What is my car worth??
 

I love the car really, but I'm moving on campus and won't need it. Before I'm listing it for sale I want some imput from you guys.

1985 300 DT aprox 200k miles;
The good:
-start, runs, gets me from A to B without being scared of getting stranded;
-started at 10 below without BEING plugged in overnight. Well it never was..I live in an appt.
-new everything maintenaince item you can think off;
-doesn't burn oil between changes, well maybe 1qt every 4-5k miles?? and that was because the valve cover was shot, and recently replaced;
-for a MI car with original paint looks decent and only surface rust spots;
-etc etc etc etc

The bad:
-needs NEW injector nozzles bad, but it's perfectly driveable when it warms up;
-lost key, I can't lock it, so it needs a new key;
-rear shocks are going bad...but not there quite yet;

Here are some pics:
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j5...Merc/merc3.jpg
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j5...erc/merc12.jpg
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j5...erc/merc15.jpg

And here is the album:
http://s77.photobucket.com/albums/j54/siral3x/Merc/

What is my car worth?????

Where are you?

My guess is that you've got a lot more than "just surface rust," with that much surface rust clearly visible.

For a car with bad paint, potential rust problems, poor idle, and no keys, you're not going to get much, no matter the mechanical condition. Everyone here knows the engines on these are not the issue, they'll all run good until they turn into fine red powder and/or the suspension, a/c, and other items give out.

But if you're located in an area with good demand due to "biofuels," you'll have more luck on craigslist than you will with folks here, unless you want to sell it as a parts car.

I'm located in northern Michigan. There's a fine point where it's not worth selling, but keeping. That's why I'm asking for imput.

Just to clarify, I do have the ignition key..just the door lock key got lost. The car is my daily driver, and tranny shifts smooth.

It would be a parts car here in Texas.....you might get $1000 here if you found the right buyer.

I don't know, looks like a repaint from the rockers being painted. Without knowing the condition of the floors/subframe/jack-points, its a shot in the dark. I don't think I would call it a parts car yet, but, w/o seeing it who knows for sure. I've always been told its worth whatever you can get out of it, being $500 or $5,000.......... :)

Honestly... it's worth more to you as a drivable car, even if you don't need it *now* - than it will be to you converted into pocket cash, given the rust and other things.

Not insulting the car's value, merely saying that sale price will be lower than usable machine price if you keep it.

OHH...your signature has an APPSTATE link??? Are you attending there??
It's funny bc the main reason I want to sell the car is that I'm moving to Boone NC :) to attend APPSTATE.

The car came from NC and sat in a garage for 8 years.I drove it 1 winter in Michigan. There is no rust on the floors, subframe or jack points. I figured I have to move and I have to give one car up, otherwise I would not even want to sell the old Benz. It started every morning in blistering cold in the winter, and I was going to keep it for fall/winter driving.

Leather seats?

yep, electric sunroof..etc..etc

Sell the Mitsubishi. Keep the Benz.

If you tried to sell that car here, you would probably get less than $1000 for it.

looks like a good scrub and a wax job might help before you put it on the market. Have it detailed (or do it yourself, to save bucks), inside and out and under the hood. To people who already own MB's and know what they're worth already, it may not seem like much. But to people who don't own one, or maybe have always wanted to, it may seem like a great buy no matter what you ask. The thing that always gets my friends is when I tell them that a Mercedes diesel engine is built like a tank and I fully expect it to get way over 500k on it. Not to mention it's 35 miles to the gallon. I believe I've seen a lot of veggie oil conversions up there in Michigan. That's also a selling point that goes well with this car. I'd clean it up, ask $3,000 on craigslist, and see what kind of response you get. As a sales and marketing instructor told us when I was majoring in Business..."Perceived value is in the eye of the beholder. One man's junk is another man's treasure." You can always delete it if you don't get any takers at your expected price. You may be surprised. But, by all means, clean that puppy up!

Yes, I'm currently attending... freshman by years, sophomore by hours.

Keep the Benz. There's nothing better for cruising the blue ridge parkway which is within 15 minutes of campus :D

There's about four others up here but I have no idea who owns any of them.