1986 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Sedan

I6

Manual

WDBEA30D4GA232885

Clear

Gasoline

Up for sale is a nice 1986 Mercedes Benz 300E with the exceptionally rare 5 speed manual transmission. As I understand it, less than 400 of these were ever sold in the USA. The car is in good mechanical condition. I have brought all maintenance up to date to make sure the car is a reliable and properly running driver. I have recently taken this car on a 2000 mile cross country trip and it performed very well. The good: The car runs and drives properly and is in very good condition and the little detail bits that get neglected on most older cars are up to snuff on this one. Windows and sunroof work. Fan blower and climate control work. Air conditioning and heat work. Radio works. Seats are nice and supple with good support. Body is very solid and paint is shiny. Brand new plugs, wires, cap, rotor, coil and fuel pump relay. OVP tested OK. Battery is strong. Clutch engages smoothly and holds properly through all gears and RPM ranges. Driveline is quiet at all speeds. Newer alternator and serpentine belt. All fluids are fairly recent, including brake fluid. The car handles well and suspension feels tight. Good exhaust. I replaced the rear shocks with new bilsteins recently. ABS works well. Car stops well in a straight line and quietly. I would bet that the head gasket was done not too long ago because there are no telltale signs of a head gasket leak. Coolant is clear and oil is clean, and has remained that way for the 5000 or so miles I have put on it. Cruise control works fine, however it may take a few tries to get it to engage sometimes. To note: The driver's door inside handle is a bit loose. Few scratches and dings on the body, and a couple spots where surface rust was treated and touched up, very minor. Although the paint is shiny, it does show its age so please don't expect a show car. It is a presentable driver. The odometer doesn't work, but evidence suggests that it stopped working shortly before I got it. I would guesstimate about 200K miles. There is normal oil seepage from the front of the engine, but nothing major and it doesn't hit the ground. Please review the videos for a virtual walkaround and test drive. I am selling because I have purchased another Benz. I buy these cars, sort them out, drive them for a few months and then sell them. Please review my feedback for cars I have sold through the years, everybody's been happy. I am not a dealer. You might find one of these cheaper, but will likely have some $$$$ surprises pop up. Mine is priced fairly for the condition and rarity. I am confident you can fly in from anywhere in the country and drive it home. Please understand you are buying this car as is where is, no warranty expressed or implied. Although I believe it to be a good car, it is nearly 30 years old and anything can break at any time. Please ask questions and make sure you are satisfied with the condition of the car BEFORE you place a bid. You are bidding to buy. I welcome test drives and inspections by you or your mechanic. Driving Video Walkaround Video On Sep-13-14 at 14:54:57 PDT, seller added the following information: I had a request to go into more details about the extent of the rust on the car. I went over it thoroughly and have posted a video with the details of the rust. It's a very solid car overall but I call your attention to a couple spots underneath the car where once I started peeling the coating away and poking at the surface rust to see if it ran deeper than I thought, and a couple small spots showed up. You can see all the details in the video below.