HI guys!

(I posted this on the Tech forum too)

Ok...I found a 1985 300TD with 225,000 miles on it! The seller is asking 1500$$$...

He says it needs a few things here and there...

He says the car needs a tune-up....he says the car idles really low when the engine is cold....but operates fine at normal operating temperature...
***what does that mean*** What does a diesel tune-up consist of??

Other than that....he said it needs a new battery (which he plans to buy so I can test drive it)
and he said that the power sunroof "probably" needs a fuse...(hhmmm....)

225,000 miles is LOW for a diesel...isn't it??

and ASSuming that there has been very little maintenance (I just don't know? no service records) what kind of things could I expect to need replaced (besides the obvious brakes, tires, oil etc)...

Oh..the body is in "pretty good" condition....a spec of rust beginning over the rear wheel area....

The seller was asking 2500$$ but has had no bites and since it isn't perfect has dropped the price to 1500$....

Are diesels hard to work on?? (compared to a gasoline set-up?)

Any ideas on this low idle when cold issue??

~Christy

Thanks for the super-quick reply, Bill!!!

Didn't you sell a car somewhat recently? I wish I could have gotten that one!! :p

Ok....it's an individual selling the car...
RED FLAG #1 (so far)..he immediately dropped the price 1000$$$$....which makes me a little nervous...although he sounds super-nice and said he was dropping the price to cover what he thinks the car might need with all the odds and ends things...

Yes...the car IS a sedan...didn't ask if the a/c worked...or the heater for that matter...but there is an issue with the electric sunroof...he thinks it's a fuse, but I'm a bit doubtful....

Now..it's a turbo....I wonder if the turbo actually works??? I didn't ask and he didn't say...(I assumed it did)....how could I tell when I drive the car? Is there a way?

It's so nice to hear that getting a car like this working would be easier than my old '69 250/8.....a carburetor-free car sounds dreamy!!

The seller of this car said that he bought it from a friend who owns 5 Benzes, a hobbyist, and he did alot of work himself, then sold it to him ( I wanna meet this guy with the 5 Benzes )...he says the car has been sitting for about 6 weeks (RED FLAG #2)....but ran fine before the battery died...(hhmmmm....)
{The PO of my current Benz said my car sat for 6 weeks....it was more like 9 YEARS+ hhmmmmm....}

But a good thing about this car, is that it IS 16 years newer than my '69....but it IS 16 years OLDER than NEW...

PLUS...I will most likely have to DUMP my 250...which SHOULD be dumped, but I DO still like that car.....

I will most certainly let you know how the test drive goes..it probably won't be until after the first of the year...
until then, I'd love any other comments or suggestions about diesels!!

~Christy

btw...the diesel "tune-up" doesn't sound like a big deal at all!