You haven't identified the model that you are looking at. Is it a 300SD, 300TD or 300D or 300CD?
A 300SD is the large, "S-Klasse" four door sedan. A 300TD is a station wagon of the midsize (currently "E-Klasse") range. A 300D is the midsize four door sedan. A 300CD is the two door "sports coupe" of the midsize line.
The midsize cars in this line are all built on the 123 basic unibody model. The 300SD is on the 126 unibody that was also the 420SE, 500 and 560 SE (and in Europe, the 300 and 380 SE), gas powered cars.
Which one you are considering will make a big difference in ease of maintenance and finding parts.
It may be counter intuitive, but the large 300SD is more fuel efficient than the smaller 300D, TD and CD, because the 126 was among the first cars with real wind tunnel research in its design, and it used aluminum for things like the hood and deck lid, to lower weight.
$5,500 is probably a good price for a no rust, low mileage version of any of these cars. BUT, BUT, BUT, it is very important to remember that the most expensive car you will ever own is a "cheap" Mercedes.
These cars can last essentially forever. But the work on them can be expensive and the parts are, well, Mercedes-priced.
When you're reading posts on this forum, you are mostly talking to people who get a lot of their parts in pick-a-part yards, and do the work themselves. If you can do that, then the car can be a daily driver for you, your children, your grandchildren, and then some. If you can't do the work, but have a good mechanic who can (and will) the same longevity is obtainable, but at MUCH higher cost.
Look at the HVAC system. Does the AC blow cold? Does the cruise control work (very likely not).
When you turn the driver's side door key, do the locks on ALL the doors go up? (These cars have a vacuum pump on the engine (and the 300SD has another on in the trunk. Mercedes loves to run things, from the door locks to the transmission shifting, with vacuum. The vacuum lines are reliable, but the little flexible rubber bits that join sections of vacuum lines and vacuum lines to activating parts wear and leak and cause nightmares.
Run the sunroof open and closed a few times. Is it stiff, jerky, frozen? This is not terrible to fix, but again, if you do it, you save bundles of money. (I'm in So. Cal. and very sunburn prone. I can't remember the last time I had my sunroof open.)
The sunroof and the HVAC system have drain hoses that can get plugged. ALSO, under the hood hinges, back by the firewall, there is a deep pocket on each side. These have drain holes at the bottom, but they fill up with leaves and stuff. If they are not cleaned out, they are natural breeding spots for rust.
Has anyone told you that the hood on this car will stand straight up, 90 degrees from the road surface? It takes playing with the latch at the hinge points (on both sides), but it makes service work MUCH easier.
REMEMBER, if you're not going to do-it-yourself, this could be an expensive car to own.
Tom, '81 300SD, 354,3++ miles.
I think that in 1985 you're still looking at the iron head, 5 cylinder engine. This need a valve adjustment every now and again. You do this by yourself, in your own driveway, at no cost except the 30 minutes involved and the extensive post-job treatment with hand cleaner. Otherwise, you either pay a mechanic a small fortune to do it or you let the engine run rough and try to destroy itself.
120,000 miles is nothing on this engine. Anticipate a good one running over 300,000 without much cost (but do give it regular filter changes, oil changes and valve adjustments). Use only synthetic motor oil. Flush the cooling system.
The dash lights will be dim. Live with it or try an LED upgrade (information all over the web).
In a message dated 12/15/2011 12:37:35 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, rwillman18@yahoo.com writes:
I am contemplating the purchase of a 1985 turbo diesel with 120,000 miles. The car is tip top…no rust, and aside from a few chips in the paint a great looking car. I am in Wisconsin and I want to know if 5500.00 is a fair price and can I use it as a daily driver? What should I be looking at on this car? Thank for the help!!
No comments:
Post a Comment