As I am about to sell my 91 300D that I'm flipping, and as my wife appears positively disposed toward this idea of buying a car, driving it for a couple of months, then selling for a modest profit, I think I might like to find an 87 300D to play with for a while. I think I've located one with about 200K, drives fine, good exterior and interior, but no AC and no service records. If I were to drive a hard bargain, what should I be willing to pay for such a car?

In part I'm simply curious, having owned an SDL, to see what a 603 feels like in a 124!

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14 E250 Bluetec 4Matic "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 154k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 172k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion

19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

$800

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Present
1987 300SDL
1991 300SL
1990 560SEL
2001 ML320

Past
1969 200D 1979-82
1983 300SD 1984-85
1972 250C 1982-02
1995 S350 2011
1997 S320 2012

the 603 powered cars are nice, tedious to get running right, and still have plenty of power.
I think $800 would be flat stealing it... 1500 is more fair. if it's REALLY clean, rust free, and you feel the mileage is accurate from personal examination of the car, the a/c shouldn't lower the car below 2500.

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

If I were in the market and found a nice one, I would not hesitate to pay 4k+...especially if I found one with some history and a newer head casting and interior not faded by the sun.

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1987 300TDT - 195,000 (Original #14 head)
1993 190E 2.3 - 105,000
1981 300D - 250,000

If I'm familiar with the 90-93 300D, what's different about the 87 that I'd need to familiarize myself with? (other than the no. 14 head, of course)

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14 E250 Bluetec 4Matic "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 154k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 172k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion

19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

That is about it...though I would not shy away from a 14 head, just be cautious.

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1987 300TDT - 195,000 (Original #14 head)
1993 190E 2.3 - 105,000
1981 300D - 250,000

Some recent purchases a friend and I have done that I compared your car to:

1987 300D, 180,000, one year old paint, nice interior, one owner, needs no work $1200. Friend is asking $3700 for it, I think he is too high.

1986 300SDL, 220,000 nice car, needs front seats, window held up with tape $650, sold for $1200.

1986 300SDL, 124,000 actual miles, 2 owners, records up to 95,000 miles needs paint and interior fair $700, sold for $1400.

1997 S320, 212,000 miles needed 3 light bulbs, ant., $1400

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Present
1987 300SDL
1991 300SL
1990 560SEL
2001 ML320

Past
1969 200D 1979-82
1983 300SD 1984-85
1972 250C 1982-02
1995 S350 2011
1997 S320 2012

Those are some good deals!

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14 E250 Bluetec 4Matic "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 154k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 172k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion

19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

One I was looking at sold....I'm guessing for around 2500. There's another one within striking distance that I'm looking at, this time with working AC.

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14 E250 Bluetec 4Matic "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 154k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 172k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion

19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

Also, check CL . . . there seems to be a lot more MBZ diesels for sale this month.

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1983 300D, the "Avocado"
1976 240D, 4-spd the "Pumpkin", SOLD to Pierre
1984 190D, 2.2L, 5-spd, my intro to MBZ diesels, crashed into in 2002

Im my area any running w124 or gen 2 w126 diesel is a good deal under $3500, most are between $3k-$7k.

I don't know where "my area" is for Travis, but he has a good point that prices are reigonal.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

Sadly around here the diesel selection is weak. But you can pick up a sparkling example of a gasser for less than a beat up diesel. Paid less for my mint 420SEL than I did for my 300SD. Crazy stuff. Both are great cars so I am not complaining though.

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

I paid 4500 for mine 5months ago, with 146,000miles, also had brand new tires on it and came with a set of brand new winter tires. It had thousands of dollars in maintenance records from the 12 months before I purchased, but nothing for the other 23years. A/C didnt work at firat, but I got it fixed. Ive continued to do little things such as: balljoints, coolant flush, vacum line rubber replacing, new expansion tank, getting ready to replace glowplugs. But over all it has been a great car(now has 151,000.)

To be honest I think that if it had been marketed better this car would have, and still would, bring a bit more than 4500. I guess I just jumped at the right moment. I

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1987 300D(Erma)- #14 head, 193k
2003 TDI Beetle sold
1985 300sd sold
1987 300D(Ursala)- #14 head, 157k when sold
1987 300D(Wilbur)- #14head, 356,000+miles, sold after 7 days of owning it.
1992mercedes 300d- totaled and in a junk yard somewhere..
1983 mercedes 300sd- scrapped
1980 mercedes 300sd first mercedes diesel-sold

1500-2000 IN GENERAL. It depends on your location and a whole lot of other factors like rust, suspension, interior, etc.

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth