Looked at an 87 300SDL for $1000 , 289,000 miles. Fair interior, rough exterior, no rust, looks to be all original except for minor repairs, California car. Thinking about it as a parts car for my current 300SDL and/or parting out. Owner commented that it was leaking water out of the water pump weep hole. Found no oil in coolant but the oil looked like an emulsion, very thick like syrup. Been sitting for six weeks with mostly water as coolant. Has number 14 head. Very tight ride. trans said to be rebuilt 14K miles ago - shifts well. Glow plug light did not work on startup, owner insisted I start it anyway and the car did start and run well.
Any constructive thoughts, abusive comments, ridicule etc....
Thanks.

If you have the $ and the space, buy it.....

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Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

Who doesn't have $1K............?

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'06 E320 CDI
'17 Corvette Stingray Vert

Sounds like a good parts car.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

With "no rust," it sounds like a daily-driver, to me.

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'06 E320 CDI
'17 Corvette Stingray Vert

Might be a daily driver, just need to look at it a little closer when I get it.
Needs a water pump and a few odds and ends. Oh yes, a new star on the hood.
I lucked out on my current 300sdl , picked it up for $2K with a factory fresh interior and had some costly repairs done by previous owner.
This "parts" car could be a nice 4th car for me with cheap paint job. It is really rough on the exterior - no dents or scratches , just badly faded paint - and peeling clear coat. Really neat though , has all the original stuff in the trunk like MBenz cell phone (later add-on) and all the little goodies,,, plus boxes of oil filters, fuel filters, some parts still in boxes etc...
Yeah maybe I should put a bit into it and drive it to save the miles on the nicer SDL.

It could be, depends on whats going on with the engine.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Another fine point Joe. You're a machine.....
I can't wait for your next pearl of wisdom.....

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

Definitely sounds like a parts car with the oil "emulsion" (head or gasket failure) The rebuilt tranny is probably worth the $1000 (if you need one). Do you think it has $1000 worth of parts that you want (or that you want to go to the effort of selling)?

What is the engine like? I need a 603 engine for a project.

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daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
No longer selling Cluster Needles Paint
No longer selling New Old Stock (NOS) parts

Past:
3/2008 1986 300SDL "Coda"
04/2010 1965 190D(c) "Ben"
& many more

I have seen furniture with more brains than 240joe