1984 Mercedes-Benz 300D

Sedan

3.0L 2998CC l5 DIESEL SOHC Turbocharged

Automatic

WDBAB33A3EA119102

Clear

Diesel

This listing is for a used 1984 Mercedes-Benz 300D Turbo Diesel. Due to a very tight schedule (military work), I put feelers out on multiple used cars to make sure I had something. I purchased this car on Ebay Motors. It turns out that I don't need this vehicle after all, which is why I'm listing it so soon after buying. Consequently, I'll begin with part of what the previous owner wrote on his auction listing, in case it may prove relevant to you: “People in the know are aware that this model is one of the highest quality Mercedes ever built. Car was driven continuously during the last eleven years in which my wife owned it. Will be driven until sold. Also available for sale locally. Low reserve. (Parts are worth considerably more.) Runs but sold as is. Please inspect before bidding. I want to maintain my excellent Ebay reputation. AC does not work. Heater fan makes noise. Paint faded in spots. Some dents as shown. But very dependable. Replaced by recent model Toyota Avalon. 30 miles to gallon. Inexpensive to maintain. Will work with shipping company but buyer is responsible for pick up and/or cost of shipping. 5 cylinder engine. Built to last. One of the best color combinations. A workhorse. “ - previous owner's listing, not mine. Now back to my own words: **If you are interested, please let your own inspection be your most informative source about the car.** Buyer assumes all such responsibilities. Mechanically, the car is in decent shape. The engine runs smoothly and well. The transmission can give a bit of a kick going from first gear into second, but it seems fine. It's pretty clean under the hood. I observe no leaks. The A/C does not work, as the previous owner pointed out. Idling, the car sounds and feels good and normal - (I have driven multiple 300-class diesels, years 1984-87, in the last decade.) On the road, there's more noise than there should be. I'm not yet sure what the source is. The previous owner's longtime mechanic assures me all systems are fine. The only work I know it currently needs to have in order to be reliable indefinitely is a wheel bearing replacement, on both front wheels. Outside of that, it seems it'll run just fine. (I drove it almost 170 miles home.) There is a “Next Service Due At” sticker on the windscreen, reminding that regular service is due at a certain date or mileage. The date is the current month, July 2012, and the mileage is 272,000 – over 2000 miles in the future. (The dark spot on the ground, behind the rear of the car, in all pictures posted is not from the Mercedes. Another car left it there.)Cosmetically, it is not bad, but needs some work. The body has some rust and a couple dents. All dents are minor. The worst rust is over the left rear wheel. Otherwise, the body is in good shape. The interior is good overall. The passenger seat's rear panel is missing. Trunk is clean, includes the full-size spare in the wheel well underneath the trunk floor. Jack included. Glove compartment has minor cosmetic damage, but a replacement part is included with the car. No known smoking or signs of ever having smoking drivers/passengers. No smell inside. Buttons and switches work fine. Radio antenna is clearly not the telescoping original, but it and everything regarding the radio works fine. The dashboard light is dim; perhaps one bulb is burnt out. All other lights work well. Instruments and gauges are in good shape. The dashboard clock does not work (no surprise if you know this car type), and the speedometer needle can jump at idle (it is steady and fine at speed), but those are the only exceptions I've noticed. The locks are powered by a vacuum system, which is semi-functional: unlocking works well, but doors need to be locked manually. The sunroof is perfectly operational. The vehicle handles well. Acceleration is normal, and it rides well at all speeds up to and including highway. The seats are nice and springy, and the car's suspension feels good. Brakes function well. The car's steering is also good. Overall, a smooth drive. Historically, the title checks out. There were two owners not counting myself. The one I bought from had the car for 11 years. The title history was available on the previous auction and checked out just fine. No accidents or other known incidents. Consistent, regular annual registration history from both owners. Most recent owner had the car from 2001 until a few days ago.So, yes, it is old. Yes, it definitely needs wheel bearings, and yes, there's some extra noise. On the other hand, it's a very sturdily built tank. It has nearly 270,000 miles on the engine, but the OM317 Mercedes-Benz diesel is one of the best and most reliable car engines ever built. The car's New Jersey inspection sticker was valid through late 2011. We were told that it did not need an inspection after that because it's a diesel. If that's hash, I was fooled. Either way, it was inspected and passed in NJ, and the valid date is only about eight months past, so it is very likely to pass a comparable inspection as is. The car must go; I just don't have room for an extra vehicle at my apartment. May be listed locally as well, so if the auction has not ended, owner reserves the right to end it. (A winning “Buy It Now” bid will be respected as an immediate sale.) I will work with shipping companies if you are interested, but the buyer assumes all responsibilities and charges involved with shipping. Please plan to make provisions for license plates, either permanent or temporary. (Contact me regarding this, or anything else, if it may be an issue for you.) Bidding opens at USD $750.00 without a reserve.