Greetings,

It has been quite a while since I was here. My SDL has given me many more trouble free miles than I thought possible.

Alas, while I love my SDL I may be getting a new car for a variety of reasons. With that in mind, I am thinking about what to do with my SDL. As I see it I have two options:

1. Sell the SDL.
2. Keep the SDL and use it as a second car. I travel a ton so it would be a fantastic airport car.

I am not sure what it would fetch on the open market. That would likely drive my decision.

So, with that in mind here is the good, bad and the ugly of the car:

The good:

1. It is a 1986 SDL with 215,000 miles on it.
2. The AC works (it was completely redone to R12 two years ago).
3. The body is largely in fantastic shape.
4. The interior is in very good shape.
5. There is one crack in the dash near the front left speaker. Other than that it is perfect.
6. I have most if not all of the original service records from the first owner all the way up to me.

The Bad:

2. It still has the original 14 head.
3. The trunk needs to be repainted (the clear coat has let go).
4. The sun roof goes up and down but does not slide back.
5. Both the driver's and passenger seat need upholstry work.
6. The driver's seat needs a new box spring.

The Ugly:

1. It was hit once with me and the driver's door was replaced.
2. It appears that it has been hit at least twice before as the front right quarter panel and trunk appear to be different from the original car.

So, what is it worth?

__________________
86 300 SDL - Vesuvius

96 SL 500

Assumption is the mother of all screw ups.

Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light. - Dylan Thomas

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing - Edmund Burke

pictures pictures pictures.
it could be a 5K car, it could be a 2K car, it all depends on interest, and condition.
if it were me, I'd scour the yards, and find a set of front seats, and put em in.
check with a magnet to see if rear deck is aluminum or steel.

__________________
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!

I am sorry, what do you mean by "rear deck"? The actual trunk? I did check that and all the parts on the car are steel - they just did a horrible job painting the trunk.

I will see if I cannot get some pictures up.

__________________
86 300 SDL - Vesuvius

96 SL 500

Assumption is the mother of all screw ups.

Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light. - Dylan Thomas

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing - Edmund Burke

Hmm. all panels are steel eh?
on the SD, the Hood and trunk are aluminum. I'd be surprised to hear they switched back to steel for the long wheelbase...

__________________
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!

The body panels? They are all steel - I just put a magnet to them again to be sure. Both the hood and the trunk.

Perhaps I misundertstand what you are talking about? Sadly, it does not take much to confuse me sometimes.

__________________
86 300 SDL - Vesuvius

96 SL 500

Assumption is the mother of all screw ups.

Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light. - Dylan Thomas

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing - Edmund Burke

Keeping a car like that, or most any car as an airport car only, would likely prove to be a costly proposition for it's intended use. That said, a lot of ppl cannot part with their used cars and collect several of them for sentimental reasons, AND stand good their associated costs going forward - whatever they may be. This is a very costly proposition too. Cars cost money (a lot) to keep driveable. I would reduce to dollars what it will likely cost you out of pocket annually to carry and maintain this car on your personal balance sheet, since you already disclosed that you will probably be buying another car to replace it. ALL cars are expenses, especially decades old cars not climbing in value. Most very used cars, are at least short $2K+ in getting them up-to-snuff to a 'needs nothing' state. Your car sounds (as well as my old diesel) as if it needs some costly work. Keep this in mind when placing it up for sale.

If the old car is worth say 2 - 3K, you might be able to reduce the insurance cost - just carry liability only.
Major issue is cost of maintenance & repair. If you can do much of that yourself, I'd say keep the older car - at least for awhile.
If not, your decision might tip the other way.

Speaking as someone who still keeps older cars after I get a newer one - if PARKING isn't a problem, and you can EASILY afford a new car with full waranty coverage, just keeping ONE older vehicle isn't that big a deal. You might want a backup if something (accident or waranty-repair) happens to the new car.

I find keeping a backup vehicle is almost mandatory when the 'new' car is also an older vehicle, but hanging onto 2, 3 or more 'backup' vehicles can get to be a hassle.

Happy Motoring, Mark

__________________
DrDKW

insuring with full coverage is only 15 or so dollars more each 6 months for the older cars, unless you have agreed value coverage (NC doesn't allow it...GRRR) the big thing is to let the insurance company know it's relegated to a near zero miles per year usage, and get the tax office to acknowledge it's high mileage... dramatically lower both the insurance and the tax bill.

__________________
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!

Tax bill - do you get taxed on the cars you own every year? If so, how did you afford to have so many before you thinned the heard?

__________________
You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometime you just might find you get what you need.

I really don't know where people come up with values in the thousands of dollars for an '86 300SDL. Maybe a pristine, perfect exterior/interior, low miles, book and records example. Your cars description is a typical Copart special. $325 plus fees $550 total. I bought one last week Albany Copart high bidder $325. Theres one in Detroit they've been trying to sell for weeks current high bid $325. A car that old, qualifies for historical plates in my state is worth crushed value. Again, unless it's a pristine example and there's a buyer out there who really, really wants your car thats all it's worth. There's just too much really good modern stuff out there and it's all at a good price. When your in the price range of a several thousand dollars and '86 car really loses it's attractiveness, when you can buy something 10 to 13 years newer for the same price.

__________________
jcciem
'94 SL5000 60,000
'91 350SDL 545,000
'91 350SD 197,000
'00 E55 AMG 77,000

I have frequently seen OM603 126's go for premium prices. I have even been very surprised at what some fairly tired examples have gone for. The least expensive was a very tired '86 SDL, 200K + miles, with a damaged hood and sunroof (from not being latched and blowing back on the roof at highway speed!). Purchased by an acquiantance in NYC, from up in Vermont, for $1200.

It's just what your market will bear. I'd have to get (and would expect) about $9,500 for mine. I have seen at least 2 comparables go for more. No rust anywhere, interior and exterior are beautiful, and it has a fresh 3.0 litre and trans.

BTW, the #14 head is no liability.

__________________
Chief

1991 350SD

yup...
on the REGISTERED ones... the titled ones that are not registered do not get taxed.

__________________
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!

Taxes and insurance can vary wildly. It just depends on your insurer or location.
A couple years ago, Faifax County, where I live, added a $35 county registration fee - even for cars that aren't running or registered.
And being in the Washinton DC area, my carrier wants nearly double to give my older vehicles full coverage.
Insurance is the biggest expense for most of my decaying classics, so I have been thinning some of the herd in the past few years.
I do have a couple older Benzes with full coverage from a classic-car insurer. Coverage is very cheap, but they want the cars to be garaged and my use is supposed to be limited primarily to shows, club events ETC...

Happy Motoring, Mark

__________________
DrDKW

You are looking around the $2000-$2500 range for a car like what you have.

I don't know where you live but in north TX, you could have this 87 300SDL for just under $2K. It needs paint work, PS pump, tie rod, and something fixed on the climate control. Seats are probably in the same condition or worse than what you have. Here in TX, we do not expect to see much if any rust, so it is usually not even mentioned. Assuming your car has no rust, you could use this SDL as a comparison. In TX, I won't buy a rusty car unless it is for parts and very cheap. I simply have a plethora of other cars to choose from without rust issues to deal with. We have the tradeoff of faded/sunburnt paint and cracked dashes, though.

1987 Mercedes 300 SDL TURBO DIESEL - $1995 (Denton, TX)

__________________
1991 F250 super-cab 7.3 IDI. (rebuilt by me) Banks Sidewinder turbo, hydroboost brakes, new IP and injectors.
2003 S430 - 107K
1983 300SD - Tanoshii - mostly restored ~400K+.
1983 300SD - Good interior. Engine finally tamed ~250K.
Monark Nozzle Install Video - http://tinyurl.com/ptd2tge

I don't think the car is misspriced, I would be asking the same $s.

However:
A $2K car that needs $3K+ worth of work, likely $2K on top of the $5K.
$7K out-of-pocket would then potentially be spent hiring the various appearance/mechanicals to hopefully be right and reliable.

BUT:
No records, sketchy past/hearsay, an inoperable speedo/odometer? Pass.....
"There is nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes"