Here's a low miler in the Minneapolis area. Allegedly never driven in winter, which would be a good thing. (no connection to the seller) Mercedes-Benz 300SD Turbo Diesel

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-Scott J
1978 240D

Check this out...
1980 Mercedes Benz 300SD (Turbo Diesel)
If it's as good as it seems and I had the money... it would already be mine.

- Peter.

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2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

OP: MY 300SD perspective/experience........FWIW, my first MB was an '83 300SD (W126) with 93K miles, 8-years old, that I drove 213,000 more miles in the 8-years I owned it. And, YES, everything worked on it when I bought it, AND, when I sold it! A slamdunk, great car! Wish I hadn't of sold it! You'll love the W126 - esp. IF you get a good one that is honestly represented from the seller.



$15K would do it......

That one sounds and looks like a BUY to me.

A definite BUY, if I were you.

The W116 loks great, but are a lot more problematic to work on than the W126 - esp. for the OP, who just wants an as new one that he can just maintain.



Nice looking car. A little steep in price, but I'd want to be able to verify the books, records, AND the 50,000 miles - that the Seller is claiming.

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'06 E320 CDI
'17 Corvette Stingray Vert

Yea I would agree it is a bit more problematic with the ACC, window regulators, and rear seat disintegration issues. I think the W126 is a much cheaper car to own if the W116 hasn't had those issues sorted out yet or if it wasn't taken care of. These high dollar cars would hopefully be sorted out. W126 with later W126 seats would be much more comfortable as well.

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Current: 1975 450SEL, 83 300D, 88 Yugo GVX, 90 300D OM603 swap, 91 F150 4.6 4v swap, 93 190E Sportline LE 3.0L M104 swap, 93 190E Sportline LE Megasquirt, 03 Sprinter, 06 E500 4Matic wagon.

A well maintained OM 603 is a real joy. an SDL has nice room for the rear passengers, Close to 30 MPG, and can keep pace with modern traffic. Larger brakes i believe in the SDL too, compared to an SD.

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1959 Gravely LI, 1963 Gravely L8, 1973 Gravely C12
1982 380SL
1978 450 SEL 6.9 euro restoration at 63% and climbing
1987 300 D
2005 CDI European Delivery
2006 CDI Handed down to daughter
2007 GL CDI. Wifes

Pilot53,

I have a good friend here in the DFW area selling a 1983 300SD. He has already done all the typical maintenance items that pop up on these cars. I helped him rebuild the front end, injectors, install a Sanden AC conversion kit, new dash, vacuum pods, Gen 2 W126 seats and door panels, etc. The list goes on and on. I may buy the car for my wife but I already have two 300SDs and funds are getting tight while planning for a baby.

It looks like you are in the north east but if you are willing to take a plane trip to DFW, this car will drive anywhere you need it to. Also, there is no rust since it is a southern car. The paint has a few minor flaws that can be touched up; still a lot better than most 33 year old cars I see.

PM me if you want the contact info.

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1991 F250 super-cab 7.3 IDI. (rebuilt by me) Banks Sidewinder turbo, hydroboost brakes, new IP and injectors.
2003 S430 - 107K
1983 300SD - Tanoshii - mostly restored ~400K+.
1983 300SD - Good interior. Engine finally tamed ~250K.
Monark Nozzle Install Video - http://tinyurl.com/ptd2tge

This one seems the peer of the $15K SD for half as much - http://www.ebay.com/itm/1984-Mercedes-Benz-300-Series-4-Dr-Turbodiesel-/111854021580?_trksid=p2141725.m3641.l6368 . Get in touch with the seller and offer $6000. Whatever the response, you'll have contact info when it fails to sell in 15 hours.

x2 on a 116 SD!

Sixto
83 300SD

Given the car's age, there is no such thing as a 300SD that needs nothing. Absolutely no such thing. You have to be realistic or you'll run yourself out of money or sanity.

I purchased mine for $4000 and it was a 1 owner car, totally original, with every record from day and and then some. It's the most ridiculously documented car I've ever seen. Over $30,000 spent to keep it top notch for 30 years and 190,000 miles if you include warranty work, and this isn't accounting for inflation!

I bought it a year ago and easily doubled my purchase price getting the car as close to perfect as possible. Even though it has a new oil pan gasket, I just have to accept the fact that a few drips seep through after a long highway drive. Even though every suspension component has been replaced (some of it twice) over the years, it still creaks once over the first bump as I back it out the driveway, then is silent for the rest of the day. My antenna sometime needs a slight touch to go down even though its well lubricated, and if I'm using the cruise control and am forced to disengage for whatever reason, about 25% of the time the cruise will not come back until I stop and restart the car. I could pull my hair out chasing every little niggle but it would be pointless. It's an original, unrestored 30 year old car.

Would I sell it? Heck no! With the fancy Lorinsers I have on there, $10,000 would barely recover my investment and you'd all laugh me off the forum if I asked that price even though it's reasonable. I think you'll find this the case with all the sorted ones, unless the owner dies or has some unforeseen circumstance there's not logical reason to make such a large investment TLC and dump it. The original owners of my car had barely driven it in the last 5 years and decided rather than keep fixing something they didn't use, it was time to move on. So you really won't find one that needs nothing unless you buy a Delorean first that can take you back to 1985.

My journey with the car is documented here:

I'm back in a big way, 1984 300SD with treasure trove in trunk

Attached Thumbnails

 

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1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k
1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k
1980 240D Stick China 188k
2001 CLK55 AMG 101k
2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!!

I know the car has been for sale for a looooong time. At least 5 months for sure if not longer. He seems to get a regular inventory of them. I think the engine bay oxidation and color combo have kept this one from moving.

Says the listing has ended.... so did you buy it? A week of tearing down and powerbuffing that engine and you might have a 300SD that would dethrone mine.

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1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k
1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k
1980 240D Stick China 188k
2001 CLK55 AMG 101k
2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!!

-just an observation regarding odometer reading- w126 & w123 instrument pods are very easily removed, and the odo can be reset very simply. I'd be extremely wary of any stranger's claim of low miles on any older benz even with documentation. Caveat Emptor!

Hiring the stuff done to keep a 30 year old SD/SDL on the road in 100% everything working order will cost around $3K a year at least thereabouts in repair costs, in my experience. We kind of assume the uninitiated know this, but they don't.

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'06 E320 CDI
'17 Corvette Stingray Vert

Charlie,

It takes about 30 seconds for a well trained eye to determine if the mileage is fraudulent. You are right, it takes minimal effort to change the odometer on a W126 and W123, so the buyer cannot go off that alone. I typically see these cars with a non-functional odometer and the seller advertising the listed mileage without disclosing the faulty odometer.

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1991 F250 super-cab 7.3 IDI. (rebuilt by me) Banks Sidewinder turbo, hydroboost brakes, new IP and injectors.
2003 S430 - 107K
1983 300SD - Tanoshii - mostly restored ~400K+.
1983 300SD - Good interior. Engine finally tamed ~250K.
Monark Nozzle Install Video - http://tinyurl.com/ptd2tge

After owning a 300SD or two for almost 5 years, I agree. There is always something that can use attention. If there is nothing now, give it a few months and you will find something to obsess over. Generally speaking, though, these cars start and drive in some of the worst conditions I have seen. It usually comes down to creature comforts rather than drive-ability for most repairs.

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1991 F250 super-cab 7.3 IDI. (rebuilt by me) Banks Sidewinder turbo, hydroboost brakes, new IP and injectors.
2003 S430 - 107K
1983 300SD - Tanoshii - mostly restored ~400K+.
1983 300SD - Good interior. Engine finally tamed ~250K.
Monark Nozzle Install Video - http://tinyurl.com/ptd2tge

See I'm sort of a hybrid. I don't like doing jobs on the car that require me to be on the floor, and 3 hours is about my limit of patience on anything else. The big ticket item for me this year was the AC. The reman compressor replaced around 10 years ago failed. I went with a new one rather than reman again, and a R12 refrigerant. I wasn't going to settle for sub-par AC. I also had to do brake rotors as the ones on the car were probably original.

I'm also not daily driving the car. 3000 or so miles a year. So I expect, like my SL that's driven even less (about 1000 a year) for repairs to be minimal.

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1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k
1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k
1980 240D Stick China 188k
2001 CLK55 AMG 101k
2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!!

The 83 300 SD I drove to 305K miles in 16-years was one rugged, dependable car for my business usage. They're terrific cars IMO. I would recommend one to anyone. My SD is probably still running around Texas - IF, it wasn't neglected too much in it's maintenance needs...

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'06 E320 CDI
'17 Corvette Stingray Vert