1982 Mercedes 300SD



1982 Mercedes-Benz 300SD Arlington, Virginia $3950

	3.0-litre, 5-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine (OM617.951) 4-speed automatic transmission (rebuilt at 280K miles) Automatic climate control 4-wheel power disk brakes Power steering, locks, windows, sunroof, seats Navy blue MB Tex interior (more durable than leather)
The 1981-1991 W126 models are Mercedes' best selling S-class cars of all time. And the 5-cylinder turbodiesel (OM617) is widely regarded as the most durable passenger car engine ever made—by any manufacturer, ever. Often called "bulletproof," there are documented examples of this engine reaching 1 million miles. At nearly 300,000 miles, it's finally considered broken in. This car starts easily on the first try and gets the same mileage as it did when new—29 mpg highway (less in the city, of course). Name a full-size gas-engined car that can claim such durability or fuel economy—even a 2010 model! Want to talk safety? This 4775-pound car is built like a tank. While it doesn't have antilock brakes or airbags (Mercedes didn't offer them as standard equipment until about 1985), I'd still rather be in this car in a collision than almost any other car, except perhaps a newer S-class. Need visual proof? Watch this video and this video on YouTube. You'll never ride in a Fiat again. Maintainability? The "classic" (pre-1992) Mercedes models were designed with reliability and maintainability in mind. Any reasonably competent shade tree mechanic can perform routine maintenance on this car without special tools, and there's plenty of online help for those inclined to do more. And even though this car is 28 years old, your local Mercedes dealership can still order any part for it, and most parts will arrive overnight from NJ if they're not already in stock locally. Try that with a 28-year-old Detroit product. Moreover, if you're willing to wait a few days for shipping, there are a dozen online stores that carry most parts you'll ever need at substantial discounts. And there's always ebay. Now, I'm not going to claim this car is in showroom condition. If it were, it would be four times the price. But it is a "20 footer," meaning that from 20 feet away it looks great. Believe it or not, I've actually had someone ask me if it's a new car! Mechanically, it's in excellent condition. It's not perfect (see below), but it's a reliable daily driver, and I would not hesitate to drive it cross-country at a moment's notice. Current mileage is 298,042*. Vehicle history: The first owner of this car was a doctor in Richmond, Virginia. (No surprise there; this was a $35-40,000 car when new.) He and the second owner, also in the Richmond area, put 272,000 miles on the odometer. A Chicago man then bought the car for his son to use while in high school. He owned it about two years and added 14,000 miles, but also did a substantial amount of work on it (see below). I bought the car in mid-2006 and have driven it about 12,000 miles in four years. But I have four other vehicles, and it's time for one to go. Before I bought the car I ran a Carfax history report. It came up clean, with no reported accidents, recalls, or salvage titles. You're welcome to run one, too. High resolution photos (1600 x 1200 px) are on the next page. Allow time to load; they total 17 MB. Car is located near the Shirlington exit on I-395, about 3 miles south of the Pentagon. Inspection and test drives by appointment, of course; please call 703.307.2478 or email pjc23 [at] cornell.edu.

	Condition The Good Climate control works (a/c and heat) All gauges work (speedometer, odometer, tachometer, oil pressure, engine temp, fuel, clock) Sunroof operates smoothly and does not leak All power windows operate smoothly Front power seats operate smoothly All door locks work, including trunk and fuel filler door Work done about 10K miles ago: Rebuilt turbocharger Cleaned intake manifold and engine block ports Replaced o-rings and grommets on oil drains Replaced front shock absorbers (Bilsteins) Replaced engine mounts and engine shocks Replaced gasket in engine-mounted vacuum pump Flushed coolant system and filled with Zerex G-05 Replaced two heater hoses Work done about 5K miles ago: Rebuilt front suspension Replaced lower ball joints Replaced lower control arm bushings Replaced right upper control arm/ball joint (left side done c. 35K mi ago) Replaced upper control arm bushings Replaced guide rod bushings (at LCA) Replaced tie rod ends Replaced steering damper Replaced idler arm bushing Cleaned, inspected, and repacked front wheel bearings Front hubs tightened to spec and front end aligned by independent Mercedes shop (H. Kestermann, Alexandria) Renewed brake system Rebuilt front and rear calipers Replaced front and rear rotors Replaced rear hoses Replaced front and rear disk pads and shoes Power flushed system with Ate blue DOT4 fluid Adjusted valves New battery (Duralast) December 2008 Michelin Hydro-Edge tires (22K miles/6 yrs old) Windlace, B-pillar vinyl trim, and driver's seat bottom upholstery recently replaced Virginia safety inspection valid through Dec 2010. Vehicle is exempt from emissions testing in Virginia. The Bad Cruise control inoperative Passenger side electric mirror not fully functional (driver side is manual) Minor interior cosmetic issues Some cracks in clear acrylic coating on wood trim Tear in headliner above right rear passenger seat (repaired but visible) Cracked vinyl on center (folding) armrest Plastic trim on top half of doors is warped and cracked Minor exterior cosmetic issues The usual parking lot dings Some scuffs and fading on plastic bumpers and rocker panel trim Chrome on top of rear bumper has worn spots Clear coat faded on alloy wheels The Ugly Dashboard is nicely cracked (if this bothers you, you can buy a cover)
*Although I have no reason to believe the stated mileage is incorrect, I am not the original owner and therefore cannot guarantee the accuracy of the odometer reading.
	Work done by prior owner Replaced transmission and flex disk Replaced rear differential and CV joints Replaced a/c compressor Installed new (remanufactured) alternator and starter motor Replaced fuel injectors Replaced lower oil cooler line and transmission cooler lines Replaced glow plugs and controller Replaced various fuel and vacuum hoses and seals Adjusted valves and verified timing chain backlash at low end of spec Installed block heater Replaced rear window seal and trunk seal (yes, trunk is dry)

The fine print: The car is sold "as is" and without warranty of any kind. You're welcome to inspect the car, or have it inspected by the mechanic of your choice, before purchase. I have clear title. There are no liens and no joint owners. It is a normal Virginia title, not salvage or otherwise restricted. This is a cash sale. Cash means cash, although I'm willing to use escrow.com as long as you pay the fees (about 3.25%). Note that with escrow.com, you must fund the transaction with a wire transfer. I might also be willing to accept a certified check, but only if it's drawn on a local bank and I can cash it before handing you the keys. I will give you a bill of sale, and the stated purchase price will be the amount you actually pay, not less. You will be responsible for paying any sales/use/transfer taxes when you register the car at your local DMV. The license plates stay with me. You'll need to bring your own plates or a flatbed truck. If you propose to overpay me and have me refund the excess by Western Union while you're on a business trip to Nigeria, you'll get no reply. I'll just delete your email and flag your address as spam, so don't bother.