Just bought my 1988 300SE with 227,000 miles for $2,800 (USD). The exterior and interior are gorgeous, and she runs like a CHAMP. I bought her to be my daily driver.

I bought her from a gentleman who loved her (and only sold because he got another Benz with a V8). He's had her for 6 years, he purchased her from a relative.

I have years' worth of service records, and I know the mechanic who has taken care of her for the last six years.

This fellow put a LOT of money into her, taking the time to fix little things even, like a missing vanity mirror. She even has nice tires.

The only thing I've found so far that doesn't work is the cruise control, and something's not quite right with the ABS. I'll get around to looking into that at some point, it's not a big deal to me. The speakers are kind of cruddy as well (my Saab has spoiled me big-time there), I'll replace them soon.

Again, I say this car is gorgeous. I'll take some pictures as soon as it's warm enough that my eyeball doesn't risk freezing to the camera.

I feel like I got a great deal, both because the car is in good shape and because I know a good mechanic has been restoring and maintaining her.

Oh yeah: for those who care about this sort of thing, she has all her original manuals, even the window sticker is in the glove box. I *think* the first-aid kit is original too (and it certainly looks 20 years old), but I'm not informed enough to be sure.

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'88 300SE | Midnight Blue | 237k
'09 Subaru Impreza | red | 0k

Purchased late February 2008
1983 300D Turbo
Orient Red
Tan interior (MB-tex?)
320k miles
Her story: We had our first son last fall and after 5 months of depending on my wife’s car for daycare between the two of us, we decided to add another car to the mix. I have my own car, a restored ’77 FJ40 Landcruiser with a tank of an inline 6 engine. I found the reliability of the 30yr+ auto much better than her younger GM car. The problem with the FJ, it maybe an overbuilt Jeep for all intents and purposes but the rear jumpseats are not very convincing for latching in a baby seat.
So with a limited budget in mind I asked the wife what kind of old car she would like to have, the idea was to attract something that may eventually appreciate in value such as the FJ40. She said she always like the early 80’s MB diesels and I was off on my search. After lurking many forums for published advice and pitfalls I began the test drives. What we finally agreed on surprised both of us. How so, well we decided on a car that was only $1,500 vs. one that was almost completely replaced with new parts for $5,300 after a collision with a deer. The math was the easy part for a few reasons. Our new son basically paid for the car with the tax benefit a child brings (‘bout time he start pulling his weight after 5 months, no slackers allowed in this household) and in part he was the motivation for another daily driver. Math cont’d; a car with a rebuilt title has little loan interest in the eyes of my bank, so an emergency scramble for cash using the equity in the car was not an easy option. We run a tight budget since we are both trying to get an advance degree in graduate school (I know the old faded diesel ads to the stereotype of a grad student, just imagine the beard and elbow protectors on a corduroy jacket. Which incidentally I have also). We set the criteria for a purchase as something that we would not be to pissed about if it blew up tomorrow, alas the economically priced 300D won out. In our calculations we hope to get at least 150 days use (roughly 5 months) out of the car. So with a new set of tires we started using the car immediately as our main daily driver.
Where did we get the car, a local mechanic. How? After looking for a reputable local indy mechanic, one spoken fairly highly by some forum members, I called him for an inspection quote in case I found a car I wanted to buy. While I was one the phone I just put it out there I was looking for a MB 300D 1977-1985. The lady from their office referred me to the mechanic with one for sale in town and I jumped in the FJ and headed over after a short conversation with the mechanic (I lost my muffler on the way, was that a sign?). At first sight (and I will post pictures to give a reference later) she looked a bit rough. Faded trunk, and top of the car with a cracked front windshield due to a large rock impact. It was cold as hell that day so it was perfect for a test drive. I put my hand on the hood to make sure the car was nice and cold, it was. Turned to the key to glow and a few seconds later cranked the engine. It sounded smooth and it had decent pickup, more so than the rebuilt MB I had test driven the week before. It was smooth as glass driving (at least up to 40mph), again different from the salvage. This made an immediate impression on me that the un-deer blemished car was actually a better ride in comparison, I shouldn’t be suprised. The hard part now was convincing the wife, she is pretty smart and loaded with bullet proof logic, so I had a challenge ahead. Talked to the mechanic to get the story on the car and it went as such:
The PO brought the car in for new cooling hoses, engine mounts, brake lines, and repair to the vac system for the engine shut-off. The engine had been replaced with a lower mileage donor of the same make some time ago but no specifics were passed along. Long story long, the PO was PO’d (pissed off) when he got the bill for the repairs (I did not list all of them) for $1,500. He said screw this you can keep the car, I am not paying you! So the PO, is pissed, the mechanic is pissed because he is out parts and labor.
Given the risk of it being a total junker, I talked the mechanic into letting me have the car to test drive for the weekend, actually kept it Monday as well due to the DMV being closed for Prez day.
After the long weekend performance, the wife agreed the car was solid compared to the rebuilt we tested earlier.
Here is what I have learned about the car from the test drive weekend and since purchasing:
The doors, trunk, and gas vacuum lock system works. The power sunroof works. The heat works, yet the center vents do not. We had a warm day, close to 68 and the car was hot from sitting in the sun. From the short run in not so challenging weather the AC worked, yet I am not placing too much stock in this test. The power windows in the front work and the rear works only if you use the door switches. The top of the car and trunk paint is faded and I may do a polish, glaze, and wax in the spring. The interior has a rip in the driver seat where ones left elbow would hit and a smaller tear near where the left butt cheek would rest. No cracks in the dash (really surprised with the faded paint) but the wood panel in the center console has lifted and cracked. The cluster works with the exception of the engine temp, a high priority fix (the mechanic has a 300D eruo manual of the same color that I can pull any part I want for free before he sends it off to the junk yard, a great bonus after the purchase). An aftermarket pioneer radio was correctly installed with a trunk cd changer. It was a quality job because even the front to rear fader switch on the console still works. Since my kid is riding in the car I did not hesitate to put new tires on, no sense in having a tank if it’s on bad rubber. The mechanic said he did not have a service record but after checking the glove box, it had the original owners manuals and service stamps in the maintenance log along with brake/ rotor replacements. It’s not complete but it gives the names of the dealer and possible indy’s to contact for filling in the gaps. It even has the original blue and red hang tags with instructions on using the cruise control and window wiper function. The first aid kit is missing but all the trunk tools for changing the spare are accounted for.
Mechanics: I have been trying to flesh out a vibration above 50mph, still there when shifted to neutral and as mentioned already, new tires. I will have to mine the forum after a visual inspection under the car. It has a hard down shift from second to first, otherwise a smooth up shift and down shift.
At first I was just going to drive the car into the ground whether it be two weeks or 6 months. But the more I dig into the car the more I see the car as a candidate for a restore like the FJ, especially since I have free access to a donor car for parts. First and foremost is safety, drive- train, and last cosmetics with the exception of preventing any aggressive deterioration such as rust.
Do I think I got a good deal, well only time will be the judge. I accept the my cars fate as being biased for the worse based on the forum adage: nothing is more expensive than a cheap benz.
Thanks for letting me share her story and I forward to adding details that I think may contribute to the forum.
Shawn

1980 280se, i paid $1000.
i'm trying to stay optimistic on whether or not it was a good deal.
She came with problems, but a mercedes at $1000? hard to call it a bad deal.
so far, i've put $200 into her (in 2 weeks) and i'm looking at another couple hundred coming up here (alternator, various belts, and as soon as financially feasible, the timing chain)
i'd call it a decent deal.

plus, had i put the same into any other car, it still doesn't come with 3 stock chick magnets (the one on the hood, the one on the trunk and the one on the steering wheel)

Got a '87 260E with 186k on the clock for 700$.

Runs pretty good. Needed the usual oil change, replaced the air filter, fluids and such.

Planning on getting a new paint job as there are some areas of abuse that need retouching. One or two of the power windows don't work quite well. May sink in some new parts here and there. Over all I felt it was a steal. The interior is pretty mint and the driving experience is amazing.

Got my '86 420SEL in December 2003 from the original owner's family, for $2000; 146K o n the clock, not running, no records, but I have pretty-much known it since new. Got all the M&Ms out from under the seat, kids had roughed up the interior a little as it morphed from a classic to an old car, new fuel pumps got it running though. I have probably spent $3000 plus my labor, fixing mostly little things: sunroof; brake reaction joints;steeering damper; radio; antenna; repaint alloy wheels; new tires; timing chain and upper guides, along with cam oiler tube plastics, misc. hoses, etc; fuel injectors and seals; spark plugs; ACC fan motor; ACC control box; replaced plastic front grill which was probably bird-broken; left-rear power window (needed the plastic piece in the mechanism); cleaned power seat switch; power steering pressure hose and filter/fluid; replaced three door checks; fuel pumps and filter; idle control box; antenna switch; all fuses.
So far.
Has 153K on it now. Would I do it again? Hey, it's a hobby. If it isn't fun, there's no reason to do it; drive a Taurus.

Paid $4000.00 for my 94 e320 with 126k. it has its little bumps and bruises but after investing another $2000.00 over the next year it will be Mint.

I just bought a 1980 240D in immaculate condition, with 103,000 miles, perfect interior. Purchased from original owner, a little old lady, for a whopping $580. Needless to say I am stoked. Has a smoother/more comfortable ride than my Brand New Honda Element EX and even gets better gas mileage. Now i am thinking about selling the Honda and making this my daily.

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1980 Mercedes - Benz 240D

My father gave me his mint 1993 190E 2.6 / 140K...as the dealership in Beverly Hills would only give him $500.00 on a trade. Its my first MBZ and all I can say is, once you've gone Benz , you will never go back. I've got my eye on a 500E for sale locally and if we can come to terms, I'll probably buy that as a weekend car.

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1993 190E 2.6 135k
1989 Ford Thunderbird SC 5 Spd 79K

I wholeheartedly agree. I've always enjoyed cars that had something a little different about them, something not everybody else drives. My Saab 9000 is a great example of this; it's very difficult to find parts for, and I can't find any mechanics who are comfortable with it, but it's such a pleasure to drive that it's worth it. It's also the only one in my town, as far as I can tell, which I love.

My Benz, on the other hand, does have a great mechanic locally and far more resources (like you guys) for tech help and parts.

But anyway, I stray from the point. If you're in a position where you have the option, "hobby" cars are a blast. My last three cars (the 300SE, my Saab 9000 and my old Jeep Cherokee that some schmuck ran into and totaled) have al been "hobbies" I enjoyed doing, while still being vehicles I could trust to get me where I need to go.

That said, I have no children to take to school or to soccer, I work at a University job where it's OK to take off to drop the car off at the mechanic or to roll in a bit late due to some vehicular issue, and between the Saab and the Benz my wife and I never do without. If I had children, a "clock-in" job, or we were a one-car couple, I might feel differently.

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'88 300SE | Midnight Blue | 237k
'09 Subaru Impreza | red | 0k

Picked up 1997 E420 for $8500, 81000miles about a month ago. Replaced one broken fog light lens. Need to replace cracked windshield. New plugs, airfilter and oil change with filter. New tires. Car runs great so far, engine still very strong and shifts fine.

We recently purchased a 1987 420SEL with 137K miles that didn't run for $500, and we had to tow it home. It belonged to a big M-B fan who had three other M-Bs and had let this one sit until it would no longer start. He had all his other cars maintained by a mechanic, but since this one was the oldest, he tried to maintain it himself. He was told that it needed a new fuel distributor, and he installed it himself, but failed to set the airflow sensor back to baseline afterward. We got that straightened out and the car now runs pretty well except for a miss at idle which we are trying to figure out. The engine and transmission seem to be in good shape except for some fluid leaks from the rear of the engine/front of transmission area, which we intend to keep an eye on. Its body is almost perfect, except for peeling clear coat, and the interior is very good. This is our first Mercedes, after having owned Porsches, Jaguars and Mopars. I really like the car, and hope to learn how to fix everything on it. I really appreciate all the help I've received on this board.

1984 190E, 149000miles, 950$ Canadian

Great deal, it needs however, timing chain, cam gear, rails. Full servicing, few power options do not work and a few exhaust pieces.

All in all, I am very pleased and cant wait to get it out of the shop.

I got my 1967 230S fintail for $100. The engine was blown but I am putting a 5 cylinder turbo diesel in it.

I got my 1979 300SD for free and it has been a great daily driver. Over 300,000 miles and still going.

This weekend I bought a 1966 200 fintail for $400 and drove it home over 100 miles away.

All of these cars were craigslist purchases in which I saved them from the scrap yard. Usually you can buy decent, driveable Mercedes for under $1,000 if you watch the ads regularly.

Bought a real cream puff. 1850.00 115k original owner. Expected the RPM's to be a little lower at cruisng speed but probably due to it's weight. German tank. Great cars.

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Thanks, Juan

....for $2000 a few months ago. At first, we suspected a slight head gasket leak, now I'm not so sure. When took in for initial oil change, they stated the previous owner had used after-market filter that didn't fit exactly right--said they had a devil of a time getting it off, and there was oil all around. Have put about 1,000 on it since the oil change, and the dip stick hasn't moved the tiniest bit, so I dunno, might not have a head leak.

Runs perfect, cruise doesn't work, had to spend $500 to get all the windows working right. Leather has some cracks, but overall nice interior. No cracks on the dash. Odometer is broken, shows 105k. Previous owner said it broke about a year ago, estimated 10k afterwards. I figure it's right at 120-125k or so. Paint is nearly perfect, was garaged it's entire life. Newer tires.

A/C works, but not what I could describe as ice cold.

Overall, I'm extremely pleased, and a proud/happy MB owner!!

-Eric