Looking for opinions.

I found an orange 81 300TD with 285,000 miles for $1200. It has dealer service records up until 1997 and then there are scarce records after that. No indications of major service work. The body is complete with a minimal amount of rust considering it lives in the rust belt. There are some indications that the floor was patched and some rust spots were touched up. The paint is fair. The power windows work except the drivers one sticks and must be assisted on the way up. Climate contral and cruise both seemed to work fine. The engine started when it was in the 30's with minimal effort (glowed, cranked, started died, glowed, started and ran). A little puff of smoke at startup and under heavy acceleration, but none other than that. Car seemed to run strong with good power. Tires are good, new battery, brakes are good.

I think it might be a good option to rebuilding my 240D engine, but just was looking for reassurance.

Thanks,
Glenn

did you check for blowby oil consumption etc.. sounds pretty decent. pics would be nice.. now is this the wagon or a turbo diesel sedan.. if its a wagon id snap it up like now

it is the wagon. I forgot to check for blowby...shame on me. So wagons go for a premium?

Thanks,
Glenn

i belive they do since they are bigger .. i would of gotten a wagon but i didnt have 3k up front so i settled for a sedan.

they do go for more than the sedans .. orange you say.. i hope that wasnt factory or maybe its euro.. as long as the engine is in good shape and not any serious cancer id snap that up as a beater car

The rust repair would concern me. If you can check the body with a magnet to see how much plastic there is it may be helpful. Typical areas are around the jacking points, the rear quarter panels, the rear hatch and door bottoms, and the wells where the hood hinges go.

Also look at the boots on the rear axles to make sure they are intact.

Is it turbo or non-turbo? The turbos have quite a bit more power.

Unless it is a complete wreck, it is worth $1,200. Plan on doing some service to it since the records for the last few years are sketchy. Oil change, valve adjustment, brake fluid change, tranny fluid and filter change, plus any little things that my be wrong such as leaks in the vacuum system.

As I am sure that you know, these are great cars that are economical to keep if you do your own work. If you don't, they can cost like a new Mercedes to keep up.

Good Luck

__________________
Doug

1987 300TD x 3
2005 E320CDI

Yes, it is a turbo. I will have to look at the axle boots. I looked under the car and didn't notice anything to be concerned about other than the small floor patches, but I didn't get a real good look at the axle boots.

I am prepared to do the maintenance items. I got practice while diagnosing my 77 240D.

Are the transmissions and injectors the same between these models?

Well, I couldn't resist. The load leveling suspension isn't working so I got him to $1000. I had originally talked him down from $1500 to $1200. There was some blowby with the the oil cap off. Noticeable amount of white smoke coming out. It did start and it was only about 25F today. The air filter was full of oil. Where do I start to look for the source of that?

I will have to search on checking the suspension. I will also have to search and see if my rebuilt injectors from my junk 240D will work. Then I will only have to get 1 more rebuilt to have a complete set. If my tranny will also be interchangeable then I will hang onto that too for a backup. (The wagon shifts hard, but probably just needs an adjustment.) Other than that, I think my 77 240D will be for parts. I am willing to sell some too, I just need a rolling chassis.

Congrats on your new wagon. Always nice to have another "wagon guy" (or woman) in the group. I can't wait for some pics, as the orange color has me intriqued. Is it original?
SLS probably won't be a real big deal, as long as rear shocks aren't leaking. They seldom fail, though. Lots to search for on that in here. R Leo has added much info on the subject.
I think your injectors from your 240 would work, but they aren't the same. I believe they are 115 bar (bar?), and the 617 turbos have 135 I believe. So, they would work but be down on spray volume (horrible terminology, but you get the idea).
Tranny won't even be close. No bowden cable, different modulator, etc..... Much more primitive.
Half shafts will swap, as will various other parts.
Get those pics pronto, and congrats. That was quite a deal, especially with working AC and cruise.

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

Sounds like a good deal for $1000. Now you have the fun part of looking at what's wrong or right with the car. Hopefully there is no big surprises, but for $1K (for a wagon) you can always get your money back. Care to post some pictures?

First, I am male. I don't want a flood of emails from diesel nuts looking for a girlfriend. I may have been misleading on my prior post, but I don't know if the AC works. The belt is MIA for the pump. I don't know if the orange is original or not. Maybe I will have to write to Mercedes to get the original sticker info. With all these requests for pictures, I may have to take the extra $200 I got and buy a digital camera. That of course will be after I see my parts list total to catch up on the service for the wagon.

If the car makes it 20k more, I will feel like I got a hell of a deal, but I see no reason why it can't make it another 100k.

Thanks for the reassurance,
Glenn

Want to give me those extra 240 injectors?

__________________
1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

I'm trying to become a supportive forum member, but I can't find it in my heart to GIVE away something I just spent over $180 on. Seriously, those injectors maybe have 10 miles on them and the wound of giving up on the 240D is fresh.

PM me an offer. I'll see what I can do.

Glenn

Don't sweat messages like that Glenn. Most are intended as humor, or either the exhuberence of youth. Good kids, but still kids.....
(this is not in ref to bgkast specifically)

__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John