Considering 617 vs 603
 

I'm considering the following two cars - both of them would require travel outside of my state, which I'm willing to do for the right car... Let me first say that this time both sellers are cooperating very well - which has been the biggest issue thus far in my long-distance-car-shopping adventure...

Candidate#1 is a 1984 300SD - as seen in this ad: http://sanantonio.craigslist.org/cto/1414499663.html
Female driver, odometer broken so approximate mileage about 170K - leather seats, pretty clean inside, no wear on the seats - dash has no cracks. She said the a/c compressor works but the a/c is not cold. The engine bay looks pretty clean, though the aluminum valve cover, cruise look pretty oxidized, not sure why?! Green coolant, the belts and hoses look fairly new. She said the pickup was not as good as the Isuzu truck she had before.... Some service records exist - asking price $1995, willing to negotiate.

Candidate#2 is a 1987 300SDL - as seen here: http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/cto/1422357388.html
The owner has car repair business - this was his mother's Benz from new. She was the only driver until 1 year ago when he bought her a brand new replacement Benz. He sold this car to the employee - carried the financing for him until the guy fell back on payments and the car was repossessed - looking to sell it now. Looks clean in additional photos he sent me - engine bay very clean but not too clean. Proper coolant in the expansion tank. Very clean and shiny IP. No records, but the car was maintained by two dealers in Jax, FL - they have records. Supposedly all systems are working. Appears very clean inside from additional photos. Asking $3500 - willing to negotiate.

So it's between the reliability of the 617 which seems to have been taken care of fairly well and what is seems like a clean, well maintained 603. The 603 is calling my name, but I know the parts can be more expensive and whatever I buy I'd like to keep for a while and use as my DD, including winter driving here in CO.

Advice, recommendations on which one to pursue?! I like the SDL a little better, but I don't want a money pit, if you know what I mean.

THanks,
James

A mechanic who thinks the SDL is a V6?

Well the 603 should have almost as good reliability, a little more power, and better fuel economy. However, that isn't worth a $1500 premium to me. And the seller thinks it's a V6. If you can talk "V6" way down on price, it would be worth it. Otherwise I'd go with the '84.

THe V6...
 

THe ad was typed (I'm sure) by his secretary/office coordinator who's been handling the conversation about the car. What would be a fair price or the max range for the SDL - about $2000-2500?

Does every SDL have the Trap Oxidizer, or only some models?! I didn't see it in the engine bay photos, but it may not be visible..

Also, what about the DIY factor - I've been getting pretty comfortable maintaining my 300D with your help here, not sure about the 603 - it looks somewhat more complicated.

The best is to drive one of each.

If all else is the same, the SDL is a longer car, has a more powerful engine that is also quieter, more efficient, and less maintenance. Although both engines will run the cars for well over 300,000miles if maintained reasonably, the SD engine has a reputation for being less sensitive to neglect.

It's always funny to me to see an ad for a car which is supposedly properly maintained and it has a broken headlamp door, about a $40 part, ...

Anyway, if the SDL has working A/C and the SD does not, it can already justify part of the price spread.

The SDL is about 6 inches longer than the SD and a foot longer than a 300D (123 or 124 chassis). It is a BIG car, great for the highway, a little less great in tight city traffic. Definitely more bells and whistles, more creature comforts, more room in the back seat and the trunk.

The 603 engine is not difficult to maintain -- no valve adjustments, for example. It is a more powerful, smoother, quieter engine that is nonetheless more fuel efficient than the 617 (I have one of each).

Air conditioning can be very expensive to repair so if that's important to you, you might choose the car in which it works rather than the other.

603 603!

Both?!
 

Kind of wish I could buy both of them, actually...... :)

once you go 603 you never go back to those 617's..

bwhahahahahahaaha

Perhaps his listings for cars are just typed in to fill-in-the-blank type categories. Such as Cylinders V___. :D

I would say go with what you want to spend. If you want to go cheaper, get the SD. If you want more expensive, get the SDL. Or you could lowball offer both and whichever person takes the offer, you get the car! :P Or I guess I could say whoever comes down the most.

Depends what you want, apples and oranges. Decide what you want, then go shopping for the best example you can find.

True...
 

Yeah... I just have hard time deciding what I want/need...

SDL

Unless you already have a 603 and you want and 1985 300CD to compliment it...then I can see a 617 coming into the picture ;)

I have heard that the 617 engines lose power a lot sooner in life than a 603. They wear the cylinder walls into an oval... The 603 doesn't have this problem, but might in the future have a head problem. If you don't let the 603 overheat, it will give you many years of problem free service....