This was listed on AutoTrader and although I e-mailed the guy and asked him why the body looked newer than 1986 or 87' for that matter I got, "The car was sold" response back.

So I ask you, the incredibly smart collective wisdom of Mercedes experts, what is this Used 1986 Mercedes-Benz 300SDL Turbo Diesel?

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'87 300TD Estate (Panzer Wagon, Sold)
'95 E320 Estate (Sabertooth, Sold)
'94 E500 (Stark 1, For Sale)
'04 VW GTI (Rhino, Sold)
'12 VW GTI Autobahn (Shadow)

Love that grille!

Jay

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On the road, currently:
'83 300D (German spec.) 168k mi. - - Wolfgang (tucked snugly away for the winter!)
'87 300D 375k mi. - finally went over to "The Dark Side"
'87 300TD 225k mi.
Cannondale 66cm CAAD5 w/Campy/Jamis Aurora
Hujsak Custom Fixie/Landshark Track Shark Custom/Ahearne Custom 29'er

it's a W126 300SDL with smoked tail lights, euro headlights and an ugly grill (don't need a hood star and a star on the grill! looks tacky imho).

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Allen Kroliczek
Oak Grove Autosport | Oak Grove Autosport
01 G500, 82 300TD, quite a few more.....

Its a 1986 300SDL with some cheesy add-ons

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

Two hood stars for the price of one!

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Serenity-86' 300SDL 482,000 miles (on a "14" head!)

Are you guys saying the interior was taken off a newer model? Those seats/center console are not from 86 in the US that I have ever seen.

@Jay - Maybe because it is so different but not tacky I like that grill too; although I also agree that two stars is odd looking. =)

It would look better with a hood star plug,SEC front bumper,and flexible trunk spoiler.Then larger fatter tires.

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1999 w140, quit voting to old, and to old to fight, a god damned veteran

Interior is from a later w126.......something like an 89 560SEL or some such. The grille is from something different......

I was almost expecting there to be a different engine under the hood --- however, it does appear to be a 603.

I think I won't make any comments about the appearance.

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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

The interior looks exactly the same (different color) as the interior I have sitting in my basement from an 89 300SE that is going to go into my 84 300SD.

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2009 ML320 Bluetec
1985 300CD
1981 300TD

Past Mercedes
1979 300TD
1982 300TD
2000 E320 4Matic Wagon
1998 E430
1984 300SD
1980 300SD

Chances ARE Something not readily Visible Has Been "Screwed Around With".

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'84 300SD sold
124.128

@oldsinner111 - Hmm that would be interesting to see.

@daw_two - Hehehe, thanks for the input; and you are free to speak your mind. =P

@Graplr - Yeah it is very possible he threw in newer seats, center console, and door cards I just didn't expect the colors to match so well with the rest of the carpet.

@compress ignite - Seems to be the general consensus. =)

He also put a late model dash in it with no glovebox, airbag instead. I doubt there is an airbag behind the passenger side dash panel though. Notice the thin strip of wood over the area where a glovebox would live. That's from a 90 or 91. Rolltop center console from late model car also. Center dash where A/C controls sit is 86 model though because of 5 switches. Later model had only 4 switches.
Horrible aftermarket grille, hate the chrome over the wheel arches, Euro headlights but those look like Federalized light wipers. Hate the tail lights also.
Sorry, I am a purist.

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John
1986 300sdl
1985 380se

Updated interior from an 89-91 W126, which is a good change.

Other than that the rest of the car looks like crap. The grill is dumb, the chrome wheels and wheel arch's are awful. If you take all that crap off you would have something.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

@brandlj - Good eye! Interesting how much work was done to this thing, what are Federalized light wipers? Or what is the significance of this I guess is what I am asking; are they cheap?

@Hatterasguy - Chrome wheel arches just seem like another way for water to get in and rot the fenders so I agree with that totally.

My comment is off point - I must say though I would never buy another SDL and do now regret buying the SDL over an SD.
Costs and complexities are so much greater on the SDL compared to the SD
that if I had done more research I would have without question bought another SD.
I have more times than I can count wished I had not headed down the SDL path.
For what I have invested in time and money in my SDL, I could have done 2 SD's and I believe, had a more robust car in many ways.

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1986 300SDL 201K Daily Driver
1984 300D In Progress
1989 240GL 196K Swedish Brick
1984 300SD -- Sold 289K
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