An '83 300SD was around 39k IIRC. CPI tends to overstate real inflation so it can be hard to actually judge. But comparing similar vehicles over time from early '80's to today the similar design model has increased in price between 75% - 100%. So roughly $68k - 78k in todays dollars.

1983 240D: $22,470 according to a MB book I saw in the bookstore a week or so ago.

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1982 240D - 251,000 miles (all parts pulled and for sale, body crushed )
1983 240D 4 speed manual - 233,000 miles
2001 Ford Ranger XLT 4WD

50k for the SDL

My '91 300TE 4matic was $74,000 plus luxury tax new, every option. Haven't bought one new since but the price dropped significantly with the 210 body and the cheaper 4matic system.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

I have the window sticker from a 85 300SD I retrieved at PNP.

$39,500.00, also annual fuel cost $783.00. milage city 10 to 26 and highway 21 to 29mpg

Charlie

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there were three HP ratings on the OM616...

1) Not much power
2) Even less power
3) Not nearly enough power!! 240D w/auto

Anyone that thinks a 240D is slow drives too fast.

80 240D Naturally Exasperated, 4-Spd 388k DD 150mph spedo 3:58 Diff

We are advised to NOT judge ALL Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but we are encouraged to judge ALL gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics. Funny how that works

Your '84 300SD listed somewhere around $40K to $42K, as I remember.

Inflation had a dramatic effect on car prices in the late 70s. My 1983 300SD with Leather and Sunroof was just under $38k. I bought it in 1986 for $27k, with 50k miles on it. I traded in a 1980 300SD, I had bought from the same dealer for $12,500 18 months earlier, with about 65k miles. I got $13,900 for it on trade, even though it now had over 100k miles. It actually went up in value, because the cost of new ones had increased so much. My 1975 280 sedan was $13,750 with 17k miles on it when I bought it in 1983. It had all receipts from new. I sold it in 1985 for $9,500 with 90k miles on it. Very little depreciation for the miles I'd put on it. It looked like a brand new car still, but needed a new carburetor. I remember official resale values of 103 or 105% on some models of BMW and Mercedes. For instance, a 1978 320I might sell for more in 1981 than it cost new, even though it had 20 or 30k miles on it.

Even though German car prices continued to increase dramatically, the days of resale values over 100% ended by the mid 80s. Even though Reagan's economic policies had lowered inflation dramatically by then, a weak dollar still led to large yearly price increases till the early 90s. Mercedes actually reduced prices on some models in the early 90s, then prices remained relatively flat for the rest of the decade.

IIRC a 450SL went from $13k or so in 1972 to $70k plus by the end of production in 1989.

Another interesting fact that happened, but I never hear mentioned is that automotive lending came to a complete halt in some states in 1980/81 because real interest rates went up to 20%, while many states (including Washington, where I lived at the time) had "Usury Laws" . (Meant to stop loan sharks.) In Washington it was against the law to charge more than 12% interest on anything. My mother had the dubious honor of receiving the last 12% lease on her 1980 Eldorado Biaritz. No leases or car loans were made for a few months, until the Washington State legislature re-wrote their usury law. (This is part of the reason GMAC was formed.) Once lending resumed at 21 to 23% interest the same car my mom leased for $467 a month was more like $1100. I sold Real Estate from 1983 till 1992, and in those early years, bank finacncing was nearly non-existant.

The current economy is not the worst since the great depression at all, but the worst since the Carter Administration. Reagan inherited out of control inflation from Carter, then cut government spending and raised interest rates to bring inflation under control. Also interesting to note, is that the Arab oil embargo put just as many car dealers out of business as we're seeing today.

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1979 240D, 4spd manual, Power Sunroof, manual windows, 147k miles, Pastel gray/Black MB Tex.
1991 300D 2.5 - Smokes like it's on Crack!

"Adjusted for inflation, the $25,000 USD price of the 1965 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman puts it just under $165,000 today. The Maybach 57 is priced around $358,000 in the USA.
A regular S600 Benz is now at $147,450 and the S63 AMG is about to touch $200,000.

The Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman Limousine is currently a steal. Expect to shell out more than $100K for an antique Pullman, but you'll look cool if you do so. " http://www.zimbio.com/Automobile+Makes+and+Models+Mercedes-Benz/articles/242/INFLATION+MONITOR+1965+MERCEDES+BENZ+600+PULLMAN


Also, as I recall from a neighbor man who bought a Euro delivery Mercedes Benz in 1966 (I think it was a 250S fintail), paid almost exactly the same price as a well equipped Cadillac De Ville of the same vintage. About $6k.

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1979 240D, 4spd manual, Power Sunroof, manual windows, 147k miles, Pastel gray/Black MB Tex.
1991 300D 2.5 - Smokes like it's on Crack!

my 85 300sd has it original sticker for 31K.

When was the last time you looked at your sticker? Unless you meant w123 300DT. Base price $31,940 according to NADA Guide.

With no options a 1985 300SD was $39,500. If your car is an S-Class it should be more like $41k.

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1979 240D, 4spd manual, Power Sunroof, manual windows, 147k miles, Pastel gray/Black MB Tex.
1991 300D 2.5 - Smokes like it's on Crack!

The orignal window sticker that I have for the 98 E300 had it at $46,135 delivered.
The vehicle did not have all the options which probably would have put it into the +$50,000 range. It is missing options like the rear electric window shade......which most people like me can live without.
But the thing I can't understand is that it was delivered to a dealer in Connecticut so it has a block heater for cold weather starts but the person that ordered it did not order it with the heated seat option! ???? How cheap can you get! That synthetic leather is damn cold in the winter!

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FRED

Daily Driver: 98 E300TD 199K
Hobby Car: 69 Austin Mini
Past Diesels: 84 300SD, 312K
87 300SDL, 251K
94 Chev. K-1500 6.5Ltr.TD, 373K

I have a sticker for an '84 SD I found at the yards around in my files some place, it was $38,xxx from memory...

That 750iL I have was $88,xxx!

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I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

Window sticker for my '84 300D says $34,500 iirc.

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1984 300D Light Blue/Blue
2006 C280 Silver/Black

If you fax Mercedes, I cant remember the number, and tell them you want the invoice for your car provided your provide them with vin and whatnot..they'll fax you back the documents if they have them..

thats how i got mine.

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Cruise Control not working? Send me PM or email (jamesdean59@gmail.com). I might be able to help out.
Check here for compatibility, diagnostics, and availability!

(4/11/2020: Hi Everyone! I am still taking orders and replying to emails/PMs/etc, I appreciate your patience in these crazy times. Stay safe and healthy!)


82 300SD 145k
89 420SEL 210k
89 560SEL 118k
90 300SE 262k RIP 5/25/2010
90 560SEL 154k
91 300D 2.5 Turbo. 241k
93 190E 3.0 235k
93 300E 195k

After seeing James Dean's Invoice I remembered a couple things.

For one, the mid-year price increase. Sometimes prices would go up 2 times or more during the same model year. I don't know if/when Mercedes did that, but it was common in those days.

Second, I must be remembering my car's price wrong. I'm probably remembering the new value the state printed on my registration. It would have had to be at least $40k, if not $41k on the factory sticker because it was one year newer, but equipped exactly the same as James Dean's.

My 1979 240D with power SR must have been $17,500 or so.

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1979 240D, 4spd manual, Power Sunroof, manual windows, 147k miles, Pastel gray/Black MB Tex.
1991 300D 2.5 - Smokes like it's on Crack!