Thoughts on a potential purchase?
 

Well im always surfing craigslist to see what comes up close to me. Recently I found this: 1987 Mercedes 300D Turbo
The kid says it was his fathers for the last 23 years and he recently passed it down to him. He appears to have no clue on any of the questions ive asked him about maintnance and other things like that, but did say his father was a mercedes guru who has always kept up on maintnance. The car now has 356,xxxmiles on it. He says occasionaly the anti lock light goes on and off, and the sunroof is not working. I have tried to get a head number, but he didnt even undertand what an injector was when I was trying to explain where it would be located.

So would you consider this a parts car or another back up car? and what would you pay for it? I was thinking $600-800. Oh and he posted it less than a week ago for 2k then just lowered to 1600.

Thanks,
Zach

1987 Mercedes 300D Turbo - $1600 (Marysville)

Date: 2011-10-13, 4:23PM EDT
Reply to: sale-ymae9-2648177589@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]


Gets 34mpg highway/ 28mpg city. Good reliable car. Runs on diesel. Last year I submitted the car to Mercedes and got an award for 500,000 kilometers+. Thats what is shown in the pic. Car will sell fast. Call/text Josh at 678-520-0042

• Location: Marysville
• it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

http://images.craigslist.org/5W45P05...4efdd01302.jpghttp://images.craigslist.org/5V55T25...46642e16ed.jpghttp://images.craigslist.org/5Z35Q15...1185901572.jpghttp://images.craigslist.org/5Q55W25...c1d96d1deb.jpg

The car looks decent in the pictures. If it is true the Dad is a MB Guru as he said and meticulously maintained the car, then maybe the price of 1600 isn`t too far off. on the other hand it is in Ohio and Iam thinking rust problems.

Knowing what head it has could be a factor in the price negotiations, or be a concern.

He doesn`t mention the 356K miles but mentions 500,000km badeg. maybe that scares off potential buyers thinking 500,000 miles instead of KM`s.

He has no clue about things you ask him, but did know about the milage badge. maybe learned it from his Dad?


Charlie

Ohio rust is always a problem, but its hard to tell unless you actually go look at it, which I may do this coming weekend.

Im thinking the mileage badge information is coming from his father, as he really has no concept of the car. He has sent me two numbers and so far neither have been the casting number.

I'd be surprised if it actually got 28/34 mpg. Those are 300D 2.5 numbers. It's clear he doesn't know the car so what's left to determine is how well he knows his father. My kids think I'm a Mercedes guru. I'm just a Mercedes nut :) Arrange for a prepurchase inspection if you aren't a gambler. Rely on gsxr's 1987 300D buyer's guide if you are. It's a good guide but no guaranty you'll spot every expensive problem with the car.

The pictures indicate some custom work. The bumpers and trunk lid the later 124 style. Maybe an accident forced his hand to update. The wheels aren't OE either but that shouldn't be a big concern.

Sixto
300D

it's a nice car, see if you can talk to the GURU... his father, find out if the timing chain has been changed, if not expect it at that mileage... go over the list of GSXR's for sure, but the 6cyl 124's are getting rarer and rarer... and they are nice.

Im going to try to go see it this weekend(hes 65miles away.) Im hoping I can arrange for his father to be there as well. The timing chain is my biggest concern, as it is going to definetely be needed with 356k.

At this point its really hard to make any more assumptions without seeing the car, as this kid knows nothing about it.

Thanks for all the support so far, ill keep you updated on what happens with it.

Zach

Also seeing the amount of miles on this car is encouraging. It shows me that my car has alot of potential with just under 150k. Especially since I may be going to school in Colorado next year and would be makeing several trips to and from Ohio a year for the next few years.

Update!
 

He messaged me today and said it stopped running yesterday and he has no idea why. He says if I can come get it tommorow, I can have it for $600 (after some haggleing...) I feel like I can come close to that in scrap value, so I think I am going to do it. Any thoughts?

If the body is anywhere near as good as it looks in the pics you are in the hard to go too far wrong price range.

Unless his father is deceased I am guessing he got the car because it has some problem that the father does not want to deal with.

The stopped running thing is not a good sign on a diesel.

Well I was ready to go get it this afternoon, but I just found out someone borrowed our car trailer, and is in illinois with it. Im trying hard to find someone else with a trailer, but I have to be at work in 2 hours and wont be off untill mid afternoon. So I only have 2 hours to find a trailer and confirm with this guy that I am coming.
I asked him if he could explain if there were any symptoms leading to not running such as; Did it die while driving? Did it loose power? or was it sitting and you were unable to get it to restart?

Im considering just going in the 300d with a bunch of tools, the jump pack, a spare battery, and some fuel filters, a thing of diesel 911, and seeing if I could get it started and limp it home.

U haul has nice trailers for rent.

I thought about that, but the one in our town is shut down for the week due to "the Pumpkin Show"... I may use aaa and just claim I already own it and what not. Its only 60mi1 from home ans I believe I have 4to free 100mito tows a year...
Maybe im beingin too optimistic but I think I may be able to get it started and drive it home. I have the trunk of my car full of tools and extra parts, so after work im going to attempt to do it. Ill update everyone tonight on what happens.

Thanks,
Zach

Safe travels...
 

good luck......sounds like a nice project for the money!:nice:

AAA will tow any car as long as it's registered. You don't have to own it. You just have to be there with the car.

This...

For $600 you cant go wrong even if its a parts car.