My 85 300CD trim on the door needs to be replaced. It's pulling up, and snags on anything I'm wearing as I get into the car. It also looks like someone tried to hammer it down at some point in the pre-historic past (ie: before I purchased it, cuz there's no records at all.)

MBI Motors in Portland suggested that a new trim piece will cost me $414.00.

Are they joking? Is this the price of OEM trim pieces? It can't be more than 4 feet long, straight, no bends. The door piece has to be independent, so the door can open by itself.

Or is this price for the entire driver's door side trim? Do you have to buy the entire piece, or can you just get the door piece?

I don't have pictures just yet, but perhaps will post tomorrow.

Is the aluminum trim on these cars called "moulding", or is that the protective strip that runs down the length of the cars to prevent door dings? (As if the doors from an F250 on 4" lifts is gonna respect my '85 Coupe doors in the slightest. If the driver of one of these road hogs can even see the roof of my baby in his rear-views!)

http://tristarpars.com good luck. I thought
I spotted a site where this is available. So I tossed the one I got from a junk yard. You may to dig pretty deep.

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83 SD

84 CD

I think that link is supposed to be www.tristarparts.com

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RIP: 80 300SD
RIP: 79 450SEL
2002 E430 4matic (212,000km)
2002 ML500 'sport'

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FACEBOOK: PANZER450

Post a photo of exactly what part you are looking for...I can look it up for you.

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Marty D.

2013 C300 4Matic
1984 BMW 733i
2013 Lincoln MKz

all the door trim is unique to the coupe. latches and a few other things are the same as sedans.

so it is all very very low production and some of the parts are virtually hand made so the coupe only parts are all going to be expensive. your only hope to get off inexpensively is to buy used parts.

tom w

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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.

300 1.pdf

In this image, look at the aluminum trim that tracks along the top of the door frame. It starts beneath the rear-view mirror, and ends right above the door handle. It runs the length of the door.

What is this section called specifically? And is it truly an expensive piece to replace?

Ouch!

Much appreciated!

I think you should find a new dealership. MSRP on that part is $188, and they're charging over double that. Contact Phil (click on the "buy parts" button at the top of this page) and ask for part number 123-690-17-80.

it is also possible they are quoting something different than what you need.

btw. nice cd. i have its twin. navy with palamino, '82.

tom w

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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 might not want to hear it, but those unique trim pieces were very low production items. I had a '79 300CD in early 80's. The trim is sort of a velvet cloth. The curved aluminum piece at the rear of the back window really gets tired looking.

I priced ithe velvet part back in the early 80's and it was out of sight.

It's really amazing that some of this stuff is available at all regardless of price.
You start with the low production number from what '78 through 85. Then you factor in the number that have bit the dust. Then you restrict further to the number of people willing to rebuild the cars. Were talking small numbers.

Pure economics at work relative to pricing.

Steve

If it's aluminum, is it possible to restore it?

Depending on how thick it is (not familiar with the coupes), you could pull it off bend it back to how it should be and then polish the heck out of it with Mother's.

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-justin

1987 300TD, 1987 300TD
2008 R32, 2000 Passat Wagon

Keep an eye out in the parts section. There is a coupe being parted every once in a while. Nice to see another Portland area member.

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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 own an 85 and parts unique to the model are hard to find and expensive. Junk yards, rebuild old part or make your own. If you are using car to drive and not restore buy the stick on molding at the local auto paint/parts dealer and relplace it all for $70.