for sale 1985 300TD $900 -RI - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

JB3 · #1 09-08-2014, 07:31 AM

Putting the wifes wagon up for sale, replaced it with a newer domestic thats a bit higher off the ground so she can yell obscenity at other drivers from a position of height and power.

First a sample of how I will sell this on craigslist-

Quote:

1985 wagon, no rust, perfect paint, diesel that will run for 1.5 million miles without maintenance or oil, 50 mpg, low mileage. Only asking seventy two hundred dollars! RARE!

Now reality for the forum-

This is a wagon that has spent its entire life in the northeast, has been rusted, repaired, rusted, repaired, rusted, repaired, and rusted and repaired again. It has rust issues here and there, lots of patch repair. It was a white wagon that was painted a custom purple mix that is getting a bit old, but it was a pretty extensive paint job and still looks decent from a safe distance, including all jams, but it has some current paint issues here and there.
it has 330k on the odo that just stopped working 2 months ago, true mileage is closer to 335k id guess at this point. It has a mismatched interior that is pretty comfortable, palamino and blue front seats. (I have palamino covers for the front seats that go with the wagon.
There are a host of other little old car issues, original radio is spotty, A/C doesnt work, heat is great up to 65mph then shuts off (monovalve), manual sunroof glued shut, ect.

I removed the SLS as too rusty and did a standard spring conversion which has been great.

-The pluses-

Solid drivetrain and totally useful as a DD, engine has a new timing chain as of less than 10k ago, turbo is turned up slightly and she runs nice down the highway, plenty fast for an old diesel. I take this thing to southern CT all the time, and she is a solid reliable driver. Transmission works great. Due to the mileage you get a spare transmission I had on hand that has 200k on it. Engine has minimal leaks, has newer (red!) axles, newer brake work, shocks, excellent tires. Comes with a lot of wagon specific bits ive collected for it in boxes.
The wifes favorite part, horn works great, nice and piercing.

Pics of the car and all its qualities and detriments in this thread, I bought it off a forum member that was great on maintenance and kept up with the rust as well as anyone can really, lots of reciepts and records from his and my ownership-

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/266302-new-wagon-owner.html

Pics of the car-

Basically if someone has a primo wagon they want to preserve and still wants a mercedes winter vehicle, this is a great choice, or its a cheap reliable DD, OR a great parts donor for another wagon.

My intention was to keep it and restore over time while using it, but we came across a great deal on a newer car and jumped on it. (wife tested that horn to her satisfaction as well), so its time to sell the purple wagon.

Pretty firm on $900 bucks. You get a lot of great parts for that price, or a wagon you can just use and use as is. Vehicle is located in Cranston RI. RI does not issue titles over 10 years, BUT, does issue official paperwork explaining this law which acts as a title combined with the registration for states that require titles. I have that in hand. This means that this car CAN be registered in states that require a title for registration.

PM if you would like to take a look

shertex · #2 09-08-2014, 08:48 AM

Love the ad. Between you and Quahog (and my occasional modest contributions), RI forum members have a great sense of humor, don't we?

What is it about women wanting to sit high above the traffic?? My wife is the same way.

JB3 · #3 09-08-2014, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shertex

Love the ad. Between you and Quahog (and my occasional modest contributions), RI forum members have a great sense of humor, don't we?

What is it about women wanting to sit high above the traffic?? My wife is the same way.

we have to have personality to make up for our Napoleon complex.

I think the height thing is a real help for tailgating, it just doesnt feel as bad like people are coming in your back window. My wife is a good driver but when cut off or tailgated she is very passionate about gestures and screaming at other drivers.

I have observed this behavior and have noticed that in cooler temps, she doesnt do it.

In a car with no air conditioning, she has the windows open and is free to express herself on a second by second basis. This wagon is also very distinctive and memorable, and as you know, the entire state is very much a small town, so the A-hole you call an A-hole on tuesday might be the A-hole who tailgates you on thursday. I don't want any next day road rage situations where party B in the nondescript unrecognizable beige sedan recognizes party A in the vintage purple benz wagon, and does something.

A more nondescript generic vehicle with working air conditioning and higher up so she doesn't feel like people are driving in her back window is I think the solution. I found a 99 explorer that is nice, but forgettable to other drivers, and the windows will be up with the A/C on, a frank exchange of opinion is not going to be as instant.

dtf · #4 09-08-2014, 06:06 PM

I too am born and bred RI. I can remember my mother taking me out to the Rt 115 and Rt 2 intersection by the malls to teach me how to drive the day after I got my permit ( in 1974). I still scare people with how aggressively I drive - it's how I was taught!

shertex · #5 09-08-2014, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dtf

I too am born and bred RI. I can remember my mother taking me out to the Rt 115 and Rt 2 intersection by the malls to teach me how to drive the day after I got my permit ( in 1974). I still scare people with how aggressively I drive - it's how I was taught!

If you learned to drive in RI, you can drive ANYWHERE. The driving stupidity of Rhode Islanders is truly breathtaking....especially when it comes to MERGING.