FOR SALE: 1987 diesel wagon 300TDT South TX $2500 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

odie · #1 06-22-2011, 01:21 PM

Really not wanting to sell her but I have a couple other car projects that need to be finished before I'll have room to fix her...so if someone has been drooling for a nice wagon and has the shop space and currently has the time to do a head gasket so be it...if not I'll get to it soon enough I guess...

What's wrong....blown head gasket, local indy shop confirms it's a common failure, oil gallery/passage next to the #1 cylinder. The #1 glow plug was wet with oil and glow plug hole sprays oil when cranking engine over. All other glow plugs came out nice and clean.

The car...clean body and interior. I would say well above the average for the given year/make/model...I purchased it Oct 2008 in Austin thru a licensed used dealer selling out of his house. But the title was still in the original 1987 owner's name so that would make me the second owner. A car fax search showed all records as Spicewood, TX so the car had lived all it's life in the TX hill country (dry, rust free environment). My impression of the car was that it was very well taken care of by the previous owner with regular service and maintenance.

522,000 miles and you would never guess that by looking at it.
all windows work
leather seats...not MBTEX, I am almost certain
sunroof works
SLS works
AC works, R-134 conversion by previous owner
cruise works
mirrors work
locks stopped working on me and I have not checked the vac pump yet
power antenna replaced
CD player (came with it, not sure how they adapted the harness)
power seats work
power head rest works on driver side
power head rest motor works on pass side but does not seem to engage
third seat back is there
third seat bottom I sold to have room for storage
3 sets of wheels (originals and 2 sets of newer 7 spoke C series wheels)
class 2 trailer hitch
both axle shafts replaced last year (still have old ones if you want to rebuild them, they were fine but one had a torn boot)
air cells replaced last year, SLS does not leak
drivers seat has no tears or holes but botton has come loose (see picture)
left rear seat has a tear shown in picture, but it does reveal that the seats appear to be leather and not MBTEX
all fluids & filters have been changed including PS, SLS, trans, axle, brake
brake pads have not been changed but recent inspection they looked fine
tie rods & such I can't recall, I have done so many on all my cars
windows tinted last year
750,000 KM badge and certificate from MB
one surface rust spot on hood from a rock chip, see pictures, treated with rust converter but not touched up (has been there and not grown since I owned it)
dash has a couple thin cracks (typical I think), carpet dash cover
head liner is nice, no holes, tears, rips, etc.
windshield has no cracks
roof rack has both cross bars
lots of spare parts to get you home (full set of hoses, spare filters, belt, misc stuff)
MB tool kit, I think they are all there, some are brand new looking

lots of pictures on my profile album...taken a couple days ago...the car was not cleaned or detailed before the pictures

Asking $2500. yes it's got a blown head gasket but it is a 124 diesel wagon. and a very clean one.

Aquaticedge · #2 06-22-2011, 01:25 PM

It's a very nice wagon. Price is too high for me for the amount of work required.

odie · #3 06-22-2011, 05:07 PM

well they are getting very hard to find and not for cheap either...there are only 2 on ebay last time I looked and they are asking way over $10k....not that they will get that but it's what the market is asking.

i really only expect a wagon lover faily close by and is an above average mechanic to be interested.

I'm just putting it out there for now...as soon as I get work space cleared out she gets her turn...which I hope is soon

ashedd · #4 06-22-2011, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquaticedge

It's a very nice wagon. Price is too high for me for the amount of work required.

Sorry I have to agree. Looks nice though, goodluck.

One of these days I will find one.

Aquaticedge · #5 06-22-2011, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by odie

well they are getting very hard to find and not for cheap either...there are only 2 on ebay last time I looked and they are asking way over $10k....not that they will get that but it's what the market is asking.

i really only expect a wagon lover faily close by and is an above average mechanic to be interested.

I'm just putting it out there for now...as soon as I get work space cleared out she gets her turn...which I hope is soon

I love the wagons. heck I own two. the last one I got was one with a blown head gasket. it was around a grand.... with the high mileage combined with being run low on oil a couple times.... 2500 is a lot of risk.

DieselPaul · #6 06-22-2011, 10:08 PM

I'm impressed no one has chimed in to say the car is worth $12,000 repaired.

Cool car, I had those wheels on my 87 for a while too.

Any interior pics?

TylerH860 · #7 06-22-2011, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquaticedge

I love the wagons. heck I own two. the last one I got was one with a blown head gasket. it was around a grand.... with the high mileage combined with being run low on oil a couple times.... 2500 is a lot of risk.

It didn't look nearly as nice as this one, though, and its an E320. I never saw where he said it was run low on oil? Working AC, SLS, replaced axle half shafts, rebuilt suspension, nice paint, rust free body and decent interior... I can see someone paying alot more than a grand for it.

Just because you're not willing to pay that much doesn't mean someone else is going to. Now all you've done is hurt his chances of selling it here.

Aquaticedge · #8 06-22-2011, 10:18 PM

Feel free to delete my posts in this thread if it damages the sellability.. just call it how I see it...

TylerH860 · #9 06-22-2011, 10:24 PM

The $2500 question in my mind is what's the head casting?

(edit) see its number 14 in the signature.

Aquaticedge · #10 06-22-2011, 10:31 PM

I really do like the color of this wagon though, nice sandy/silver/cream type color. I do like it better then the Goldish color of my wagon.

odie · #11 06-22-2011, 10:53 PM

no one is hurting my feelings...i waited a long time to find one of these in nice condition...it's worth a bit more to me than scrap value and most 87 wagon owners probably love theirs dearly too...i really hope to get my other project cars wrapped up soon and moved outta the work area so I can get to this...

I've been researching the head gasket job and it doesn't look to tricky...i had originally thought the timing chain had to be cut and replaced but since that's not the case i will definitely go for it in a few weeks if no one has taken her. But for now VW Caddy, Lebaron and Concours are ahead in line...

ashedd · #12 06-22-2011, 11:27 PM

If you love it, keep it!

Your going to have a hard time selling it the way it sits. Pretty much your only market is us. Just park it and take your time looking for a new head. Of course you know not to buy another 14 head

. So expect to pay $750+ for a higher casting number.

As much as I love the fact that it has actual leather... I would rather swap in a newer leather interior, in black thank you.

One of the reasons why I have never tried to actively sell my '87 300d 5spd is... I would miss it too much. I put way too much work into that car to see it go. And I have lots more to do.

Keep it!!!

ashedd · #13 06-22-2011, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by odie

I've been researching the head gasket job and it doesn't look to tricky...i had originally thought the timing chain had to be cut and replaced but since that's not the case i will definitely go for it in a few weeks if no one has taken her. But for now VW Caddy, Lebaron and Concours are ahead in line...

It is pretty straight forward, from what I have read. Get rid of that Lebaron thing. The Caddy is a nice novelty item, but you can find a nicer/newer diesel VW that get's the same MPG's. Concours- you sure it doesn't have a cracked head too?

DieselPaul · #14 06-23-2011, 06:57 AM

The headgasket is blown, why are we all whining about a head that isn't cracked? I like how its necessary to replace functional heads based on speculation, especially when plenty last 300, 400, 500k miles... oh wait like this one. This car is a huge counter argument for this #14 nonsense.

odie · #15 06-23-2011, 10:30 AM

Once I actually get started pulling the head the car will be pretty much off the market since I will obviously be in "git-r-done" mode...

The LeBaron? extra super clean (owned by grandma) with a new drop top and paint job...VW caddy? VW don't make a pickup truck anymore. Concours? water pump shaft leaking oil, parts arrived, fix this Sat...plus it's a damn nice bike

In the end I really expect to fix the head gasket (which is fine with me), but it's not at the front of the list...