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Just picked up a smacked 95 E300 diesel
This car belonged to one of our local MBCA club officers. His wife was driving it and got rear ended. Pretty good smack.
He settled with the insurance company and kept the car. I bought it for the buy back cost with a clean title. I've talked to my bodyman and the rough estimate to repair the car (replace RR quarter, etc) brings my total cost uncomfortably close to my limit on what I'm willing to spend bringing it back to life. Est $2.5 - 3.5K. I've got a 94 E320 parts car with all the extra parts I'd need to fix this car. Next step will be to bring the car over to the shop and get a "real" estimate, vice just looking at pictures... Overall, the car is in nice condition, is up to date on all maintenance, has cold A/C and 215K miles. Car runs and drives well, looks like the hit was high and didn't significantly bend any of the lower structure. I think if I fix it, I'll be close to the street value of the car when I'm finished, whereas if I part it, I can do much better financially. I bought it sight unseen, figuring it for a parts car, but she is so nice, I kinda hate to do it now. I can justify keeping the car if I sell the Explorer, and use the E300 as my commuter. I don't see a lot of these cars around, and I think it is capable of getting some pretty good fuel mileage, which would be a good reason to swap out for the Exploder. Wasn't this the model that could go 700-800 miles on a tank (23.+ gal)? It would be nice to get into another diesel, I miss my 83 300D and 87 300TD. And it's a black car. My favorite color. So, what's your thoughts? Jim
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14 E250 BlueTEC black. 45k miles 95 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 66k miles 94 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 152k miles 85 300TD 4 spd man, euro bumpers and lights, 15" Pentas dark blue 274k miles |
#2
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I would, if I had the money to burn, fix it.
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Fuel mileage
For a "normal" driver, high 20's city, mid 30's highway.
Last edited by ds190; 08-07-2012 at 08:50 AM. |
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Now, that's impressive.... And this car seems to have some scoot as well. Jim
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14 E250 BlueTEC black. 45k miles 95 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 66k miles 94 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 152k miles 85 300TD 4 spd man, euro bumpers and lights, 15" Pentas dark blue 274k miles |
#5
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Seems like a clean and centered hit. The deformation is just the crumple zone doing its job. If there is no evident door misalignment, or roof dimpling or popping anywhere, it will be an easy fix.
Looks and sounds like you have a real find there. Good luck with it.
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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 |
#6
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On a Diesel buying bender?
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1985 500SL Euro w/ AMG bits 130k 1984 300SD Turbodiesel 192k 1980 240D Stick China 188k 2001 CLK55 AMG 101k 2007 S600 Biturbo 149k Overheated Project, IT'S ALIVE!!! |
#7
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Fix it! This is a great car. The DOHC engine loves to rev. I haven't had mine on the highway long enough for a real fuel economy test but around town and suburban driving the average over 3,200 miles on B20 biodiesel is 27.2 mpg. With its 24 gallon tank the range is on the order of 750 highway miles.
Jeremy
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"Buster" in the '95 Our all-Diesel family 1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car 2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022) Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762 "Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz." -- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970 |
#8
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Just dented, damaged diesels.
Some people are suckers for stray cats, for me it’s old cars. Jim
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14 E250 BlueTEC black. 45k miles 95 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 66k miles 94 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 152k miles 85 300TD 4 spd man, euro bumpers and lights, 15" Pentas dark blue 274k miles |
#9
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Quote:
If I was into it when finished for 1/2 the retail, there'd be no question about which way to go. The bothersome problem is that I'm getting close to retail value by the time I'm finished, which takes some of the appeal out of the equation. I don't really need the car, but I could justify to some extent replacing the low (fuel) mileage Explorer as my commuter. If it is really capable of real world mileage significantly above the EPA (24/30) I think there is good reason to go ahead. Of course, I can rationalize just about anything...... That's why I have 12 cars. J
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14 E250 BlueTEC black. 45k miles 95 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 66k miles 94 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 152k miles 85 300TD 4 spd man, euro bumpers and lights, 15" Pentas dark blue 274k miles |
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Quote:
Thanks! Good positive reinforcement. Here's my benz cat...Riley the mouser (white) is on the top cover. Jim
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14 E250 BlueTEC black. 45k miles 95 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 66k miles 94 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 152k miles 85 300TD 4 spd man, euro bumpers and lights, 15" Pentas dark blue 274k miles |
#11
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My 95 gets 37. 6 mpg. around town ivn flat fl. .
I had an 82 wagon that was rear ended and looked 5x worse than your 95. I took it to an MB place that had a computerized frame alignment or pulling machine. They charged me $400. When they were done everything had "popped" back into place.
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82 300 TD, 215K, 06 Dmax LBZ 245K, 2015 VW TDI Golf Wagon 70K |
#12
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If it was me and I was going to keep it and drive the snot out of it, I would bang it out best I could and get another trunk lid. I think you could make a good 10 footer out of it with some sweat equity and a quarter can of kitty hair bondo. Unfortunately, it would be a lot easier to get away with that idea if it were white rather than black....
With 215k miles on it, that strikes me as a $3-4K car, and as you say, once the bodyman gets done with you , you are close to or upside down in market value. Sounds like since YOU know the history of the car, it's worth that or more to YOU, but hard to convince an objective buyer. http://spacecoast.craigslist.org/cto/3117041546.html If you do waste a weekend banging/pulling on it, you probably won't wreck it enough that the pros can't fix it, since they would be cutting the quarter panel off anyway...
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80 300SD (129k mi) 82 240D stick (193k mi)77 240D auto - stick to be (153k mi) 85 380SL (145k mi) 89 BMW 535i 82 Diesel Rabbit Pickup (374k mi) 91 Jetta IDI Diesel (155k mi) 81 VW Rabbit Convertible Diesel 70 Triumph Spitfire Mk III (63kmi)66 Triumph TR4a IRS (90k mi)67 Ford F-100 (??) |
#13
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Be wary of unrealistic MPG claims. It's a heavy car. Good torque, which you noticed.
Other expensive repairs for the E300 would be head gasket, wiring harness, and leaking evaporator. Important to inspect ball joints, flex disks, and center support bearing bushing. Over 200k miles, expect to maintain suspension and steering components. I like my E300, and haven't had to deal with the big three potential failures yet. Knock on wood. |
#14
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Ah okay well I wasn't going to stick my nose in here but now that the subject is open... I wouldn't pay a dime over $2.5k for that repair.
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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 Last edited by Zacharias; 08-07-2012 at 11:25 AM. |
#15
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Quote:
That said, this car has had the evap changed, and the front end and driveline have been maintained as needed. Engine is very clean, no signs of oil leakage around the head. Need to ask about the wiring, but no glitches in it at present. Just before the accident, the car was driven from Virginia Beach to Detroit (and back!). PO is a retired engineer, and his hobby is tinkering with his two diesel MBs. Jim
__________________
14 E250 BlueTEC black. 45k miles 95 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 66k miles 94 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 152k miles 85 300TD 4 spd man, euro bumpers and lights, 15" Pentas dark blue 274k miles |
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