'95 300D - no ability to shift

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I'm thinking of buying a '95 300D that has been sitting for 2 years. The current owner says his wife was driving down the road when it fell into what appears to be neutral.

The car currently has blocks on the wheels to prevent it from rolling. I crawled under the car and found the bushings to be missing on both ends of the shift rod but it still was moving the lever on the transmission housing.

I have other '92 300D's and this car doesn't feel the same when you shift it - like it's disconnected. Is there another linkage inside the transmission that could have failed?

I'm assuming if I buy this car I will have to drop the transmission and find out why the shifter has no effect.

Thoughts? Should I pass on the car? I've done other transmission work before - but all exterior things like repairing a failed governor, aux pump and filters/etc.

Thanks,

-John