$11,000 for a 1980 300CD - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

#1 10-28-2002, 10:55 AM

I was looking through some of my local clasified ads, and I come upon a 1980 300CD, and the owner wants $11,000 firm, and they claim to have $17,000 into it's restoration. I find it funny that someone would put the time and money into restoring a car, then want to sell it, they are losing $6,000. I would personally drive the car for another 20 years.

#2 10-28-2002, 11:30 AM

Call me cynical, but I always wonder ir that amount of money ever went there.

#3 10-28-2002, 11:58 AM

I have several thoughts about this.

To begin with there is a wide range within what people call a "restoration."

Many "restorations" are nothing more than a patch up overhaul of the engine, repair whatever else needs repairing and then have it painted. The paint job might be an Earl Scheib, or it might be a meticulous paint job. Either way a "full restoration" a paint job does not make.

Secondly, the possibility exists that a true restoration was done and the owner was put into the situation of being forced to sell it. This is not to much of an imagination stretch in todays economy.

The former situation is much more likely than the latter. I would approach any car that is claimed to be "fully restored" with much skepticism.

Good luck,

#4 10-29-2002, 10:04 AM

Here is a link to the ad:

http://www.virtualclassifieds.net/response/SearchResults.lasso?UserID=1145-9671-3699-9412&mvol=o&portal=ncw&mode=s&cpub=adt&sd=p&combcat=K164&geocomb=Central%20Point,%20OR

Wallknight · #5 10-29-2002, 02:03 PM

Is there anyone here who loves his car enough to dump $17k into it? Personally, if I planned on that I'd have started with a $5k car in great shape. Seems very very strange...

#6 10-29-2002, 10:53 PM

I have thought about restoring my 300CD, but I have decided to just repair things as I go, and not go through the expense and trouble of a full restore. I don't love my car enough to dump $17,000 into it, but several hundered at a time to fix things when they come up. I can let the small things go for now, but if and when the cars value starts to increase I will get to the little things. These are just some of my thoughts on car restoration, I am sure they will change in a few years.