Purchasing a 1979 300SD tomorrow-my first! - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

#16 12-11-2003, 09:56 PM

I know someone who is selling a 91 420SEL for $6,000. The car is beautiful, just around a 110,000 miles. The guy works for a dealer and it's and extra car for him. It's located in West Palm Beach, Florida. I passed on it because it was not a diesel. If anyone is interested I can pass on an email.

FineOlBenz · #17 12-11-2003, 10:37 PM

Manila like an envelope and the interior is Bamboo. I just last month bought a 1980 identical to the original post, only speedometer is a little different and no sunroof (No roof leaks). My odometer shows 296000 miles. The color names I retrieved from the original dealer's window sticker. The original price in November 1979 was $28,900 or so. The original owner traded a 1977 240 with 31,000 miles and got $12,500 trade in for it. I guess he wanted a turbo or some thing to do with the polution issues as he had news paper articles on both.

Good Luck

slowmoe · #18 12-11-2003, 10:39 PM

Random thoughts about daily driving....

I am good with random thoughts - I have them all the time. Here are a few:

First, any car that is driven daily will require maintanence. Cars that are over 20 years old require more than maitanence, they require fixing that which degrades over time. Especially those cars that have not been driven very much because much has yet to be done on them. Just a few examples: many rubber bushings will need to be replaced - you already have seen a few (not all) on the front end... rear end? Many vacuum lines become brittle and brake i.e. power door locks, shut off valve etc... Electrical conections become coroded and stop working - power windows. Any areas without access to be lubed dry-out - CC vents power windows/sunroof etc... Things like radiators go and CV joints crack - I can go on forever.

Please understand that this is not ment to say that these are not some of the best cars ever built. It is to say that any old car requires lots of work - even ones that cost $8K!! Please do not think that you are about to purchase a car that will not need a lot of time to keep on the road. It is just not the case if you drive them 12-15K a year.

I love these cars. I am a huge fan...But, they do require lots of work. Every car does.

Toblin · #19 12-11-2003, 11:16 PM

You are way, way above the market. (Just my humble opinion mind you).

Now!........ Take a deep, deep breath!…… Hold it! .......... Hold it! I say!

And think!

#20 12-11-2003, 11:29 PM

Keep looking. I bought a 300DT Monday for $1500.00. It has 82,000 miles no dents, original paint and almost everything works. No ones perfect. It even came with a car cover. It's gold and shiny. I plan to drive it for a decade.

My last MB was a 83 300SD, rear ended and wiped out, RIP, paid $2500.00 for the Gray Ghost. She was a beauty, she took the hit for me when I was hit at a dead stand still by a GMC 3500 van going forty. She was like the Bismark. Good old State Farm Insurance gave me $6500 for the girl.

Keep looking and have patience Grass Hopper.

TClanton · #21 12-12-2003, 12:39 AM

I'm with GottaDiesel on this one. I looked for almost a year for a 116 that wasn't rusted to pieces, ripped up inside or just generally worn out. Well-kept examples are fewer and further between everyday. I finally settled on a low mileage decent vehicle for $4K. After putting it where I wanted it for a daily driver with new leather, etc., and getting the motor where it needed to be, I'm in the car for almost $11K. I've done alot of the work and had an independent MB guy do the rest. I'm not sure where all the great ones for $1500 are, but you can't buy em around here. If the guy has great documentation and it passes a pre purchase inspection and it's what you're looking for, it might be an ok deal. The flip side of that is, I've spent $7K in two years, but I got a lot of new stuff....

That said, I don't regret the decision or the cash I've put into the car. It still turns heads, is a pleasure to drive, gets great mileage and I've only seen 4 others in the 2 years I've had it. Yep, there are always little things I'd like to do to make it better, but it's NEVER left me on the side of the road or been a PITA.

Lessons learned:
The rear seats in every 116 I've seen sag and the horsehair pad in shot. Looks like his are well on the way. Be sure the leather is pliable enough to come off and replace the pad. I got to buy a whole new leather interior because the old leather fell to pieces when removed.

Bad windshield gaskets WILL leak.

Fuel filters WILL clog.

The antenna mast is missing on the Manila Brown car.

I'm partial to the Manila/Bamboo combo, too,Veloce.....that's what I've got. The chrome stands out well against the dark paint.

Good Luck Man!

TClanton · #22 12-12-2003, 12:51 AM

WAIT! What is that in the trunk of the yellow car? Second tank?

nhodges · #23 12-12-2003, 02:25 AM

Yup. I had one of those in a 220D and could make a high speed run from San Diego to El Paso without stopping with plenty of fuel to spare. What-a-car.
Nap

slowmoe · #24 12-12-2003, 08:50 PM

This is more a realistic price... $3900 and the reserve is met.

slowmoe · #25 12-12-2003, 08:50 PM

sorry...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2447509239&category=6330

pj67coll · #26 12-12-2003, 09:25 PM

I might haggle a little on the price but I'd be buying the Maple yellow one myself assuming it checks out as good as it looks. The minor fender dent is irellivant. You can remove the fender and tap the dent out yourself in an afternoon.

That's pretty close to my dream car actually, and the asking price is less than what I still owe on my POS Korean Subcompact that vibrates like heck on the highway and is about as safe as a drunk pedestrian on an autobahn.

- Peter.

WANT '71 280SEL · #27 12-12-2003, 10:43 PM

I own a 1979 300SD. The BEST Mercedes ever built, not an opinion, FACT! Paid 1100 from original owner. Had some rust that is no longer there. (bondo). But is a BEAUTIFUL color. It is 903, which is a pastelle blue? Anyways, looks very pretty for a 25 year old car. I get compliments and stares all the time, (sometimes bad attention) like when my window was broken and my CD player was missing. All in all, a great car. Surprisingly nimble for a 5,000lb sedan. I can still out handle many newer cars, and I mean that too. I drive GMC's all the time for work and they are not nearly as fun as my SD. They may have more power, but you wouldn't know it. I also feel safer, even though I don't have 16 airbags in the car. ABS would be nice if it were on my car, but I now know how to stop on ice, rain, etc. Thanks for listening to my blabbing. I sy go for it, likie they say, "you only live once." I wish I could pay that much for a car, but I'm only 17 and have college to look forward to yet.
Thanks
David

CougarMark67XR7 · #28 02-16-2006, 09:40 PM

That is just too much money. I just purchased last week a clean southern 79'300 SD with zero rust, perfect interior and 150K miles for $700.00 locally. The motor has a main bearing knock which can be fixed for a reasonable fee but otherwise the car needs nothing. I would keep looking for another 116.

Good Luck, Mark =)

Hatterasguy · #29 02-16-2006, 09:43 PM

Uh look at the date. He bought the car a long time ago and I think he sold it last year.

andersbenz · #30 02-17-2006, 12:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nhodges

Yup. I had one of those in a 220D and could make a high speed run from San Diego to El Paso without stopping with plenty of fuel to spare. What-a-car.
Nap

First time I have seen "high speed" and "220D" in the same sentence.