You should expect to pay a premium for an exceptionally clean 124. How much do you expect to talk him down? You should obviously try to negotiate, but don't let your dream car slip through your fingers over a few measly bucks. Most of your questions can only be answered by YOU. I can tell you that the rear control arms do not suffer from the same rust problem as the 123's.

If I ever decide to sell my 124, I'm gonna overprice the hell out of it. Why wouldn't I? It's in beautiful condition and highly sought after. That's the way it works. One of my co-workers just sold a gorgeous '85 300TD. He got so tired of people asking him to sell it to them, his standard reply was "sure, eight grand!". One day someone took him up on it. The new owner couldn't be happier, and why not? He's got a great example of a popular car in mint condition. Good luck