Looking at W124 300D 2.5 Turbo This Weekend..What to look for? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

JamesDean · #1 07-27-2012, 08:23 AM

Hey everyone,

I'm probably going to be looking at a 1991 300D 2.5 Turbo this weekend and was hoping you guys had somethings I should keep an eye out for.

Its got 250k on it and has had some work done to it. The owner has service records (not sure to what extent, I'll see when I get there) but he said the following has been done:
-timing chain
-front end rebuild (springs, struts, control arm bushings,lower ball joints and tie rods)
-R134A conversion (says it blow cold at idle)
-80% Tire tread remaining on Michelin Primacy's
-new alternator

From the pics that I saw, the car looks pretty clean. Interior looks to be in nice shape, the center control wood looks very nice too. Body was well.

1991 mercedes 300d 2.5 turbo

Let me know what you guys think!

Just for some price references on vehicles bought in the past between my friend, my parents and I:
93-190E, 191k = $3750
89-420SEL, 205k = $3500 (needed chain)
90-560SEL, 114k = $4500
82-300SD, 260k chassis, <100k motor, rustyyy = $1800
93-300E, 190k, needed harness, headgasket. = $2900 (didnt know about hg at purchase)

jusme · #2 07-27-2012, 08:26 AM

Rust around ALL Jack Points, rust in floor areas around ALL Jack Points. Really look behind the cladding

sixto · #3 07-28-2012, 12:52 PM

I lobbied to make this content a sticky but no luck yet - http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/2297320-post4.html

Very nice leather. Memory driver seat? Does the console tambour cubby mean it has a passenger side airbag? I don't see switches for heated front seats so I doubt it has ASR. Are the encapsulation panels in place?

The picture of the engine bay isn't clear enough for me to see that it has a later style vacuum pump generally identified by having screws on the front cover. A new pump costs $300-350. Half that for a Chinese unit but I've yet to hear of a Chinese unit fail prematurely. It's not a difficult DIY and you get to check the belt tensioner components in the process.

Quote:

mercedes diesels are known for 350k-450k miles and more if you just change that oil.

Really? Then why did he replace the timing chain and rebuild the suspension hundreds of thousands of miles before 350-450K miles?

And I'll bet it gets 38 mpg if you keep it to 38 mph.

Why do people promote the conversion to R-134a as something that has to be done? All the R-12 that's ever going to be made in this country is already made. It might as well be cooling your cabin. There's no law or requirement to remove it from a functioning AC system. There are tons of lazy mechanics who can't/won't bother to handle R-12 properly. And R-134a is on its way out for being environmentally unfriendly.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesDean

93-300E, 190k, needed harness, headgasket. = $2900 (didnt know about hg at purchase)

The 300E badge fooled you, didn't it? I's a dichotomy - it's an M104 therefore it needs a head gasket and it needs a head gasket because it's an M104

Sixto
87 300D^2

shertex · #4 07-28-2012, 01:00 PM

Looks like a fair price. I sold one of these in the last year without AC for $3750 with 209,000 miles.

38 mpg? No real chance of that (or maybe I just have horrible driving habits....32 is the best I've ever seen)....makes me question the seller's honesty.

The evaporators are prone to failure.

They're great cars! Buy it, Kris, then I can add you to my list of people who help me with mine....I need to give Sixto, GSXR, and Brian Carlton a breather now and then!

shertex · #5 07-28-2012, 01:02 PM

Oh, and that front end rebuild is nice to have behind you.

pwogaman · #6 07-28-2012, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shertex

Looks like a fair price. I sold one of these in the last year without AC for $3750 with 209,000 miles.

38 mpg? No real chance of that (or maybe I just have horrible driving habits....32 is the best I've ever seen)....makes me question the seller's honesty.

The evaporators are prone to failure.

They're great cars! Buy it, Kris, then I can add you to my list of people who help me with mine....I need to give Sixto, GSXR, and Brian Carlton a breather now and then!

x2 on the mileage. Price is on the upper side, but if it is in the North AND rust free, then that warrants a premium. It looks like it has the passenger airbag, which is another plus in my opinion.

Bio300TDTdriver · #7 07-28-2012, 01:49 PM

The leather certainly looks to be in nice shape. He could have added the locking box, so without a picture of the dash it's hard to say if it has the passenger air bag.

A diesel wouldn't have ASR it would have ASD. No picture of the odometer so it is hard to say. He also cut off the location of the hydraulic tank if it had one for the ASD.

Three things we know about the owner:

1. He's not very good a taking pictures.
2. He's not good at spelling.
3 .He either drives his car at 40mph or he's a liar.

JamesDean · #8 07-28-2012, 02:45 PM

Hey guys, well I bought it. It has the updated pump, the car drives well, handles well. Ac works decently for an r134a...paint is in good shape, wood is good.. Can't really find many things bad. There is no rust underneath..only one spot in the engine bay behind the drivers side light but that was it.

Cruise doesn't work and sunroof doesn't tilt but those are the only problem. He gave me a set of filters (Mann) and oril for a change

shertex · #9 07-28-2012, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesDean

Hey guys, well I bought it. It has the updated pump, the car drives well, handles well. Ac works decently for an r134a...paint is in good shape, wood is good.. Can't really find many things bad. There is no rust underneath..only one spot in the engine bay behind the drivers side light but that was it.

Cruise doesn't work and sunroof doesn't tilt but those are the only problem. He gave me a set of filters (Mann) and oril for a change

Cruise doesn't work? Why, whatever are you going to do?

I guess you'll have to get your local dealer to solve that problem, huh? haha

TheDon · #10 07-28-2012, 03:15 PM

Now that you have it, we demand better pictures.

sixto · #11 07-28-2012, 03:22 PM

I'm not fishing for details but was there room to haggle?

Get yourself a rebuilt cruise relay.

This is an if rather than a when but keep it in mind - http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/212097-wastegate-actuator-swap-om602-962-a.html

Sixto
87 300D^2

sixto · #12 07-28-2012, 03:24 PM

I just noticed the fuel filter mount is black. What's up with that?

Sixto
87 300D^2

shertex · #13 07-28-2012, 04:52 PM

Kris, of course we will have a to-do list for you. One item is to measure your 0-60, play with the ALDA some, and report back!

sixto · #14 07-28-2012, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sixto

Get yourself a rebuilt cruise relay.

Wait, aren't you the cruise relay guru? I have one for you - my blue '87 300D cruise works most of the time. But when it does, it sets at about 10% higher speed then where you released the cruise stalk - set at 45, holds at 50; set at 65, holds at 72. Same with coast and resume. The ex-Jeremy white '87 300D is either spot on or less than 1 mph/1% higher. I'd swap relays for the heck of it if half the dash didn't have to come off. Oh for the simplicity of 123 and 126 underdash access.

Sixto
87 300D^2

Bio300TDTdriver · #15 07-28-2012, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sixto

Wait, aren't you the cruise relay guru? I have one for you - my blue '87 300D cruise works most of the time. But when it does, it sets at about 10% higher speed then where you released the cruise stalk - set at 45, holds at 50; set at 65, holds at 72. Same with coast and resume. The ex-Jeremy white '87 300D is either spot on or less than 1 mph/1% higher. I'd swap relays for the heck of it if half the dash didn't have to come off. Oh for the simplicity of 123 and 126 underdash access.

Sixto
87 300D^2

With all the 124 dashes you've had out it should be 5 minutes or less.

It's just the lower panel to get to the amplifier, I'd switch them just to try it. In fact I've tried 3 different ones in mine.