i am looking at a 1984 turbo diesel sedan... some of its symptoms are tired front end bushings and seemingly horrible motor mounts... Are the bad motor mounts a problem solver or a symptom reducer from a bad vibrating motor. Also it seems like the car runs slow until it warms up.... The paint is very tired and needs lots of bumper stickers to be presentable... Is 2k a fair price for this... it has around 130k miles on it... i do not mind doing all the labor myself... I am going to redo the whole suspension to make sure its safe... the tires are toed in really bad.. is this worn out ball joints and tie rods? or is it worn out everything...

I would NOT trust the 130K number if the car looks tired. No pictures?

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Not MBZ nor A/C trained professional but a die-hard DIY and green engineer. Use the info at your own peril. Picked up 2 Infractions because of disagreements. NOW reversed.

W124 Keyless remote, PM for details. http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/mercedes-used-parts-sale-wanted/334620-fs-w124-chasis-keyless-remote-%2450-shipped.html

1 X 2006 CDI
1 x 87 300SDL
1 x 87 300D
1 x 87 300TDT wagon
1 x 83 300D
1 x 84 190D ( 5 sp ) - All R134 converted + keyless entry.

the carfax matches to the mileage. should i have a shop look at it first for compression and misc problems it may have before i buy it.....It seems like the sun got the best of the paint.. it was a desert car.

2k is high for the car you describe. I just paid $500 for an 85SD that needs paint, transmission work, front bumper, front seat & some smaller things.

At the upper end, $5k, I could have had an immaculate example without doing all of the repair. Paint will be a significant cost and I haven't addressed the trans. Sometimes they are cheap & easy, sometimes not.

You don't mention where you are located but if up north, buying a nice rust free Southern example would be a better choice. Lots of cars are available in the $1,000 - 2500 price range. Let him sit on it so he becomes ready to drop the price or you find a better deal. Most aren't willing to drop 50% until reality sets in.

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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.

would a 1981 mercedes turbo diesel sd be a better choice.... It has its own set of issues but suspension is in good shape.. it has 163k miles... The problems with this one is the windows in the rear dont work... and the paint is good... the motor does not shake...the tachometer doesnt work as well as guage lights... car seems to be great otherwise...

Only you can decide whether an SD is a better choice than a D. We can help you understand the differences. The SD is bigger and has electric front seat adjustment. Come to think of it, that's about it

Sixto
87 300D

I agree $2k is pretty high for a tired old 123 Mercedes. At two grand you should be able to find a solid running car with minor problems that may not look the best. What you describe sounds closer to the $1000 range. Always be suspect of the odometers on the 123 chassis cars. They are know to stop and start at will and just completely stop working. The numbers may match with Carfax, but that doesn't mean that the odometer didn't stop for a while and get repaired. But don't let this scare you away. I have yet to buy one that hasn't had odometer issues.

A complete front end rebuild will run you close to $1000 in parts, that's if you do all the steering AND suspension stuff. If you leave the shock and springs out of the picture you're going to be closer to the $600 range.

The best test for compression while you're looking at the car, is trying to start it on a cold day the colder the better with the engine stone cold. If it fires right up then everything is in good order. If takes a little doing the engine might be getting a little tired, but there are things that can be done to help, valve adjustment, fresh glow plugs and more. If it take a lot of cranking or several glow cycles, assuming the GPs are in good order then you can probably assume the engine is pretty well tired out.

It's always a good idea to have someone look at the car on your dime if you're unsure. A 1hr shop rate look over is well worth the money you'll save by not buying a lemon. You might also be able to find a forum member willing to go with you to look at the car.

The SD(126 chassis) and the D(123 chassis) are both well built, good, long lasting cars. I'm more partial to the 123 body style, but that's just my preference. The SD you talk about sounds to be in better shape.

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I agree! My 1983 300D was only $1200 and in wonderful shape! Several penny sized dents, NO rust, no carpet, a few misc parts missing, and an ok starter. I replaced the starter, got a bunch of parts, and am close to having it restored. I would personally go for the SD because it sounds like it is in way better shape, but that's your call!

i don't think the motor mounts being worn are any indication that there's something wrong with the motor itself. the car is almost 30 years old, and if they've never been replaced before they're bound to be shot no matter what...

Are there any good shops in socal that anyone can recommend i live in orange county

California - PeachParts Mercedes ShopForum

Sixto
87 300D

In CA deserts, consider the A/C. Some of the more knowledgable A/C guys will say the SD (W126) condensor is more suitable for good cooling performance than the D (W123) using R-134A if you can't get R-12.

If you're seriously considering one or the other, the motor and tranny are the big factors. Do either of the cars have service records? History of oil changes? Evidence of WVO use? The latter will be a show stopper for some, not a big deal for others.

I have purchased over 20 of these cars, and have a pretty good idea of their value here in So. Cal. There are also plenty of members in OC and even North County that might be happy to look at the potential candidates for you. When the price of Diesel goes up, it seems the Diesel MB's are more available, and cheaper. Depending on your budget, you may even want to hold out for a later model (124, or 210). If you are mechanically inclined, you can save a lot of money owning one of these MB Diesels, over having a newer car with car payments. They are also a lot of fun to tinker with and restore....Rich

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All Diesel Fleet
1985 R107 300SLD TURBODIESEL
2005 E320 CDI (daily)

LOTS of parts for sale!


EGR block kit
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/355250-sale-egr-delete-block-off-plate-kit.html

1985 CA emissions 617 owners- You Need This!
Sanden style A/C Compressor Mounting Kit for your 616/ 617 For Sale + Install Inst.

Sanden Instalation Guide (post 11):
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/367883-sanden-retrofit-installation-guide.html

thanks for input i ended up buying a 1981 300sd that is in almost perfect shape... everything works but the blower and AC... seems typical on these cars.... The paint and all other electrical items work perfect...

Please go to User CP and add your car to your signature. Also, update your location. Where are u? Any pics of the car you purchased?

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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