Probably buying a 1981 300D tomorrow...any last minute tips?
 

So I am starting a new job that has an 80 mile commute, round trip. It just so happens that my second car, a 1989 VW Jetta, is dead with over 300K miles of faithful service under its belt on the original GAS (not diesel) drivetrain.

Anyhow, I've been looking at many German cars to pile the miles onto, and (if you guys have seen my posts here lately) I've kinda narrowed it to the E28/E30 BMWs, or the W123/W201 Mercedes Benzes.

Now I think I've narrowed it just to the W123, which is where I was in the first place. I keep coming back to this car. Maybe that should be a sign...

Anyhow, I checked out a 1981 300D today.

The basics: 1981 300D non-turbo; 4-speed automatic

Silver/Black MB-Tex

201,XXX miles on a working odometer

NO rust on an original California car.

NO dents (though the paint is kinda faded, but not awful.)

It doesn't have the awful ACC servo, because it's an '81. And speaking of ACC - the air conditioning works! The compressor is near new.

The transmission was rebuilt recently.

I'm buying it from the original owner, who (when I looked in the glovebox) had a stack of service receipts (or I can only assume they were).

Tires are newer, with good tread.

Driver's seat doesn't sag.

Rear-end rebuilt recently.

After a relatively long glow cycle (which I can assume is chalked up to not being started in a few days), it started RIGHT up and idled perfectly.

Steering wheel play wasn't there.

The downsides:

Some belt, I think it's an accesory/AC belt squeaks badly under acceleration sometimes.

Windshield has a chip.

Hood has a scratch in it that needs a repaint of just the hood.

Passenger side front turn signal lens is broken.

Passenger side window switch is busted.

Door locks are KINDA slow, but all work well.

He's asking $1900, but says the price can be negotiated.

I think it sounds like a good deal, any thoughts?

Lastly, would a 300D NA 4-speed auto be a better highway cruiser than a 240D? I'm not worried about acceleration, as my commuter is completely flat and I don't have any OMGfasterfasterfasterfaster on ramps on it, but I don't want to be bombarded with 4500 RPM of OM616-style clatter that I would be if I was in a 240D.

Thanks to all who help me out!

Problems seem minor
Price is not that much
Trust your gut

Orig owner
Ca car
No rust

I;d say go for it

:P:cool:

4500? lol where are you going at 100mph? 617 300d will be lower end geared (at the diff) to make up for the speed loss over the years. it will do just fine, in fact a 240d will be louder because it will spin abit faster (due to the higher final gearing) and you will still have less power. ide say go for it, and if noise really is a problem then you can allways add padding and Dynamat (good sound reducing stuff) really these engines should hover around 3500 rpms when doing 70 or so. and it redlines at 5200 i think... i took a cross country drive, 2000 miles in a 1990 honda crx. i will never do that again, i wished that i was driving in my 1981 240d because of how comfortable and quiet it is. trust me you will love the 300d for cruising.

I would buy it. Good W123 Diesels are diamonds.
 

Quickly,

I'd point out that if it is rust free, lifelong California car, (proof is incontrovertible if records and books so indicate & it has blue California plates either 1Bxx xxx, 1Cxx xxx, 1Dxx xxx or 1Exx xxx) a rebuilt transmission, working airconditioner, and non sagging seats, and was not wrecked, then ALL the important negatives are gone, and I would buy the car immediately.

That asking price of $1,900 is simply unheard of for the W123 cars as described above, and nationally I am sure it would go in a flash for well over double that, especially in rust belt states.

I think either the buyer is very naive; Or else there is a serious undisclosed defect(s) that is giving him a guilty conscience to ask that low of a price for it.

If it is silver with black seats, that is likely the most covetable and beautiful color combination imaginable for a car like this.

Given the biodiesel craze, that is going on these days, I feel that if you bought it for $1,900 today, you could drive it for a year or two, and do nothing to it, and then turn around and resell it for *double* your money.
It could not get better than that....

The 1981 300D NA diesel was the last year of them before the 300D Turbo arrived on the scene in 1982 in the USA.

I'd even go out on a limb and say that from the description, it could be so cheap for what you would get for the money, a Pre Purchase Inspection might be worth skipping, on the idea that the car is so cheap, the savings could easily cover any problems revealed by a prepurchase inspection.

I am not to sure I would even hammer him for more than $100, or $200 on the price, even if it is "negotiable". It's worth a LOT more than what he is asking, unless I am reallly missing something here. I would show up ready to buy it.

In California, I am unaware of whether on a TRANSFER of title a smog certificate needs to be provided, on a DIESEL car, but if it does, it is the responsibility of the seller to proide it to you with the bill of sale.

What I DO know, though, is that a DIESEL car like this does NOT require biannual smog checks at all, so you are home free on that issue....

The 1978 300D was tested by consumer reports, who said it was the best car they had ever tested in the entire history of their tests

I would purchase it without delay. Dithering about, delaying, asking about inspections to be made, could VERY easily lead to someone else grabbing it out from underneath you.

Most owners of cars like these really treasure them. They are among the most reliable diesels and easy to repair that Mercedes ever made. Right here on this forum stand people who know them inside and out, would probably agree with me, and are willing and eager to help with any questions.

My personal guess is that the "Diesel Discussion" section is the most active and busy section of all of Mercedesshop. It has traffic 24/7.

Don't know why you passed on the little 190 but this one sounds as good - probably better. I don't know if it has steelies with painted hubcaps or bundt cake wheels like that 190, but it doesn't matter.

Pictures please if you get it.

Let me see if I understand, you're thinking about buying a 26 year old car without dents, that has a chip in the windshield AND a scratch in the hood???? Not to mention faded paint! Don't get me started on the no rust thing! And the turn signal lens, you haven't crushed it yet? Ultimate problem, it's silver! What are you thinking?? It has working AC, and a rebuilt tranny, too? All kidding aside, worst thing I can come up with on the squealing, is a $90 reman alt. Make sure all the belts are tight. Busted switch, may be repaired, or $45 new. Slow locks are vacuum related, that will take some time to figure out. I may be able to help on the broken turn signal lens. Sounds like a pretty good car. Cervan is correct with the rpm. I drive my SD ($2100 last November) 70 miles a day to work and back, around 60 mph, 2500-3000 rpm, 30 mpg. 189,000 miles. Either car will cruise the interstate just fine, I'm partial to 5 cylinders. All that being said, the price is a bit high, at least around here. Work on that. Good luck.

Pay attention:

This individual knows exactly whereof she speaks; just a few days ago, she just scored a beautiful federalized, California legal, smogged, 1983 500SEC euro coupe that had some history, one (wealthy) owner, rust free, loaded with desirable euro extras like trunk triangle, fire extinguisher, ABS, Airbag, and Euro bumpers and the high compression Euro 500 engine that most other '83 SEC buyers could only hope to dream of. Not to mention owners manuals in German AND also in English, in the glovebox along with the records, and four keys.

Amazingly, it was purchased from a charity auction where it had been donated
last month, by a curbstoner seeking to resell for a fast profit...

Normally, the absolute WORST way to buy a car imaginable. Most auction donated cars are one step from the junkyard and curbstoners the worst possible cheaters and sellers.

Yet a huge chance was taken. And the buyer hit the jackpot.

Proving yet again, the very best Mercedes Benz cars of this vintage are surely to be found in sunny Southern California, home of the car culture and where the owners and their mechanics love their cars and really take care of them......

Sometimes, when your head and heart speak to you, about something like this, it really pays to listen.....

bizzump

Sounds like an excellent deal. We got a 300D with a few more problems than that (all minor un-important problems though) for a little less $$.....and its a great car. Rock solid, dependable so far....

For $1900 thats a steal for that car. Put maybe $300-500 into it right away and it will be good for MANY miles to come. They're like steel blocks with wheels!

I really think I'm going for it. As much as I CRAVE a 240 4-speed, I don't know that I could deal with the high RPMs at cruising speed.

well i have a 1981 4speed 240d, ill take a video tommarow, showing how loud it really is doing about 65-70. oh and if you live in california, you will thank yourself when you buy the 300d, with the 5cyilnder in it. here is my 0-60 times in a 4speed..http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a2/Cervan/?action=view&current=Video003.flv if you ever wanted to merge on the freeway in a reasonable ammount of time, (as in minutes) i would suggest the 300d.

With a 240D automatic, I would suspect clocking the 0-60 time requires a calendar rather than a G-Tech Pro. < puts sarcastic voice >

The car you are contemplating sounds nice as mentioned above, and I wouldn't wait too long if I wanted it, for the price.

It could be a real good one

Update on " Probably buying a 1981 300D tomorrow..." - BOUGHT IT!
 

So a few days ago, I posted a thread about a one-owner, California-native, rust free, all books, good paint, working A/C, rebuilt tranmissioned 1981 300D NA with 201,000 miles on the clock.

Well I ponied up the cash, knocked a little off the price of the car, and the owner and I shook hands.!

Pictures post tomorrow!

I LOVE this car.

I was waiting to hear about this one
 

WOO HOO, "sounds" like you scored a good one that will be perfect for your commute. "Looks" like a good one if you can show pictures of it.

Shame on you for hammering the guy on an already very good asking price. Just kidding, sounds like he was ready to take less than 1900 which sounded like a steal for a good one of those.

They are getting scarcer, and too many of them down there are getting messed with by the Lovecraft boiz. Good that you saved one.

Especially one with perhaps the best exterior/interior color combo you can find.

It ought to last you a VERY long time. These are not just some ordinary car, but one of the best ones Mercedes Benz ever built.

Congrats Oh Nameless One! That was a nice car. Am looking forward to the pics.......
My first parts car was a '77 with Silver over Black. Love the black interior, and it is very rare for these cars. Nice!

may you live long and prosper. (corny but it just came to me)