Help! I am thinking of buying a 1982 300TD Wagon for $2500.00. Exterior is not great (dents, scratches, and tiny spot of rust) interior is fairly nice. The ingine is good with only 180,000 original miles. Transmission needs some work (not major). Runs and drives well. Sound good??? This will be my first Mercedes and I want a wagon. It is already burning B100.
The only other diesel I have is a 1982 Volvo 240 sedan (only 147,000 original miles) running on B100 wonderfully but I do not know too much about Mercedes.

$2500 is high based on the description.

1500-2000 sounds better.

Wagons are fetching premium prices these days. Body work is costly, rust is the pits no matter how little there is, and I hate to think about transmissions. Check out the self-leveling rear suspension system, make real sure it works, it is a big ticket item to replace.

But 2500 does sound a bit high to me, but chaep compared to what's been showing up on Ebay...but what kinda of wagon can you get for 2500 bucks? Haggle! Start with a lowball offer, you can always up the offer, you may get it cheaper.

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Mark
1983 300TD Wagon
Even a broken watch is right twice a day

Better yet, what is the problem with the transmission? Many people sell these cars with the tranny bangin gears and they think the tranny is going bad, when it is simply a vacuum problem. What is the condition of the interior? If it is as banged up on the outside on the inside, you can bet they probably didn't maintain it properly either. If it has rust, you better take it somewhere and find out how much before you shell out 2500 bucks.

Wagons are fetching a premium, but be warned that you may be investing a large chunk of change to get this car up to snuff. With everything you have mentioned, I would say 1500 to be safe.

Just my two cents.

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2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.0 CRD (OM642)

If you live in the rust belt, have the car checked CAREFULLY!

If you live on the west coast, $2500 is a bargain.

Jay.

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On the road, currently:
'83 300D (German spec.) 168k mi. - - Wolfgang (tucked snugly away for the winter!)
'87 300D 375k mi. - finally went over to "The Dark Side"
'87 300TD 225k mi.
Cannondale 66cm CAAD5 w/Campy/Jamis Aurora
Hujsak Custom Fixie/Landshark Track Shark Custom/Ahearne Custom 29'er

NC/SC/TN/KY/AL/GA tends to be pretty nice to cars to

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http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42