New 300TD, gloating + ?'s - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

phidauex · #1 11-08-2004, 12:23 AM

Hi,

I just arrived home after picking up my new '82 300TD! I took a 19 hour train ride to Texas, spent the afternoon with the car and the owner, did the deal, and then drove 10 hours back up to St. Louis. Every minute I spend with the car, I like it more!

It's the one I mentioned several posts ago, when I was anxious about traveling a long distance to pick up a car. Silver w/ Blue MB-Tex interior, and 243,000 miles (almost 244,000 now). When I was in Texas we put the car up onto a lift (the PO is a tech at a big huge dealership), and I noticed an all new front end, new OEM muffler, complete lack of underside rust, new front calipers, new hydraulic suspension pump, lines and linkage, freshly rebuilt transmission (less than 25k), new flex disks and a general sense of good working order. The engine and underside were clean (but not too clean), and the PO took pride in the fact that the car leaked no fluids whatsoever (though he self-consciously pointed out the pinion seal on the differential which never actually produced drips but seeped a tiny bit).

The A/C has been converted to R134, and works great. In fact, the entire climate control system works great. So does the cruise control (!!). In fact, every factory feature works with the lone exception of the automatic antenna, which has been replaced with a manual antenna. The stereo has been replaced with a basic Sony CD player, and Infinity 6x9s were installed in the rear.

Speaking of the rear... It has third seats! I didn't even know about them until I was about to leave with the car and he said "Oh yeah, let me show you how the third seats work before you go!" I was really wanting them, and he never mentioned them so I assumed the car didn't have them. I had even budgeted to get an aftermarket or used set. But lo-and-behold, he unfolded a set of blue, pristine condition third seats with shoulder belts. Made my day!

He had recently done lots of work on the car, new GPs, new belts, flush and refill all fluids, etc. The records book is great, with copies of receipts and service logs going back to the beginning. Oil changes have been every 3-4000 miles and the logs show the engine using about a quart of oil every 2000 miles.

It also has a set of CLK wheels on it, which look very sharp, and tires from the same car (probably about 50% left). Windows have a nice deep (but not illegal!) tint.

The car starts cold with no complaints, and runs very smooth. There is a bit of rocking at idle, but it calms down very quickly, and doesn't vibrate at any speed other than idle. There is almost no smoke, just a touch of haze while idling, and a small puff of haze if you floor it.

Power is great, better than I thought it would be, and comparable to my girlfriend's 95 Subaru Legacy. You floor it, it begins moving at a modest clip, and then the turbo kicks in, the transmission kicks down and it takes off. More power than I was expecting, thats for sure. Speaking of transmission, shifts are very smooth, 0 flaring, and seem to be well timed. Oil pressure hangs out at about 1.75 bar at idle, and then shoots up to 3 bar as soon as you pull out.

Boy, with all this great news, something has to be wrong, right? Well, the worst part about the car is the paint... It isn't peeling or coming off, but it is very faded and oxidized. There are a few small rust bubbles that seem to have been anti-rust coated and then touched up. I'll probably try to sand them down a bit and use POR-15 on them to stop them before winter makes them bloom. I don't mind doing my own body work, and maybe over the winter I'll save up some money to get it painted in the spring...

Also, no block heater! I suppose I expected that, since the car has been in Texas and Mississippi all its life, but it means that 19mm plug is staring me in the face, just daring me to try to take it out to install a block heater....

Probably needs new front shocks too.. They have been on a while, and look a bit tired. However, the ride was still good, so they have some life left in them yet. Rear suspension worked great (even tested it out... rear goes up, rear goes down, rear goes up, rear goes down...).

Also.. This isn't really a bad thing, but just a fact of life, this engine is getting old. There is a fair bit of blow-by, not locomotive, but not a gentle puff of vapor either... If my girlfriend's digital camera was working I'd post a video. That combined with the oil consumption (1qt per 2000 miles) makes me a touch nervous. However, it starts without complaint and produces very little smoke, so I might be worrying for nothing, I'm hoping the engine still has lots of life left in it.

Oh yeah, how much did I pay for it? 2400$. Not bad!

Anyway, just tired from a long drive and wanted to pontificate to people who'd appreciate it (my aforementioned girlfriend is only moderately impressed

). The car amazed me on the drive home. It felt so stately and smooth, and the interior is very comfortable (and in great shape). I just put on some tunes, slid the seat back a bit, set the cruise control (wow, functional!), and enjoyed the diesel sled. It feels like my grandmother's car, which is good, because she is the original owner of a '78 300D that she has kept in pristine condition. She still drives it all over the place (I keep meaning to ask her what the mileage is..). My mother has been trying to buy it off her for years, but my grandma just says, "Well, its the best car I've ever owned, and the last car I'll ever need, you just have to wait your turn!" So when my mother heard I was buying this one, she got quite jealous...

Anyway, I'll put up a picture soon (it looks great with the CLK wheels, despite the so-so paint), and then I can join in with all the cold starting questions, oil arguments, and furious venting when I hurt myself working on it.

Peace,
Sam

Fuzzball · #2 11-08-2004, 12:40 AM

Absolutely Jelous of you man.....and you found it here in Texas....dang.....mama would have loved to have gotten that one I think!!

Sounds like a great deal...price sounds awesome.

Where did you find it?

I think the paint thing is no big deal, but then again, I've done my share of paint jobs...

Congratulations!!

phidauex · #3 11-08-2004, 12:51 AM

Found it via one tiny classified ad on Mbworld.com. Couldn't find it listed anywhere else, but once I started talking to the guy and getting pictures, it really seemed like the right thing to do. He said he had gotten several calls after mine, but we had already made an 'eshake' and I had sent him a deposit. I suppose I was lucky, I probably caught the ad very soon after it was posted. There ARE great cars out there, but they are usually sold by the time you find the ad and call the person... I've been searching for a few months, and this one just fit the bill. Keep looking, you'll find the right one for ma.

Do you spray your own paint jobs? I don't really have a place to do it right now, but maybe by spring I could work something out... Though in the end it would probably make the most sense to just do the prep work myself and then take it in to be sprayed... If I take the time and money to do that, then it'll be a really classy car...

peace,
sam

tomm9298 · #4 11-08-2004, 07:19 AM

You have found a true masterpiece!!! Kepp us posted.

TwitchKitty · #5 11-08-2004, 11:09 AM

Some B@st@rd from Atlanta just snatched up an '87 wagon from Mobile. I saw it in the paper this morning and it was already sold.

Fuzzball · #6 11-08-2004, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phidauex

Do you spray your own paint jobs? I don't really have a place to do it right now, but maybe by spring I could work something out...

Sam,

I haven't sprayed one in quite a while, but I used to do it for spending cash while stationed in Germany.

Here is the last job I did:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/attachment.php?attachmentid=20190

ZackaryMac · #7 11-08-2004, 10:06 PM

This is the type of car I'd love to have, as I need a wagon. Finding a rust-free one around here for under a billion dollars would be almost impossible to find. I have seen a few for $8000 but they are neither very good condition nor rust free, or even close.

Very nice find, and best of luck. I hope you have many trouble-free miles with her. It's a nice feeling to buy a vehicle and enjoy it more with every mile you put on it.