FS: 1980 EURO 300D in IL
 

EDIT II: $1750!?!?

As much as I hate to do it, I really ought to offer the 300D for sale. We're thinking of starting a family soon, and I don't need *2* "fun" cars. I'll post some pics as time permits, but here are the vitals:

I purchased this car in March from the original owner's son. It was brought over from Hanover and, in fact, had the original German plates in the trunk when I got it. It's 100% Euro-spec: headlights (with working adjuster switch in dash), taillights, bumpers, speedo/odo (km), dash trim (black, not Zebrano), manual windows, SLS rear suspension, no EGR, split Tex/cloth seats, trunk triangle, German first aid kit, etc... It also has a lumbar adjustment on the driver's seat. Starts very easily (though the coldest it has been since I got it was in the low 30's). Previous owner was very forthright and said valves had been adjusted last fall. Car had been garaged from new until '02, and it's in pretty decent shape. The only rust-through I have found is in the pass. front fender at the lower mounting points and in the rear floor board (also pass. side). There are dings and some paint fade here and there, but it's very, very solid all things considered. Rockers are NOT rusty, amazingly. Inside the doors at the bottom there is surface rust.

Mechanically speaking, the car is pretty solid. Transmission shifts a bit late going to 3rd, but I think there were some vacuum issues happening, and have had some luck playing with the adjustments. If I were going to keep the car, I'd certainly keep playing with adjustments before even considering replacing the tranny. There appears to be some measure of blowby, as usual (not enough to rattle the oil filler cap when loose, just enough to cough some mist when the cap is removed), but as I said, it has started well for me and oil pressure has never dropped below 2 bar at idle since I've had it.

Tires are excellent. New brake mc and motor mounts installed last November. According to p.o., odometer was replaced once at 125,000 KM, and stopped again at 177,000 KM (for a total of 302,000 KM or 189,000 miles) just before sale. I repaired it immediately after purchasing the car, and its working fine again.

I have flushed the coolant (incl. a citric acid flush), and have several things that will go with the car (oil filter, transmission filter & gasket, trunk seal, t-stat, and so on). I have replaced lots of vacuum line and a few components and vacuum holds well now, though it will still usually bleed down over 24 hours. I also replaced the exhaust with one off a low-mileage parts car, and added vent shades to the front windows. Priming pump was leaking, so that has been replaced, as was fuel line between the injectors.

Interior (tan) is solid, but faded. Dash has several cracks, but has a plastic overlay that looks quite nice. I replaced the crappy Craig AM/FM cassette with a period Becker AM/FM cassette deck.

As I think of more things to mention, I'll edit or add to this post. Car is in central IL (zip 61920) and I have only driven it short distances, so I can't honestly appraise it's roadworthiness. Thus, I'd suggest trailering it home (or have a wingman follow you).

Shoot me a PM or email through the forums if I've missed anything. I just got in from a LONG roadtrip so I am sure I have omitted some vitals -- I'll be updating as I think of things. Just wanted to get this posted before I have a chance to change my mind; thanks all!

PM sent.

Here's a pic I had on my hard drive at work -- it's about 4 weeks old. I still plan to shoot current pics as time permits. Thanks for the interest thus far!

Is this car still available? If you can send more pictures to 424studios@gmail.com, I'd be interested.

Thanks
Rich

Attached are a few pics of the car. Preemptively:

1. I photographed the car wet because a) it was covered in cat tracks, thanks to the fruitcake neighbor who puts food out for every damned stray in my zip code, and b) I didn't have time to give it a proper wash & wax because I am furiously trying to scrape the paint off the garage you see in the background before my helpers show up this weekend to paint it.

2. There are few interior pics for similar reasons... no time to clean it up properly. Apologies for the dust, random stuff like electrical tape laying around & floor mats laying on the rear parcel shelf, etc...

3. The rust I have concerns about is pictured. That behind the pass. front wheel has been wire-brushed already, so the loose stuff has already been removed. It's fixable. I photographed each jacking point to show that they are solid. I peeled some undercoating back to show that while there's surface rust, it's still solid. One exception MAY be the driver's rear jacking point -- there is some bubbling above that one, and I have NOT pulled away undercoating at that point. If that's a deal breaker for interested parties, I can peel it and see when time permits.

The car's solid, but I found a few more caveats to add when I started her up for the pics. There IS a clunk (likely exhaust?) in the left rear with bumps in the road surface, and the something in the steering is making a "rubbing" sound when the wheels are turned at low speed and when sitting still. Perhaps the car's just been sitting too long (???).

I'll write more as time allows... I need to get to bed now!

a few more...

These depict the rust in the rear floor (I have removed as much of the loose stuff as I can here, too) and the rust in the inside lower edge ofthe front door (both are similar) which I have not touched as yet. The former is limited essentially to what you see. I peeled up he coating around the rusty area, as you can see, and the metal is still solid.

And the handful of interior pics; the open hole in the center console is where I was adding a fader control to the radio. This car came with front dash speakers only, so I ran wires to the rear deck for a second set of speakers and ran the fader control to the open position pictured. I just need to file the fader control ever so slightly and pop it into place, or I also have the blanking plate for that hole if one would prefer to leave the fader out of the wiring.

Car looks pretty solid. I'd like to see under the hood.

You suggest trailering it home. I'm not interested in a car that needs to be trailered. Are you just being cautious?

Yes, I am indeed being cautious. The car has been nothing short of dead-reliable to me, but as with any 20+ year old car, there is always that learning curve. I bought the car and had it trailered to IL, just to be safe. It was a good move, as one of the SLS lines started leaking a few weeks after it arrived, which would have been catastrophic if it had happened on the road. I replaced the line and went on tinkering and fixing the little things that I could find to fix. I suspect the car would make it to just about anywhere, but I am not willing to guarantee that, of course.

I'll take some under-the-hood pics, but it's certainly not what I'd call pretty. It looks like a typical semi-high-mileage Benz diesel that has not been detailed. It could benefit greatly from a good steam cleaning.

Thanks for your interest, by the way; where are you from?

I'm in Urbana, currently, so not too far from your neck of the woods.

That SLS is a pain, eh? I've got it on the wagon and its been the main thing that I can't figure out. What have you replaced on the SLS?

Oh, heck, I'd drive the car that far no sweat. I removed both SLS lines, inspected them, and cut and bent one new one. It's not pretty, but it's perfectly functional. I flushed the fluid and replaced it with the MilSpec version of Shell Aero hydraulic fluid, which I found was one of four hydraulic fluids suitable for use in the MB SLS system. I have several extra cans of that fluid that go with the car; I am an aircraft mechanic for the IL Air National Guard, and my friends in the hydraulic shop set several (virgin) surplus cans of the stuff aside for me to have.

Previous owner said the spheres were replaced at least once, but other than that, I have no record of anything else needing replacement on the SLS.

A friend of mine got fed up with the SLS on his wagon and went with air shocks instead; he reports they're working well for him, so in a pinch, I suppose they're an option if yours is giving you fits.

Anyway, come have a look at the car sometime!

Chris

Id like to, but I just dont have that kinda money right now :(

Chris--I may have to drive over to Charleston and have a look. Let me know via email if it's still available--and a phone # to reach you? Thanks.

Joe Bauers
j.bauers@insightbb.com

Man, i really wish i had the spare room and cash to pick that car up... Would look sweet along side my 240D Euro.

Good luck on your sale!