FS: 1987 300TD Raleigh NC $1300

[mercman446]

Price drop to $1000. Last year of the diesel MB Station Wagon in the US. OM603 Turbo engine. Anthracite Grey over I believe Mushroom interior. Odometer stopped per the PO around 2007 and reads 301152. Selling to downsize the fleet after buying the wife a W210 wagon.

Pros:
AC and heat work
Runs Fine
Third row seat with belts
Crack free dash
Minimal rust that I can find
Recent Fuel Lift Pump, Starter, and Front Brake Pads

Cons:
Paint is OK in some places, needs varying levels of help in others
Transmission leaks, but has been my main daily driver for a couple of years
Rear windows currently inoperative
Sunroof intermittent at best
Cruise inoperative
Central locking inoperative
Probably needs injector nozzles
Rear wiper inoperative
Rear hatch struts could use a refresh, but I'll include the pole the PO gave me for keeping the hatch up
Tabs on taillight bulb holders are broken, tried to find replacements in junkyard but never found any not broken, currently shoved in place with various things
Water leaks into passenger side floorboard
Indicator in dash for right turn signal inoperative
Probably needs front lower ball joints, they are squeaky

My pictures are apparently far too large to attach. Here's my local CL ad with pictures: https://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/d/1987-mercedes-300td-wagon/6387845500.html
Link to an imgur album showing lack of rust in typical spots: https://imgur.com/a/S0sDV

[mercman446]

Price dropped to $1000 only if picked up locally in Raleigh, NC. Offers will be considered.

[mercman446]

Imgur link with pictures showing lack of rust:
https://imgur.com/a/S0sDV

[vwnate1]

Damn ~ I'm glad you're 3,200 miles away as I'd buy this for my brother who loves his '87 300SDL .

You might want to mention it's a 7 passenger and mention if it has a #14 cylinder head or better .

Certainly those who love the i6 OM603 engines can't complain about the price .

Looks to be the perfect place to begin .

[mercman446]

Originally Posted by vwnate1

You might want to mention it's a 7 passenger

I guess I assumed that was covered by mentioning it has the third row seat with seat belts

I have so many 603s I don't remember which head this one has on it. I can try to remember to look later.

[vwnate1]

You really have to spell it out to the prospective buyers ~ .

The details make a difference as does cleanliness ~ even on the $500 beaters I used to sell they'd sparkle .

I can't believe it's still for sale .

[mercman446]

Originally Posted by vwnate1

I can't believe it's still for sale .

I really can't, either. These diesel wagons are so hard to find, never mind with minimal rust. I wouldn't sell if I didn't need to downsize the fleet.

[vwnate1]

Sadly, the blush went flying off the Diesel rose a while back, many haven't yet read or understood the memo sad to say .

Some would be shocked at how much $ I dump into my three old Mercedes Diesels but they all run fine and make me happy so who cares, right ? .

I have no illusion to ever get much more than scrap value out of any of them and they're all decent cars .

SWMBO's wagon is nice, she gets offers to sell every where it goes .

Maybe try casting a wider area net ? .

[mercman446]

Originally Posted by vwnate1

Maybe try casting a wider area net ? .

I'm all ears on suggestions for that. eBay's classifieds are no longer free without a dealer subscription as best I can tell. I guess I could try a few more forums like BenzWorld and MBWorld, but I get the impression they're more about the newer ones.

[vwnate1]

Oh, jeeze, I dunno ;

I stopped selling used cars a while back .

Maybe learn how some manage to cover a wide area on craigslist ? .

For the price someone oughta just buy it and run it into the ground.....

I hate that but in the end it's just one more old beat up luxury car and unless it has some special cachet, no one wants old luxury cars no matter how good they may be .

The Diesel boom was great and saved many but that's done now .

This car would make a dandy shop rig or sail carrier, delivery car etc. but you have to find that *one* person who understands and doesn't do whatever the TV tells them to do .

[mercman446]

I thought I had updated the CL post in a way it wouldn't expire. Apparently I was wrong. Here's a working link since I apparently can't edit the original post anymore:

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/d/1987-mercedes-300td-wagon/6429666404.html

[mercman446]

Sold into life as a rally car.

[MB140300SD]

I didn't see the full set of photos but it sure looked nice. Too bad I didn't see this earlier or I would have been all over it. Too bad it is going to be a rally car.

[vwnate1]

Look at it this way :

There might be some wagon parts for sale ere long....

Anything is better than the junkyard where I watched many, many perfectly good TD's go for lack of want .

[MB140300SD]

I have a 87 TD sitting out back that I have had for years. I bought it for a parts car, had no title. I went down to get it and it turned out it had a #17 or 18 head on it. Runs great. I think I paid $1500 for it back then. I had another one several years ago. I can't remember how much I paid for that one but I ended up putting it on ebay back when these were selling for stupid crazy money. I think it sold for like $7-8K to a guy in California. I know I at least tripled my money on that one. Anyway, back to the parts car I have now. I never messed with it then a buddy of mine wanted it so I sold it to him. He cleaned it up but never finished it, then I got it back and I have let it sit since. It originally had a sun roof that was not quite closed so the interior got some moisture in it and it has the musty moldy smell. If it put it back on the road I am going to have to probably pull the dash as its cracked real back, would have to get the acc going again, I think maybe only 1 window is working. Not sure what sort of shape the suspension is in although even after sitting it does not seem to have dropped in the back. I already have way too much into the car as it sits so I am not sure it is worth putting back on the road. Very sad. I guess the 603 with the updated head is worth more than the rest of the car.