That could be a possibility but I will know more once I have someone look at the car who can tell me what if anything else it may need. You can't always count on the seller giving you the truth or not leaving out important details.

I mean, for all I know, it could just be surface rust and still solid.

Does anyone know what the slide valve thing is the seller is talking about? Is that something I need to worry about?

There is no slide valve. High idle means either the idle switch is stuck, or that someone manually raised the idle because it has a stalling problem.

Is that something I should care about given what I want the car for? If it runs and drives otherwise, I don't see how it would matter to me.

Is that switch think like a mass airflow sensor? Can it be cleaned or fudged good enough to drive back to TX?

I don't know if you are still thinking about the shipping option but it cost $1000 (work paid for it) to ship my 240D from Mississippi to Delaware last summer when I moved.

In your situation with the sway bar issue I would either ship it or store it at your family's place in MA until you can make repairs and drive it. Even after the repair it may be problematic to drive a 30 year old Mercedes with all kinds of potential issues across country. Breaking down in Tennessee wouldn't be fun.

It may be as simple as adjusting the switch so it catches. Either way, it would be no big deal since you will be doing mostly highway driving.

Fwiw, I've been driving my 300e with a broken sway bar mount for at least a year now. I noticed it "rolled" a bit more in the corners, but I think people are making out to be bigger than it really is. Take it with a grain of salt as my car is a w124, and yours is obviously a w126

I would check for blown head gasket, tranny slippage, overheating, and any crazy shaking or vibration. Massive oil leaks, and consumption is common as well.

The m103 is very tough to get to run well, but even more difficult to get it to actually not run at all.

E-mailed with the seller:

So, I won't be able to take pictures for you. Sounds like the guy that your sister know is a better bet, though.

Oh my God! I'm literally rolling on the floor laughing here! I just spoke to the owner and the car is one street over from my property! Talk about getting a sign from God!

Map this:

My place is on Rutherford Ave Haverhill, MA
The car is on Brockton Ave, Haverhill, MA

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=rutherford+ave+to+brockton+ave+haverhill,+ma&saddr=rutherford+ave&daddr=brockton+ave+haverhil l,+ma&hl=en&ll=42.790456,-71.076007&spn=0.010251,0.026157&sll=42.790197,-71.080379&sspn=0.002563,0.006539&geocode=Fe7zjAId_2_D-yn_W6OUFQLjiTF7KHCzJgG7pg%3BFQLtjAIdt2zD-yl5_I8PPgLjiTEgbLn1nYqqRg&t=m&z=16

I left the seller a message and if he agrees, my guy can be there tomorrow to look at the car. I explained the situation to my guy so he knows what to look for.

Answer
 

Please be aware this is a SHORT term simple Band-Aid for ONE trip.

* 14 or 16 gauge steel sheet from the Home Depot fastener aisle.
* A small sledge hammer to beat it into shape (with lots of overlap).
* Steel rivets.
* A rivet gun.
* An electric drill + bits.
* Drill holes no further apart than 3/4 inch on center, around the perimeter.

As a final touch, hose it with a spray can of rubber undercoat.

Total repair time should be under two hours.

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I have alittle experance in that drive. I bought a 1984 c10 site unseen in Kileen TX and drove it home to Andover MA (just south of haverhill). It was a fun trip. I looked at colleges and camped allong the way. Truck made it just fine although it was a little unearving at first just jumping in a truck I bought and driving. But if your confident in your ablitity to repair on the road as needed it can be fun. As others have said look at it as an adventure.

I did this back in 2006. At that time shipping was over $1,000.00. But the 400SBC drank its fair share of fuel $$. As long as there is no major mechanical issue I would drive it. Being a MA car I would bet the body is SHOT. The sway bar may be real bad or just getting close. Either way If you can weld I am sure you could make it work to get you back to TX. Would be funny seeing a rusty MA car forsale down there as I bet alot of buyers would not be firmilar with the roadsalt rust we have. I know own two vehicals from TX and one from CA...... Love how rust free they are. .

I would rather be replacing interiors then doing frame and body work. Thats why I don't buy vehicals from the north east unless they are from another state.

More data for you to consider
 

If the bracket and bushing are intact, steel rivets will be faster.

POP Rivets | Blind Rivets | Rivets | Rivet Nuts | Riveting Tools | Rivet Setting Tool

Blind Rivet Design Guide : Rivet Gun : POP Rivets : Hanson Rivet & Supply Co. Inc.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/tools-tricks-supplies/275658-pop-rivets.html

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Update:

The car was sold before I could get the money to my mom to pay the seller. I even found out that my girlfriend's sister works for a logistics company and she could have had the car shipped for less than $400.

I'm just a little bit more than disappointed. I really wanted that interior.