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#1
05-07-2011, 02:14 PM
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what to look out for buying 78 300SD
Hi,
going to look at a 300SD turbo diesel for sale.... It is pretty clean but, .. it is a 1978..... What should I look out for....... You know... What are the Inherent problems in these cars.......? Someone over at Benzworld sent me over.... He was saying the temp servos go bad.... ANy one got a picture of one....So I can Indentify it.... He said, if it isn't an aluminum one..... expect to have to change it........... How do I check if this is servo is bad.....? AND I am concerned about the turbo... How do I check to see if the turbo is functioning? THe guy over at Benz world had a good analogy for the turbo functioning........ He said,,,,,, If the turbo is not working it will feel like you are pulling a tractor............ He said these cars move out pretty fast............ Any specifics I can check.... for a failing turbo....... can I hear it spinnnnn  Also..... the guy(seller) said the car has 85,000 miles on it.. The car was locked so I couldn't get in....... Does the car have a 6th digit on the odometer............ can these cars go around and you can't tell if it might have 185,000....... The car from the outside is rather cherry..... except for some rot on the Fuel Cover...(covering fuel fill cap) and some on the roof near the roof window. AND I was not impressed by the wheels.... they looked kind of peeled and stuff.... from what he said, a little ol' lady drove it summers only.... I think he changed the wheels...... AND the accelerator pedal... It looked broken........... Do these break? It looked like just a metal rod......... So any help here would be greatly appreciated... I don't want to over pay for the car..... and I don't want to have to dump money into it(like a real lot)..... I do my own work..... I own like 7 or 8 cars now..(one jetta diesel)...... I am getting overwhelmed............ but that is ok...... I just don't want to be under the hood constantly... Peace, Monst Thanks, Monst 
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#2
05-07-2011, 02:27 PM
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Where are you and where has the car been all it's life? First look for rust, second look for rust, third look for rust. And I don't mean rust you can see. you need to take up the carpets and remove the rear seat. Also check under the rocker panels beneath the car. The HVAC will likely not be working. Others will be able to chip in with more specific stuff. The mileage sounds ridiculously low and they do have six digit odometers. So I'd be curious about that. Of course there's always the possibility it could be time warp. In which case it would be a great car to have.
- Peter.
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2021 Chevrolet Spark Formerly... 2000 GMC Sonoma 1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021  2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels 1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles. 1984 123 200 1979 116 280S 1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille 1971 108 280S
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#3
05-07-2011, 09:50 PM
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Thanks for the bit on the rust....
I am going to bring my hydraulic jack..... jack it up...... I'll pop out the rear seat..... so what about leaky moon roofs....????? The Turbo is one of my big concerns....... Is this something you get rebuilt..... or do you buy a new one?????????? Climate control...... How do I test it????? IE: if it doesn't blow out all the ducts when it is supposed to???????
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#4
05-08-2011, 12:35 AM
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Quote:
Quote:
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Joe ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1980 300SD - 495k miles - 'The Ambassador' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Former Family Members 95 C280 73 280SEL 90 300D 87 300SDL (X2) 86 560SEL 84 300D 80 300SD
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#5
05-08-2011, 05:45 AM
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The turbos rarely give trouble and last a very long time. I worried about them at first too but they are very very reliable.
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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.  [SIGPIC]..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.
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#7
05-08-2011, 12:28 PM
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THe pulling a tractor thing is right - an old MB diesel w/o a turbo can be passed by an ol' lady with a walker. I know - I drive one.
If it works - it will work forever. Dont worry about it. The car has the extra digit on the odo. When you test drive though make sure the numbers turn - they have a habbit of not working. Look for wet floors - it means the drains may be plugged.
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#8
05-08-2011, 09:16 PM
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I have been around them a long time, rarely if ever seen a turbo go bad this side of 300K
These engines are pretty bomb proof if serviced. Service history is a good thing, ask for it. As mentioned - rust is the main issue, if she has been sitting then the regular deal , fluids , rubber stuff ect The ACC II ( automatic climate control) cannot be repaired ( well not easily) and if not functioning, prepare for 400- 600$ for the parts
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Ron 2015 Porsche Cayman - Elizabeth 2011 Porsche Cayman - Bond,James Bond Sadly MERCEDESLESS - ALways LOOKING ! 99 E320 THE Queen Mary - SOLD 62 220b - Dolly - Finally my Finny! Sadly SOLD 72 450SL, Pearl-SOLD 16 F350 6.7 Diesel -THOR 19 BMW X5 - Heaven on Wheels 14 38HP John Deere 3038E Tractor -Mean Green 84 300SD, Benjamin -SOLD 71 220 - W115-Libby ( my first love) -SOLD 73 280 - W114 "Organspende" Rest in Peace 81 380 SL - Rest in Peace
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#9
05-08-2011, 09:41 PM
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Hidden rust and degrading rubber are the main things. If you operate and test all systems during your test drive, as well as inspecting fluids and general under hood and under car condition, you should be able to catch anything else that is seriously deficient.
The odometers on these cars fail all the time. Even if it works now, it may have failed at another time and been driven for years before being repaired. Do not trust a low mileage value unless there is significant documentation to back it up. That much being said, condition is MUCH more important than mileage in establishing a fair price for a car this old. It's possible to have two '78 300SD's side by side and one of them have 100,000 miles and be a $500 parts car, the other have 300,000 miles and still be worth a few thousand.
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Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar. 83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles 08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles 88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.
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#11
05-09-2011, 02:25 PM
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Quote:
__________________
Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar. 83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles 08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles 88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.
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#12
05-19-2011, 04:44 PM
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Well, 300SD; She has stories to tell......
and this 300SD got her name well before we even got to get that last look at her.... The wife's friend, an avid Benz enthusiast heard she was of the color red and named this Ol' 78 300SD, Ruby.......... The story about Ruby,,, Ruby is being coined as "an ol' dame with too much lipstick"........ At a closer look the car was repainted, the masking job was horrendous. It only took a few moments to realize that Rudy wasn't going to find a new home with us. I then pulled up the carpets on the back floor to find a floor that lacked that lovely too much lipstick look. I remember having floors like this in an old AMC cherokee, right before the vehicle became a Fred Flintstone mobile... And the Steering, how the seller made claims about all the money dumped into the front end.....(at 85K?) you begin to wonder..... The steering box was completely shot(money must have been spent on the wrong front end parts). I've driven some serious junk in my day, even owned quite a few too... Rarely, do I sell my cars. I resurrect them; then use them up... This Ruby, she was used up. I gotten free cars in better shape than this. Amazing, what a little bit of lipstick can do!
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