Hey guys,

While looking through Craigslist I found a '95 300D with 250k miles on it. The owner wanted to start selling it for parts but I was able to visit the car before items were removed.

The clear coat is cracked but there isn't a single dent on the car. Interior is "good".

The owner said 2 years ago the transmission just stopped working. No fwd or reverse gear and that this happened suddenly while his wife was driving the car. No one has checked into what the issue is but he thought it was a linkage issue toward the top of the shifter because he began to take the shifter out from the top.

The car wasn't on blocks so the tires are flat and not good anymore. Engine starts right up. All fluids look good. Transmission fluid is a nice color red and smells fine.

I crawled under the car and there is mild surface rust on the suspension arms and it appears the car lived some of its life in the northern climate.

Any idea what a car like this is worth? She needs to be saved.

-John

Would think a W124 Diesel with 250k on it should be somewhere around 3200ish in daily driver condition. Work back from worst case scenario tranny work. For some reason, I'm thinking the cost of used tranny to be in the 700 range. Budget around 400 for brakes, and other little stuff that you'll inevitably find. This puts you at 2100 with your free labor. Subtract another 500 for the risk of the unknowns that you have no clue about until you get the tranny fixed and put some tires on it. My target for a good chassis, good interior and a running motor is going to be in the 1100 range; going to no more than 1500 or 1600 depending how I feel about the risk based on the overall condition.


Just my opinion; hope this helps.

With a non-working transmission, it's hard to see paying more than $1000 for it. As a bargaining chip, you might want to point out to the seller what a PITA it is to part out a car....better to be done with it and sell the whole car.

__________________
14 E250 Bluetec 4Matic "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 159k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 178k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver on Tan, 145k mi, wastegate conversion, ALDA delete

19 Honda CR-V EX 75k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

ACC works? I'll say $800 as is, $1200 if it has desirable options like ASD and heated seats. A decent daily driver will cost about $2500. Factor that into getting this car roadworthy.

Sixto
87 300D

Thanks everyone. It does have heated seats and ASD.

We agreed on $950. The next project begins.

Hope the trans problem is nothing more than gummed up valve !

Pics or it never happened !!

__________________
1979 300D 220 K miles
1995 C280 109 K miles
1992 Cadillac Eldorado Touring Coupe 57K miles SOLD
********************
1979 240D 140Kmiles (bought for parents) *SOLD.
SAN FRANCISCO/(*San Diego)
1989 300SE 148 K miles *SOLD

Congrats on your purchase. Now that you own this 1995 diesel, you can use it's actual name: E300. Or, E300 Diesel.

To finish up this thread - it turned out the transmission was fine. The passenger side rear axle was broken. Replaced the axle and the car drives fine now.

And you only paid $950 for it??? Bravo! talk about an awesome deal....

__________________
76 MG Midget
78 Datsun 280Z
86 Peugeot 505
01 Subaru Outback

“Owning a car is like owning a dog. Every now and then, it craps on the carpet — but it’s still your dog.” - Jeremy Clarkson

Thanks for following up. I wonder how the axle broke?

__________________
1979 300D 220 K miles
1995 C280 109 K miles
1992 Cadillac Eldorado Touring Coupe 57K miles SOLD
********************
1979 240D 140Kmiles (bought for parents) *SOLD.
SAN FRANCISCO/(*San Diego)
1989 300SE 148 K miles *SOLD

VERY common failure on the w124... Moisture gets into the boot, and the shaft disintegrates. I was going through 9 axles to find one good one...

__________________
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 560SL convertible
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
2005 Dodge Sprinter 2500 158"WB
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

Ok - snapped a few pic's this morning... enjoy.

-John

Those decals just get under my skin.

Overall, looks like a nice buy. Black/Black is just timeless.

Sounds like you stole it. I'll take a tranny replacement any day for the cost to own a W124 Diesel.

Which decals?

Things I've done to the car so far:

- New front/rear rotors
- New starter motor
- New filters
- New fluids
- Replaced the bad rear axle
- Replaced shifter grommets
- Replaced front struts (had some laying around)
- Replaced comfort control module to fix the in-op windows
- Replaced the windshield wiper motor
- Replaced windshield
- Replaced air filters (under wiper motor)
- Replaced both front ball joints

-John

What decals?

Ok, just reread and understand.