300E five speed on ebay - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

865sp300e · #1 04-24-2008, 04:51 PM

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mercedes-Benz-E-Class-300E-1986-Mercedes-Benz-300E-Rare-5-Speed-Manual-Trans_W0QQitemZ120250285843QQcmdZViewItem

Needs work but interesting

E_420 · #2 04-25-2008, 11:59 PM

id buy it if i knew how much a new power steering system would cost....would it be under a grand? and new heads...oh roughly $2k plus labor....

lkchris · #3 04-26-2008, 12:44 PM

Every magazine article you'll ever read says these are really awful with the manual trans. But, on a $1500 car you might not notice.

deanyel · #4 04-26-2008, 02:47 PM

I've never seen one of those articles. I seem to recall the MB Buyer's Guide saying something about the shifter being rubbery or something, but the book is not without some other inexplicable statements. I think the 300E sticks are great. I've driven several and owned one back to back and slightly overlapping with a 300SL stick. The 300E stick is just light years better than a 129 stick for driveability. But I don't think I'd touch that car - the picture of the rusty dent would indicate it's a Michigan car now, regardless of where it came from. Then add to that the engine problems.

865sp300e · #5 04-27-2008, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lkchris

Every magazine article you'll ever read says these are really awful with the manual trans. But, on a $1500 car you might not notice.

I've never seen any such articles either, the common criticsm is long throw. If one enjoys speed shifting then this one is not a great choice. To each his own but I prefer a manual transmission. My 300E shifts very smooth and the tall gears provide great economy.

junqueyardjim · #6 04-27-2008, 05:38 PM

The car obviously has problems and a down side. I like the gas perfor4mance and the five speed. The body looks decent for an 86 in Michigan that is purported to be California car. That dent by the window looks bad, but I can"t find it on the pictures that show the side of the car. Maybe I haven't looked hard enough. What do you think might be the cause of the loud tick. Sounds like a head gasket to me, yet he said a friend who was a tech looked at it and said it needs a head job. Things really don't add up. Same with the power steering. He says it worked when parked in 2002. Did the fluid leak out. Pump seals deteriorate? Who knows. Maybe the belt is broken. He says he jumped it and got it fired up after sitting 6 years. That is pretty good I think. Tell me what you think. Jim

cscmc1 · #7 05-01-2008, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by junqueyardjim

The car obviously has problems and a down side. I like the gas perfor4mance and the five speed. The body looks decent for an 86 in Michigan that is purported to be California car. That dent by the window looks bad, but I can"t find it on the pictures that show the side of the car. Maybe I haven't looked hard enough. What do you think might be the cause of the loud tick. Sounds like a head gasket to me, yet he said a friend who was a tech looked at it and said it needs a head job. Things really don't add up. Same with the power steering. He says it worked when parked in 2002. Did the fluid leak out. Pump seals deteriorate? Who knows. Maybe the belt is broken. He says he jumped it and got it fired up after sitting 6 years. That is pretty good I think. Tell me what you think. Jim

Jim -- did you go get the car yet? Heck, you ought to have a head or two you could install, no? Seems like a great car for someone like you with access to parts. Seller seemed up-front about it, for the most part; hope it turns out to be a good purchase for you!

junqueyardjim · #8 05-03-2008, 08:20 PM

We have set the time to 10:00 AM next Saturday to go pick it up. I am excited about it, the car has a lot going for it, though it will need a good going over for sitting six plus years. I just feel this forum was never found by this gentleman. Had he used this forum he could have had the car he looked so long for. I also find it hard to believe that he didn't have some shop in the that area to get to the car and really pin point the source of his complaint. His complaint is a loud tick in the engine. A friend told him the engine was shot, if not the engine the head. This is an I six, so it only has one head. He probably spent 50 percent of what I paid for the car to get it shipped from Phoenix to Michigan, and that was in 2002 dollars which are a bit larger then the current issue. Oh well, we will see. But I think I can make it a very nice driver and if I can do that on regular gas instead of diesel that is OK with me. If things really go south with that engine, I would hope to replace with a diesel.

865sp300e · #9 05-04-2008, 03:46 AM

Good luck with the car, I have never seen a black/black leather five speed. You got a good deal, keep us informed with your findings with the engine issue. All the best.

hanno · #10 05-05-2008, 12:09 PM

I just got one home yesterday, a 1988 5spd with 229K miles on it. It was someone's daily driver. I plan to part it (less the 5 spd bits) as I'm not interested in the work involved to bring it back up to standard. It runs and drives fine, but needs minor body work, interior work (neglected red leather with a hole), and rear suspension work (links and flex disc), etc. After I check compression I'll list the engine so that someone can evaluate by driving before buying it.

The 95 E320 that mom is using has a 5 spd in its future (assuming I can fool its electronics)

Your 300E shifter will work OK if rebushed and slightly cut down so that the throws are shorter. You will not be doing any speedshifting in any case.

junqueyardjim · #11 05-06-2008, 01:54 PM

But speed shifting is not part of my driving technique.

hanno · #12 05-06-2008, 03:23 PM

You're right, no speedshifting. I prefer to think of it as winding it out through the gears to reach autobahn speed.