Donated the 86 300SDL today
 

Well my wife and I drove the 86 300SDL down to the auto processor that handles the car donations for Catholic Charities. I have been trying to "get rid" of the car for a couple of months now. Not that I could not have picked up the phone and they would have come and gotten it.
When my daughter went to College last fall I was gong to call them up and they could come get it. But we needed the car because the 300TD was apart.
We then found my daughters new car, the 83 240D. So with all the cars now I called the place and drove it to them.
It was a great car. We bought it in 1993. Put 125,000 miles on it. But more important, while driving down to the place I realized how much I truly loved the car. Its large, comfortable, got great gas milage and was solid. My wife and I enjoyed it as well as both of my kids who drove it for quite some time. My daughter cried when I told her that it was gone. Even though she has the 240D.
Well, it was a great car and we enjoyed it so very much. We will miss her.

Dave

Don't get upset now. The car really needed work and it was time for it to go. If it was worth rebuilding I definately woudl have. Maybe I'll run across a 300SDL in great shape and be tempted:D

you're on crack

At least it was for a good cause.
-Joe

your daughter was right
 

i'm crying too.. could you pleez name the charity/location so someone on the board can rescue it...!!
:)

Yeah, where is it and what was wrong with it?

The only way I'd get rid of mine is if it was in an accident so severe, that the frame crumpled like an accordion, and the passenger safety cage did as well. With a W126, you KNOW that could never happen no matter how hard the hit was.

If the engine wore out, I would have it rebuilt. These are my engines, I know them, and I don't ever want to get rid of them. No new rebuilt motors for me, thank you very much.

So what caused you to donate that car?:)

Get another one, and start a new relationship all over again. Except this time, never get rid of it.

Here's an old thread where Dave describes the condition of the car. I thought about this one and decided it was just too far gone for my ability to restore properly.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?threadid=84249

Whoa fellas.

If it was worthy of rebuiding I would have. I really loved that car. And I've done a 65 Mustang, my 82 300TD and now my daughters 83 240D. Trust me it's not worth the money to do a restoration.
Heres the short list.
#1 cylinder low compression.
Transmission needs to be rebuilt.
Front and rear end suspension needs rebuilding.
Body is not in good shape. Had a rear end collision that was not repaired, not super bad but damaged. Lots of dents and dings, with some surface rust in some places.
Interiors are in need of replacing.
Have had some electrical wires that were overheated.
AC needs a rebuild, Expansion valve must be replaced. Its a big job in the SDL.
And there is more.
So I'm looking at $10-12,000 to bring it up to speed in a car that has a book value of $2500.

Actually in 1999 when we got the 99 E300. We looked at a 91 350SDL that was showroom new. 75,000 miles with a 100,000 Mercedes extended warrantee. I arrived 20 minutes after he sold it. He wanted $2000 over book value and it was worth every penny. But it was not ment to be so we got the 99 E300. The E300 was a shop queen, I got rid of it. I'm one of Mercedes nightmares. I've owned Mercedes for 23 years but would never buy anything after 93-95. The 99 E300 proved to me that quality at Mercedes has gone very bad.

Ft. Worth Catholic Charities, is the recipient.
Given to Charity Motors in Dallas. 214-630-0442
It will come up for auction.

Dave

The picture attached is from 1993 when we bought it. I don't have a current picture.

How do you find out about where these cars get sold off? I've seen a few ebay listings stating that the cars were bought from some of those kind of charities.

This ought to be excellent. I cannot wait to see the listing for the car when it comes up on e-bay. I can hear it now:

"Pristine 1986 Mercedes SDL. Engine runs smooth. Transmission shifts like it was brand new. I drove this vehicle down the road and it drive like a dream. This vehicle will provide many years of dedicated service and it gets 35 miles to a gallon of diesel fuel. Body has a couple of dings typical of an 18 year old vehicle. We have verified that the mileage listed (115K) is the actual mileage for the vehicle. A/C blows warm but probably just needs a recharge. You will not be disappointed with this vehicle."

I can't wait.:D

dmorrison,

Why didn't you donate it to me?

P E H

This whole donation thing is such a scam. It's only a matter of time before the IRS starts cracking down. I don't know how many people I know that have donated vehicles and claim an amount that is consistent with a car in excellent or good condition, when it has a cracked head or a bad tranny.

240Joe

The IRS has either done that already or is doing it right now. In order to claim any more than $500 for a vehicle donation, you have to provide proof that the charity sold it for the amount you claim.