It's probably more than a little insane, but I think I'm going to go look at a 1981 300D I've seen advertised locally for a few weeks. The main attractions for me are (1) a rust-free body (the man says -- we'll see) and (2) low miles at 140,000. To boot, he says the A/C works and the paint is in good shape.

On the bad side, he says the transmission 'needs some work' but is driveable. On the phone, he says it's slipping -- how much is hard to gather over the phone, but I assume significant slippage. Also, the dash is cracked, but since I have nothing against dash caps or even covers, I'm not too concerned about this.

He's asking $1000 but said right off he'd take $850 'or even less', so I think he just wants to be rid of it. For a rust-free body and low-miles engine, it just seems like it could be a good deal.

Let's say the transmission is completely shot, worst case. What would be a fair price, if anything?

I've done a search of slipping-related threads, and know the basics of what to look for and how some things can be addressed -- look for low/burnt/discolored fluid, replace fluid and filter, add trans-x and drive some miles, vacuum issues (more for hard shifts, maybe, than slipping), vacuum modulator adjustments -- but I also know and admit my limitations: probably won't be capable of replacing a b2 piston myself if that's the culprit, much less anything more extensive than that, and have a foggy notion at best regarding what a torque converter does. Heavy lifting would have to be done by a mechanic. I wouldn't want to put in more than maybe $1500 to get a decently driveable car if all else is as represented.

Any advice? thoughts? warnings? things to look out for?

I think it would be a good buy for $500 - 700

IF :

- the body and interior are good
- the engine is good

Worst case, install a 4-speed in it (either Tomj or myself can walk you thru it step by step [ or your mechanic])

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1982 300SD (214 k, excellent shape) kidmobile running mostly biodiesel, gets 31 mpg hwy with 2.82 rear from a euro 500SEL



1976 115 body 240D 4-speed (traded for Jeep parts) - Engine lives on in my CJ7

You know that is a non-turbo car don't you.

Personally, I like the non turbo '81 300D best for commuting to work on two lane black top roads. The gearing is ideal for this type application. On the slipping tranny change the filter/fluid and add a bottle of tranx.

If you do not want it and it is truly rust free let me know - I may be interested.

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Jim

I did not know! Although I should have. The ad specifies it is a turbo, which must either be a mistake (either the wrong year, or he thinks it's a turbo and it isn't), or it's already a franken-car

Either way, I'll take pics and send you a link to view them. A non turbo may not be the thing for my highway commute, but then again, I've never driven a non-turbo.

grimgaunt, I have to think finding an appropriate manual transmission in good shape used would be a tall order... and a transmission swap is probably more than I'm up for doing. Sometimes I wish I had more time to learn and try all the things I want to

webwench - it may have had an engine swap. The non turbo is geared pretty good in my opinion for 55 mph highway cruising. Mine has the 85 mph speedo on it and will peg it out without any problem BUT the turbo engine is quieter at that speed.

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Jim

If it actually is a turbo...then could it be a wagon (TD)? Those had the turbo engine in '81.

The picture is of a sedan.... I am curious about the discrepancy, though. I'm going to head out in about ten minutes, will post pictures/details when I return

I saw it... pictures being uploaded here.

The good: The body is in very nice shape, few dents (most notable was a small depression in the hood), no creases, no obvious damage or repairs. I found one spot of rust behind one wheel well on the drivers' side. The damaged area could frankly be cut/ground out and sealed, and you wouldn't be able to tell without just about climbing under the car that anything was missing. I found no rust to speak of in the floor or the trunk. I couldn't really see behind the battery to the back of the tray and firewall under the tray, but what I could see was rust-free. It also started pretty easily on a fiftyish-degree day. It drove okay, as far as I could tell with the transmission issue (read on). And as the man said, it does indeed have a new battery and 'good tires'.

The bad: Cheap repaint on that nice body Looks okay until you get up close to me, but I'm no paint expert. Transmission slips such that it basically won't go past first. Transmission fluid is brown and acrid-smelling. No bowden cable/assembly! The engine ran rougher than mine does, although with very little smoke, and then only when revved up. There is some weirdo electrical stuff going on -- glowplug light doesn't light up with the key in that position (some plugs dead? and he didn't know there was supposed to be a glowplug light, indicating a sore lack of knowledge), and the coolant temp went straight up past 120 degrees when the parking brake was disengaged, although I'm certain the car wasn't actually hot . The oil pressure was at 3 bars at idle and the fuel gauge indicated full, but I don't think I'd trust either gauge considering the weird engine temp indication and missing idiot lights. Coolant was not only green, but shocking bright green (undiluted with water). Missing hood liner. Fuel leak around one injector, a slow oil drip off an oil cooler line and some additional oil of unknown origin here and there in the engine , and some kind of leak coming from a seal on something behind the oil pan that is a light amber, almost like spanking-fresh mineral oil. I'm not sure what that was about.

The interior was pretty rough. Dash is cracked and has been repaired with questionable skill, and the drivers' seat has damage to the mb-tex on both the seat and the seat back. Both areas have old vinyl repairs that are in turn falling apart. Driver seat springs are awfully soft. The steering wheel has a spectacular amount of what I think is electrical tape wound around. The foam strips around the doors are disintegrating. He's been messing with the window switches in an attempt to get all the windows to work, and consequently none of them work now. The door panels and headliner look ok, and some of the wood is ok. It smelled to me like it may at one time have been smoked in.

It must be some sort of franken-car, as I see a virgin ALDA, and that's a turbo-only thing, no? He had owned it a year and didn't know any of the history of the car, to speak of.

It's a little too rough for me, even at the bargain price

EWWWWWW! Green anti-freeze.....not the right stuff and overspray on the suspension parts (phote #11)................makes me wonder about what if any bondo lurks under the paint. Going to be needing center link soon (boots split photo#18) somethings leaking......drains or window seals , I see water(photo #36)

That car has a lot of miles on it for seats to be that rough.........that TEX is worn out.


If with a magnet you can ascertain there is no hidden bondo...it could be a great recipient for parts of a nothern car with a good drive tain and interior but terninal case of cancer.


IMHO

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Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

I like that high quality Momo steering wheel wrap--classy!

I recently purchased an $850 '84 300D--blue leather with a dinged up RF fender and a slipping/surging transmission. Turned out to be 2.5 qts low on tranny fluid due to a punctured trans coolant line near the equally leaky lower oil pan. I patched the line, changed the trans filter and oil pan gasket, and the car now runs and shifts like a dream. Some of these sub $1k frogs do actually turn into princes--YMMV.

I am impressed with the ammount and the detail of the pictures you took. You make it possible to evaluate the car without actually seing it. I think you would bring good prices on e-bay for stuff.

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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

Nice color- china blue A rare color. It's a car that looks like it's on the very top end of restorable with alot of hours required. That's without the tranny problems. Sometimes those problems are a easy and just take figuring out what it wrong, and other times you need a new tranny Certainly could pay for itself as a parts car.

It looks to be a turbo, unless that U shaped tube on the air cleaner is going to nowhere. My guess is the DOM is late '81 making it an '82 model.

James

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This Space For Rent
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I think the engine got changed out based on the cruise control actuator. The actuator looks like an '81 but the engine is a turbo which was not a standard engine that year.

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Jim

looks like junk to me, parts car mabey-- Dennis