Bought a little red wagon (1983 300TD) $3500
 

Bought the wagon today that I had posted about earlier...:D

The seller and I agreed on a price of $3500, pending mechanical inspection.

My mechanic looked it over closely today, and I got to see it on the lift etc. Not a perfect old-lady-owned car, but a good, solid, honest car, one-owner (purchased off a lease when 1 year old), who carried his family in it for 3 decades. It has patina and some wear and tear that you would expect from such use, but has been well maintained over the years (lots of mechanical repairs, and addressing a few panel rust issues a couple of times).

It came with ALL service records, going back almost 30 years. Quite an interesting pile, made some very nice reading as I was waiting for my mechanic to get at it. The only thing he recommended changing are the shocks (Bilstein) which he felt were a little soft.

Anyway, look forward to driving it (getting my plates tomorrow), getting to know some of its idiosyncracies, and addressing some of its minor little issues. I hope I have many happy years using it for what it was intended, hauling stuff here and there, enjoying the diesel drive. The W123 wagon definitely falls in the "form follows function" category, wonderful piece of engineering through and through.

One of the first things I'll do is install my spare MB star on the grille!;)

"Little red wagon, little red bike
I ain't no monkey but I know what I like"
--Dylan

Cheers.
--Bob

:confused:

How much $?

Bob, now you have done it! ;) I am sure you will not regret it. I bought my wagen without ever seeing but a glimpse of one in person and it is the perfict auto for me. You are right, form follows function, which as a modernist designer, I believe in. Even the hood creases add to rigidity. In reality, not even the idolized Mies always followed the rule (some decoration served no function).

Just bet if you washed the paint with a cleaner wash like P21S conditioning shampoo or paint cleanser, went over it with a clay bar, Klasse sealant and glaze, and finally carnauba wax, it look almost new if not new. I am fining European single stage is fairly durable to abuse. Got to do that to the 245 and do some to the Squareback and see if I can save the paint for a second time )life got in the way). If I was dealing with rust like on the Squareback, I condition/cleanse the paint first, clay, do the body work, let the paint cure, wash, seal, and wax. That way don't have to strip the wax that was applied and the clay bar should help remove any that the P.O. applied to the paint.

Hope this helps, Adriel.

Wow...
 

I like it! I wouldn't mind adding a car just like that to my stable...

Congratulations!
 

If I was going to buy a new TD Wagen out of the showroom I would def pick it in this Fire engine Red color. My 79 300SD was the same red and also came with faded Texas paint. Not to mention the entire rear end covered with dried dead Love Bugs from the ride to S. Florida from Houston. I am sure the driver had to have it on the top rack of his carrier with the back facing front.

I used Maguires Paint cleaner first- by hand, then Color Back - and the wax, and it did bring back the faded to new again.

....:)

Congrats. Glad you got it!

Put some tint on those windows and it will look really great. :D

(But NO competing with me for used taillights.)

Thanks Adriel and Austin for the tips about restoring the shine to the paint. It's on my todo list!

Congratulations! I was hoping you'd go for it :).

I always wonder why people are in some way secretive and/or offended when asked what they paid for things. It helps us all out as a group if that info is shared freely.
Ask me. I'll tell you exactly what I paid for my car and what I've paid for any money
I've spent on it. That helps everybody out, making choices about what to buy, how much to spend on repairs etc. I'll even take it further. I've always wondered about
why it's a taboo to say or ask what one makes. I'd tell that to anyone that asked. I think
the free flow of info helps everyone

100% agreement. Some guys clam-up.

The guy wanted all kinds of help on price and rust, now tells anyone who questions him to get lost. Some ppl are hard to figure.

Help me, but won't help his neighbor - Just the way the guy rolls I guess.

Ask me what I paid for my MB when new, and what I've replaced, spent, etc.

That red should be a single stage paint. AKA tremendous results can be had with a proper DA buffer and the proper pad.


Heres a good example.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...Ranchero09.jpg


http://www.showcargarage.com/gallery...akeover006.jpg

I understand why he doesn't want to share. Lots of guys on here will tell him he paid too much and try to bring him down from the elation of buying the car.

Regarding the price I paid: I suppose in a way I was being discreet for the previous owner, who as a long-time diesel Benz owner for all I know may be on this forum.
And I'm not sure how helpful it would be since I'm in Canada where prices are different from where most of you live, but if it helps, the previous owner was selling it for between $4-4500 and I got it for $1000 less.

Yesterday, I spent some time in the engine bay, topping up the power steering fluid reservoir, taking the battery and tray out (no rust underneath!), unplugging the two drain holes on each side, cleaning the inside of the air filter housing (some grime and oil, nothing serious), etc.

The hatch has had body repairs a couple of times and should probably be replaced if I can get my hands on a good one. In fooling around with the key trying to get it to lock, I managed to lock it but now can't unlock! I'll have to take the panel off from the inside and investigate... I like sorting out little issues like that, as long as they remain "little" ;)

Love the car. Love it's color.

Like I said to you before, I would be tempted to get a cutom plate that read Radioflyer for it :)

Enjoy the car

Thanks to those who gave me positive comments on the car, before and after purchase.

I seem to have inadvertently ticked off one of the members here by initially being a little too discreet on the final sale price (in consideration of the seller, who I believe has been a member of this forum, and for whom it was a hard decision to part with a car that was part of his family for almost 30 years). Anyway, I removed my post which seemed to make him dislike me for some reason. :( Lesson learned, I supposel...:o