Want to find the "perfect" 123 240D...suggestions for
 

the hunt.

Odo reading not important, but overall condition I would like to be as nice as I could get it.

I realize it may boil down to "target of opportunity," but if you wanted to conduct a systematic search...how would you go about it and where would you look?

How about thoughts on what to pay for such a beast?

Don't think anything I've ever owned has made me happier than my '83 240D...would like to add another to the stable while they're still "out there."

engatwork just sold the perfect 240D to spannman. I'll let them tell you the condition of the car and the price, if they choose. I saw pictures of it last week and the thing was gorgeous.

I would say search Ebay, Auto Trader, Hemmings, and The Star. Vehicles advertised in The Star are usually higher priced but in better than average condition because the owners are fanatics.

This sounds like me in search of 110 pre-1965 diesel with straight body, engine unimportant.... IMHO, finest machine MB ever built with zero electronics, no vacuum system, from an era when MB owned international taxi business worldwide..... to be souped up with '79 240D 118k engine that now powers dailly driver rust-bucket.

Never found workable finbody - but ended up with extremely rare '77 280SEL Euro 4-spd. that I'll probably be selling in September..... its just too much car for me.

Moral of the story?? Searching for one model - you might find uncommon opportunity at owning another.

Well, if you have enough dinero, i saw a 1983 240D with 28,000 miles on it on eBay a month or so ago. Of course the person wanted a mere $17,000 for it. And it was an Automatic, which just makes it worse.

Perfect 123
 

www.ajc.com has alot of MB

AJC a really good idea, except
 

the website wants me to enter a zip code, and I have no clue what to do there. Think there would be lots of what I'm looking for in Atlanta.

Any other thoughts?

JIm:

As for a zip code, use somehting like 30067. That's actually Marietta but should get in you the door.

3 years ago or so you would have found all kinds of 240D's listed for sale in ajc.com or the printed version. The last few weeks I have looked (Sat paper) there have been none. I will say that is where I found mine (soon to be sold) and when I found it there were only two listed.

AJC
 

30339 metro Atlanta

Jim - check your email. The sale to spannman did not go as planned. Something about the bride not being too happy about bringing another car home. I know where he is coming from.

Jim B+

If you've got the money, we can find a suitable means of separating you from it for a nice W123 240D.

Buyer beware - I know nothing about this car at all.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2423094875&category=6329

:)

Ken300D

240dieseldog,

That sounds like my "W110" phase. I actually went to see a '67 200 in Ada, Oklahoma about 1 year ago that was up for sale on ebay. It had all the right criteria: manual tranny, manual sunroof, 4cyl engine, reported good shape, used daily. When I got there, it was an older gent that is a car nut like me. He also had a restored 3rd gen vette (which was gorgeous) in the garage--normal cars outside in the drive way. Unfortunately, the car was rusty underneath, so I passed on it.

I really do have a great appreciation of the 110 series cars with the simpler headlights and shorter noses. Give me a manual sunroof and I'm there--like right now.

Too bad it was rusty underneath, because it was a neat car.

Back to the original topic: Ebay shouldn't be discounted. One of the indey's in Edmond, OK had a 240d for sale that was pristine on ebay a year or so ago. I went and looked at it. I would have bought it, but it was an auto.

I also peruse collectorcartraderonline.com about once per week looking for that "must have" car (perfect 250C, 250SE coupe w/ manual, 300SD W116, ect). I strongly recommend doing this. You've just got to have patience and look for a year or so. BUT--it's just like buying a house, have patience but when a prospect comes available be ready to move.

Sholin