Purchase advice needed please.
 

It's a 1983 240D. 180K miles, auto trans, pretty good shape, most records, no apparent rust, cracked dash (pretty bad) but interior good otherwise, hood paint is bad but everything is purported to work. I'd give it a 6-6.5 cosmetically and a 7.5-8 mechanically (from what I know).
I know without a better description and pictures you guys can't give a good appraisal but what would the value be on this from high to low? I think it could be bought for the $2K neighborhood. Is this good? Still not sure how bad I want the car but a bargain price would make me more interested.
Thanks in advance.
Chuck.

$2k is on the high end from your description, more like $1400-1800 is what I'd pay.

First, take it for a drive and make sure everything works! Purpoted to work sounds like "it worked the last time I used it!" Does it feel like it rides well over bumpy road? Do all accessories including AC work? Power windows, if it's got them? Any rattles on bumps like it needs shocks? Needing both paint and interior work it sounds like $1500 to $1800 would be fair. $2000 could be justified if Previous owner replaced something expensive, like a new AC pump for instance and it was mechanically sound, but I'd still try to get the price down!:D No rust is great and this sounds like a desert car!

Edmund's.com Lists the Following in their Vehicle Appraisal . I took your information and input it in their calculator. I just Picked a color and Zip code for Tulsa (Which may be off. )

Do Note, *that this is for this vehicle in 'Outstanding Condition'

1983 Mercedes-Benz 240-Class 4 Dr 240D Diesel Sedan

Color: Dark Brown
Mileage: 180,000
Condition: Outstanding
Zip: 74133

Trade-in Private Party Dealer Retail

Base Price $81 $416 $973

Optional Equipment $16 $51 $124

Color Adjustment $0 $0 $0

Regional Adjustment $-3 $-17 $-39

Mileage Adjustment $0 $0 $0

Condition Adjustment $0 $0 $0

Total Trade-In $94, Private Sale $450, Dealer Price $1,058

I have never seen an Outstanding old Classic Mercedes Selling for anywhere near this, have you???

Look your own inspection and how much the car is worth to you is going to be the deciding factor, not Edmunds . com. Car value calculators are a very poor way to determine value for any vehicle more than 15 years old and Edmunds is some of the worst. I would not trust any car buying service that does not have the time or will to carry any model their not selling.

I have an 83 240 D my insurance carrier sent me to an auto appraiser to get a value estimate on for coverage. In my vehicles ciondition with 124,000 miles on it, the estimate came in at $7800! Now I have fukll coverage! Of course the interior is in very good condition as well as new paint, never been hit and excellent mechanical condition. This estimate is used as a comparison basis for determining how to replace my 240D is it is totalled.;)

More accurate is to look at completed auctions for similar cars on Ebay. Professional repaint on the hood will set you back about $600, something to take into account. I'd say don't pay more than $1500, but it's up to you and how bad you want it. Keep in mind a 240D with an auto tranny is one of the weakest cars in the world. It's decent on flat country roads but I wouldn't want to merge in it on a busy freeway.

Pshaw.....I drive one on the highway every day.....you just gotta time your movements on the entrance ramps perrrrfectly:D.

$2k sounds about right for an ebay price.....but wise members on here are notorious for going lower.

I paid around 2k for my 81 with 131,000 on the clock. ....but I think I overpaid because I'm finding more and more rust as our relationship deepens. The PO had done a fair amount of mechanical work on the car though (injectors, glowplugs, alternator, battery, etc).

I was also influenced by the proximity of the sale (10 miles from my house) and I wasn't a savvy Mshopper yet either.

180k is still low mileage, especially for a 240d. I would buy it for that price just because of that.

I wish I could find a parts car for $450! Much less a rust-free daily driver.

NADA has more appropriate estimates for classic mercedes.

Edmunds and KBB are pretty poor for cars over 10 years old. I sold my beloved 1991 Nissan pickup, and I had several people want to buy it for kbb price - like $1000.:rolleyes:

I sold it to a realistic buyer for $2800. It's worth $3500 in Mexico.

That was enough to pay for my 240D :D:cool:

Thank you for all the informative replies. I'll be driving the car all day tomorrow (80 mile commute) and will know more then. PO was a career diesel mechanic and kept the car up mechanically so shouldn't have neglect-related issues. We should be able to get to the $1800 range unless there's some problems and then I'll try to go lower.
Now, wiiiiiiiilllllllllllll IIIIIIIIIIIII beeeeeeeee aaaaaaaaaaable toooooo driiiiiiive thaaaaaaaaaaaat sloooooooooooooow?
I even found a source for about 5 gal per week of WVO in case I explore that world.
Thanks again. If I get the car I'm sure there'll be more questions. Kind of ironic that the week after I sell the 300E this one comes up (and I've been trying to get the guy to sell it for almost 2 years).

Drove the car this morning.
 

Started and idled fine. Owner said the performance had dropped off :eek: and suspected the fuel filter. I drove it and it accelerated like an overloaded golf cart with low batteries. Took about a mile to reach 35 and then leveled off. It did seem like a fuel starvation problem as there was no smoke and it did shift through all the gears properly. He is going to change the filter and we'll try it again in a couple of days.
What in the living heck were they thinking with those HVAC controls?!?! I didn't read the owner's manual but those controls sure aren't intuitive.
Also, the sunroof opened very well but would not close under it's own power. It cranked closed from the trunk just fine. Probably a switch? Also the clock didn't work but I can worry about that later. I do love the Mercedes analog clock that you can use with the car off!
It rode and drove well (at 35:o) and rode a little stiffer than I remembered my old 300D riding but it has 16 inch wheels off a late '90's E class so that might be the reason. The 14" bundts with new Michelins come with the car also but the 16's sure look nice. Medium blue color with black interior. If the fuel filter fixes the problem and if there's nothing else wrong it's probably going to be a sale.
I'll keep this updated, thanks.
Chuck.

Wow, 16" on a 240D? I'd like to see some pictures.

I wouldn't expect too much more than an overloaded golfcart....but you grow to love it. Honestly, I shift the old gal like a manual tranny....I always start/pull out in 2nd. I can cruise at 75-80 on the highway but it's godawful loud and it takes a long stretch (with no interruptions) to get there.

It did take me awhile to figure out the hvac controls....but be thankful we have the manual system:)

Cool - keep us posted. $1800 wouldn't be bad, IMHO.

Thanks Jordan. Yeah, I've driven the diesels before but mainly 300's. This one took just over a mile of full throttle to reach 35 mph and absolutely would not go any faster on level ground. I was going to drive it to work today but would not have gotten here in time for lunch!
Hope it's just a filter. Either that or something that will be easy to fix but will lower the price.:)

Did the prefilter look clogged to you? If it was the clear kind - you might have been able to see for yourself.

Has the car been driven much lately? Don't rule out the tank strainer either......it's tough to discern what "sluggish" is for these old 240's though - especially the auto's. One man's slow is another's sprint. Or, quite possibly.....it's running just fine (all 62 hp of it).

It's nice to hear of one shifting smoothly. From what you've described - it doesn't sound too scary.

Now that's odd....
 

Current owner called this AM and said the car did the same thing to him- Struggled up to 35 and leveled off. He held it floored and it cruised there for several miles and all of a sudden it began to accelerate normally. It kept going and he backed out of it at 70+. He is going to change fuel filters today to eliminate them as suspect. But after this latest trick we're stumped.
Question: Anybody seen this before? Is it engine temp related? Old or bad fuel?
Thanks for all the help.
Chuck.