So, velour doesn't last as long as MB-Tex?
Thanks
David

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2000 Honda Accord V6 137k miles

1972 300SEL 4.5 98k miles

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David, if that velour has seen 233K miles, I'd say it wears well.

Bill, it would be great if leather fosilized into MB Tex over time. Maybe the Leatherique folks can work on a fosilizing agent...

Sixto
95 S420
87 300SDL

WANT '71 280SEL I did drive it around the parking lot. I only got it up to 10mph. The tires are bald and there was 2in of hard snow. I will try to get the code from that plate Sixto on Wed. What am I looking for exactly? (A pic would be great) I think the interior is stock.

Basically, would you pay $2500 for that car? Did it start well when you started it? I guess you couldn't tell if it was low on compression? I know the tires are bald becasue it says that in the ad. Were any lights on like ABS or anything of those sorts? Did power options work? Did it have heated seats? (That would be cool if they were heated, with velour and all). The maion thing my dad and I were worried about was the hard starting at 8 degrees and having to be jumped. So, either it needs a battery or the glow system isn't working correctly OR LOW COMPRESSION. Which if it's the third, the car is on limited life support. Sorry to ask all the questions, I am just too far away obviously to just go down and look at it. Did you note the severity of the rust? Was it just on the bumper and lower driver's door? Sorry again to be asking all these questions, we just don't know what to do. I sent him another e-mail, this one asking for the correct VIN, I said that the one he listed on ebay wasn't a correct VIN. Oh well, we'll see what happens.
Thanks
David

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2000 Honda Accord V6 137k miles

1972 300SEL 4.5 98k miles

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It's a $2500 car, and that's all it is, plan on spending at least another $2500, probally more like $4000 in the first year getting it running right because the previous owner didn't take good care of it. Try spending $5000 in the first place and buy a car with records, and has been well maintained, and avoid the headaches... What I am saying is buy a car where someone has already spent the money, and you get to enjoy the car without the finanical headaches...

OK. After looking at the shot Sixto pointed out I decided he was right. I messed around with the image w/ an editing program, and decided the VIN was WDBC25D0HA320020. Assuming this is right, I had a buddy get me the datacard info. If this is right, this is a 1987 300 SDL (as advertised) that was made in US trim, Federal version, Midnight Blue paint from the factory, with all the usual options. Original engine number should be 6039611208812. It does appear to have been ordered with velour, but I can't find any info on that particular code (It's interior code 971 if anyone has that info).

Hope this helps.

Want 71, please make sure you have this thing thoroughly inspected before you or your father drop $$$$ on it. If you have to fix a cracked head and the climate control, you easily could spend double your money making this car right.

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Tjohn

82 300 SD
77 450 SL (gone)

I'm 99% certain that code 971 is velour..

MB interior codes begin with a different number depending on what material they are. The first digit of the 3-digit code specifies the material as follows:

0/4/6/7=cloth
9=velour
1=MB Tex
2=leather

For example, code 101 is black MB Tex and code 201 is black leather.

The list I have only covers from 900-968, but it is an older list, so I'm sure 971 must be velour.

Hope this helps....

Neal

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'83 300SD 335,000km (207k) mi SOLD
'87 560SL 163,000km (101k mi) SOLD
'86 300SDL 356,000km (220k mi) SOLD
'92 500SEL 250,000km (155k mi) SOLD
'90 300SL 140,000km (87k mi) SOLD
'01 S430 260,000km (161k mi) SOLD
'03 SL500 167,000km (104k mi) SOLD
'07 S550 4MATIC 235,000km (146k mi) SOLD
'07 GL320 CDI 4MATIC 348,000km (215k mi)
'13 GL350 BlueTec 4MATIC 170,000km (105k mi)
'14 SL550 72,000km (43k mi)

In addtion to what everyone else said:

1- Repeat after me. "There is nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes." (well, except perhaps a high-maintenance wife or g/f, but I digress.)

2- Velour is rare but that alone does not signify a gray market car. The VIN will tell you, and it seems to be a proper USA vehicle.

3- It doesn't look very clean to me. I don't like that red/orange coolant either.

4- You could spend another $2500 just fixing the stupid thing. Do you have any proof that the A/C blows cold when it's warm outside? This car has a Nipponden$o compre$$or if you get my drift.

5- Running rough when started at 8F means, to me, that most likely someone turned the key and fired it up when the glow light went out. You can't do that when it's THAT cold. Turn the key, let the light go out, wait until you hear the relay click off (~60 seconds). Turn key off & on again quickly, wait 15+ seconds after the light goes out the second time, then start. This makes a *huge* difference in cold starting & how the car runs for the first 30 seconds. Also in those temps you will want synthetic oil to aid starting, most diesel dino 15W-40 is like molasses.

6- It better drive REALLY well with NO obvious problems to make it worth buying, IMO, you'll be looking at ~$3500 after tax, fees, and hassle to pick up from far away. At 233kmi all the rubber will be shot and the cooling system is in probably need of replacement if original (fan clutch, radiator, water pump).


7- All MB codes can be deciphered here: http://www.amcon-luxled.com/mbcar/
(and yes, 971 is Black Velour.)

Good luck,

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Dave
Boise, ID
Check out my website photos, documents, and movies!

Dave, I think you meant to say compre$$$$or.

I bought a 1987 300E in 1997 for $12,000. Two years, 50,000 miles and $8000 in repairs later, I sold it for $3500 with a broken air conditioner. Please learn from my mistakes and get a pre-purchase inspection.

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Rick Miley
2014 Tesla Model S
2018 Tesla Model 3
2017 Nissan LEAF
Former MB: 99 E300, 86 190E 2.3, 87 300E, 80 240D, 82 204D Euro
Chain Elongation References

gsxr Whats wrong with the coolent? It is orange I thought it was supposed to be orange.The radiator looks newer, it's a behr(sp), so do the hoses. The vin that I got off the door jam is: WDBCB25D0MA320020 the car apears to be in very good condition for it's age. You can not accurately judge a car by looking at some digital pics. It must have been taken care of to get to 233k.

Shame Shame Shame.

That's all I can say.

The proper Mercedes coolant is a light amber / straw yellow color. Anything green, orange, or blue is the WRONG coolant for the picky Mercedes aluminum & iron cooling systems. Now Zerex sells the MB stuff under their lable as "G-05", available at many McPart stores for ~$9/gallon so there's no excuse to not use the proper stuff. It may not be a big deal if the "wrong" stuff was changed religiously every 2 years or so, but you never know. One thing I've learned is that the OM60x engines are very partial to using only the proper coolant. If you're lucky it's not too bad and a citirc acid flush will clean things up. If you're unlucky it needs a new radiator (after the acid flush). BT, DT...

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Dave
Boise, ID
Check out my website photos, documents, and movies!