Another "whats it worth question"...1985 300d
 

1985 300D Turbo: No rust, nice paint and flawless interior, new Michelin 70K tires. Cruise does not work and AC is questionable. 123K miles. Is $4800 too much for this car? Teal green with tan interior, no cracks in the dash. Not driven in winter and in garage during summer.

In NC it would be a high price
 

But I don't know about Iowa.

Pictures ? Interior, exterior. It sounds high but need more details.
Records etc.
Alan

here is the craigslist listing. Price is actually $4800
 

Hey they all sell. But you might have to wheel and deal a bit. $4800.00 is high, it looks good and if you can get people to come and see it, you might put a deal together.

"Actual miles are 12362."

Is that true?

Without A/C and cruise working, take at least a grand off the price.
IF the problem is truly minor, then fix them before selling the car.

As a buyer, I have to assume the worst possible case for repair. More often than not, the owner isn't disclosing the full extent of the problem.

As a datum point, I sold my "mint" 83 300D almost two years ago for $4250. Less than 100K on motor, 9/10 exterior, 8/10 interior, 10/10 mechanically, and everything worked perfectly. That was all the money then, and I suspect the market hasn't gone up since.

Jim

Is this the original owner?
Not seeing the car makes it hard on this end to say what it is worth. If it has rust, even the owner says it does not, can be costly to repair. You did say Iowa right?

For $4800, the AC and cruise should work. If all other things are in tip top condition, seats, paint, dash, rear axles etc... then maybe $3500.

Then 123K miles is a plus also, that is if the indicated milage is correct. these spedo`s are known to slip, but an easy fix.

My 85 has 360K. so where was this car all these years. always garaged?

It is all about condition, and what it is worth to you.

Charlie

Service records?

Sixto
87 300D

Supposed to be second owner, don't know about service records. Seller said the $4800 is firm. Price seems high to me but cars in this kind of condition in Iowa are rare, most are rusted away.

Might not be so "firm" in a month.

Jim

You have to see the car, or at least see meaningful, clear photos.

By meaninful I mean either taken with a decent digital camera and sent to you in high-res, or at minimum taken with one of the newer smartphones set to high res.

At that price, I would be hoping for:

- service records for at least half the car's life, to support the mileage claim, as CarFax won't usually be very helpful on a car of that age
- a completely clean and solid floor
- suspension parts not showing much surface corrosion
- completely clean jack points
- no dash cracks (and no dash cover over a cracked dash)
- cruise and climate control fully functional
- wood veneers to be above average (minimal cracking or fading)
- driver's seat to be feel good, not worn out (unless current or previous owner was a heavy guy)

To support the claimed mileage (if records are incomplete):

- fittings, screw heads, etc under hood not more than tarnished (not rusty or heavily oxidized)
- windshield not 'sandblasted' from debris
- trim around door openings still intact, not worn out or missing
- windshield and rear window rubber seals not cracked or broken
- no corrosion behind rubber seals on underside of doors
- minimal if any blowby
- starts eagerly from cold and idles nice
- and of course, must drive like a new car. Until I bought my 98k-mile 300d I didn't know what that meant. A Mercedes with an actual odometer reading in the 100-k neighbourhood should fee like a new car, assuming it's been properly kept.

Others will no doubt think of stuff I've forgotten.

Good luck with it. I like the colour combo.

At that price, everything should work as in my wife can get in, start it up and drive anywhere without doing anything except filling the tank. Heat, AC, cruise, speedo, odo, windows, sunroof, locks, tranny all work as they should. Seats look nice and are comfortable, trunk is clean, tires have correct air pressure, fluids are correct and topped up.

If everything on the car is in working order then $4000 would be fair IMHO. I really like that color combo. I have only seen one like that and it was pretty ratty in a u pull junk yard.

Evaluate what it needs, then the costs take care all of the issues, and then its a matter of if it is worth it to you personally.

Or if you would rather be driving something else for the same investment.