Recently I looked at buying a 1985 300CD. In many ways it's much nicer than my 1985 300CD that I regretfully sold a few months ago.

Today I found out it has a salvage title. There are pictures up on my website because I was so excited to find a 300CD that was in better condition than my old one.

My old one is the blue one and the new one is burgundy.

What do you all think? I'm really devastated, I really wanted this car, but I don't know about the salvage title.

Craig

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1994 E420, Pearl Black/Black. 2.82 rear diff., AMG front spoiler, painted lower half. SOLD

1972 & 1974 BMW 2002tii's.

If you plan to keep it forever and you can get it cheap AND find out why it has a salvage title, If it was becuase of an accident make sure it was repaired properly!!

John

I forgot to mention- The repair paint job looks better than the original (less orange peel).

The car has 146,000 miles, he was asking $6495 and I offered $6000.

Pics on my web site.

Craig

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1994 E420, Pearl Black/Black. 2.82 rear diff., AMG front spoiler, painted lower half. SOLD

1972 & 1974 BMW 2002tii's.

Sorry for the post again-

The dent was SO minor that I was wondering why the insurance company would total a car with such a small dent?

The guy that did the work said it was small. I can tell it was because he didn't want to paint above the metal/rubber trim around the middle. He wanted to keep the paint pinstripe. So I know it was confined to the lower half.

I had my alignment/suspension guy check it out and he said that those parts look good.

Craig

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1994 E420, Pearl Black/Black. 2.82 rear diff., AMG front spoiler, painted lower half. SOLD

1972 & 1974 BMW 2002tii's.

A salvage title 300CD for $6000? It should be waaaaaaaaaaaay lower than that. A salvage title KILLS that car's resale value. KILLS IT.

I knew you'd say that.

Craig

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1994 E420, Pearl Black/Black. 2.82 rear diff., AMG front spoiler, painted lower half. SOLD

1972 & 1974 BMW 2002tii's.

Craig.....My CD was totaled earlier this year, I ran from the Bay Area to LA looking at CDs. My totaled car was in better condition than most of them. I finally found a frame shop in Fresno that was our salvation. Yes, it now sports a salvaged title but I could care less. It's my car forever.
I saw a 85 in the Modesto Bee a month or so ago. If I remember right...it was one owner, less than 100 thousand miles and they were asking $6000 firm. If you want I think I can find the number, they may still have it. Let me know if your interested

I am interested.

Thanks,

Craig

I miss that smell of burned diesel!

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1994 E420, Pearl Black/Black. 2.82 rear diff., AMG front spoiler, painted lower half. SOLD

1972 & 1974 BMW 2002tii's.

Sorry but I was off on the mileage. The note I made says 161,000. The color is dark blue. Call 209-533-2712 (Mariposa in the foothills east of Modesto).
Let me know if you do anything with it, or if they still have it.

Ernie

Keep looking and be patient.
That is alot for a salvage title.
The car may be o.k. but on the technicality of
the title, it should be marked down.
Your insurance may not pay top dollar on a loss due to the
title!!!
Use yahoo and excite classifieds as well as autotrader.com
I've seen 125K '85 300CD for $5K ballpark
around the s.f. bayarea.
Talk them down or keep searchin.
good luck.

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1979 300D 220 K miles
1995 C280 109 K miles
1992 Cadillac Eldorado Touring Coupe 57K miles SOLD
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1979 240D 140Kmiles (bought for parents) *SOLD.
SAN FRANCISCO/(*San Diego)
1989 300SE 148 K miles *SOLD

Any chance you could obtain pictures of the car in the condition it was in before repairs? I know the insurance company that totaled the car would have pictures, but they might not be easy to obtain. Ask the seller if he has any "before" pictures. I can see how the car might be totalled if the whole side was messed up as might happen in a sideswipe. That might be an acceptable salvage title risk.

I cannot see a total loss from a "small dent". Something doesn't add up. If the car has brand new tires on it you can expect something's wrong with the frame alignment - the new tires being an attempt to hide the wear pattern.

A car that old with a salvage title should be much lower. If you were somehow infatuated with the car's condition and planned to keep it a long time, MAYBE $3500.

Ken300D

One interesting side note-

The salvage title didn't show up on Carfax.

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1994 E420, Pearl Black/Black. 2.82 rear diff., AMG front spoiler, painted lower half. SOLD

1972 & 1974 BMW 2002tii's.

Okay, if you like the car, keep it and enjoy it. No one is going to scold you for buying a salvaged car... It's yours, and no one elses. The car is probably built better than new, its low miles and for all intensive purposes, its about half what a good, clean CD goes for. So if it runs good, drives well and looks good, to hell with the salvage.

Oh, you wouldn't see it on car fax if the car crossed state lines...

From the looks at the picture, the paint is nice, but doesn't quite match. Its not the paint, but the clear really... Looks as if the whole rear part of the car was re-done (darker, fresher look). The front is original and looks as if the left door was replaced with salvage part. Just what I can see from the pictures. Other than that, it looks great.