I made an offer on a '84 300SD with 153K. The car has been in the family since '85 and has service records that I have not seen yet, (Monday). I have to find a mechanic for a prepurchase exam, any recomendations for the Tualatin/Portland Oregon area? Everything seems to work, chip in the windshield, missing plastic cover down by the front seat. small dent in driver door, very small crack in dash. I'm told the car had a valve job at 90k and some transmission work, there are receipts, but I was going to go over them with a mechanic. The car has new tires but pulls slightly to the right. Why would you need a valve job at 90K? Is 4,800 to much?

The valve job and transmission work are kinda strange with a car with such low mileage. The dent in the driver's door is a big deterrant also. I am starting to suspect the car has more miles than the odometer says. I would walk away and look for another. Remember, mileage does not really matter, look at the car and see how it drives, don't worry about the odometer.

For sure, whats up with the valve and trenney work at 90K, like turbodiesel said. But the car could be a good buy if you look at what it takes to get a car up to a really "spiffed up " condition, including the engine. Which is what you have to take a good look at with that "Rad flag" valve job. A nice car is hard to find at any price and $4800.00 wouldn't be way to much but I would really have it checked good. and it better have A1 seats, and everything looking good. The dash could be covered with a cover lay. I have them on two cars and they don't look too bad, but when I drive my daughters car its cool to see the real dash.

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

Why do you need to do a valve job, originally he said it had the head redone. What exactly does this all mean. I don't know when or what was done to the transmission, what goes wrong with them? I'll know more when I read the records, I should have gone back to see them before I made the offer.

Seems like too much I wouldnt pay more than 3000

The best explanation for why the engine needs work is that it was abused. A rebuilt head, or valve job (pretty much the same thing as the only working parts in the head you need to take it off to fix are the valves) could be the result of not adjusting the valves or running without oil or water (overheating, which will damage the seal between the head and the cylinder block by possibly warping the head). A tranmission gone bad or "transmission work" are two different things. These cars have automatics that use some kluged vacuum controls to simulate a gas engine throttle position, and the vacuum system often gets munged up. So, making adjustments to the vaccum controls, or replacing vacuum parts after ten years is not a big deal.

Whatever you do, make sure you get a compression test done, and post the results before you buy. With some compression test results we can do a much better job advising you about the health of the engine. Without such data we are all using more guesswork than expertise when we offer advice.

Also, any of the data in the paperwork package you will see should be posted. Frequent oil changes (every 3,000 to 5,000 miles), periodic transmission fluid changes, and so on should be evident, as well as any major repairs. The inspection should also look for rust, as the car is now approaching 20 years old, and on the East Coast that means rust. Rust is the ultimate enemy of these cars as anything else can be fixed, theoretically.

I hope this helps, and good luck! Jim

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Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)

There were a number of cars about then that had soft cams.. and it was kind of common to replace the cam on them... As far as valves... Unless they were not adjusted as they should have been its not common to see them burn.. Transmission work??? there were some 82-85 cars here in the west that had low gear problems as we do get away on very steep hill.. Some of the problems were with the gear it self.. But most were because they shifted so hard.. Mercedes did come out with a better or different valve body and some were sold aftermarket.. But few people ever had the work done.

As far as price.. If its real clean and runs and starts well.. has no rust.. seats are good and work... When buying a diesel.. always be sure the engine is cold when you look at it... If they have started and warmed the engine each time I always worry that the compression may be low.. If its cold and starts first bump then its good..

I payed 5000 for a 85 300TDT a while back.. Super clean.. a few problems but easy to fix.. 87000 miles... To much.. I think so but I wanted one and this was the best I had found in two years of looking.. I will have about another thousand in it after its brought up to my standards..


Ken

Thank you very much for all the imput, I'm calling a couple of mechanics now. The only rust spot on the car I found was passenger side door were it closes against the jam. I think I offered to much for the car.

Lelescott,

Find out what is wrong with the car and what it costs to fix (including the door dent) then subtract that from the price you offered and offer that to the seller.

But don't expect to get a rebuilt engine, that would be almost as much as you offered.

One way to look at it is: the price you offered would be the depreciation on a new car the first year. All the other years are then free.

Just my 2 cents.

P E H

Ken

I had to replace the cam on my daughter's 240D bacause the PO had neglected adjusting the valves after he got his new MB. A couple of the lobes were quite "dished" so I found a good replacement at the U pick. Cam, towers. and rockers (rockers were worn too) Anyway I thought they were all hardened after around "80"?

Ya, talk about hills, thats putting it mildly, I'll keep you in mind when heading up I 5. I have never failed to make it but there were times I was real glad to see the top of the "hill".

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

I very much agree with what PEH said.. the offer is less than most people loose on a new car in a year... And if you put a couple more thousand in it and drive it 4 or 5 years and junk it.. You will still be money ahead...

I live in an area where we do a lot of driving.. We will often drive 200 miles to get a hamburger... Or 100 miles to pick up material so my wife can do some sewing.. Most of my friends put 40 or more thousand miles a year on a car.. A car with less than 200000 is like buying a new car to us..

Stevo... Ya I like the top of the hills to... We had a 240 for years.. Got a 300D and it was like a rocket... I have a 300TDT now and love it... My wife has a 92 300CE and that got rid of those grinds up the hills.. You will have to drop in and have coffee on one of your trips by.. We are planning a GTG for This part of the world here about April.. You need to make it here..


Ken

Make sure not to skimp on the pre-purchase inspection...then use this information to negotiate to a lower price...ALSO maintenance records are key to how the car was taken care of (or neglected)...Don't feel you are bound to this vehicle ...Be patient there is a "nice car out there for you driven by an old lady to church.." I found one...

Keep us posted If your investigation into the records reveals the valve job and tranney work mystery. This could be a nice car. Good luck

Ken
Maybe I'l contect you off the forum if I head down. We have family in Chico and have had to make the trip on short notice. I have a cousin over the hill in Hayfork if you can believe that. When you get a chance let me know where your shop is, wouldnt hurt to know at least one place on the route that has worked on old MBs.

Steve

It is always difficult to state whether or not this of that price is a good price for any of these cars. Less than a science at best.
From watching the various reports come in from all around, and from watching the asking prices in this location, I am becoming convinced that the prices of these MB's are higher along the West Coast.
Think about it. The 15-20 year old cars in the South, including SoCal, often have severe sun damage to the paint and interior. Most, not all of the rest of the country has salted roads to pickle the cars all winter long.
Here, we don't have much sun, and not much of a winter either. Never seen salt on the local roads.
That leaves the bodies and interiors looking ok after lots of miles and years of use.
Does not make up for poor maintenance, but still... Maybe the price he has is a very good price, of course a lot depends on the mechanicals of this ride.

Old Deis

Ya I agree. I got burned on a diesel , ur, cant spell it, that French car, starts with P, years ago. the engine was great but the body had been patched up and a nice paint job covered the ugly stuff. it was of course a car from back east and I just was not wise enough to check it out well, I know in the last year or so 5 friends of mine have bought old MBs, all have been manual 240Ds except my daughters boy friend that found a nice 116 SD. There are allot of nice old MBs over this way now.

Happy Ney Year Steve