Well, it is in Connecticuit. It is an '87 as you can see in the ad.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2454865554&category=6330#mainImage

In the picture of the counsel, it shows the wood as peeling up. How could that be fixed? We know that is has the rust on the bumpers and on the door. Please read the ad and let me know. I know it is not a showcar, but is it alright for the money? We hjave considered maybe just waiting till the end of the auction and just trying to cut a deal that way. Please, let me know of any suggestions.
Thanks
David

P.S.
Is the driver's seat messed up with the discoloration, or is it just like that from the angle/view?

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2000 Honda Accord V6 137k miles

1972 300SEL 4.5 98k miles

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I know about the 603, so please don't start a debate on 617vs.603. Also, if it was hard to start at 8 degrees and needed a jump then ran rough afterwards, would the hard starting be the battery? Or, would it be more of a loss of compression? I didn't think that the mileage was the high considering the rest of the SDL's around.
Thanks again
David

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2000 Honda Accord V6 137k miles

1972 300SEL 4.5 98k miles

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Something is up with this car.. I've never seen a 300SDL with cloth interior before. I didn't even know cloth interiors were available in the US (most of the cars with cloth are euro models).

I'm pretty sure the 300SDL was not produced in Germany.. Maybe someone swapped seats in this car OR they special-ordered it with cloth when it was new?

The cloth looks worn out (at least the drivers seat does) and might be expensive to replace since used cloth seats are tough to find. Other than that, the car looks good. I like the exterior color combo - navy with blue bumpers/body cladding. Most 300SDL's have grey body cladding, so this looks really nice!

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)

Spend the $100 or so and have it professionally checked out by a shop other than the ford dealer who is selling. It clearly state in the auction “AS IS NO WARRANTY, the dealer assume no responsibility for any repairs regardless of any ORAL statement about the vehicle” So this says to me you can not trust the dealership sales force to give you a straight answer. If you can not go and check it out yourself have a neutral party do so. This will put your mind at ease. A couple of hundred could save you thousands later. Also do a carfax lookup.

Kenn

I agree. Furthermore, the VIN reported in the Ebay ad isn't right assuming this is a US car. All 126 VINs start with "WDBC", while this one doesn't. Also, I thought that the 80's era VINs all ended with six numbers, not the number/letter combination they have. I guess it's possible that this car came from another country - that would explain the cloth seats - but it was my understanding that only the US got the 116 and 126 diesels. Actually, as I think about it, I'm not certain that the 86/87 SDL weren't available in Europe. Either way, make sure you know what you're getting into. The heads on these cars were prone to cracking, which is $$$$ to repair. That whole "running rough" should be a tip off. I'm not saying pass, I am saying pay for a thorough check up.

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Tjohn

82 300 SD
77 450 SL (gone)

I just did an auto check on it and it shows,
AutoCheck Record Summary:
AutoCheck has located 0 records for this vehicle in the National Vehicle Database.

This is not a good sign and I would really have to have it checked out by a pro before I would be interested.
Just my .02 cents worth.

Jon

There are enough warning signs there to take a "pass" on that car. Let your dad's ebay fever cool down a little, and keep looking.

Steve

The 300SDL was never made for Europe. I've heard rumors that some went to Japan, though.

The first diesel S-Class that Europe got was the 300SD(W140 model). At least that's what my South-German friends on mercedes500.de confirmed(use a good translator) .

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1987 300SDL (324000)

1986 Porsche 951 (944 Turbo) (166000)

1978 Porsche 924 (99000)

1996 Nissan Pathfinder R50 (201000)

Please consider being patient and finding a candidate car outside the "rust belt". Key into Georgia, Alabama, Carolinas, etc.

I've gotten cars from north of VA and south of VA. No comparison.

There can be exceptions, but go with the averages.

Ken300D

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1982 300D at 351K miles
1984 300SD at 217K miles
1987 300D at 370K miles

Both wood and seat look OK to me, that's just the nap on the fabric reflecting the light funny. You have to expect SOME wear in 233,000 miles! Pixelation make the wood look funny, the real test is that none of the finish appears cracked or peeling, the usual failures.

However, inspite of the US headlights and speedo, velour seats are very rare in the US, it might be a gray market car.

VIN starts with WDB on the tag.....

Hard start cold and rough running until slightly warmed up can be glow plugs. Can also be thick oil. Can also be bent rods....

Engine is clean, but not obviously steamcleaned, so can't tell anything from here.

You need to know what the oil consumption is before buying. If normal (mine uses about a quart in 6000 miles), go for it AFTER getting a decent inspection from someone who knows these cars -- they are completely restorable, but a rebuild on the engine will be about $5000 for parts alone, and decent condtion 603s are VERY rare. If not serviced properly, the tranny will be on the way out, too by this milage -- that's another $1500 for a rebuilt one, etc.

Peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

I just looked at the car in the ad, it is right down the street from me. It is tired, I don't feel that it would be worth a trip from IN. There are no maintaince recoreds and the dealer didn't know anything about it. It was a trade in and they are trying to get a little more money for it by selling it on e-bay. They are also trying to build up there positive feedback. They wouldn't let me take it for a test drive because no one at the dealership had gone threw it and they didn't now if it was safe. It is a shame to see these once great cars sitting, covered in snow in the back of the lot.

Seems to be a US spec car. There's a photo of a plate that starts with WDBCB25 as a US SDL VIN should. The VIN in the listing is a very messed up typo but I'm conifdent that the basic digits and strings are there. The same plate says that the car meets federal motor vehicle standards. I assume those are US standards since Euro cars don't have this tag. Near as I can place it the VIN reads WDBCB25--HA320020. My SDL VIN has D1 in place of --. You might want to try that in carfax.

And of course it's made in Germany. They didn't make SDLs anywhere else. They might not have been SOLD outside of North America.

If you continue to be interested in this car, take the numbers off the plate on the radiator frame. We can decipher the codes to determine if this car was delivered with fabric upholstery. Maybe the PO got a deal from a wrecking yard on a replacement interior for the worn gray leather.

FWIW, 126 upholstery usually matches the cladding color.

Dave M./gsxr posted a picture of a Euro 603 without EGR and the crossover pipe is very different.

I don't know where the wood is curled. Looks like the shifter wood panel isn't seated properly. Maybe someone didn't know how to adjust the shift rod.

How can it have rust on plastic parts?

I don't have enough information to make a buy/pass recommendation but I'd be d@mned interested in the seats if the color matched my SDL. I'd give up rear recline for nice factory fabric seats.

Sixto
95 S420
87 300SDL

Why don't you call them and tell them that a friend who knew you have been looking suggested you call?
No bids on it yet and it closes in two days. they may be very happy with a less than market price to move it off the lot.

I took a similar chance on my 300 and have been overall quite happy. It's got a few issues that I hope to resolve but otherwise has been driven for over a year and essentially paid for itself...

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'99 S420 - Mommies
'72 280SE 4.5 - looking to breathe life into it
'84 300SD Grey - Sold
'85 300SD Silver - Sold
'78 Ski Nautique

It's velour inside. I have the same in my 83 300TDt. It's an extra-expensive option in europe if you don't want cloth, or mb-tex. Can't speak for euro tastes for leather.

However it does not wear as well as mb-tex/cloth and most importantly if you've any pets that have hair that might get in the car, the velour is a MAGNET for their hair. Which then gets trapped in the fibres and is a royal pain to vacuum (with effort!) out. Also holds dust etc really well...

Hatterasguy, when did you go to try and drive it? If you were not doing anything would you possibly go over and drive it if it isn't too much trouble?
Does the velour look to be worn out or is it that it is just reflecting the light in a wierd way.
My dad wants this one because it is only $2500 and only has 233,000 miles on it. There is one in Indy by me with 430,000 miles for the same price! Although the one in Indy has a power rear sunshade! That would be neat. Anyways, he can't spend more than $2500 or so up front.
Thanks
David

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2000 Honda Accord V6 137k miles

1972 300SEL 4.5 98k miles

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