1984 Mercedes-Benz 300-Series

Wagon

5-Cylinder Turbo Diesel

Automatic

WDBAB93A7EF001916

Clear

Diesel

This 1984 Mercedes 300TD Turbo Diesel Station Wagon spent five years on blocks in our garage while we were living in New Zealand. Down off the blocks on our return last April, with a fresh battery and her four good Michelin tires aired up, she roared to life on the first turn of the key! Unfortunately, after we clinked our wine glasses in celebration, we discovered that those idle years had done her no good: First, the vacuum system has multiple leaks, so that the engine does not shut off when the key is removed and has to be shut down manually with the panic button under the hood; and the vacuum-operated door locks no longer work automatically, although they do, of course, work manually. Second, a front wheel bearing is groaning and needs replacing. Third, all four brake calipers are rusted and semi-frozen, making the car dangerous to drive in its present condition. And fourth, all four shocks need replacing. And there are old, minor scratches on the driver's-side door and an imperfectly repaired area of deer-strike damage, half the size of the palm of your hand, at the inside front edge of the left front quarter-panel where there are visible small creases in the sheet metal and minor streaks of rust (can be seen in the frontal view). That’s all the bad news we know about. Now, the good news: Our European-trained technicians say the five-cylinder engine and automatic transmission are sound and should provide many years of service. The turbocharger kicks in at the touch of a toe, and the car has plenty of passing power. As fans of this model 300 series will know, the 314K miles on the odometer don’t mean much to this muscular, durable diesel engine. Our techs also say that this Mercedes has one of the best-preserved interiors they have seen in a car of this vintage. The soft leather upholstery, carpets, dash and instruments are in fine condition, despite a little mildew in the crevices. The car even has its original first-aid kit, never used, still in its compartment over the right rear wheel-well. It has a high-quality Sony CD-player/radio, added by us in '99, and very good four-speaker sound. The electric windows work. The air-conditioner was working fine when the car went up on blocks in ‘09, but it needs a refrigerant re-charge now. The cruise-control works. The power-steering works. The sunroof is water-tight but very easy to open. The dashboard clock keeps perfect time. When last on the road in ’09, this car got 26 miles to a gallon of diesel fuel. The guys from Stuttgart told us it would cost $2150 to make this car road-worthy again, and since we have two other vehicles and limited garage and parking space, we have decided to pass her along to her next appreciative owner for an affectionate restoration. Someone with mechanical experience, metric tools, and access to salvage or after-market parts can put this fine car back on the road for a lot less than two grand.