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#1
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Is this normal/due to humidity or a bad sign?
I'm considering buying a 300SD, but it's 100 miles away so I haven't gone to look at it in person yet. Interior and exterior look clean.
But Carfax tells me this car came from Louisiana (no flood damage reported to DMV but what's that worth?) and the picture the seller sent of the engine evinces some corrosion. Coming from a dry climate, I have no idea whether this is normal for an engine from a humid climate or whether it might have been submerged or something. Any thoughts? I don't want to waste my time driving out to see it in person if it's not going to pass muster...
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'81 300TD Wagon 355k (Miss Diesel) '83 300SD 180k '84 500SEL 190k (Parting it out) |
#2
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Looks like salt corrosion from living in the salty air near the coast.
I don't see anything eye catching other than green coolant and really dry/worn paint. |
#3
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Cars from coastal communities often show corrosion evidence as in your pictures. The question really is, what hidden damage (if any) has been done by the salt air and can you get the car for a low enough price to make it worth the risk?
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"Buster" in the '95 Our all-Diesel family 1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car 2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022) Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762 "Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz." -- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970 |
#4
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Thanks for the responses.
The exterior paint looks relatively good in the pictures. Interior isn't too bad either. If he's not lying about the mileage (<180k and he claims to have records) I'm satisfied with the price. My biggest concern is the AC doesn't work anymore. How much does that cost to repair, assuming worst-case? And where should I check for hidden rust? Wheel wells, under the floor mats, where else? Thanks everyone!
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'81 300TD Wagon 355k (Miss Diesel) '83 300SD 180k '84 500SEL 190k (Parting it out) |
#5
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Quote:
When I bought my SD, I bought it with non-working A/C. Turns out 2 owners before me replaced the compressor just 4 years prior. The A/C lost its charge because of a leak in the condenser (which happened apparently with the same owner). I replaced the condensor with a parallel flow and had hoses made up. I put in new oil, a new drier and expansion valve and freon to get it working. Probably cost me $3-400 total but I did it all myself so no labor costs involved.
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2009 ML320 Bluetec 1985 300CD 1981 300TD Past Mercedes 1979 300TD 1982 300TD 2000 E320 4Matic Wagon 1998 E430 1984 300SD 1980 300SD |
#6
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Okay, tell me what you see......because this old, blind man can't see anything out of the ordinary.
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daw_two Germantown, TN Links: Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior Cluster Needles Paint New Old Stock (NOS) parts Past: 3/2008 1986 300SDL "Coda" 04/2010 1965 190D(c) "Ben" & many more |
#7
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Looks like a northern car. Looks pretty clean though, can't see anything out of place.
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1999 SL500 1969 280SE 2023 Ram 1500 2007 Tiara 3200 |
#8
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Green coolant in the bottle, white/rough surface of the valve cover instead of smooth aluminum, the injection lines, throttle linkage, power steering cap and cruise actuator lost their gold/brass colored plating and the paint around the spring perch has a crusty/white coating.
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#9
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exactly. It looks mint under the hood if you ask me.
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93 300D 2.5 Turbo, Black/Palomino 273K 09 E350 Black/Black 41K |
#10
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This looks almost mint, a little hand polishing and it would be:
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#11
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If the vehicle was in a flood zone during any of the hurricanes there will be a notation of such on CARFAX. If the car was not in Louisiana during such an event it will not list that statement.
Even though I am 150 m from coast we were considered in the flood zone - Every car I owned during that time has that statement on CARFAX. Nice of them folks huh.
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BENZ THERE DONE THAThttp://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...c/progress.gif 15 VW Passat TDI 00 E420 98 E300 DT 97 E420 Donor Car - NEED PARTS? PM ME! 97 S500 97 E300D 86 Holden Jackaroo Turbo D 86 300SDL (o\|/o) |
#12
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Thanks for your input everyone; I'll take the time to drive out there and check it out first-hand.
Quote:
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'81 300TD Wagon 355k (Miss Diesel) '83 300SD 180k '84 500SEL 190k (Parting it out) |
#13
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I bought a BlueBird Wanderlodge from the LA coast, a good deal but, ...
There was corrosion everywhere that you couldn't see. Look at places where air can go, but rain cannot. From behind the radiator, to under brackets and mounts, ... suspension mounting points, around lights and trim, ... I've bought two coastal Florida coaches also, with similar problems. If you want a clean car, stay away from salt-water coasts.
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Gone to the dark side - Jeff |
#14
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I don't know that I agree with you about the "saltwater coasts". Having lived in the South almost my entire life, cars don't typically rust like they do up North in the great Rust Belt. If the exterior of the car is in good shape, chances are the owner took pretty good care of the car and there probably isn't any rust. I have owned 4 different Mercedes and none of them have had rust, all of which lived thier lives on the coast.
The engine looks like every Mercedes Engine I have owned. I don't see anything alarming in the pictures.
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Mike '80 300D '84 300D '85 300D '87 300D |
#15
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Quote:
You could hook it up to a vacuum pump to see if it holds vacuum. If it doesn't hold you will have to find where the leak is coming from.
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2009 ML320 Bluetec 1985 300CD 1981 300TD Past Mercedes 1979 300TD 1982 300TD 2000 E320 4Matic Wagon 1998 E430 1984 300SD 1980 300SD |
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