(requisite newbie post)

I'm crazy about by Jetta TDI and I was thinking about purchasing a diesel Mercedes to go with it. I found a candidate on CL and checked it out last night -- could someone help me figure out if it's a good deal?

1984 300SD

+ Body is in excellent shape. No rust anywhere, wheel wells and inside of trunk included.

+ Mechanically the car seems to be well-sorted. The car has had at least two owners -- one who owned it from 1995 until 2005, and the current owners (2005 to present). The 1995 - 2005 owner was of the habit of taking the car into the shop whenever anything was wrong and did everything that the shop told her to do. This has included the following:

That list does not include minor things like new hood ornament, etc.

+ Quality window tint job.

+ No smoke (!!). Doesn't seem to leak or consume oil.

- There are shenanigans afoot with regard to the turbo. The lower part of the intake coming from the air filter was loose and it looks like dust mixed with oil to cake on the inside of the intake side of the turbo. It's layered about an inch thick. However, the vanes on the turbo look to be in good shape and there is no shaft play.

- Automatic transmission shifts roughly until car is warm. Really roughly.

- Newish paint. The paint covers up some defects in the hood near the corners of the hood by the windshield. No bubbles in the paint, though, so I don't think there's any lurking rust. The new clearcoat is being eaten through in a couple of spots.

- Odometer doesn't work. It's been stuck on 100,300 since 1995.

- Interior is a mess from sun damage and wear/tear. Dash cracked, wood trim is totally shot. Door cards are cracked up. Driver's seat is ripped and everything is faded out. Plastic is brittle from sun exposure and age. Steering wheel is totally destroyed. Door seals are a total mess. Headliner under the sunroof is coming down.

- Gear selector doesn't line up properly with the gears marked in the center console. Gear selector doesn't engage confidently.

- Sunroof doesn't work. (P/O says it's the switch or the motor) No leaks in sunroof according to P/O.

- Seat recline on driver's side doesn't work. (P/O says it's the switch -- motor tests OK)

- Rear passenger's side window doesn't work. (P/O says the switch and motor are OK, but there's something inside door that needs fixing -- he has the part)

- Moisture under the carpets on rear passenger's side. Padded carpets are mildewed. No moisture elsewhere.

- Cruise doesn't work.

He wants $2900 but I'm pretty sure I can talk him down from there.

What do you all think?

I would keep looking. although your "list of previous repairs" shows a lot of new items, the general disrepair of the car tells a different story. look at the radiator, is it new? check the rear brake hoses, are they new? and check the exhaust pipe. is it new? is it MB factory pipes? this car has no struts. it has shocks all around. check the front drag link, does it look new? I have seen plenty of cars with "service records" that are total bunk.
the moisture in the floormat tells me that there is a leak somewhere, I would try to find it. that much interior damage, you will never be "happy" with the car. sounds like a sub 1000.00 vehicle to me.
John
oh, and since you are a "newbie" you're forgiven, but edit the "user CP" and add in your location to your posts.
what part of the country are you in?

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

I agree, check out the service records in depth...

I was recently looking at the service records from my friends 85 300D and on one of the past bills it said, "Changed the Spark Plugs" along with a long list of other items they "fixed". I can't remember how much they charged the previous owner but somebody got hosed.

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1985 Mercedes 300DT

I didn't go point-by-point but the radiator is actually new and all the hoses, fuel lines, etc under the hood are all supple, which leads me to believe they were recently replaced. The glow plugs also checked out, they were obviously recent (same Bosch that I use in my Jetta).

I'll offer him $800 in light of the interior and keep looking -- Charleston has lots of good specimens.

(Forgot to mention that it needs new front window glass.)

sounds a little steep. There are always better cars out there. But for the right price...and $2900 ain't it IMHO

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1987 300TDT
1981 VW MKI Caddy 1.6 diesel, waiting on engine swap
1983 D-50 Power Ram 4x4 "Mitsubishi" 2.3 turbo diesel
assorted gas powered crap and motorcycles

RIP: 1984 300TDT, 1982 300TDT, 1984 190D 2.2, 1992 300D 2.5, 1987 300TDT, 1982 Maxima LD28, 1983 Maxima LD28, Isuzu C223 P'ups X3, 1983 Holiday Rambler 6.2 Banks turbo diesel, 1984 Winnebago LeSharo 2.1 TD, 1985 Allegro 6.5