Have chance to pick 83 300sd worth it?? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

#1 03-11-2002, 12:09 PM

My mechanic friend is moving out of province and asked if I want to buy a 1983 300sd diesel with 135,000 miles on it. It runs good but the body is rough and would need body work and a paint job to make it presentable. No signs of an accident. He says it looks rough but mechanically it is A1. He wants $2800 USD as is for it. Under the hood it is grimy (normal for a diesel) with no apparant major leaks. How was the tranny on these? Was it a good model? Any common faults to check for? Is it worth it?? Please advise. Is $2800 fair? Anything to look for before considering?? I don't think it was maintained by a Benz dealer. What should be done if purchased to ensure troublefree motoring (forget the normal filters, hoses etc - I would do that automatically)

mikemover · #2 03-11-2002, 02:04 PM

That sounds like an OK price, if it has been maintained well, mechanically. That's really fairly low mileage for an MB diesel. They run forever if taken care of!

You live up north, so I guess the rust is par for the course...but I'd check the floorpans and frame for rust. Bodywork and paint will not fix that!

Has the suspension had any work? If not, it probably needs bushings/balljoints/shocks/etc. by now. When these components wear out, you'll have excessive tire wear, and of course the handling will suffer. Having all that stuff replaced can get kind of pricey. I need about $1000 US worth of suspension work done to mine right now. Still drives very good, mind you, but it does go thru the front tire edges pretty fast.

The automatic tranny on those is pretty bulletproof, IF it has been taken care of. Mine has 245,000 miles on the original tranny, and still going strong.

Do the climate controls work? That's another potentially expensive repair, and I'm sure you don't want to be without heat around there!

Ask him for maintenance records. If the maintenance has been good, then I'd ask him to lower the price to compensate you for the rust, and any other work you find that needs to be done. If it's good mechanically but the rust is extensive, I'd try to bargain down to $2000 or less. If the floorpans or the frame have any significant rust, I'd pass. With a little patience, you can find better cars for the same money.

That's all I can think of, if I've forgotten anyting, I'm sure someone else will step in to help.

Mike

#3 03-11-2002, 02:12 PM

Thanks Mike
By the way - what kind of highway mileage can one expect. (If I buy it - it will be a commuter highway car).

mikemover · #4 03-11-2002, 02:15 PM

It seems to vary slightly with the quality of fuel that I get, and of course whether you're driving on hills vs. flat land, but I get somewhere around 24-28 mpg on the highway, noticeably less around town, which is where I do most of my driving, unfortunately.

Mike

#5 03-11-2002, 02:21 PM

Totally flat land driving. Not much improvement over my 560sel - though I only drive it in the summer - 20-22mpg highway (Non-heavy foot). I know it's a heavier car - but we get 50-60mpg on our VW diesels! I was thinking mid-30's. Oh well - I will throw it into the mix to decide.
Thanks
maurice

mikemover · #6 03-11-2002, 02:25 PM

hahaha...yes, a MUCH heavier car than your VWs...The 300SDs weight almost a whole 2 tons(US)! But also much better torque, better acceleration (not even close to your 560, of course!), and many creature comforts. Excellent long-trip cars. Comfortable seats, good ride, etc. They are very well soundproofed, It's not like driving an old 240D or something, where you can't hear yourself think.

Mike

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