I am looking at a 1978 300Sd what should I look for besides rust?

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1986 300SDL, 211K,Dealership serviced its whole life
1991 190E 2.6(120k)
1983 300D(300k)
1977 300D(211k)

Are you in 12345? (that would be Schenectady?) Rust pretty much covers it. Check inside the front wheel wells where the upper control rod is. Rockers. Just everywhere. They didn't use "good" steel on many of those.

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80 300SD (129k mi) 82 240D stick (193k mi)77 240D auto - stick to be (153k mi) 85 380SL (145k mi) 89 BMW 535i 82 Diesel Rabbit Pickup (374k mi) 91 Jetta IDI Diesel (155k mi) 81 VW Rabbit Convertible Diesel 70 Triumph Spitfire Mk III (63kmi)66 Triumph TR4a IRS (90k mi)67 Ford F-100 (??)

Check the heating and A/C to see if they work. Check for A/C servo for cracks and or leaking. That's pretty much it.

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1974 240D 3.0L 4(M) - 250K -OM617.910 + 300D FW + Rajay turbo power!
1977 6.9 3(A) - 84k

rust behind fuse panel at the fire wall then travels down to rockers bottom of fire wall, floor pans, behind turn signal assembles,, check compression, if has not been taken care of.ac heater problems servos, and other issues,

If you buy it, replace the window seals. Rain leaks down into the door and rusts the bottom of the door. I have also taken the step of taking the door panels off and brushing white lithium grease into the bottoms of the doors. All of these are old enough to have the window seals shrink back.

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1959 Gravely LI, 1963 Gravely L8, 1973 Gravely C12
1982 380SL
1978 450 SEL 6.9 euro restoration at 63% and climbing
1987 300 D
2005 CDI European Delivery
2006 CDI Handed down to daughter
2007 GL CDI. Wifes

Rust and Climate control servo are pretty much the most expensive items. Interiors can wear and look like someone let the air out of the seats. That will require new horse hair pads which can be expensive.

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With best regards

Al

went to look at it today and this is whats wrong/needs work. Couldnt get the car started.

Major oil leaks-engine has a least 1 inch of oil sludge on the block and some accesories
both rocker panels have big areas blown out
leaking injectors
doors are leaking-carpets are wet
some of the fenders have holes blown out in them, major rust

Pluses:

orginal owners manual

150K miles

owner is asking $1100

What would be a reasonable offer?

I can do the work myself.

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1986 300SDL, 211K,Dealership serviced its whole life
1991 190E 2.6(120k)
1983 300D(300k)
1977 300D(211k)

The leaks on top may just be the valve gasket, if the valves were never adjusted and the gasket is original then the gasket gets hard and leaks (you can see the edge of the gasket under the valve cover, if it's really hard and chips off that's probably what is leaking). If it was pretty cold out that would bear out the theory, since valve adjustment may be way out and that causes loss of compression and bad cold start problems. if it cranks evenly then the engine is probably more or less OK - all it might need is a valve adjustment and some working glow plugs.

I don't think I would give more than $400-500 for it, and not bother fixing it up but just get it running and beat the heck out of it.

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kalpol
79 280SE
82 Fiat Spider 2000
81 Fiat Brava
04 BMW R1150RT
96 Jeep Grand Cherokee

I agree 400 - 500 is the right price if you can get it running before you buy it. If you cant get it running first, look for the next one. You can get a half way decent one for $1500 - $2500.

Where are you located?

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1959 Gravely LI, 1963 Gravely L8, 1973 Gravely C12
1982 380SL
1978 450 SEL 6.9 euro restoration at 63% and climbing
1987 300 D
2005 CDI European Delivery
2006 CDI Handed down to daughter
2007 GL CDI. Wifes

ct

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1986 300SDL, 211K,Dealership serviced its whole life
1991 190E 2.6(120k)
1983 300D(300k)
1977 300D(211k)

I picked up a 1980 300SD with the floor pretty much rusted through but in good running condition for $600. I decided the floor was too bad to fix and salvaged and reused the engine. The tranny is still in the garage along with many other parts.

If the engine works, then $600 range seems about right. If the engine doesn't work then I personally wouldn't pay anything for it.

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2009 ML320 Bluetec
1985 300CD
1981 300TD

Past Mercedes
1979 300TD
1982 300TD
2000 E320 4Matic Wagon
1998 E430
1984 300SD
1980 300SD