1975 240D painted in Deep Blue (Tiefblau 920) with Bamboo MB-Tex (167) interior.


Before I sing this 240D’s praises lets get the big issue out of the way right up front. This car has been in an accident, I don’t know all the specifics but it appears to have been hit in the left rear when stopped. This happened in the spring of 2002 State Farm Insurance valued it at $2020 and subsequently considered the car a total loss. The then 2nd owner paid just over $7000, I have the receipt, to repair the car including a complete re-spray and it looks as you see it now. Yes this means it has a salvage title.


I believe the option codes are as follows:

542 locking glove box
580 Air conditioning
593 Rear window defrost
621 Export license plate
819 ???
427 Power steering and manual transmission with floor shift
467 Central locking
491 USA version

The car comes with a thick binder of service records, and after reviewing them here is what I know:

Owner number one owned the car from 1975- 1984, no details on service history from this period.

Owner number two 1984 – 2002 Seems to have bought the car in great condition from an import dealer in Oregon and spared no expense maintaining it. He kept extensive records and receipts totaling just shy of $25,000 in work. The list is just to long and to far back to warrant reprinting here. If you want to see it PM me and I will scan a copy of the summary for you.

Owner number three 2002-2010 Well, lets say this guy wasn’t the best on records. There are some receipts from this period and I can see the car was moved from Oregon to Palm Springs CA.

Owner four (that’s me) 2010 – today: I have $2000 - $3000 in parts alone invested, here is a list of work performed under my watch excluding small things like oil changes, valve adjustments and so on:

• Rebuilt drive shaft and new carrier bearings.
• Engine removed and replace with good running unit. Compression test shows cylinders 1- 4 in PSI 400, 380, 390, & 390.
• Transmission fluid drained and replaced.
• Rear differential fluid drained and replaced.
• Rebuilt fuel injectors, pop tested with new Monarch nozzles.
• Engine valve stem seals replaced
• Fuel injection pump diaphragm replaced.
• Poppet cam housing on back of Fuel injection pump rebuilt.
• Fuel injection pump timing reset.
• Brake pads and fluid replaced.
• Rebuilt AC compressor unit installed, new receiver dryer and R12 charged. Works like a champ!
• Door catches replaced.
• Clutch slave cylinder replaced.
• New thermostat.
• Front sway bar bushings / tie rods.
• Engine mounts
• Glow plugs.

Current condition:

The good – She shines up nice, drives well and might even be considered fast for a 240D. The only rust I see is the battery tray and underneath, (sanded and sealed). I’ve never had a problem, she starts right up and it’s really quite a kick to daily drive. If the accident caused any frame damage it isn’t evident, the car tracks perfectly straight, doors close just like new and there’s no evidence adverse wear on tires or brakes. The engine and transmission have no leaks. Even though I only drive this car around town, I wouldn’t hesitate to hop in and set off cross country.

Known issues:

• Rear window defrost doesn’t work.
• The car burns about 1 quart of oil for every 2-3 tanks of fuel.
• You can see said oil burning in the rear view at times.
• Kick panels need to be recovered
• The turn indicator multi switch only cancels signal about half the time.
• The windshield washer system needs to be purged and the nozzles cleared. The pump works and triggers the blades, just seems to be sediment in there that needs cleaning.
• The heater fan gave out, I installed some all weather CPU fans in its place which works ok just not as powerful.
• The sub frame mounts could be replaced, new parts included.
• Vacuum leaks, the locks all cycle as they should a few times but won’t do so after an overnight.
• It runs a little cold, not sure why, two new thermostats, tested and installed correctly
• Trunk needs a new seal, OEM part comes with the car.
• The paint shines up well, but if not stored indoors it will oxidize over the period of a month or so.


That is a fair a description as I can possibly give. I am asking $3500 on craigslist but will take $2500 from a forum member. More pictures here


Call or email Bill 760-809-9746 junk4bill@cox.net

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1972 280SE 4.5

Very nice car! but I assume you understand the salvage title bit.....if this car is in any accident, the value of that car is now half of what that pay out was....even a door ding would total it again....this may make it very hard to find a buyer...

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It's funny, I have seen more salvage title vehicles in the last two years in Cali than I have in my entire life, fifteen years in the automotive business in addition to the hobby, back east. What is the deal with all the salvage title cars here? Anything more than ten years old gets a door ding, and its totaled, perfectly normal. Is it just that people keep full coverage insurance on vehicles longer out here?

Great looking W115, makes me miss my W114 quite a lot.

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One more Radar Lover gone...
1982 VW Caddy diesel 406K 1.9L AAZ
1994 E320 195K

Billhard-
What a beautiful car. If I had space, I would be on my way to San Diego this weekend. But right now, my family already has one car too many. Best of luck selling a great looking car.

Cooljjay-
I have a question about your comment, but I will PM you so as to not distract from Bill's for sale ad.

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1968 220D, w115, /8, OM615, Automatic transmission.
My 1987 300TD wagon was sold and my 2003 W210 E320 wagon was totaled (sheds tear).

Beauty.

50% of the cars I see on craigslist in cali have salvage titles...

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1981 300TD 4 speed manual
Euro bumpers, zender valance and skirts, H&R springs, billy HD's, leveled sls, real AMG Pentas 16x8 et11, vdo boost/egt gauges intergrated into ash tray, eurolights, led 3rd brake light

Yes I find it to be quite a pickle.

This car induces a constant battle between one's emotions and their rational. To sit in it or drive it you would never know it was salvage, and you think wow this is a nice classic MB diesel I've really found a special one.

On the other hand rational tells you how badly the salvage title hurts the value and it's compounded even more by the depressed market for W115's. That's why it has a tick list of simple fixes that have gone unattended, occasionally I can act rationally.

I threw a dart at the wall on price and if the markets says I'm being overly romantic well so be it let the negotiations begin. Looking at the stroke 8's listed on craigslist makes pricing it an even murkier proposition.

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1972 280SE 4.5

Ok Any takers at $1900.?

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1972 280SE 4.5

Bill, this is a good looking car.
Does it have a sunroof or A/C ?
P-windows ?



I apologize ahead of time, but I have to respond to a question within your thread:

I have lived in CA for 30+ years and am REALLY considering of getting out.
Although good intentions let a car be 'salvaged' it is ruined for most people in terms of resale value or 'investment type car, but good enough for a solid driver.
The main problem with resale is, that most everybody thinks "the car was in a major wreck, so stay away..."
NOT NECESSARILY SO !

Here is the reason for a salvage certificate/revived salvage title:
When a car approaches the lower end of value (and condition) spectrum people tend to not want to invest (or lose) money.....
ADD TO THAT, and this is the main reason, that CA DMV in its infinite wisdom about 20 years ago started implementing penalties on registration, not paid on time. (to pay for their state overhead, AND THAT WAS BEFORE the money crunch......)
From the original concern, (late payments), NOW it has evolved into a real life money mill....
Penalties have risen to the obscene.
A car that has been sitting and never hit the pavement in xxx years still owes back fees and PENALTIES !!!
For most cars off the road for a year or two it means hundreds of dollars in "registration" to legally drive it, EXCEPT, IF YOU 'JUNK IT OUT' AND THE REVIVE IT, WHICH CREATES A WHOLE NEW RECORD AND THE FEES START FROM ZERO.
NEEDLESS TO SAY dmv HAS CAUGHT ON TO THAT AND IS CRACKING DOWN ON JUNK YARDS THAT "revive" too many cars.
Most charities sell cars "junked out" with a bill of sale......,
because of smog check legal requirements and liability reasons......
.
So, GENERALLY SPEAKING,
ALTHOUGH THE CLIMATE( weather) IS PERFECT FOR OLD CARS,
the political climate is NOT.

that's my best guess, and add the general urge for the car industry to shove NEW cars down everybody's throat....

Alex

Alex - No sunroof, manual windows. AC yes and I refreshed the system, rebuilt compressor, new receiver dryer, flush, and recharge with R12. It blows very cold.

Have been here 40+ years I think about moving out all the time, just to many ties here to make that feasible. The DMV money mill is just one of the many reasons living here is so onerous.

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1972 280SE 4.5

A beauty. And a tyranny of distance. GLWS - I think another reason for Cali salvage cars is most of us east coasters fight the rust battle eventually unless we drive garage queens. are always looking for them and prop up the market.

And the blue Eurovan in the windshield caught my eye. I had a love/hate relationship with a 93 for a dozen years or so. The craziest, Rube Goldberg-ian cooling system ever designed. Drove me and my wallet nuts. Still loved it.

If I wake up in San Diego any time soon, I'm coming over with a trailer.

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Scott in MD/DC
94 E320 Wagon
"Money can't replace it, no memory can erase it
and I know I'm never gonna find another one to compare"-LW
85 TDT project (stay tuned)
W201, W202, W126 and lotsa VWs