I agree with you. The only thing is I doubt the dealer will agree with us.

I don't think I could get him down to $5000.

Records, records, records!!! If the transmission was serviced regularly it should be fine. Lowballing a dealer is usually a waste of time, but worth a shot. Be sure to have the cash on you to show them you mean business.

__________________
1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k
1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k
1980 240D Stick China 188k
2001 CLK55 AMG 101k
2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!!

Ask him what work they did on it to make it worth $6500, and ask for the records. One car that I looked at had all the records there, so I took the records, and spent about an hour and a half looking through them. It was a black 87 300 sdl. It had records for a new head, water pump, tstst, etc just a few years earlier. Everything looked ok on it. I got it home into the cold weather (the car was from Texas), and the starter quit.
Regardless of how perfect the records are, something is bound to go wrong. You might not be able to chew the price down, but how about a 2 year warranty instead of a lower price.
A sales man I knew here said that he gets paid by the gross dollars that he brings in, so he's more likely to negotiate on the options and other things than the price.

__________________
All it takes for evil to prevail is for good men to stand by and do nothing.

Too many people tip toe through life, never attempting or doing anything great, hoping to make it safely to death... Bob Proctor

'95 S320 LWB
'87 300SDL
'04 E500 wagon 4matic

I don't know about in other less populas parts of the country, where you might have say a MB dealer sharing a roof/lot Dodge. But around here in there many million dollar show rooms the W126's that pop up are true time capsule cars. MB of Fairfield had a very nice 420SEL in there rear indoor show room about 5 years back. Wanted $13k for it, but it just had $7k worth of work done to it by them, and was serviced there since new so a complete set of records back to the first oil change.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Whatever you do, do not buy that SDL!!


Send me a PM with the dealer's address.

__________________
Charles
1983 300D, bought new, 215k+ miles, donated to Purple Hearts veterans charity but I have parts for sale: http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/mercedes-benz-cars-sale/296386-fs-1-owner-83-mb-300d-turbo-rebuild-parts.html

Now Charles. If you want a 300SDL, all you have to do is ask. I can get you two of them tomorrow for the right price.

__________________
daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
Cluster Needles Paint
New Old Stock (NOS) parts

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

PM sent.

Guess you think it's a pretty good deal.

Here is an update on the car. It's been serviced at the dealer that is selling it for at least the last three years. Other than oil changes this is what has been done:

-Oil level sensor replaced
-Oil pan gasket replaced
-Four wheel alignment performed
-Automatic transmission pan gasket replaced
-Transmission fluid/oil leak checked

and this year:

-A/C receiver/dryer replaced
-A/C system serviced
-Upper control arm replaced
-Stabilizer bar links replaced
-Rear brake pads replaced
-New battery installed

It doesn't have service records since its beginning.

The front bumper is scuffed and the dent in the rear is about the size of a softball. This dent has some rust starting on it but it is NOT through the car and it is the only spot on the car. I'd have to fix it ASAP. Other than that a couple of dings here and there but pretty awesome paint overall.

I'm going to try to get it down to $6000.

If the dealer goes for that should I take it?

Have they said anything at all about a warranty, even for 30 days, and what would be covered under the warranty? Would be a shame for you to buy the car and have it eat its transmission (or whatever) a week later.

__________________

"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970

Usually they have to by law, but its not a very good one. The transmission would be the least of my worries, especially if its working perfectly now.

$6,000 is a reasonable offer, but I would try for a bit more free servicing. Tell them that since there are no records, you would like to start fresh on the maintenance, and make sure everything involving a C, E, and Z service have been performed. And YES request a warranty.

http://www.revolutionbenz.com/service.htm

__________________
1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k
1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k
1980 240D Stick China 188k
2001 CLK55 AMG 101k
2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!!

They sure haven't offered me one yet. Then again I have not asked either. Maybe I should push them for one, some security at that high a price is in order.

I will try but I don't know if they will go for a warranty, full servicing and $6000. But hey, you never know, times are tough for auto sales.

In any negotiation, dealers and independent mechanics are much more likely to go for stuff that doesn't cost them money out of pocket; that could even be applied to negotiating a warranty. (You pay for the parts and they would install them for free.) That's how I got my '87 sunroof fixed. And, if you are an MBCA member you save 15% on the parts, too.

I like the idea of getting a free pre-delivery service. If they seem reluctant, you could offer to pick up the cost of the oil & filters, etc.

Jeremy

__________________

"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970

That makes sense to me.

I've read a few posts that mention an expensive major service that is due around the 100,000 mile mark on the gasoline 126's. I think some people have said it's around $2000? Maybe I'll just ask them to do that, must be less for a diesel anyway, include some sort of warranty and leave the price at $6500?

Service on a diesel is fuel filters and maybe an air filter.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200