'87 300D Totaled - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

retmil46 · #1 12-10-2008, 01:40 PM

Well, my '87 is dead. Back on Sunday, an '04 Ford Explorer t-boned me in the rear passenger door at 50 mph. Flipped it around 180 and threw it 20 feet off the road up into a parking lot. Right side aft of the front door is totally smashed in. Body is warped enough that the front hood sticks up on one side, same with the sunroof, and drivers side rear door won't close. Apparently the impact also fractured the lower radiator hose neck, as all the coolant gradually drained out.

Amazingly, to get it on a flatbed wrecker, it started up and ran perfectly, went into gear, and steered/ran normally at low speed for 100 feet to get it to the wrecker. Looks like the drivetrain and suspension are still intact.

Looks like i got away with only a set of bruised ribs from being thrown against the center armrest. Other driver looked to only have a sprained wrist and banged-up knee.

milner351 · #2 12-10-2008, 01:48 PM

Wow -

Great to know you are OK - but how horribly dissappointing after all the work and time you've put into that car. I hope you can negotiate something with the insurance company to perhaps get the drivetrain and transplant it into another car, or perhaps it's just better to start over.

Very sorry to hear that, bummer.

I hope your ribs feel better soon - that's no fun.

daw_two · #3 12-10-2008, 02:02 PM

Sorry to hear about the wreck; glad you are okay.

Save that engine!!!

IndianaJo · #4 12-10-2008, 03:05 PM

Glad you had such small injury from a 50mph Tbone from an SUV. That could be a fatality in a small car. I bought an underpowered 240D because my 59 Ford was getting too expensive to drive, but a mercedes 123 looks like it would take a serious accident, especially with all those plastic liners glued to the metal body parts. Glad you proved the theory,not me.
I'd make you an offer on the wreck, but the pickup I need to put a 3L diesel in is also the one I need to drive down to NC and pick upthe parts. 360 Ford V8-s are fun, but 11mpg is totally obsolete.

babymog · #5 12-10-2008, 03:24 PM

Uh, it is a 124.

bob_98sr5 · #6 12-10-2008, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milner351

Wow -

Great to know you are OK - but how horribly dissappointing after all the work and time you've put into that car. I hope you can negotiate something with the insurance company to perhaps get the drivetrain and transplant it into another car, or perhaps it's just better to start over.

Very sorry to hear that, bummer.

I hope your ribs feel better soon - that's no fun.

Mitchell,

Ditto to the above. Good thing you were not hurt badly.

71inka02 · #7 12-10-2008, 04:24 PM

Wow - bad deal! Glad everyone is ok..., and sorry to hear about the car.

retmil46 · #8 12-10-2008, 08:45 PM

Well, had a long talk with babymog this afternoon, and got a good look at his e-bay ad. Let's just say I'm seriously considering giving "Rudolph" a new home.

Once you drive an '87 300D, you're spoiled for life.

pawoSD · #9 12-10-2008, 09:35 PM

Yikes, that is horrible!

Glad you are ok! Poor car, only 151k too.

Rudolph is a niiice car, I've seen it up close on a few occassions.....

compress ignite · #10 12-11-2008, 12:33 AM

'glad you're O.K.
Sorry About your Mechanical Child.

Your Walking away from that,only reinforces the reasons for caring for these cars!

CSchmidt · #11 12-11-2008, 12:39 PM

Mitchell,

Sorry to hear about your car. I'm glad I got the chance to meet you and see the car a couple of weeks ago.

Chuck

michakaveli · #12 12-13-2008, 06:12 PM

Sorry to hear for your loss. If possible, can you post pix of the w124?

stephenc03 · #13 12-13-2008, 10:08 PM

Remember that you have the first right to purchase the vehicle from the insurance company after you are paid for the car. A fellow mercedes diesel friend of mine was rear ended in his 240 manual...very littlle damage but the insurance company said that it was in excess of 2000 dollars worht of body damage. they totaled the car and gave my friend 2000 and then they offered to sell it to him for like 200 hundred bucks or so.
I have owned a few mercedes and never really thought of safety (im in my early 20s)...i just like to work on them. The same friend's dad mentioned above was stopped and rear ended by a semi truck going 40 miles an hour. It tore apart his 300SD like it was a tin can. the chain reaction sent his dad into the guy in front of him and that guy rear ended another guy. Jim walked away and the other two people were sent to the hospital.
If a driver can sustain that kind of initial impact and send the other two drivers infront of him to the hospital.....mercedes saftey sold me. the image of that car and the story behind it speaks volumes to the safety of these vehicles. When i have kids....they arnt getting spoiled with some new car they are driving a safe, realible 240d and if i think they are responsible enough I will let them drive a 300 or 300sd (with the bowden cable taken off....shhhh dont tell them it can go faster)

Hatterasguy · #14 12-13-2008, 11:30 PM

Sorry for your loss, and I'm glad your OK!

Just proves again that Mercedes makes some of the safest cars you can get.

JordaanDMC-12 · #15 12-14-2008, 04:13 AM

Good to hear you walked away with minor injury! Shame about the car though.. Like everyone else has said, just goes to show how safe these tanks really are!