Hey everyone,

Just got back from looking at the 300SD.

The good:
No dents/dings worth mentioning.
Tires are in good condition from 2008 - they needed air, though.

The engine started after about 5-6 very slow and lethargic turns of the engine. Battery was very weak because the seller doesn't drive it much at all. Must have good compression, right?

Suspension didn't look too old.
No visible rust anywhere.
3/4 windows work.
Transmission seemed to shift normally.
Had good power, especially when the turbo kicked in.
I didn't see any major leaks where the car was parked.
Smoke went away pretty quickly after the car started.

The bad:
Most of the paint is sun burnt.
Driver's front headlight is cracked and broken.
Shaking can be felt in the car from the engine.
Smokes during normal driving -- at least one bad injector? Kinda explains the shaking too. Could be really old fuel/bad fuel.
Power steering leak. Had to add some fluid. Didn't seem like there was a seal in the reservoir cap.
Blinkers don't work but hazard switch flashes all 4 hazard lights.
Couple electrical gremlins.
The interior would benefit from a hand grenade.
Driver's seat is like sitting on a piece of plywood at a 45 degree angle. Springs are busted. If it were a bicycle, the seat would be a vertical steel pipe.
Leak in trunk from somewhere. Window seal didn't have any rust on it but still may be leaking.
Sunroof needs attention. Drive cable most likely.
Door straps need attention.
Rear driver's side window doesn't work.
Couldn't find the door lock switch - probably one of the ones that was broken off.
Dash is cracked and trim pieces ripped off.
Speedometer works but the other gauges...eeeehhh...

The story:
The seller said he bought it two years ago and has been sitting around since. He wanted to pimp it out as a project but never got to it. Seems true to me since the registration tags expired in 2010. When he bought it, it didn't run but his brother worked on it and did some "things" to get it running again.

I offered him $800 and he came back with $1000. Aside from cosmetics and accessories not working/broken/missing, the car ran and drove pretty well for something that has been sitting around for so long. What do you guys think? Is it worth it?

No door lock switch. They all go down with the driver lock (when working properly).

Sounds like this is about a parts value car (that you could possibly use as a driver). Assuming mileage is in the 200k range I would guess value at $500-$1000 as a driver.

Only you can determine if it is worth it for you. Sounds like a lot of deferred maintenance which if you plan on driving it for a lot of miles will cost some money. You know the story..."There is nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes."

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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

It has 212K miles. I am more than capable of working on it myself so the only cost would be for parts. I work on my 7.3 IDI and have been for a while. I like the older, simple Diesels. I'm looking for something that can be a driver but if it needs to go down for a few days or a week, no problem. I have been daily driving my truck for the last 6 months and it is rock solid.

Oh, I forgot to mention that the engine had very little blow by. I removed the oil filler cap and loosely placed it back on and it did not vibrate or dance at all.

__________________
1991 F250 super-cab 7.3 IDI. (rebuilt by me) Banks Sidewinder turbo, hydroboost brakes, new IP and injectors.
2003 S430 - 107K
1983 300SD - Tanoshii - mostly restored ~400K+.
1983 300SD - Good interior. Engine finally tamed ~250K.
Monark Nozzle Install Video - http://tinyurl.com/ptd2tge

It's great to hear that it has very little blow-by. But the rest of the car screams "driven and forgotten".

If you buy this to put it into service as a driver I will throw out the figure of $1500, parts only, that you can expect to put into it to make it livable. It could end up being more.

That still doesn't deal with the cosmetics.

It's a parts car. For a bit more than a grand you will be able to find something a lot better if you wait and watch.

If someone gives him a grand for this thing, he should run not walk to cash the cheque.

__________________


Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

$500

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 560SL convertible
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
2005 Dodge Sprinter 2500 158"WB
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

There is no inexpensive way to refurbish the seats that lasts long term. I have seen no good grey seats in the yard. The one outstanding possibility was stripped before I saw it. Mechanicals let go will still add up for parts only. You can scour the yards frequently - if you have the time and do it for fun without putting a price on your time.

I have about 4K in parts in mine over several years and started with a car that has been in the family since new and maintained by dealer and expensive indy. Much is considered maintenance but I haven't driven a lot of miles. It still needs paint and AC work.

You can also drive a ragged out old car and fool yourself that you are driving a fine German product. The product is fine. Your example will still be a ragged out clap trap until brought back to specs. Sellers think bottom dollar is $1000. Perhaps it is for those that need transportation and will live with things not working. A ragged MBZ is better than a ragged honda.

Salvage price on an SD is $250 - $350 retail. I shoulda bought the $5000 example that needed nothing (obvious). It would have been less expensive than the $500 car that is too good to part. I pulled the ccu hoping to install & it needs soldering so even the parts can't be counted on.

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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.

Are grey seats that hard to find there? I see tons of perfect ones here that go to the crusher because no one wants them. The government pays $1200 for any running registers older car to scrap it here, so that sounds like a reasonable $1k car to me. Other than the electrical problems that stuff all sounds easy to fix to me.

It's a good deal @ $1K as you can repair it your own self and Dallas is LOADED with cheap part cars in nearly every junkyard .

I paid more than this for my '84 300CD and have invested well over $9K in parts alone but I also run the wheels off it , over 800 miles every 7 days so if it runs well and suits you , but it .

Yes , there are other , better cosmetics W-126's out there but few that pass that oil cap test.....

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-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

Well, the seller is waiting for my next offer. I still think it is an $800 car at best. The only things it has going for it are the engine and transmission from what I saw. I might have no choice but to stick to $800 and maybe even keep looking. I haven't checked out any junk yards for parts in the area, so I have no clue what that is like.

__________________
1991 F250 super-cab 7.3 IDI. (rebuilt by me) Banks Sidewinder turbo, hydroboost brakes, new IP and injectors.
2003 S430 - 107K
1983 300SD - Tanoshii - mostly restored ~400K+.
1983 300SD - Good interior. Engine finally tamed ~250K.
Monark Nozzle Install Video - http://tinyurl.com/ptd2tge

If you have LKQ junkyards out there (Pick Ur Part), and they have your color, you can re-outfit the interior within $200 (assuming the seats all have motors, and you grab the carpet and all the wood). Or, you can change to Palamino, which would be easier to find interior for it.

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1983 300D, the "Avocado"
1976 240D, 4-spd the "Pumpkin", SOLD to Pierre
1984 190D, 2.2L, 5-spd, my intro to MBZ diesels, crashed into in 2002

We are now at $900. I know the car won't pass inspection until the turn signals are sorted out. I think it is the switch on the column because the hazard lights worked.

I did some searching and found a junk yard or two with similar cars in my area.

__________________
1991 F250 super-cab 7.3 IDI. (rebuilt by me) Banks Sidewinder turbo, hydroboost brakes, new IP and injectors.
2003 S430 - 107K
1983 300SD - Tanoshii - mostly restored ~400K+.
1983 300SD - Good interior. Engine finally tamed ~250K.
Monark Nozzle Install Video - http://tinyurl.com/ptd2tge

We agreed on $850. $1200 to $850 isn't bad negotiating. I have my concerns but I can't stop thinking about how little blow-by it had. As long as the engine and transmission are in as good of shape as I think they are, the rest is cosmetic. I have the ability, space and tools to do just about anything but pull an engine or transmission, so that being said, I am confident the rest can be repaired by myself.

Next step is getting the title for the cash and then renting a trailer and strapping her up to the old Ford.

I hope I am making a good decision here. I know y'all don't know me well but when I get into a project, I take pictures and videos when I can. I like to share information as much as I take it in and I focus a lot on the small gotcha details that hang up many beginners, like me. Follow my threads, help me out, and I will do my best to spread the information.

__________________
1991 F250 super-cab 7.3 IDI. (rebuilt by me) Banks Sidewinder turbo, hydroboost brakes, new IP and injectors.
2003 S430 - 107K
1983 300SD - Tanoshii - mostly restored ~400K+.
1983 300SD - Good interior. Engine finally tamed ~250K.
Monark Nozzle Install Video - http://tinyurl.com/ptd2tge

Cool beans .

Yes , the good & helpful people here LOVE pix , videos and long technical writings .

They know most everything to so ask away ! .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

Congratulations. Wish you all the best with it, and I look forward to seeing your progress.

Cheers

__________________


Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22