Ok, you all were really helpful with the last car (euro 240D, 5-speed) I was looking at, unfortunately, I thought they were asking too much and not flexible on price. Now I am looking at a euro 300D with a 4-speed. The car is a 1981 and seems to be in pretty good shape. The chassis has 220,000 miles, but the owner has replaced the NA engine with a 1981 300SD turbo engine. The car had a factory manual transmisson and nothing has changed there. Is there any disadvantage to having the SD engine? He claims it runs very well and I don't have any reason to doubt him. The car is 6 hours from me so I would be buying it without much chance to really test it out. All of the windows and the sunroof are manually operated. Cloth interior in pretty good shape. Little to no rust. This is my first diesel and I am hoping to keep it for 5-10 years. I think I can get the car for $3900. What do you think?
Thanks
Shane

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The 617 turbo is a great engine; it will be fine in that car. How many miles on the engine? I'm assuming that he put in a used one (not a brand new crate engine). The manual transmission is a plus. I can't really tell from the pictures, but it looks like there is some rust on the underbody (or I'm going blind). There is a line of brown metal along the bottom of the car in the third picture that is making me think about rust. If there is rust on the frame rails or on the floor pans (and it is bad) the car is hardly worth $3900. For near $4000 you should be getting one that is in pretty good condition.

I would still go check it out, if I were you, but I would not plan on buying it then and there unless you are sure it is fine mechanically. The rust is an easy one to spot, but the mechanical stuff is not unless you know what you are looking for. See if the guy will come down on his price at all- $3900 seems high to me, but I paid only $1600 for mine.

Where are you located? Just curious from a rust standpoint.

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Andrew

1989 Volvo 745- 202K

manual transmissions will last forever. and 617 engines are great, they will last forever too what a great combination. one problem you might run into is the rack damper bolt and clutch. i cant think of anything else.

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Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?

As long as they would add one additional commandment for you to keep thy religion to thyself.
George Carlin (Wonder where he is now..)

1981 240d (engine donor 1983 240d) recently rebuilt engine hurray! - No more.. fought a tree and the tree won.

pearl black 1983 240d 4speed (Converted!@$$%) atleast the tranny was rebuilt.

I got a few more pictures of the car including the engine. I am thinking the car looks pretty good and I might go ahead and make an offer.

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Most of the car is looking good- I guess that was just dirt on the underside. Make sure you check out the floorboards- the one in the first picture looks as though it has some rust poking through. If it isn't bad you can POR-15 it and you'll be fine.

Good luck and I hope it works out!

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Andrew

1989 Volvo 745- 202K