Looked at a 240 4-speed today - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

TylerH860 · #1 06-08-2009, 10:12 PM

1980 model with 386,000 miles. Two original owners. This is the ad I responded to:

1980 Mercedes 240d - $1900

1980 Mercedes 240d for sale. I am the second owner, buying it from a gentlemen who bought it new while stationed in Germany in Oct. of 1980 (He gave me a copy of the original invoice from Daimler-Benz Aktiengesellschaft with an original price of $29,197.34). Previous owner had it regularly serviced, as have I. It is in great condition both cosmetically and mechanically, with a little rust beginning to show around the wheel wells. If maintained, these cars are known for running well into the hundreds of thousands of miles (Research it!). If interested, email me and I will be happy to send more pictures.

At first glance it presented pretty well. Glossy paint, firm, clean looking interior. Certainly didn't look the mileage.

I have yet to meet the seller in person, but from what I've gathered he is quite an unusual person. He didn't want to set a time to meet with me because he was too busy and had a few no shows waste his time. Instead, he left the keys in the ignition at his house for me to come look at and drive at my leisure. Only in Kansas, I guess. When I popped the glove box to get the keys out, I was greeted by this.

Obviously not a good sign.

I started the car up, and the while it cranked right on at first glow cold, the idle was rough. I popped the hood and saw the motor mounts were completely shot, with rags wrapped around the arms to dampen the sound. The AC was blowing ice cold, but the compressor was making the classic death rattle. Of course, the car had alot more rust than the ad described, but nothing that frightening.

I drove it around town, and it felt really nice. The manual transmission is what impressed me the most. It was very smooth, no slop, no grinding, and strong feeling clutch.

I pulled back into the sellers stain free driveway, and popped the hood again to check the blowby. The cap flew off the moment I let go of it.

It was by far the worst blowby I have ever seen.

I wrote him a very nice email politely outlining the issues and complimenting the car's strengths, hopefully softening the blow of my offer of less than half his asking price.

I seriously doubt this car will show up in my driveway.

mike-81-240d · #2 06-08-2009, 10:20 PM

icky!

Palangi · #3 06-08-2009, 10:21 PM

$400 parts car, unfortunately.

Oracle12345 · #4 06-08-2009, 10:22 PM

whats up with the starting fluid? bad idea to start diesels with starting fluid.

body dont look so hot.

TylerH860 · #5 06-08-2009, 10:41 PM

I'm not even sure why I wasted the time to write the email and make the offer. I couldn't resell it and sleep at night, that's for sure.

The body is acutally decent. I just photographed the bad spots.

TylerH860 · #6 06-08-2009, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Palangi

$400 parts car, unfortunately.

I offered a little more than that. $200.00 more to be exact. Apparently he has a very thick folder with service records from the original owner who had it for 20 years.

Palangi · #7 06-08-2009, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TylerH860

I offered a little more than that. $200.00 more to be exact. Apparently he has a very thick folder with service records from the original owner who had it for 20 years.

Yep. The rust is tolerable in that you could still get 4 or 5 years of enjoyable use out of the car. Engine mounts are fixable, although a big PITA. What kills it for me is that can of ether. That's what makes it a parts car instead of a driver in my book. A $500 can of ether, so to speak.

JimmyL · #8 06-09-2009, 12:41 AM

Based on the temp wheel for the AC and the accelerator linkage off the firewall I would think that car is an '81, not an '80.
Maybe a glow plug or two would "help" with the starting.
Does it have a block heater?
\
Geez, what kind of fuel filter is that??? Also, the breather tube off the valve cover goes down under the air cleaner and attaches to the intake instead of into top of air breather cover. Another sign of an '81 over an '80...
AC looks to still be an R12 system. It is worthy of somebody's nice beater manual 240D, with the chance to be made a tad purdier.......

Skid Row Joe · #9 06-09-2009, 12:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Palangi

$400 parts car, unfortunately.

What a piece of crap! You're $200 too high.........

Jim B. · #10 06-09-2009, 01:06 AM

You should be able to easily pick up a nice, lovely W123 4 speed 240D in Southern California, for more money, but close to mint condition.

Really gorgeous, well loved, and relatively low mileage examples abound down there in that car culture with mild year round weather.

The glut of good examples drives the prices down, too.

Beverly Hills/Santa Monica/West side LA and affluent Orange County has the best of the best.

Keep combing Cragislist and Auto Trader.

TylerH860 · #11 06-09-2009, 01:15 AM

I wasn't looking for one. This one popped up locally so I looked at it. I'm lucky to get one new Mercedes listing a day in Wichita.

Skid Row Joe · #12 06-09-2009, 01:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim B.

You should be able to easily pick up a nice, lovely W123 4 speed 240D in Southern California, for more money, but close to mint condition.

Really gorgeous, well loved, and relatively low mileage examples abound down there in that car culture with mild year round weather.

The glut of good examples drives the prices down, too.

Beverly Hills/Santa Monica/West side LA and affluent Orange County has the best of the best.

Keep combing Cragislist and Auto Trader.

You forgot San Diego County, Jim!

pawoSD · #13 06-09-2009, 01:41 AM

$1900....he must be from Michigan!

I managed to get the car my brother now drives (the 300D) for a mere $1500(from a crazy man in the pine forests of Michigan's Thumb

).....little to no rust, slight damage in the rear from an idiot in a SUV that bumped it.....221k on it, no blowby at all.....the engine can actually start cold on a warm day without glowplugs with not much cranking.

Owned by a professor at U of M for 95% of its life.....

I'd probably pass that 240 by.....but they are tempting.....especially a 4 speed....though, I have driven both, and the auto is not as bad as people claim. Loud, yes, slow, yes....but plenty good enough for just driving around. The noise during acceleration makes it feel like its faster than it is!

BodhiBenz1987 · #14 06-09-2009, 03:04 AM

Awww, it looks like Chase, only with a blue interior, a few more miles and less rust. After reading the comments on it I feel pretty crappy.

Judging by the input here, I should probably just start telling people I paid $200 for mine to save face and maintain respectability.

On the bright side, I haven't found the can of ether in my 240D ... yet. And I think mine has less blow-by, maybe.

t walgamuth · #15 06-09-2009, 06:12 AM

Very nice interior.

He didnt want to show you the car because he knows its a tough sell.

Lets face it most people who come to look at it are just interested in seeing what a four hundred thousand mile car looks like......

Pretty good actually