I saw this 1982 300SD on Craig's List, take a look what do you think?

Has some clear-coat pings that didn't go down to the paint, interior is worn but not ripped, dash is clean, engine has some discoloration that I can't determine.

Owner is in South Jersey, spoke to him on the phone, real nice guy, open and honest about the car.

http://newjersey.craigslist.org/car/70425889.html

PM me for photos link.

-gil

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GG NJ USA
1983 300SD (Sold at 198K)
1989 560SEL (205k) - slowly restoring
2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid (6k) - daily driver
1995 Colt Vista AWD (145k) - fun car! spare
1991 Buick Riviera 3.8l (85k) - fur die Kinder
RIP: 1965 LeMans/GTO Convertable -my first
RIP: 1968 GTO 400 HO w/ 400HP - ballsy!
(blew the motor racing a '69 GTX - bummer)

Looks like it could be a decent car. I really like the anthracite color. Plus antracite with a black interior is kind of rare.

Here is a link to a buying guide for the 126 chassis cars:

http://buying.articles.mbz.org/checklists/126/

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Anders

1995 E300
2015 VW TDI Sportwagen 15K
1977 240D (197K)
2002 Subaru Legacy L Wagon (115k) (Wife's)
Gone but not forgotten:
2005 Buick LeSabre
1998 C230
1984 300D
1983 240D
1981 300SD
1974 240D
1974 Fiat 124 Spider
1968 Triumph TR250

If the climate control works, suspension is tight and it shifts well, that to me is a great deal.

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1984 300Sd 210k

Former cars:
1984 300D 445k (!!) (Strider) Original (and not rebuilt) engine and transmission. Currently running on V80 ( 80% vegetable oil, 20% petroleum products). Actually not, taking a WVO break.
1993 300d 2.5 275k. Current 120/day commuter
1981 300SD 188k (Hans) Killed by a deer

Nice looking car, I wish I could find them that cheap in my area...

Bought an '82 300SD, similar condition a month ago for the same money with 144K on the clock. I checked out the craigslist link and in reading the discription noticed that the seller indicates that "it has an overdrive transmission and gets great mileage". Did these cars in fact have OD? If so it explains my mediocre milage (my brides Buick Park Ave does 8-10 mpg better). My tach is inop but judging by the sound I would guess that mine is turning in the 3500 range at 65 mph. Another, higher head gear would be most welcome.
Anyone have any thoughts on this.

Jim

The first photo seems to show a beige interior, not black, unless it's a trick of the light.

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http://webwench.net/albums/new83-300...1700.thumb.jpg
1983 300D-T
348,000 miles

looks like a good car.

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1979 Thistle Green 300D 272,xxx miles
1984 Orient Red 300 D 4 spd Euro Import - 189,xxx miles
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Lofat Productions
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The car is right on our forum: http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=122530

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The Golden Rule

1984 300SD (bought new, sold it in 1988, bought it back 13 yrs. later)

I say go for it, provided the engine and other expensive parts pass the test. I did see some nitpicky details that give me confidence about the way this car has been maintained. Observe that the rear lenses are in mint, or near-mint condition. Normally, these will be yellowed, and in the case of the diesel, the left one will invariably be a dingy to dark grey. Their condition tells me one of two things. The first possibility is that it was garaged. My guess is this is the most likely scenario, given the overall condition of the paint and other plastic parts. Or, second, the owner replaced the lenses, which tells me he is a stickler for detail and is meticulous. If someone is going to the level of replacing rear taillight lenses, they probably have that level of attention for the more important features of the car.

While I believe the engine and associated controls are important to look after, the first thing I firmly belive in is looking at the condition of the car itself. You can bet money that if a car looks good, it would stand to reason the vitals have also been cared for in a similar manner. As someone who purchased a decent W126, there are a couple of things I want to point out, which I see reflected in this car. First, the paint and chrome appear to be in excellent shape. That's $3,000 savings right there. Nice plastic trim, as shown on this, will save you lots. If the interior is in comparable condition, then you're saving at least $2,000 if you were to redo the leather seats. Also, even the condition of the wood trim is significant. If the trim has no cracks, you're saving yourself a big pain in the neck and a big hit to your wallet.. Also, check for rust on the underbody.

The other outstanding feature is the engine has only 157K miles. It has barely been broken in. The OM617 engines routinely exceed 350K miles without much coaxing. However, there is also a pitfall in this. Sometimes it's worse for an engine not to run than it is to run a lot. I would verify what kind of trips this car made. Were they long trips every other week, or were they daily, short trips? Remember that the one thing that kills the diesel is starting the engine. Once the engine runs and the oil flows, there is negligable wear on the engine. Also, various engine parts, especially rubber ones, tend to decompose if they aren't used.

The real Achilles heel in these cars is the transmission. You can almost be assured it will start to fail between 200K-250K miles. Replacing it is a $2,000+ problem. Fortunately, that is probably a few years of driving down the road and represents about five months of car payments. Keep in mind that you will want to replace all the rubber bushings, especially for your suspension. The climate control is another issue. If it hasn't failed, you can count on that it will go out sometime in the not so distant future. The real bonus is if it was recently replaced. If not, you can have the whole thing buttoned up for not much more than $1,000 (if you purchase the '86+, that number goes to $2,000+. Don't ask how I know.)

The last thing I can say is what is preached on this site. Have the compression and leakdown tests done. Have an indie go over it, looking for problem areas. Also, keep in mind that a complete set of records is important. However, this is where I go contrary to what others in the group say. If everything else about this car checks out, the absence of complete records should not deter you from buying it. You will have a sense of whether this was taken care of properly. Unlike the gas Benzes - especially the W140s, diesels can take an irregular maintenance schedule. Just make sure the oil was changed on a regular basis; ideally, every 3,000 miles.

Good luck.

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Casey Cooper
"From a long line of Mercedes ownership"

'86 300SDL 250K miles (Gone, but not forgotten); best diesel I have ever driven, too bad about the Achilles heel.

'81 240D 370K miles (Sold to my brother after 9 years and 150K miles of reliable driving!)

[Five other Mercedes in family clipped for less length.]

No. And indeed, the transmission does 65mph at around 3,500rpm.

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1999 Mercedes-Benz S600, 103K miles - garage queen
1988 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL, 89K miles - daily driver
2007 Hyundai Sonata Limited, 31K - daily driver

Thanks braverichard, appreciate the input.
Jim

60 mph is about 2700 RPM on my '81, it's about 2850 on my wife's '82.

The tach is easy to fix. Do a search.

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1984 300Sd 210k

Former cars:
1984 300D 445k (!!) (Strider) Original (and not rebuilt) engine and transmission. Currently running on V80 ( 80% vegetable oil, 20% petroleum products). Actually not, taking a WVO break.
1993 300d 2.5 275k. Current 120/day commuter
1981 300SD 188k (Hans) Killed by a deer

Either get it fixed or just buy a cheap tachometer from eBay for $30.

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1999 Mercedes-Benz S600, 103K miles - garage queen
1988 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL, 89K miles - daily driver
2007 Hyundai Sonata Limited, 31K - daily driver