Value of 85 300CD ?
 

After seeing MBZ300CD's car I decided that's my next Benz. Looking around locally I've found an 85 that looks to be in good shape from the photos. I know how to check the car for rust and the other typical risks. What I don't know is value, the seller is asking $4,500 and I'm hoping to get a price range before seeing it in person.

Below is the sellers description:

1985 Mercedes 300CD Turbo Diesel 2 dr Coupe
214xxx miles
Silver
Auto Trans
Blue Leather Interior
Sun Roof
No rust except small amount under trunk. no rust holes through just small spot of surface rust.
Tires 80%
Brakes 80%
New Front wheel bearings, and calipers
New blower motor
New climate control
Heat & A/C

Answer
 

The answer is yes.

The spread is $300 - $30,000.00 depending on mileage and condition.

To judge value:
You need to know all of the rust points + all of the common failures and associated parts/labor cost.

It takes me at least three days to train the average owner on what to look for, and run away from.


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whunter, I'm familiar with the typical 123 rust points (trunk, floor, rockers, hood hinge, under battery, etc) and know that mechanical items can be fixed - rust no. As for specific items to be fearful of, if they are 300CD specific I have no clue.

This sounds like a good subject for a FYI thread.

PS: I've updated my original post with the sellers description.

There are many coupe specific body parts, otherwise, nothing else from a sedan.

Great info, thanks! I'm looking for a car with a good body. No rust, straight panels, etc... I can do mechanical work but don't touch paint or body.

It's always surface rust until you poke it through with a screwdriver. Then it ain't surface rust no more. Been there, done that.

car is in a good (wealthy) area but i would get it up in the air and poke around really hard on the rear of the interior tub where the suspension ties in where it curves up to form the rear of the passenger compartment (basically the rear floor). i think most people think their cars don't have rust because the rubberized coating hides so much.

I would say $3000-3500. However, seeing pictures would help. Do you have a link to the ad?

FYI
 

Here are many samples to review..

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/3201332-post56.html


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Two schools of thought on the coupes. 1. Being more rare and (to some) more desirable, a coupe is worth more than a sedan all other things being equal. 2. Having some harder to find body and interior parts, and being slightly less practical than a sedan, a coupe is worth less than a sedan. I subscribe to #2.

You were doing good up to where you stated...
 

There are at least two, perhaps more?

WORD

This is "School of Thought 1" stated differently.

Some might argue completely impractical, but will always hold true regardless of the maker's mark

Copy that. I think you were attempting to point out the invariably higher costs across the board associated with the CD as compared to the D. I too get tripped up when trying to explain in economic terms.

As for the OP, I'd quantify the average premium paid for coupes and wagons somewhere low still, but always on an upward trajectory. You can expext to pay 10-20 percent higher for these models, of course, all else being equal.

Or that could just be a WAG and more likely in the range that whunter described.

What do I know.

MBZ123

Yes things like window seals and window regulators are usually the first coupe specific parts that people replace. In my 1.5 years of ownership, I havent had to purchase any coupe specific parts. I'd hate to see the price of the rear window with it's "spider-web" defrost wires. :eek:

But when it comes to praticality the coupe is fine for singles or couples. I drive 10 miles round trip during the week. 90% of the time I'm driving by myself and the other 10% I may have my fiance with me. The trunk is the same size as the sedan and the wheelbase is 3.3 inches shorter (though somehow it still only weighs 21 lbs less than the sedan). I can cram just as much luggage and gear into my coupe as she can in her corolla. I've even carried 6 people downtown one night, (nobody was in the trunk).

I would also say you have 2 fewer door locks that could potentially cause a vac leak but to be fair, in the coupe you also have vacuum locking front seatbacks which can leak. I found my passenger seat leaked and plugged it so now my seatback locks into place.

Yeah coupe prices can vary as wide as Whunter stated. I paid less than $3500 for my rust free 200something thousand mile specimen.;)

I just paid $3600 for my '82 coupe. It wasn't rust free, not horrible, but definitely not a virgin. Location plays a part, out here over 200k coupes that need a good bit of work are over 5k. There is a nice looker on CL right now for 7499.

I've put $1200 more into mine in a week, but that's buying all the rubber except windscreens, every recommended maintenance item and update I could find.

I plan to drive the car until it either disintegrates or I do, so assuming every maintenance item was out of date was the best long term plan.