Hello all, I'm looking at an 84 300CD-T that a friend of mine is selling.

the car has about 330K on the clock and looks GREAT. I know she's spent a good deal of money on maintenance in the last 2-3 years, but don't know exactly what I should be looking for.

This would be my first MB... I'm used to old BMWs.

any help would be appreciated, thanks!

Make sure the windows work, regulators are expensive.
Most items behind the windshield are pricey too, keep that in mind.
Otherwise, the usual stuff on a 26 year old car.

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83 SD

84 CD

Check the rubber especially on the CV joints and on the front of the hood and make sure that the lines under the hood aren't weeping like those darn oil cooler lines

Oh and,

THIS THREAD IS T PROTECTED Now Jimbo won't come and batman us all!

I'm just sayin!

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-Typos courtesy of my mobile phone.

Rust. Area behind the battery tray and the hood hinge area. Floors- pull up the carpets and look at the floors and the areas under the wiring covers that cross the floors. Check the drains to see if they are open. Check all the round hole covers to make sure they are there. Look over the window weatherstripping. Did I mention rust? See if the sunroof drains are clear.

Do the back windows go all the way down? Listen to the windows as they operate- any thunking or noises that make you go huh? means the regulators need help.

Does the AC work and blow cold? Run through the heater/ac controls with the manual to make sure the right vents work at the right time.

Do the seat backs stay in place when the car is on? They are retained by the vacum system.

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95 E300D working out the kinks
77 300D, 227k, station car
83 300CD 370k, gone away
89 190E 2.6- 335k, no more
79 VW FI Bus- 145k miles, summer driver
59 VW Beetle ragtop- 175k miles
12 VW Jetta- 160k miles

thanks... much appreciated... I've seen the car in person ~3yrs ago and it was wonderfully clean. the HVAC is good, was actually redone recently, same with the fuel injection system overall.

I will be sure to get some pics from underneath before I fly out and commit money to it. The car is in Sacramento. I'm in Lincoln, Nebraska. so I'll have to have someone do a PPI...


ummmm, please tell me this is a joke....

First advice: call it by its correct name, which you will find on the trunk.
300CD
The turbo in not an identifier, just an engine component. 1982-1985 makes it a turbo. There are a few in '81, and identifying those as an 81 300CD with a turbo will be acceptable, but they were small in number originally, and even more scarce now I bet.


There is no protection for the tyranny of the Rogue T!! The Rogue T tasks me, and I will have him......




Others will chime in with much more "useful" info. CD's are nice to own......
High mileage isn't a deal breaker if car was maintained nicely.
We do like pics around here, and Welcome!

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Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

Jimmy,
I consulted a local judge (trying to hit me up for a campaign contribution) and says the correct name legally is the one on the title. Mine reads 300D-T

When I repaint, I plan to remove the trunk badge.

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Charles
1983 300D, bought new, 215k+ miles, donated to Purple Hearts veterans charity but I have parts for sale: http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/mercedes-benz-cars-sale/296386-fs-1-owner-83-mb-300d-turbo-rebuild-parts.html

LCA bushings, ball joint boots, tie-rod-end boots. Front swaybar bushes. Squeaks over speed bumps??

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

Nothing wrong with 300CD-T.... MB uses 300CD-T.... original Mulroney's read 300CD-T... VMI reveals 300CD-T
IMO, it doesn't seem like a charlatan T

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My Mercedes-Benz Homepage and W123 Owners Photo Gallery and W111/W112 Coupes & Convs Gallery
2005 Northeast GTG and 2005 Mid-Atlantic GTG and Summer '09 Central FL GTG on YouTube

Said before but I will say again window regulators! Very pricey for the CD's. And also has your friend changed the timing chain? If you don't know you would be very very wise to change it asap. Also just try to find out major and minor things fixed. Welcome!

Yeah, I laugh every time another little piece of broken blue vacum line appears on the floor

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95 E300D working out the kinks
77 300D, 227k, station car
83 300CD 370k, gone away
89 190E 2.6- 335k, no more
79 VW FI Bus- 145k miles, summer driver
59 VW Beetle ragtop- 175k miles
12 VW Jetta- 160k miles

roffle-rooski... glad to know I already hacked off the grammar nazis.

I am waiting for the list of maintenance done on the car...

no one is talking about things to look for on/in the engine (ex timing chain)... I think that's a good thing, as its the one thing I'd rather not deal with. suspensions and interior niggles I can manage. and the stuff behind the dash seems more to be a PITA then technically difficult.

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Nice car! Check for Blow-by and make sure the coolant is not the green stuff.

Check the oil level and the condition of the tranny fluid.

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RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

91 W124 300D Turbo replaced, Pressure W/G actuator installed. 210K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

Dont buy one. Just dont do it. Once you start you cant stop! You will buy another and anohter. I jsut talked to a guy whos friend as 26!!!! 300SD hidden in chicken farms all over georgia.

WHATEVER YOU DO DONT GET ON EBAY AFTER DRINKING.

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http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

Those pics are almost 4 years old.
Coupe specific items were asked for.
The OP is new tho, so maybe a search of 123's in general is in order.

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83 SD

84 CD