I've seen this many times on here. Someone is looking at purchasing a Mercedes that either isn't running or doesn't run well, and they state that "it's probably just the ......." (insert "fuel filter", "glow plugs", "vacuum lines",etc.....)

My question is how many people here have purchased a Mercedes that wasn't running well, but only required MINOR repair to have it turn into a well-running machine?

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79 300SD - $50 out of pocket purchase
03 Dodge Ram 3500 CTD
2003 VW Jetta TDI

1

nate

I bought my 99 E300 and it leaked fuel from the hoses. They changed it and all was well.

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01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

My brother sold me his '84 for $2500 that was in better shape than my '85. He gave me a deal on it because he thought there was something seriously wrong with the a/c. It was making a strange rattling, sounded like bearings or something were going out. It also wouldn't work. I got under there and it took me all of five minutes to fix it. The rattling noise was a loose mounting bolt and it the compressor wouldn't engage because the electrical connection was loose.

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Seth

1984 300D 225K
1985 300D Donor body
1985 300D Turbo 165K. Totaled. Donor Engine. It runs!!!
1980 300SD 311K My New Baby.
1979 BMW 633csi 62K+++? Dead odo

I paid $350 for a 300D once that had a "Bad Transmission" - turns out it was a fuel filter, which I had bet on. I brought one with me and drove the car around the corner from the previous owner's house and changed it. I kinda wish that I still had that car.

-Tad

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1995 G320
2003 C230 Kompressor Coupe
2005 ML500
2007 ML350

Nice one. That's the kind of thing I am looking for. I guess it would be good to hear stories about people who thought they could provide a simple fix, but it didn't work.

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79 300SD - $50 out of pocket purchase
03 Dodge Ram 3500 CTD
2003 VW Jetta TDI

Me.

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

Well, that is the rest of the story. The reason that I don't still have that car is that the sway bar broke on the 2nd trip out.

-Tad

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1995 G320
2003 C230 Kompressor Coupe
2005 ML500
2007 ML350

Both of mine came with dead batteries. The SD just needed that and a set of glow plugs to run pretty well. The SDL just needed a battery and about $11k worth of other stuff...

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I had one stunning success with the '87 SDL. Massive oil consumption turned out to be just a bad turbo.

Bought my 300SD in a state where it would just BARELY start on a warm day. (need glow plugs and filters).

The 240D was not driveable and had no battery. Brought a battery, a clutch slave cylinder (was missing) and had to clean out the clutch cylinder inside the car then I drove it home

Fixed it in their front yard, fired it up, and drove it home.

My brothers 82 300SD ran fine when he bought it, it just wouldnt shut off. Thinking it was a bad fuel sutoff valve. Turns out it was just a leaking vacum line.

After doing a diesel purge, and changing most of the fluids and filters, it runs wonderfully.

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1983 Mercedes 300D
Atlanta, GA