The economics might be OK, but it would really be a shame to turn an authentic low mileage car into a daily driver. You could drive a very nice looking/performing SDL (maybe 100K miles) for $10-15K, and you could make it very close to pristine for another $10K in cosmetics. So for $20-25K you would be driving a very nice car that didn't have all its value tied to it's odometer reading.

For me, a nice old one is much more desirable than a CDI. Anyone can drive a CDI, but it takes some effort to drive a well preserved old car.

The 90s also produced the e300d 606 engine, which has a reputation for being almost second only to the 617 in some camps

__________________


~Michael S.~
Past cars:

1986 300SDL
1987 300SDL
1982 240D
1982 300SD


Current:

1987 300SDL

I would say the OM617 is almost second to the OM606. Just watch out for the fragile glow plugs.

__________________
2004 VW Jetta TDI (manual)

Past MB's: '96 E300D, '83 240D, '82 300D, '87 300D, '87 420SEL

That's why I included the "in some camps".

It takes all kinds...

__________________


~Michael S.~
Past cars:

1986 300SDL
1987 300SDL
1982 240D
1982 300SD


Current:

1987 300SDL

I know the car your talking about it was on ebay or autotrader and posted awhile back. I'm sure its legit.


Is it worth $35K? no, but I'd pay $20kish.


However it would be a weekend toy, you would need to keep the mileage low and preserve the condition and value. If you want a driver it would lose a lot of value quickly, you would be better off getting a 100k-150k mile example.


For a $35k daily driver I'd buy a 2003 or newer S430, E500, or XJ8.

If you want to spend $35k on a weekend toy, certianly a Porsche 911, Acura NSX, or Ferrari 308 would be more fun! I'd go for the Ferrari personaly...

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

The value here is to continue just not using it very much. You live in the salt belt as well unfortunatly. If you managed to drive it another 350k for example and the body was still on the car you might precalculate your cost per mile based on known factors with this car. I am thinking about twenty cents per mile overall with ongoing maintenance, initial cost and fuel. Unfortunatly that seems very low to me. Have really not done the math though so it's just a guess. Yet to me 70k or more does seem easily possible.
. Another factor is how well heeled you are at present. There are many other factors as well to consider. .One important one is the cost in fuel increases as you do those miles over the years. Regardless of controlled damage to the economy I suspect energy costs will rise dramatically over the years ahead. Especially in north america.
Thirty five just strikes me as far too high unless you know a reliable way to make money with it. I can also visulise a senario that you wish you had aquired it when it was available years down the road.
Yet that will be hindsight and things and your circumstances will probably have changed by then. Hard overall decision. On the otherhand you may be able to buy a delivery option on it from the vendor and try selling it into germany. You could examine their market prices first for something like this. Cars like this are pretty rare we all know.

i know exactly what your going through. i love the 123 cars and have been looking for a nice one. i never expected to find one this nice. 85 300DT 52K miles. 100% orig., garaged from day 1 by orig. owner, now 83yr old woman. i paid a lot for it but it wasn't much more than some 100k faded and rusty ones that i looked at. now i'm torn between driving it or saving it. its beautiful

my 2 cents is its toooo much money; keep looking. you will find a low mileage creampuff for less. hang in there

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http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u116/OC03/240d.jpg
Current Car:
1985 300DT 55K miles

Learn something every day, eh?

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1981 230E, 1984 300D.
-
www.ranwhenparked.net

Two factors here have already ruined your ability to negotiate. First, you "got all excited" and second, you are already in love. Chill out for a little while. It may be a beautiful car, but it is still only a car. Metal and rubber and plastic that will deteriorate.

I agree that 35K is way way way too much for a car this old. I think it will be a white elephant if you ever want to sell it and get your "investment" back. Personally, I would rather have a few really nice cars with just over 100K miles on them that have been serviced and garaged than a museum piece like this.

Best of luck in your hunt, and let us know what you decided.

Richard

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85 300D 75K Anthracite Grey 0-60 in 13 seconds **For Sale**
84 300D 333K Black (The Velveteen Rabbit) 0-60 in 14 seconds
00 Toyota Sienna 208K (Sold)
15 Subaru Outback 43K
11 Subaru Outback 67K
98 Ford Taurus 100K (Gertie - Was Grandma's - drove it to church and shopping - really) Daughter's car now.
30 Model A Ford 2 Door Sedan (Sold) 0-60 in . . . Never reached 60

Thanks again for all the advise. Think I am going to take a pass as I talked to the seller tonight and he is unwilling at this time to go under 31,500. It was really nice though to drive a car that I could only dream about in 1987. That car in today's dollar would sell for $70K!

Saw a 1995 S350D on Craigslist for 14,999 with 71,000 miles that might be worth a look.

Currently in a Saab 9-3......junk.

Read the comments on this thread on the 350SD before falling in love again.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Only worth a look if you like bent rods

__________________
Dale

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g1...MG_2277sig.jpg

1990 300D 2.5 Turbo -155k
2000 E430 - 103k
2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Ecodiesel 4x4 - 11k
2014 VW Passat TDI SE - 7k Bro's Diesel
2006 E320 CDI - 128k Pop's Benz

Pre-glow - A moment of silence in honor of Rudolph Diesel

The S-Class diesels between 1991 and 1996 are junk as well. The only other diesel available in that time was the 1994-1997 E300 with a much better engine.

Yes, I just read Alfa's post again. Scratch the S350D.

Could just wait for the 2009 Audi A4 with a 3.0 diesel.

If you've got that kind of cash to throw at a car (I don't, which is why I'm driving the older one) - I'd personally recommend you to start shopping for a 98-99 e300 turbodiesel. The e-class isn't quite as big or grand as the s-class, but it's more stylish (by modern standards, anyway... ) - it's faster, and it's got less years which means less switches that quit working and things.

My personal feeling about that car (Haven't ever owned one) is that the engine's great but the cost is high (compared to what you can get an older one for) and I expect I'm a little bigger than the average person who drives that car comfortably. They're great machines though... if you don't want to go as far back as a 1987 300sdl or a 1985 300sd (those series) then the next diesel that's worth your money is a 95-99 (give or take) 606 in an e-class, with or without a turbo. The diesels between 1987 and the first 606 aren't worth throwing that kind of money at. They have their own charm (the 140 body for example...) but they aren't worth the risk of rods bending at that price level.

My $.02

Five or six years down the road (or a couple more, who knows) - I figure the SDL will become unreliable as a daily driver about the time I get out of college... and it then becomes a weekend project car, I figure I'll be shopping for the last 606 before the CDI came along as the next durable car while I get my post-college feet under me.

__________________


~Michael S.~
Past cars:

1986 300SDL
1987 300SDL
1982 240D
1982 300SD


Current:

1987 300SDL