Hey there, i'm looking to buy a 300SD and i have two vehicles to choose from and was just wondering if you guys could give me your 2cents.. The first car is a 1981 with 300km, the guys been pretty meticulous with it and has all the forms to trace it back to the original purchase sale, but its beige colour which i'm not too thrilled about and hes asking 4200$(canadian). The other vehicle is a 1985 with 426km, its my friends and i know he has taken really good care of it and the colour is a nice silver which suits me a lot better, and hes wanting 4000$(canadian). both cars have no rust and run great. Thanks for your advice.

Take them to something like ' Lemon busters' so you have more factual information to go on... records make no difference if someone ran it out of oil a few times...
That way you can decide on something other than paint color...
They do a LOT of physical tests and are independent since they do not do repairs.

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1980 240d ,

chain elongation, cam marks reference:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/10414-help-i-need-check-stretch.html

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/305365-9-degrees-chain-stretch.html

evap fin cleaning:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/156207-photo-step-step-post-showing-w123-evaporator-removal-1983-240d-1982-300td.html?highlight=evaporator

A/C thread

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/297462-c-recommendations-mb-vehicles.html

I don't know too much about the SD but I suspect that between '81 and '85 Mercedes introduced ACCIII in place of the older ACCII "servo" system. That alone would steer me towards the newer car.

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"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

interior colors?

paint condition? does it look like it was just detailed? or kept that way its entire life?

I would think the S class would have the CCU that is in later model cars, (let us know) it has a turbo engine anyway.
$200 for 78,000 fewer miles, not a bad price considering the maintenance cost.
The 85 will have different plumbing for some items under hood.

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83 SD

84 CD