My 1968 220d doesn't have power steering. So it isn't clear to me if there is a problem with this car being discussed (I just re-read that the OP did confirm a power steering pump, so maybe my comments are irrelevant). Is it hard to steer at very low speed, or hard to steer at high speed? On the freeway, it is not particularly noticeable that my car doesn't have power steering.

Even if the car is equipped with power steering, I see no problem driving it like a car without PS.

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1968 220D, w115, /8, OM615, Automatic transmission.
My 1987 300TD wagon was sold and my 2003 W210 E320 wagon was totaled (sheds tear).