Value of 1987 Mercedes 300TD? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

glew_1 · #1 10-23-2010, 03:29 PM

I need some help to substantiate the value of my '87 300TD. My car was damaged in a rare hailstorm in Glendale, AZ a few weeks ago. The insurance adjuster estimated the damages at $4200 and concluded that the car was totaled. Their settlement price is $4,027.98 which I believe is far below market value. Of course none of this takes into account the rebuilt engine, rebuilt turbo, new A/C compressor, new paint job, and the dozens of things to restore and keep the car in good working order. Their salvage value is $1338.

If you have sold or purchased an '87 300TD recently, I need your help to establish market value. I need:
1. Selling price
2. Date and location of sale
3. Condition of vehicle
4. Contact information of the buyer/seller.

Please post or email the information to me at: glew_1@yahoo.com

I want to repair the vehicle which means that the market value of the vehicle should be $6,500 to justify the $4,200 repair estimate. I plan to resurrect some receipts to document some major work and hopefully boost the car value. I want to avoid the salvage route because I need to go through some Dept. of Motor Vehicle bureaucratic hoops to recertify that the car can be safe to drive.

Thanks,
Gene Lew

Bio300TDTdriver · #2 10-23-2010, 04:00 PM

Do you have any pictures of the damage?

glew_1 · #3 10-23-2010, 04:35 PM

The hail was golf ball sized and left small dimples on the roof, tail gate, hood, doors, fenders, etc... The front grill work had a few more chips but there was no glass damage. I think the estimate reflects a lot of small damage over most of the vehicle rather than large damage to a specific area like in an accident.

I had a '78 BMW 530i parked next to it and the dimples were a lot more pronounced probably thinner sheet metal.

ngarover · #4 10-23-2010, 04:42 PM

I bought an 87 300D 2 days ago. has 220k miles on it. Paints a little faded, could use a set of replacement headlight trim, needs a windshield. Runs great, no smoke, has that #14 head. Interiors actually pretty good for a car of it's age, again, could use to be gone though. HAd 5k worth of repairs done to it 2 years ago, I have all receipts. Repairs where suspensions, blistens, fuel tank and a list of other stuff.

Needs the pods for the AC fixed, has a cracked dash. The AC still blows cold, the cruise does not work.

Locks work, sunroof works, the rear pass window does not work.

Bought for 900 bucks and have already put 500 miles on it. Doing a 10 hour trip in it tomorrow...

1stbenznc · #5 10-23-2010, 08:24 PM

Not sure if you are going to find values much higher unless you have been tracking sales on ebay and such and have the sold prices. Many here get them pretty cheap and fix them up themselves.

Not sure if you are a DIY'er, but you could source many smooth panels from the junk yard 87-95 and bolt them on. This would eliminate much of the body work. I have seen some compete gasser wagons for less than $1000 with bad engines. You can even update much of the car at the same time and have many extra parts (updated hood, body cladding, stainless trim, better interior, etc. Sell the rest for scrap. Should not cost $4200 to get it back to normal or better if you do 1/2 the work.

Great if they won't salvage it on title, but if considered a total loss, they will. Just take pictures to show the next potential buy.... - that it wasn't wrecked or flooded.

babymog · #6 10-23-2010, 08:32 PM

There is a huge difference between the values of the 300D and 300TD. The 300D was produced in fairly large quantities, and was succeeded by more diesel sedans in '90-'93 and '95 in the same body, then again in '96-on with the new body, etc.

The 300TD (wagon) was not produced / imported in large numbers, I've read between 1400 and 1800, no reliable source on this number though. The 124 diesel wagon was sent here in 1987 only, and there has not been a diesel Mercedes wagon sent to the US since.

I searched 2 years to find a nice one, settled for what I have, they are not easy to find. They are also not cheap, unless you find a seller who does not know what he has.

Anyway, don't use sedans for comps.

Start searching the Mercedes forums, look back in the cars for sale here, look at Ebay cars also, and search Craigslist. For a good complete rust-free one the prices vary widely.

$6500 is not IMO unreasonable for a nice car, but it might be hard to convince the insurance company of this. If you have recently purchased the car, they will likely pull the DMV papers that show what you paid tax on, don't expect them to pay more than a depreciated value from what you paid, unless you have receipts to show that you have increased the car's value.

Good luck.

vstech · #7 10-23-2010, 10:22 PM

bear in mind all the info you give the adjuster for the value of what you have put into the car that was not damaged by the hail will raise the buy back price of the car, not the value... annoying but true!
the TOTAL cost of the repaint you recently had done should be added to the value of the car they establish.
POINT OUT TO THE ADJUSTER, the car was a ONE YEAR production ONLY and as such is a RARE vehicle that cannot be easily replaced.
finding purchases is going to be difficult, and establishing value will be doubly so due to this.

Brandon_SLC · #8 10-23-2010, 11:15 PM

Asking $8500 w/113k miles.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/87-MERCEDES-BENZ-300-TD-WAGON-/320605902626?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item4aa599d722

Searched for solds, but didn't find a single one.

babyjames · #9 10-23-2010, 11:18 PM

Bought mine back in June. Had 221k on the clock, then, and a salvage title. Paid more than $4200 for it. P.m. if there's anything I can do to help.

Jay.

turbo97se · #10 10-23-2010, 11:39 PM

$4000 to $5000 is about the going rate I would say. My opinion is that you should have them total out the car and buy it back. Find a good paintless dent removal service and have the work done! It may be about $1000 to $2000 but you'll get your car back close to the original condition and be $$ ahead. The only issue is if you are concerned about salvage title. If you are planning on keeping it or if there is another incident in the future then that may be a problem.

jbach36 · #11 10-23-2010, 11:41 PM

Man, $4,000 for a 1987 is a gift. My '91 has "low" miles on it, at just 153k. I've seen a '93 advertised for weeks on end, with just 155k on it, for $3500, in seemingly very nice shape, photos were good, lots of new parts, they said it ran great, but with no takers a few months ago.

I've seen others, a 1995 with 225k for $4,000 that someone finally bought. So if yours was an '87??? Unless you had 60k original miles on it or something, thank your lucky stars for a $4k value.

ngarover · #12 10-24-2010, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbach36

Man, $4,000 for a 1987 is a gift. My '91 has "low" miles on it, at just 153k. I've seen a '93 advertised for weeks on end, with just 155k on it, for $3500, in seemingly very nice shape, photos were good, lots of new parts, they said it ran great, but with no takers a few months ago.

I've seen others, a 1995 with 225k for $4,000 that someone finally bought. So if yours was an '87??? Unless you had 60k original miles on it or something, thank your lucky stars for a $4k value.

I'm not sure I agree... I'm new to this so I may be totally incorrect but I was under the impression that the 87 was actually a much better car than the 93. Didn't MB loose a large lawsuit over the quality of the 93 or something like that?

Thanks for schooling me a little on the tags, the the 300TD is the wagon. See, I was thinking people just added it to reference the turbo! lol. Again, I'm new. This is the very first MB I have ever owned, and I have to say in 3 short days I have already come to enjoy the car. In fact, Neither of my rovers have even been started since I brought it home lol!

One the wagon, that car has 7 passenger seating? AND the same engine as my 300D? I want one. I'm about to have my 3rd baby and the extra seating is going to be a must... I had even been thinking of getting a "shudder" minivan... But if I can get one of these, problem solved! So, do you want to sell your "totaled" one? Buy it back from insurance, and we can talk. Salvage title should not be an issue in GA. (Heck if it was an 85 or older it would not even need a title here)

Bio300TDTdriver · #13 10-24-2010, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbach36

Man, $4,000 for a 1987 is a gift. My '91 has "low" miles on it, at just 153k. I've seen a '93 advertised for weeks on end, with just 155k on it, for $3500, in seemingly very nice shape, photos were good, lots of new parts, they said it ran great, but with no takers a few months ago.

I've seen others, a 1995 with 225k for $4,000 that someone finally bought. So if yours was an '87??? Unless you had 60k original miles on it or something, thank your lucky stars for a $4k value.

You may want to reread post #6. "There is a huge difference between the values of the 300D and 300TD."