So I have a project '85 SD. I'm trying to guage how much money I should put into it. The idea is to still be able to sell it and get most of my money back. I'm thinking sub-2000 here.

The car:
No AC
Smoker's car
interior isn't torn up
has 300k
engine that I put in has about 200k
has very little rust (there are 3 suspicious spots)
paint chips on door, aluminum hood, trunk

Change the oil and sell it as-is. You'll never get back what you put into it, $2000 worth of repairs does not raise the value by $2000.

I think there are very few of these cars you can flip for a profit or even break even on. My car has as much in it as I paid for it or more, but its worth less than I paid for it.

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1984 300SD Orient Red/ Palomino
1989 560SEC
2016 Mazda 6 6 speed manual
1995 Ford F-150 reg cab 4.9 5speed manual

I am talking about selling for less than 2000, not 2000 profit.

Inop AC, a smoker's car, 300k miles, rust and paint chips will definitely not bring in $2000. Thats describing $1000, maybe $1500 if you wait out for the right buyer.

I'll give you $250 for it. Just kidding.

I really like to buy them with working AC and about 200K miles max. Heavy discount if AC is not working.

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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

Ah, finally a number. 1000. Anyone else?

The question is, how much have you already invested in the car to get it to this point? If you got the car free, and you were to invest $1000 in it, you might break even at this point (assuming your labor is free).

From the description you provide, it sounds like a $1000 car at the present. If you have $1000 in it, stop now because the ratio of dollars invested to dollars recovered will never be the same on this car.

On the other hand, if you are like most of us, and really enjoy your car, and realize you will never recoup the money you will spend on it, just drive it and enjoy it.

It's worthless to me without A/C, however still valuable as a drivable vehicle. Definitely not a parts car so you should get at least $1,000 for it. Ask $2,000 or best offer and see what you get...

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1982 240 D, 308,000 - 321,127 miles (sold)
1982 300 TD,166,500 - 226,000 miles
1998 E 320, 120,000 - 144,000 miles
2005 C 230 K, 26,000 - 77,000 miles (sold)

$1k is pushing it.

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I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

That seems to be true for any older car you fix up. I have a 94 Audi 100CS sitting im my garage that I could never recover what I paid for it plus what what I repaired/replaced. There is nothing wrong with it, everything has been repaired and I could probably get 1/3 what was put into it.

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95 E300 Diesel 200K