Since I've gotten the 560SEL, I was looking for a car thats smaller and more fuel efficient to off-set the "King". I was planning at first on fixing up my 300SEL, but its not possible and I am in process of parting it out. However, I've been keeping an eye out for the diesels and have not seen anything good in my price range. I've gotten about $1500 maybe more later on to spend on a small and reliable car.

It can't have rust(small amounts of surface rust OK, but nothing thats THROUGH metal), a salvage/rebuilt title, crashed, etc.

I've seen many people here able to pick up dirt cheap cars. Whats the secret behind this? I'd love to get a turbo diesel coupe.. but can settle for something else provided I like its appearance.

there out there...keep your eyes peeled. Your best best is to buy one from a private seller. Ebay is getting to be a joke. W123s are great cars and everything, but there not 2-3k great unless they are completley rust free. Thats just my opinion though....I'm still looking for a 87 300D that someone will let go for less than 3k.....

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1992 300TE 4matic - Just obtained 12/22/06
1983 300D - SOLD
1997 Dodge 2500 - CTD 400+HP, 1100ft/lbs torque

At least your in a populated area unlike myself. Guess just watching the adds in newspapers and other publications might be your best bet of course also keeping your eyes open at the same time. Accept a few problems to rectify as will put the car in better price range as long as you can deal with them yourself. My last purchase was a road kill that I'am just waiting to get home. I agree about rust, the less the better. They are not really collector cars but watch the prices jump if they ever become cult cars and think it's a possibility as the numbers keep growing in my area and it's not because of the fuel milage. Just the other day a person mentioned to me there was a guy dealing in older 123 diesels exclusively in the maritime area..

I just bought my '83 300D in April off eBay and luckily it wasn't too much of a dog. It isn't perfect, though. I guess it was a good deal at $1200.

I can totally see all the old diesels that work or are salvagable becoming more and more pricey as the whole WVO/biodiesel thing becomes more popular. That makes me worry because I would like to find a 300 TD wagon in good shape to run on biofuel. New and used recent diesel cars are also either too pricey or hard to find. What is a poor guy that wants a diesel car to do?

So you want to find a rust free w123 in the rust belt for around 1500? Lotsa luck with that one. You'll have to compete with all the others who want the same thing. The popularity of these cars is apparently increasing. I'm looking at the online book value of my car right now@ NADA- low retail is 4k. I know that doesn't mean anything, but I still don't understand why everybody expects to get these cars for nothing, especially one that's been well taken care of. They are Mercedes-Benz after all, very highly regarded vehicles, and most of them have at least another 100k left in them. 1500 will get you what I would consider a winter beater, but it won't get a decent car.
These cars bring whatever the person selling is asking and whatever the person buying is willing to pay. I wouldn't even consider buying one off eBay unless it was local and you could see it with your own eyes.

And a turbo diesel COUPE rust and all for less than 3k will be like trying to find a needle in a stack of needles. Everybody wants one of those, myself included. The coupes and the TDs are on the most wanted list for sure.

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'02 BMW 325i
'85 300D 450k
'93 190E 2.6 170k(killed by tree)
'08 Ducati Hypermotard 1100S 6k
'06 Ducati S2R800 14k(sold)

will buy a rust free body with a blown motor. and good interior.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

you find those mercedes diesels in the news paper and places like that..

not online.......

Local auctions are your friend or local word of mouth.

As said, online is not the place.

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I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

Most w123 and c123 are in the 200-250k mile range if not more. These were "standard" benz's, nothing special about them... simple, "people-friendly" cars. Is it unreasonable to say that one can get a car like that for $1500-1800? People on this forum brag all the time about how they find a running and in relatively good shape diesel for cheap. I just wanted to know their secret. I am not looking for a perfect car... just something that I can use around town in the summers. Of course I am expecting some work on my part, perhaps doing a full cleaning, replacing some parts here and there cosmetically, but nothing thats too tough. I don't want to put up with a rust bucket when it rains and have the interior become all wet. I don't care if the paint is oxidized, scratched or dented(nothing major)... as long as its "presentable"... as in not being a car where thats so ugly that its embarasing to drive.

Another thing I noticed, and you can't deny this either... that many, but not all, buyers of w123's are cheap. They don't spend much money on their car. The cars that are low-mileage, great shape, etc. of course will go up in value as time goes by, but the regular daily driving w123 will not go up in value especially if its past the 200k mile mark as so many have.

I saw a mid 80's 300cd in a wal mart parking lot no more than three days ago...and it was nearly flawless. I check the undercarriage and the fenders and the wheel wells and....and, and every area that gets rust...and all I could find was a blister on the driver's door.

I want it.

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1982 240D.
My name is Michael, and I am an 18 year old binge-drinkin', cigar-smokin', novel-writin', all around unsavory and unnattractive guy. I tell long-winded stories, and I only shave once a week, although I've had to do it every day since I was 16.

There's a seat for every ass!

They come in all states of disrepair! It's rare to find one that has no rust, but just needs an engine. It's usually the other way around. I've got a great 617 with tranny, 160K, got it out of my 83 300D that was totally rotted out. I looked for two years for a "rust-free" 123 for cheap money and couldn't even find one for big money.

But you never know what your going to find! Just last winter, someone in my area had for sale an 89 560SL, no rust, and ran, for $400! It was sold by the time I called! Obviously there are people out there that are not aware of value. They maybe have inherited someone else's MB, saw that it was old, and figured a cheap price, just to get rid of it! There is such a thing as "Rich mans trash, is poor mans gold" it does happen, but knowing these cars helps based on experience and getting a feel of what the resale market is.

Look in back yards too, sometimes asking is encouragement for them to consider selling.

w123 drivers are cheap this is true. Actually we have fun experimenting with just how much thrift we can get away with. That's kind of a hobby in itself. It can be really fun, but sometimes you just have to throw thrift out the window to get what you want. Remember that when you see a nice no-rust driver and the owner won't let it go for less than 3500. Mileage matters least with these cars. Body integrity matters most it seems.

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'02 BMW 325i
'85 300D 450k
'93 190E 2.6 170k(killed by tree)
'08 Ducati Hypermotard 1100S 6k
'06 Ducati S2R800 14k(sold)

im not sure i get this, you want a perfect car that needs a hubcap and detail for >1200?

these cars are premium automobiles, most costing(in the 70's and 80's) what people are paying NOW for a decent 6 cylinder car. quality is quality, no matter how old it is!

i realize cars are thought of by the market as disposable investments, these cars are not such a beastie... they were made with a very long service life in mind.

we are not talking about escorts, omnis or cavaliers!(yeah...some are still running...)

ever look at a used honda? even a trashy one with 150-200k is 2500 dollars if it is presentable, why sould the mercedes-benz be cheaper?

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http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i1...Untitled-1.jpg

No, you didn't get this. I said I wasn't looking for a perfect car, just a "driver" but not one thats in a shape where i would be embarassed to drive.

That was then, this is now... 20-30 years of depreciation will bring these cars down to dirt cheap range, but ones that are in TRUELY pristine condition, low mileage and nearly all original(paint, glass, body panels and interior, etc) will obviously bring in high $. I paid top-dollar for the 560 because its one of the rare low-mileage pristine examples on the market, but I could have picked up a used 560 in the $2500-3500 range as one around town here sold for, but it was definately not "pristine".

Quality is quality.. I give you that, but on 20+ year old cars... parts will show its age and will need replacement, obviously. Nothing will last forever.

hence the reason why I want a diesel. I remember sitting in many of these car/taxis' as a kid and enjoyed every ride.

Eventhough they are not as well built as those cars you mentioned.. you're comparing a 20-30 year old car to one thats newer than 10 years.

Yes I THOUGHT of a Honda... but since I know how the body is put together on mercedes, I figured I should get one that I'm somewhat familiar with.

Around here, a "trashy" Honda thats 10-15 years old can be had for $1500 and as low as sub-$1000. What makes you think that a car thats twice the age and twice the mileage of a typical "trashy" Honda should cost twice as much? Just because of the name "Mercedes-Benz"? I've seen my share of 240D's and 300D's (some in physically decent/nice shape and some in horrible condition) be driven and parked around the East side of Columbus (essentially the "ghetto" area) among the run down 80's Ford vans, Taurus, Buicks, etc. I wouldn't doubt if these people didn't have $1500-2000 worth of stuff in their homes let alone paying that much for a car.

One of my "customers" just picked up a nice original owner '89 300SE for $2800. The car had 147k miles on it, was rust free and came with all records. In addition, the r12 a/c blew cold. About the only thing I see the car needs is a brake job but it has not been put on the lift yet.

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Jim