I am looking for a diesel MB in North Carolina and this one popped up on Ebay. Please give me some insight or opinions on it. I know I run the risk of someone getting it, but I need to learn more and take that risk. I did do a carfax on it and it came back fine. It does seem to have low miles.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1,1&item=4615229392&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT

Thanks, Don

This has been stated many, many times on this forum, but I'll state it again: Unless solid information is available to verify it, do not assign any extra value to one of these cars solely for showing "low miles" on the odometer. The odometers are notorious for failing spontaneously. They're also notoriously easy to reset to any particular desired mileage.

CarFax can also be of limited value, especially for cars of this age. Depending on the state(s) in which the vehicle was registered, a CarFax report may be very uninformative. I'd still get one - it could reveal a real show-stopper bit of information - but a "clean" CarFax may not necessarily be much better than nothing. It all depends on the records that were available to build the report.

I'm not trying to rain on your parade here, and it might be a fine car. If it were local to me I'd be putting eyeballs on it right now. I'm just cautioning to be careful with how you weigh the information that's most readily available to you.

Since you've already brought the car to the attention of the forum, you might post asking if there's a forum member local to the car who would be willing to check it out for you. A few guys here have been kind enough to extend such assistance to me, and it saved me some grief.

Edited to add: Yes, a car like this could move fast, depending on the actual condition; the seller doesn't have a sky-high Buy-It-Now price. I, too, know the joy of looking for a M-B diesel of that vintage, poring over the ads daily, calling sellers to try to get useful information about the cars, and then finding out that the good ones are gone quickly. Good luck!

Judging by the condition of the front seats, I'd say the milage is above 250k, maybe well above. The odometers on these cars are problematic. My opinion is that the beginning bid is too high. The body does look good, I'd go $2,000 max, assuming the suspension is good.

Thanks for the information and also the insight on the seats. I will be critical as I continue.

Don

i would look on the car in some positive ways. there seems to bee no rust and the white paint looks good in the door jams and smaller places. the engine bay is clean, and other than the seats being somewhat worn, it looks like a great car.

there are things you need to note. if you get the chance to check out the car, look for things like smoke on startup. how long it took to start (number of cranks vs. the temperature). blowby. odd sounds or shifting. another thing to look for is any disconnected or random open vacuum lines(stuff disabled). while driving try to notice the trans and how it shifts. look at the rear axles and look for cracks in the rubber boots. also look at the tierods for ruber rips.

i bought my 300D on ebay for 3k. at the time i looked at ebay auctions in a much different ways, and ever since i have been on this forum, i feel i got really lucky with this car and was not ripped off. the condition and shape of my 300D was very good, and it had no mechanical trouble. so if this car is in great shape and also has no mechanical problems then i would find the $3400 not a bad deal.

again see if someone can take a look at it. that would be your best way of finding out nasty hidden problems. if the seller is truthful (does not happen often) then i would consider it a good deal.

ask the seller for documentation and receipts. old documentation from dealers and repair places can let you know if the mileage is correct, or was modified.

__________________

Grey '91 350SDL 214k Dad's car
Beige '81 240D 4 Speed 254k SOLD
Blue '82 300D 225k SOLD
White '95 E300D 46k SOLD
Blue '87 190D 2.5 Turbo 315k SOLD
Brown '80 240D 4 Speed 716k SOLD
Beige '80 300D N/A 119k SOLD
Blue '85 300D Model 186k T-Boned

Notice that he will only take a deposit via PayPal, and you can't use a credit card for that. Does this mean that you essentially have no recourse if the deal turns sour? Sure, it's only a hundred and fifty dollars, but still.

Another thing to consider in fleabay auctions:
Sometimes the bidding goes too high, just the momentum, and the winning bidder has buyer's remorse, many cars sold on fleabay never get delivered. Some are re-listed, others sold outside of fleabay.

I have run into this on a particular brand of motorhome that I frequently buy, after inspecting the coach I see the bids going too high for its condition, by people who haven't yet seen it. Once they actually see/inspect the coach they back out. I have contacted the seller, who knows I have already inspected it, told him that if the deal falls through please contact me, they have and they have. This way the seller avoids re-listing for possibly yet another no-sale, and I buy a vehicle that I've personally inspected for a price that is IMO reasonable. It is still the resposibility of the seller to pay fleabay fees BTW.

Just seeing the bids go too high doesn't mean you don't have a chance to buy it.

- Jeff Miller
190DT

bers don't line up properly and this usually means that for some time the odometer has not been working...the wheel drive pin has come out or someone has clicked off some miles by jambing a screwdriver between the star gears.

__________________
[http://languageandgrammar.com/2008/01/14/youve-got-problems-not-issues/ ]

"A liberal is someone who feels they owe a great debt to their fellow man, which debt he proposes to pay off with your money."

craigs list? www.craigslist.com click on a nearby city.



cannot verify it is more or les felonious than e-bay but things last longer.

__________________
currently
[1981 300 td tdidi 165500 dark brown/palamino-Brownie-mine-3k miles of ownership
1983 240d 162+++ Anthricite grey w/ henna red interior and hella lights-wifes car-Red

the above two cars are for sale
and can be seen on the cars for sale thread here. pix also available.


240d-144+ Manilla Yellow w/ palmino interior-greasecar kit-Blondie-the college kids car

23" gt 21 speed still on original tires-still got the nubs
21" khs tandem

but i wouldnt buy sight unseen. though the pics look pretty good, being there is a lot different.

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Best rule is "never buy anything expensive without seeing it firsthand." I've bought two cars off e-bay, but both were inspected prior to auction end, then I just bought the car outside of the auction anyway.

NEVER buy without personally inspecting - you'll regret it otherwise.

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- Brian


1989 500SEL Euro
1966 250SE Cabriolet
1958 BMW Isetta 600