1983 Mercedes 300CD.......
 

I was pumping diesel into my Jetta TDI and this guys pulls in with 1983 Mercedes 300CD coupe. So I asked him how he likes the car and he said it is OK. He got laid off and his old car blew engine. He might be selling it and told me to give him offer. Well the car is VERY clean black and everything works plus he has receipts for last 16 years. The only problem odometer does not work for a while. It shows 163K which is not true and he is not sure about original miles but it is over 250K. I always wanted coupe. What should I offer him?? I do not need a car but would like to get it if the price is right. He got laid off from his work and he looks like interested in selling but does not know the value of a car. What do you think car is worth with TMU (true mileage uknown)???

It's quite difficult for someone who has not seen the car to even ball park it, check for rust.

Good luck.

Grab his number and give it a three over at a better location.

I can't wait when I get a full time job and can start picking these suckers up. I'll know exactly where to look for every little problem :P

windy city? Chicago? id probably avoid it. Granted i got my cherry 240D from just outside chicago, but given the winters there Ill not be optimiztic as a whole.

Could be $1500-5000 based upon how it looks/runs, assuming it has north of 200k.

Well it looked good. Paint was shinny and had no "outside" rust. I still have not done a inspection of the car it was only meeting at the gas station. I will probably offer him $2000 and I think that is fair offer. Hope he does not get offended but I will not go penny over that.

give yourself some room, talk down the unknown milage and offer 1500 then go to 2000. he will feel better that he got 500 more and youll be happy giving the 2000. this is of course after the cursery screw driver test of the undercarriage.I would also pull all the carpets, these are especially bad for rust in the floor under and behind the seats

keeping in mind that when you pull the carpets, you are not looking at floorboards. you are looking at asphalt sound deadening material.
all the panels have holes in them with rubber/plastic plugs for water drainage in the event of a spill/water ingress.

always look under the car at the unibody seams for rust expansion.

If you devide not to offer him $$,
let me know. I always wanted a coupe.
Plus I live in the Chicago suburbs.

Man, I'd jump on a black 300CD.....especially if the price was good!

Rust is the killer.
I got mine at 254k miles 13 years ago and it has somewhere around 375k on it now with the passenger seat falling out. The soundproofing inside and the undercoating outside sandwich the floor pan and if it is rusting only way to tell is poke hard.
First thing I'd do is jack the car up by the jack points. Hear any funky noises or see anything shifting you know there are issues.