85 300CD impact damage, worth $800? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Rocketrider · #1 03-16-2009, 04:17 PM

I haven't looked at this car in person yet, but I'd really like an inexpensive CD to tinker around with. What do you guys think?

The seller states "Impact damage on front drivers side. Hood, drivers side front fender, grill, radiator damage. Aside from this accident damage, the vehicle was taken well care of."

TheDon · #2 03-16-2009, 04:29 PM

oh yeah.. that will buff out

cmbdiesel · #3 03-16-2009, 04:34 PM

Guess it depends on what you want to do with it, but I wouldn't expect that car to ever be back on the road.
That was a pretty strong hit it took. Could easily have damaged the engine.
Probably need a few good pulls on a frame machine before you could ever get a hood on it, or the door to open, or the new radiator support in it.
As a parts car, I would want to hear the motor run before I bought it.
Also, the IP is on that side. I would think the oil filter housing, power steering pump, and everything else over there could have been compromised.
What kind of title does it have? If an insurance company was involved with that damage, that car would have a salvage title, and, at least here in CT,
that alone would keep it off the road forever. The state inspection to register a salvage vehicle is EXTREMELY rigorous, many cars without salvage titles would not pass.
Wouldn't stop me from going to look at it though.

progun · #4 03-16-2009, 04:39 PM

I am driving a 240D around that was hit similar to that. Mashed up the bodywork but it didn't hit the suspension parts. Cut the bad pieces out by drilling the spot welds and see how bad it is.

t walgamuth · #5 03-16-2009, 07:08 PM

I fixed one similarly damaged maybe worse....twice the same place, IIRC. once you get all the stuff off that you can replace easily like fenders, hood, headlight stuff and grill you can take a large hammer and a hydraulic body jack and push things back to where they belong, then gently shape with the large hammer.

When all the bent stuff is off take it to a frame shop and have the frame rails put back where they belong.

Then paint all the damaged areas with good paint, match mixed of course, and reinstall the fender, hood and grill.

Some additional tweaking may be required to get it all to fit.

BTW this was for a cheap car for my sixteen year old son to drive. For show quality more parts would need to be replaced by a skilled body man with a tig welder.

Rocketrider · #6 03-16-2009, 07:09 PM

I just talked to the guy and he said that the title is clear and it has 165,000 miles. He already has a deposit on it from someone else, but I'm next in line if that doesn't work out. I already have a 300D that is the same color with a bad motor. What a coincidence!