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  #1  
Old 08-15-2002, 04:15 PM
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buying advice 300td

Looked at a 1981 300td today. 244k Maintained almost from new by Stu Ritter. Every record back to day one.
Did not do a compression check (yet??) It had a fair amount of blowby compared to my 77--300d with 55k It also had a funny creaking sound in the rear suspension when it went up and down as if something needed to be oiled. I noticed a complaint about a noise in the back years ago in the records but no problem was ever found. Accumulators in the self-levelling system were replaced a couple of years ago.
In the course of its life the transmission was rebuilt (131k), a new turbo about 180k, rebuilt front end not too long ago. Seats rebult in recent past. Many replacement AC compressors. and a zillion windshields. Lots of new brakes and rotors over the years. The original owner was meticulous in maintaining it including replacing ALL the rubber body seals at one point. A couple of small places where the paint is bubbling. Color--brown (yuck)
Asking price 2k.
I'm a little concerned about the amount of blow-by. The engine starts right up at current temperatures. The current (2nd)owner has only had it for about a year and half but she said she never added oil between oil changes. (this may be a good sign or just plain neglect??). Stu Ritter's clerk says the life of the engine past 250k is an unknown.
What does everyone think? Buy or look for one with lower mileage? Rely on a compressions test as indication of engine condition? Current owner says she is selling because the lives in an apt downtown and is unable to plug it in in the wintertime.

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  #2  
Old 08-15-2002, 05:27 PM
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Apart from the color, the car sounds like it could be a great daily driver for years to come. All the major stuff has been done. Why not consider driving it for a time and when she huffs and puffs herself out, put in a rebuilt engine. Then you'll be ready to go for another 300,000 miles and another lifetime of driving pleasure. I've spent a couple thousand in much worse ventures.
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  #3  
Old 08-15-2002, 05:47 PM
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Location: san francisco - immer kalt, immer windig, I want to move
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asking price sounds good

I am guessing that it is from a cold clime, so you are obviously looking for body cancer and the like. With regard to the engine, you could spend a fair amount of time and money checking compression and the like and still not really have much more than a higher chance of no engine problems in the future.

The price sounds great. The risk to benefit ratio seems good.

I know what I would do.
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Old 08-15-2002, 08:53 PM
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Some more info I garnered from reading the receipts the owner lent me:
It's had five AC compressors, Original, then 95,97,99,00---This tells me there may be problems with replacement compressors.
Five windshields--lots of rocks in Colorado
3 complete sets of brake rotors (at least)--This seems somewhat excessive to me--do others have to replace rotors this often. Pads were changed a lot more than that.
Front end rebuilt in 97 at 183k
No rust cancer--just surface rust. It spent its life in Colorado
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Old 08-16-2002, 12:02 PM
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Location: san francisco - immer kalt, immer windig, I want to move
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five compressors?

Wow, that sounds wierd. When I lived in Golden, I never used my AC, so I am not sure if it even matters to you. I did go through 3 windshields in as many years, so that sounds about right, especially if she went up into the mountains often.

Also with regard to the engines, I know of a few 300's that got new engines at 150K or less. There are also boardmembers that are still going on original at over 300k (probably a lot more). So, there is a lot of variability in engine life in these cars...
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84 300TD - 235k - Farbe "Surfblau" bought at 213k
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  #6  
Old 08-16-2002, 02:24 PM
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Wow, that does sound bad on the compressors... I wonder if the system was properly flushed and new receiver dryer installed each time ? Had it been changed to 134 during that time ?

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