Lets brainstorm and make a List Newbies should consider when buying a 300D..I see a lot of Posts from people asking us whether they should buy this or that Mercedes Diesel. I was thinking, why don't we all post a list of items that a newbie with average mechanical ability should look for when purchasing a W123 Diesel. This is just my opinion --every 300D by now has shot ball joints or leaking CV boots or some fault unless someone has attended to these items--but when a 300D is brought to fully renewed condition it often has at least another 300,000 miles left in it. So maybe we should quote repair procedures/prices as well wrt to certain items, such as nonfunctional AC or a nonworking odometer.

Here's my first several contributions:
1. Pull up all the carpets and look for rust on the floorboards.
2. Drive behind the car when someone else is driving it and look for smoke at acceleration or deacceleration or for smoke in general.
3. See if the odometer works. In many states now, your car will not pass inspection unless it works.
4. YOUR TURN Don't worry Brian Carlton or myself will editorialize and pretty everything up.