I found a car I wanted for a long time at a good price. A 1980 Euro 300D with a 4 speed manual. Anthrecite grey with black velour interior. Euro bumpers, manual climate control, front power windows, rear manual, cold AC. I think it's a keeper. ABSOLUTELY NO RUST!!

Nello Tare here was nice enough to look at it for me, drive it, and take a bunch of pictures.

Now that I think I want it, how do I get it home? I decided to take the 300SDL down with a friend, and follow eachother home. Approximately 1050 miles each way, from NJ to FL.

What am I getting myself into?? It looks like Im going for it, unless I come to my senses

Anyway, here are the pics of the car, what do you guys think? http://www.zemkowski.com/80300d-euro/

Nice lookin'!



I assume it runs well...? Just wondering, how much are you stealing that car for?

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2001 VW Jetta TDI, 5 speed, daily driver
1991 Ford F-350, work in progress
1984 Ford F-250 4x4, 6.9l turbo diesel, 5 speed manual
Previous oilburners: 1980 IH Scout, 1984 E-350, 1985 M-B 300D, 1979 M-B 300SD, 1983 M-B 300D
Spark-free since 1999

Yes, according to Nello is runs beautifully. The car is $2000, plus the cost to get it 1000 miles back home, fuel for 2 cars, food, tolls, motel.

WOW!!

That's $500 less than I'm looking to pay for the car I'm planning to buy (venkatreddytx on this board's '85 300D)...and I think you have less of a distance to travel than I do to Dallas and back.

I'd take it to a mechanic to make doubly sure it's in decent shape, then I'd take the car and run. Looks like a great buy (especially with the cloth seats!!)...

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2001 VW Jetta TDI, 5 speed, daily driver
1991 Ford F-350, work in progress
1984 Ford F-250 4x4, 6.9l turbo diesel, 5 speed manual
Previous oilburners: 1980 IH Scout, 1984 E-350, 1985 M-B 300D, 1979 M-B 300SD, 1983 M-B 300D
Spark-free since 1999

Question....Does the PO know that the car has either been wrecked, or repainted??? Look at the pic of the engine hood, there are ripples in the paint on the passenger side.

The price isn't bad, 234K miles, no sunroof, I'd want to know a little bit about it, Car-fax.com???

Not trying to discourage you, cars in NJ get hammered. As they do in NY....Just my 2 cents worth!

When I picked up my 300D from my dad in Ft Pierce Florida, I flew down and drove back. You can do the drive straight thru, from Ft Pierce to home was 21 hours straight, a piece of cake in these great running cars.

JCD

Motel? How about Chateaux de Mercedes?

The advantage of driving down in the big car to get another car is that you can haul along lots of supplies and tools in case you need a little oil, transmission fluid, etc. etc.

To some extent these things are available if you fly down, but it might be something of a safety factor to have someone with you the whole trip.

I can't buy a car in Florida because all the so-called dealers there insist on collecting MY state's title tax. They say you can then tell your own DMV that you paid the tax in Florida. Yea, sure. I know that will work REALLY well at Virginia's DMV.

So all of you dealers in Florida should know, your laws are locking out potential customers!

Ken300D

ken has some good points but suggest you also check out flying down. JetBlue will sell you a one way ticket for abt $75 and they go to many places in Fla from JFK. Have done this lots myself to move cars to/from Fla and it works out great time wise (2.5hrs vs 21 hrs)

good luck
Bob

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1984 300D Turbo - 231k....totalled 11/30/07 RIP

Sounds like a great one. I hope I can catch up on other things that are going on so I can start working toward putting my Euro car back on the road.

Enjoy,

I'm with Mr. Bill. Fly down and take your friend along and drive straight home.

Wow! I wouldn't hesitate, even if it didn't run it is probably worth $2k!
I notice that these cars are set up the same as our 240D (except the cloth) Manual windows, heater controls, (no wood though), no chrome on the cowl vents...

I hope you snag it before someone else. If it runs without leaking anything you can drive it home-not really that many miles.

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Ed
1981 300CD (Benzina)
1968 250 S (Gina) 266,000 miles!
1983 Alfa Romeo GTV6 (Guido)
1976 Jaguar XJS-saved a V-12 from the chevy curse, what a great engine!
1988 Cadillac Eldorado (better car than you might think!)
1988 Yamaha Venture (better than a Wing!)
1977 Suzuki GS750B
1976 Yamaha XS 650 (sold)
1991 Suzuki GSX1100G (Shafty Gixser)
1981 Yamaha VX920RH (Euro "Virago")
Solex Moped
1975 Dodge P/U camper


"Time spent in the company of a cat, a beer, and this forum, is not time wasted!"

Good find John! One question though, can you drive a stick shift???

Crazy or Stupid? neither...

Crazy maybe hhehehe but I'd do the same so I understand heh..

Why don't I get to find cars like these?!

Good luck!

BTW, yeah I would fly down too take that friend with you and drive back with him.. or her..

Damn it looks good with those bumpers..
Finally am lookin' at the pics of the car outsie of the garage.. GET IT! However I 'd still get a PPI

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2008 BMW 335i Coupe

If you fly down you'll miss seeing all those "South of the Border" billboards!

There. I have the most convincing argument for DRIVING down and the rest of you are WRONG!

HA!



Ken300D

Be prepared , However, if you buy a one way ticket to be questioned laying spread eagle face down on the tarmac for two hours before they allow you on the plane...