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Car Forum / Mercedes-Benz Cars / August 2006Where to Buy a Used MB
Hi, I live in Madison, WI. I've been watching ads in the Madison and Milwaukee areas, and have told family and friends I am looking for an early '80 MB 300D or 240D. I've also been watching eBay and Autotrader. Any other web sites worth checking into? I amopen to ideas. Thanks! Mark Buy a car, don't be sold a car. Try to buy a car from its original owner not some old dog that's had multiple owners, the last three of which didn't maintain it. You're looking for a twenty five year old car so look for elderly owners. If I were you I'd look at ebay only as a price guide, then I'd read the Chicago papers for a for sale by owner car being sold by a retiree or widow. Be patient, it's optional. If you know of some upscale retirement communities try to post a flyer in their mail room - lots of people have cars but no longer drive much and don't want the bother of selling their car so it stays and stays. Your flyer is their opportunity to act. And distance doesn't lend enchantment - when it comes to cars; buy nearby, not in Florida or Arizona or California just to name some "enchantment". This old car will cost you between $1000 and $2500 depending on its condition so finding taking a old car on a big road trip may become an expensive "adventure". >Buy a car, don't be sold a car. Try to buy a car from its original owner >not some old dog that's had multiple owners, the last three of which >didn't maintain it. The importance of this cannot be overstated. All older cars need some work done to them, that's a given. The trick is to find ones that need cheap or easy work done to them. Hence the importance of getting somebody who KNOWS THE CAR look at them as they're non-intuitive. FOr example if you're looking at two 126 diesels and one has cloudy windows at the rear bottom corners and one won't go into gear in first or second but is ok in third and up? The first one is going to be a rusrt disaster while the second one is a $100 2 hour easy fix. But this is non-intuitive. These can be quirky cars that often bite the uniniated the first time round.  SignatureNeed Mercedes parts? http://parts.mbz.org Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org 1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home pages: http://rs79.vrx.net 633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net > FOr example if you're looking at two 126 diesels and one has > cloudy windows at the rear bottom corners and one won't go > into gear in first or second but is ok in third and up? > > The first one is going to be a rusrt disaster while the second > one is a $100 2 hour easy fix. But this is non-intuitive. My '87 w124 had white cloudy spots in the lower left corner of the windshield. I had it replaced just yesterday, because a rock had cracked it. The window guy told me that the white spots would be because of rust, before he started (he had worked at an MB place and seen this before). When the windshield was off there was no rust at all, nowhere, to his and my surprise. Also, the window was the original factory fitted one and it was really hard to get off. The 'glue' seemed to have gotten hard. So, the white stuff apparently isn't *always* indicative of rust. On another note: He claimed that it was necessary to remove the wiper before taking off the windshield, because the procedure was likely to damage the wiper. Ximinez SignatureOur three weapons are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency... and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope.... http://www.ai.mit.edu/people/paulfitz/spanish/t1.html http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gldlyTjXk9A [windows] > So, the white stuff apparently isn't *always* indicative of rust. My '82 300CD had some of that in the lower-left corner of its rear window. I figured it was delamination caused by the flexing of the pillarless, two-door body. This was a California car, so rust was unlikely. Geoff Signature"The interesting thing about Santa Cruz is that it provides enduring evidence that people who are as dumb as a bowl of mice can make a good living, and even be considered cool." -- jthomas@pacbell.net >> So, the white stuff apparently isn't *always* indicative of rust. > >My '82 300CD had some of that in the lower-left corner of its rear >window. I figured it was delamination caused by the flexing of the >pillarless, two-door body. This was a California car, so rust was >unlikely. It's casued by moisture getting in between the laminate layers. It usually always means rust - it does mean water is getting in there somewhere. It's not a huge deal on the front but is a BIG deal on the back. A few years after it shows up you can expect your trunk and around the taillight to start going. It's all downhill from there. SignatureNeed Mercedes parts? http://parts.mbz.org Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org 1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home pages: http://rs79.vrx.net 633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net [cloudy patch in lower corner of 300CD rear window] > A few years after it shows up you can expect your trunk and > around the taillight to start going. It's all downhill from > there. No biggie; I sold the car a year ago. And since I didn't know this at the time, my conscience is clear. Geoff Signature"The interesting thing about Santa Cruz is that it provides enduring evidence that people who are as dumb as a bowl of mice can make a good living, and even be considered cool." -- jthomas@pacbell.net Oops, I meant the REAR glass, not the front. >> FOr example if you're looking at two 126 diesels and one has >> cloudy windows at the rear bottom corners and one won't go [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > >Ximinez SignatureNeed Mercedes parts? http://parts.mbz.org Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org 1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home pages: http://rs79.vrx.net 633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net > Oops, I meant the REAR glass, not the front. OK, I'll keep that in mind when I ever by another one ;) Ximinez SignatureOur three weapons are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency... and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope.... http://www.ai.mit.edu/people/paulfitz/spanish/t1.html http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gldlyTjXk9A I found our 300d on http://www.mercedesshop.com/shopforum/index.php There is a lot of good info on that sight. Duane >> Oops, I meant the REAR glass, not the front. > > OK, I'll keep that in mind when I ever by another one ;) > > Ximinez > I've also been watching eBay and Autotrader. Any other web > sites worth checking into? I am open to ideas. You might try cars.com. The ads from a number of newspapers are repeated there, but they're not the only ads they feature. Also, Google for "300D for sale," "240D for sale," etc. Geoff Signature"The interesting thing about Santa Cruz is that it provides enduring evidence that people who are as dumb as a bowl of mice can make a good living, and even be considered cool." -- jthomas@pacbell.net |
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