners have taken care of this car, then it should easily have 300K+ miles left in it.

Good luck. If you get it, you will have to take photos and show us this machine.

Tape the small magnet on the palm side of your middle finger between the first and second knuckle (middle of the finger) as you slide your hand over the suspect areas you will feel the magnetic grab lessen in proportion to the thickness of bondo present....(on steel obviously) some dealers used to have a ring with a magnet located there so they could (spot) bondo repairs.

trick is small magnet not large one.....this works amazingly well. I've done it myself in years past. since shady type repairs may look fine for a while they would be bondo instead of steel.

BobK · #9 01-11-2006, 01:40 PM

And I'm just 10 miles south of Cincinnati on I-75. If ya have trouble, you are welcome to holler.

Diesel Clatter · #10 01-11-2006, 09:00 PM

Wow, Thanks for the generous responces!

I have some more information on the car. Can be seen online at mannlove2deal.com. Dealership faxed me the carfax report. Two previous owners and no flood, salvage etc. The dealer gave me the name and phone number of the guy that traded it in. The original owner was the guy's grandmother. She died around 5 years ago and he bought the car from the state. She drove the car down to Florida winters. In her later years she wasn't driving it much if at all. The guy said he didn't drive it much either but would occassionally. Said it was garaged. I asked him what kind of oil was in it and he didn't know. Said Passport Automotive had done oil changes and any other work since he owned it. I'm not so nieve as to believe that there is absolutely none. He said that the body was real solid and that there was no rust. I know that rust is probably hiding somewhere even if it is not yet visible. Since I bought the car the dealership has raised the price to $3,500. I think with the number of calls they realized that they might be selling it a little cheap and are thinking they'll make a little more on it if I don't take it. There was someone supposed to be coming from Cleveland Monday (the day I bought it) to look at it. That I why I bought it sight unseen. I'm sure it would have been gone. I'll be headed back to Madison, WI leaving Adrian, MI at around 9:30am. Let me know whether it would be practical to meet any of you on my way back.

t walgamuth · #11 01-11-2006, 10:46 PM

pretty good. hope it all works out fine for you.

tom w

dunl · #12 01-11-2006, 11:31 PM

Jacking it up is an excellent idea.....good way to find the rust on those jacking points, as they won't hold if it's rusty.

Nice looking unit, btw....hope it works out. I got my 1980 300SD for $4000 CAD.