Persistance pays off. 300TD (DUW pictures) - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

JHogan · #1 12-06-2007, 11:57 PM

Every day on my way to the supply house to get materials for work I have driven past an 83 300TD sitting on a used car lot. A bad used car lot.

The Mercedes 300TD was sitting off to the side with no stickers, flags or advertisement, towards the front of the building but tucked to the side under a tree. Almost hidden. It had a car dolly cabled to the rear axle.

Four months ago I called the number hand painted on the front of the building and learned from Claude it was his sisters car and she might want to sell it. So I called to find Thelma didn't want to sell the car. And was obviously offended that I would ask to buy a car sitting in a used car lot.

Fast forward to Friday two weeks ago. I called again, talked with Claude, got the same story but pressed him for a possible price before the call to his sister. He said possibly, around about, she's maybe askin' 800.00. I get the number and go take a good hard look at the car.

I looked over the car, and instead of calling Thelma on the phone I went to her restaurant and waited patiently for a minute of her time.
We spoke and surprisingly, she was very pleasant and even told me that someone had inquired about the car about four months ago. I asked her price and she said what would I pay? I dunno, haven't heard it run or seen it move, how about 500.00? We met in the middle. 650.00.

I went that Saturday and met with Claude. He put a brand new battery in it and it started in four glow cycles. Around 43 degrees outside. engine runs good, very little smoke. Starter drags, transmission flares, door locks won't work and, surprise, it won't shut off with the key.
189k, spotty maintenance records but no hackery in the car with exception of a stereo and alarm. New tires all around, off brand but only a year old.

Rust is minimal. none underneath the battery, just a bit in the bottoms of the hatch. None behind the hood hinges. A little in the sunroof area and a bit in the jack points underneath. Interior needs a big cleaning.

I hung the tag from my 300D sedan on the back, called my insurance agent for on the way home and drove it to the house 20 minutes away.

I've cleaned the drains for the engine compartment and the sunroof drains. Next is the vacuum system.
The glow lamp lights up sporadically when starting the car. The odometer works and matches the title. The car rides good and sits level so I haven't crawled under the rear yet.

I have lots of work ahead of me but I'm looking forward to it.

Regards,

Jay Hogan

kerry · #2 12-07-2007, 12:15 AM

Got a good deal there.

pawoSD · #3 12-07-2007, 12:39 AM

Wow....remarkable. How do you guys do it? My best "find" so far is our 300D....maintained by an old lady professor from the University of Michigan, then passed on to a redneck who thankfully barely drove it, then we nabbed it for $1500. It was in excellent mechanical shape (still is) so it was well worth it....little to no rust either.

I scored a 300SD tranny locally today for $300.00 with only 159k on it in excellent working order. Oh yeah.

Now I have a spare!

toomany MBZ · #4 12-07-2007, 06:13 AM

Well bought.

rs899 · #5 12-07-2007, 06:48 AM

You stole it.

daw_two · #6 12-07-2007, 07:09 AM

You did good. Amazing.

nate300d · #7 12-07-2007, 07:45 AM

Don't you need to sell that you me. I want a wagon and that is the color that I like. But, then I also already have three W123 sedans. I need to sell one of those.

Chad300tdt · #8 12-07-2007, 08:26 AM

Wow. Good Deal! Congratulations on the wagon purchase Jay. Looks like it will clean up beautifully. Does the climate control work? If it has working AC and Heat I would say you definitely stole it.