1985 300TD daily driver $2000?
 

I have no idea if this is worth anything to anyone, but I will put it out there.
This is my wife's diesel wagon. It has 479,000 miles on it. It has been her daily driver for the past 16 years. In that time we have put about 200,000 miles on it.

It is very rusty and was hit from the side on a cross country trip at around 400,000 miles. That is why the front clip doesn't match. The body is shot, but it starts, runs, and drives true down the road.
The front end is tight, the SLS works but has a slow leak, ac works, power locks and windows work, tires are about 2 years old. It has gotten all the maintenance over the years including the high mileage stuff. Timing chain stretch was corrected and timing was set at around 325k, transmission has been serviced several times, but most recently about 40K ago, it has a new radiator, oil cooler lines, rear subframe mounts. I have a whole book of the maintenance that goes back more than a decade.

It has a hitch and has been used to tow a lot. It has drug our pop up all over the country, but locally has hauled small tractors, hay balers, and seeders. I was bringing a seeder back from GA about 25K miles ago and it overheated coming over monteagle mountain. I am pretty sure that blew the head gasket, but I put a can of head gasket sealer in the radiator and it kept on running.

She still drives it every day, but I put together an 84 wagon for her a couple of years ago to replace it and we think its about time to retire this one. It could go on blocks for parts, but I already have another parts wagon and a sedan.
I would say someone could fly in and drive it home, but the body is too bad for a restoration. I would think it would be best for someone doing a restoration that needs a decent blue interior and a lot of parts.

If there is no interest, it will probably move to parts car status soon.
I have created a photo album that can be viewed at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/YDJqEJ9HtS1CFvPy5
It has some photos taken today as well as several old ones including the frame repair and photos of the wreck and even a couple from a decade ago when it wasn't so hard to look at. It also has a few shots of prior body repairs. The passenger seat just fell through the floorboard for the 3rd time so don't think this has had no body work. Any repairs would be repairing repaired repairs.

Congratulations on getting it this far. That car is so rusty I would be afraid to drive it in fear of it breaking up while driving. I sold one that was three times as good condition as this.

I think its actually bending in half from towing the hay baler last year. The baler has several hundred pounds of tongue weight and ever since then the back doors drag. There is a picture of the center trim and one of the passenger back door where you can see that the midline trim is no longer straight and the door gap is pretty far off. Once you disconnect whatever is being towed the doors work again.
But it has above 300psi compression on all cylinders!

someone may buy it who has a clean car with a weak engine and do the transplant.

Anyone considering this should plan on a head gasket replacement. Also, the transmission shifts well but takes several seconds to engage in reverse when cold. I know its been said that such delay is a sign of a dying transmission, but its been doing that for at least 6 years now and its still going.


I honestly can't imagine anyone wanting the car (the question mark after the price should be interpreted as OBO), but it also seems like a shame to just put it on blocks. I guess that is why we keep driving it. :o

your local car graveyard might give ya $1K for it if you can drive it in...

I guess I have been too honest. My wife drives it every day. I took it on a 2 hour interstate trip a couple of months ago. She won't go on the interstate with it, but she takes it to visit friends 30 miles one way every week. I have been piecing it together for the last 3 years waiting for something major to go, but its only the little things that break so I keep fixing it.
Maybe this isn't a for sale ad, but a cry for help. How does it end?

suicide or homicide.;)

If the dash in the car is without cracks it alone is worth some good money.

This appears to be a $500 car to me. I had somebody give me 2 of these for free years ago that were in far better shape.

Good luck


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I think yall have answered my question. It doesn't appear to be worth anything to anyone else, so I am doomed to patch it together for eternity or till it breaks in two, whichever comes first.

Please consider your wife’s and others safety when keeping the car on the road. Thanks.

That is a valid point. I didn't mention that my wife PREFERS this old 85 because she doesn't have to think about keeping it clean or dent free. She also has an 84 wagon that is ready for bring-a-trailer, but it is reserved for long trips or where we have company in the car.
I do also inspect the rear subframe mounts pretty regularly now. I suspect they will be the first to start to degrade to the point it becomes unsafe.
I have a thread on here somewhere that I started when this car rolled over 400,000. I updated it at 450,000 and will certainly post to it again if it makes it to 500000. My wife and I have agreed that 500000 will be mission accomplished and it will go on blocks with the other parts cars.

Thanks. Good thinking.