Should I buy this car? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

sethza · #1 02-05-2012, 02:10 AM

I'm looking for a car to buy in the near future, but I'd like some advice. A lot of you guys have owned a lot more Mercedes vehicles than I(I've had one), so from what you can see on this ad, is 1100 too much? It's kind of sad because it appears as if this car was once the PO's pride and joy:

Sweet 1978 240D (Deisel) Mercedes

I have a good engine to put in this car at home, if the bearing is indeed "dropped". It's obvious the car was run on wvo, I would think it would be cool to just use both the tanks for diesel and/or biodiesel. It also appears like there is a small dent on one fender and perhaps a respray job on the drivers' door.

But: If its an AZ car it probably has no rust, and I love the color of this thing. I'll update when I see the car in person, but from what you guys can see let me know if this is a stupid idea right off the bat..

barry123400 · #2 02-05-2012, 02:37 AM

The second actual fuel tank was also an option. There were not a lot of places to by diesel when this car was new. So perhaps no wvo history.

Other than sun damage the original front seat should have been present at 190 k so the overall milage is suspect. It perhaps lost the first cylinders rod bearing as is so typical of the 616 and avoidable in my opinion.

If you have a good engine you may be unlikely to do much better though and the price might be negotiated lower. You have to see and examine it to really make a determination in my opinion.

Travis_k · #3 02-05-2012, 02:46 AM

In california the state will pay that much to scrap any one that is registered and moves under its own power, so pretty much $1200 and under is a good deal for anything repairable. I dont know if they are much cheaper anywhere else though.

ChiefRider · #4 02-05-2012, 06:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barry123400

Other than sun damage the original front seat should have been present at 190 k so the overall milage is suspect. It perhaps lost the first cylinders rod bearing as is so typical of the 616 and avoidable in my opinion.

.

That doesn't bother me too much. I was the second owner of a '79 240D many years ago, having purchased it from my next door neighbor I had known the car from new.

Under my ownership at about 125k miles the drivers seat cushion and spring box was shot, with springs sticking up through the MB Tex. I actually bought a new spring box and horsehair pad to repair the seat. I can see someone simply replacing it though.

Junkman · #5 02-05-2012, 08:44 AM

Price is negotiable so negotiate. Take cash. If most things work besides the engine, get it. A stock engine swap is easy. Include a turbo if it is also easy.

sethza · #6 02-05-2012, 10:47 AM

Yeah, if it's got good axles and a good front end, that'll seal the deal for me. That's the thing I spent the most money on with my current car, but I don't feel like it's raised the resale value more than a couple hundred...
And the front seat in my 240d is trashed, with 200k on the working od, so i believe the mileage. The Az sun is easy on sheet metal but harsh on interiors and paint.

Biodiesel300TD · #7 02-05-2012, 11:30 AM

It's the twin of my 240D. Only is has the palamino interior, I still have yet to see another Caladonia green 123 with black interior. If everything other than the engine is in pretty good shape I'd offer $700-$800 cash. Don't tell him you have another engine waiting for it if it needs it. I'd be surprised if the engine really is toast. These engines rarely loose bearings, but it's certainly isn't out of the realm of possibilities, especially is the owner has been taking car of it.

cooljjay · #8 02-05-2012, 02:48 PM

I'm sorry, I may be the only one here....but I would never pay 4 figures for a one of these cars that may have a bad engine...I doubt it but you have to figure that in. I just paid 475$ for my 78 300d..that had wvo ran through it...I spent over a week working on it, plus close to 1500$ in parts. There is no such thing as a cheap mercedes, and they will nickle and dime you to death. Also, is this a manual or auto? I would give them 500$. Being a reseller, I can tell you, you don't want to put more money into a car then its worth, and remember a mech charges 95$ an hour for work...If you pull the engine and replace, you have to count in all the parts that go on the engine that will be bad, ie rubber hoses, mounts, vacuum pump, radiator....I wouldn't buy it thats me..

ChiefRider · #9 02-05-2012, 02:58 PM

This was my '79 240D 4 speed in Nickle Green w. Bamboo interior. I sold it about 5 years ago, w/ 140k miles. I could use it now!

ChiefRider · #10 02-05-2012, 03:00 PM

And here's the photo!

chasinthesun · #11 02-05-2012, 05:08 PM

A 1978 car with bad motor ,I would stay in the field of a 83-85 with low 200k miles and has been tagged ,inspected and daily driven as part of the all around picture here.This could be found for $1500 -$2000. This one is asking for dissappointment unless you can do everything yourself.To try to pass on the "well kept" moto the seller wants to bestow onto the car it would have to be driven to realize that comment.Ive bought 2 MB diesels that I could not drive or start,,this is out of 12 ive either sodl or still own currently ,one was a 78 300cd and with alot of patience got running again but felt unsure of it because of its age and unknown mileage,sold for about what I had in it.Second was an 83 300cd with an overheated motor ,I eventually got this old car running with even low compression numbers ,own it still with a replacement donor motor but was some work .All the other cars I drove home and was much happier for it. Your time spent looking is better then jumping on something right away .My saying is to be the first to view and test drive a used car for sale but be the last one to buy that car your interested in,You can spend that extra cash on something nice for the wife once she sees you brought home a 30 yr old car.

ngarover · #12 02-05-2012, 06:03 PM

been said before but, good buy at 500 bucks if you can do the work yourself. Body looks good, can't see the interior... You "could" find a donor engine. I've pulled 5 engines out of these now and put in 2, The first times of course tricky and requires that you have a place to do the work, an engine lift, a helper (to move the engine/trans around) yes, you pull them both as one unit... Your also going to need an engine leveler cause it comes out (and goes back in) at a 45 degree angle... And of course, once you have it out you might as well address all the other issue your going to then see... rust, grim, mounts and engine shocks, the normally hard to reach rear hoses etc... By the time your done you will have spent more money than just buying a decent running one for 1500 to 2k still won't know how good the engine is, chance doing something silly like not seating the torque converter back into the trans and blow the trans pump after oh, lets say 5k... Not to mention the pint of blood you'll end up donating to the car. But even after all this... still a fun buy for a tinker thats willing to learn and have a little fun doing it.

47dodge · #13 02-05-2012, 06:16 PM

not so sure it is a wvo conversion, at least from the picture I do not see the extra hoses and filters that would be under the hood. Anyway looks pretty nice, good one to save.

Desert Panther · #14 02-05-2012, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Travis_k

In california the state will pay that much to scrap any one that is registered and moves under its own power, so pretty much $1200 and under is a good deal for anything repairable. I dont know if they are much cheaper anywhere else though.

Did I misunderstand you, or did you imply that the state of California pays $1200 to take old MB diesels off the road permanently?!?!!?

glenlloyd · #15 02-06-2012, 02:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Desert Panther

Did I misunderstand you, or did you imply that the state of California pays $1200 to take old MB diesels off the road permanently?!?!!?

Wouldn't surprise me a bit....

If that car was in my area I'd think about it for around $500, there's an engine for it in Chicago IIRC listed on CL.

Then again I'm trying to get out of the 'project' biz....too much accumulation and too little progress...sometimes.

seve