As they say, "There is nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes". I'm into my $800 300D for about seven grand at this point. That's okay because I now own a configuration that was inexplicably never offered by the factory, and I don't plan on selling it until I get too old to drive (could be a while since I'm only 33) or they ban the diesel engine.

I'm also into my $700 250 for about three. I kick myself on a regular basis about this particular POS. BTW, I'm very willing to trade for a motorcycle. Anybody got a 250 Ninja or a Ducati Monster they've outgrown?

I got pretty lucky with my 240D. I picked it up for $480, changed a slave cylinder, a windshield, and a few minor things, and got 24,000 miles out of it before I raped it for the transmission and sold the leftovers.

__________________
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 401,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 26,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.
99 Mazda Miata 183,xxx miles.